E3 2009: Sony Press Conference

Sony's Press Conference really delivered some surprises though where spoiled prior to their presentation.  My favorites where the following 3...

1. Final Fantasy XIV Online was revealed even before the release of Final Fantasy XIII.  This looks to be the successor to Final Fantasy XI.  They showed a CG trailer but no in game trailers just of yet.  The classes seems to be the likes of it's predecessor.  I just hope it wasn't as slow as it was.  I am a hardcore FF fan and forced myself to play XI and I enjoyed it presonally.  But with my other gamer friends playing the game, they didn't have the same sentiments.  Lets all hope that this one will make it big.  Let's give Square, the best RPG makers in my opinion, another chanced in the MMORPG realm.

2.  ICO's creator Fumito Ueda finally reveals its new nexgen game The Last Guardian codenamed Trico.  I love this team because they are not pressured and will not be pressured to a release date.  They concentrate on the quality of the game and will put their full power and creative knowledge and know how to make it the best game and they have done this with ICO and Shadow of the Colossus.  And now Last Guardian, looking just as stunning and incredibly amazing.  The best graphics in a game I have seen up to date.  The feathers on the creature was staggering.  Each feather moved in its own physics and the game play and the kid was just awesome.  The music really give an epic feel to the whole presentation.  This will surely live up to its reputation no doubt about it.

3.  God of War III was the closer of the whole conference.  Looking ever so stunning and everything that the series has been made famous.  Showing Harpies, Chimeras and giants, the demo had to be cut short because of time.  God of War will surely live up to the expectations of God of War fans everywhere.

That was it with Sony.  I expected it to be dull and short of expectations for Sony fanboys because of the bombs of Microsoft with the Kojima surprise and the introduction of Project Natal but they didn't let that stand in Sony's way.  They have surely delivered.

That's it, Sony is coming back!

E3 2009: Microsoft Press Conference

Lots of things was announced to the public from Microsoft.  Probably the major announcement was Project Natal.

But before we get into that lets talk about the other big announcements that I am taking note of.

1.  Final Fantasy XIII in-game graphics on the Xbox 360.  This was awesome and who ever said that PS3 games won't look as good as it would on the 360 is completely incorrect.  Square probably makes the best graphics in any game and for this company to push the graphical boundries of the PS3 and make it look just like it on the 360 just states that the 360 can make any game they conjour up on the Sony system, graphically anyways.

2.  Kojima has now joined the team of supporters for Microsoft.  They have announced that they have rights to the Metal Gear Solid francise but the game that they have revealed for the first time was Metal Gear Solid: Rising with main character Raiden.  I don't know about this move.  Not alot of people really like Raiden.  Everybody loves Solid Snake so please just give us more that.  Everyone said Metal Gear Solid 2 sucked because of Raiden so it will be a challenge for Kojima to pull another blockbuster game.  But since it's still MGS, I'm still buying it.

3.  Now the biggest announcement was Project Natal.  Is Microsoft copying Nintendo or is this a new thing.   There is no controller.  The Natal paripheral senses your whole body.  You can walk, you can jump, you can swing, turn, almost about anything and it will sense it.  They even stated that it is a real-time motion capture device.  In the beginning they showed Tony Hawk RIDE and then they show this and showing a kid playing askateboarding game using Natal.  This kinda messes up the marketing of the Tony Hawk game.  This also finally makes Xbox 360 the 2nd competitor in the motion interactive gaming.  But Microsoft is no controller.  So many ideas will emerge from this concept of gaming.  I say there will be a controller vs. no-controller culture that will take over the industry.  What are you predictions?

So those are the highlights of the Microsoft Press Conference.  There are lots more big announcements like Splinter Cell Conviction, Alan Wake dated, Left 4 Dead 2 and others.

That's my insights in Xbox.

360 Outsells PS3 for the 2nd Time in Japan

For the 2nd time in history Xbox 360 has outsold the PS3. The last time this happened was the release of Final Fantasy creator Sakaguchi's Lost Odyssey!

But that's not the amazing part of the article. Xbox 360 has outsold the PS3 nearly 3 times more. The actual numbers? PS3 sold 9,673 and the Xbox 360 with 24,962. That's 19,000 more then the previous month for the xbox 360.

So why the sudden boost of sales for Microsoft in the land of the rising sun? The only game that Japan cares for... Final Fantasy! Last month, Yoichi Wada, President of Square-Enix, announced Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360 along with the JRPG line up consisting of The Last Remnant, a new Star Ocean game, and Infinite Undiscovery.

But Final Fantasy XIII isn't coming out for the 360 in Japan you say? Yes but also a factor that might of resulted in this is the price cut. The new SKU rumored to be at $399.99 120GB, $299.99 60GB, clearance 279.99 20GB, and $199.99 256MB might of happened a bit earlier in Japan.

Eventhough all these things that might of caused it, my conclusion is that in Japan all they care about is JRPGs and once a big project like Lost Odyssey and Final Fantasy is around the corner, the local japanese folks are willing to spend that money to get their fantasies fulfilled.

But all in all my bottom line is... japanese girls are HOT!

source: joystiq, kotaku, ign

E3 Sony Press Conference impressions

Not as impressive I must say. I found myself waiting the whole time. And when finally something comes up that I've been waiting for it was just a few seconds.

God of War 3 came up but it was just a teaser. Nothing of a big news.

The revamped 399.99 PS3 sounds good but still no backwards compatibility.

I felt like I am when I ate a burger but still not as full so I need to reorder for more food. Too much statistics and not much games and showing off the game running and playing. I wanted more games but gave me history.

Jack seemed to stutter alot and lose his words during his presentation. He seemed nervous but still pulled it off. You could tell that Jack isn't really a gamer and made statements take came off as more business corporate and not a real nerd geeky gamer kind of feel. Jim Lee was a real gamer. He really gave us the gamer angle in the presentation.

Sony really need to bring up its game if it plans to keep their 10 year console cycle because I don't think Resistance 2, Killzone 2, MAG,... and those other games that I can't think of out of the top of my head will overcome the title of Gears Of War 2, Fable 2, Last Remnant, Star Ocean, Fallout 3, Rockband 2, Guitar Hero World Tour.

E3 Sony Update: God Of War 3 and Infamous

The Annoucement of God Of War 3 is coming...

A demo comes on screen...

My impressions???

No real time footage just yet. Just a teaser. Oh boy more waiting.

Infamous is now shown, looking good. It would be pretty exciting to be a crazy powerful being like this. Lets get our hands on it! Please Sony!!!

Zipper is on the stage, introducing MAG, Massive Action Game, 256 players online. It will be determined with rankings for squad commands. Character growth is also a thing in this game to improve your player. A demo shows.

I don't know how this large scale commanding system will work but they are really pushing it. Let's hope for the best for this game.

E3 Sony Update: New SKU and more PS3

80GB version for 399.99 without the backwards compatibility and 2 USB ports and no card reader. Its a bigger hard drive of the 40gb version.

Now this is something new. We all thought that Sony wasn't going to give a price cut but here it is. Its kinda butchered but still a price cut.

Think of this as a bigger HDD. Instead of a 40gb you get a 80gb for the same price.

Now they're showing developers enjoying the programming of the playstation. Different companies claiming that they have only used half the processing power of the cell processor. If that is true then lets seem them games!

Another montage comes up...
Little Big Planet
Motor Storm 2
Metal Gear Solid 4
Quantum of Solic
SoCOM Confrontation
Ghostbusters
Soul Calibur
Resistance 2
The Agency
Naruto Storm
Mirror's Edge
Resident Evil 5
Sing Star
Guitar Hero World Tour
NBA 09 The Insider
Buzz
Killzone 2

E3 Sony Update: Now for the good stuff... PS3!!

Talking about integration of google with the playstation...

Sony Online Entertainment is helping out. Showing is DC Universe Online. Introducing it is Jim Lee the comic book artist.

Oh neat!! Now finally someone that is a real gamer on stage. He's talking about everquest and how he was a paladin. DC Universe is okay but not really busting my bubble. Should be alot of fun but we could just wait and check it out.

E3 Sony Update: Video on Playstation Network and PSP and Resistance

Now they're talking about the video service on the playstation network.

Anyways so the PSP is up on stage...

Showing some different bundle packs. A Madden bundle and a Ratchet and Clank bundle. Costing at 199.99, still no price cut.

PSP Resistance is being showed. It seems to be running in real time but I'm not sure. If it is then this is really looking good. One of the best looking PSP games around. Its a 3rd person perspective game. Coming out spring 2009 so we have a while to wait.

E3 Sony Update: Home

Home is now being mentioned.

A video shows how home will impact us gamers... by meeting new friends, play with others, living game spaces. Just some stuff we are waiting for months now.

So I don't know if we are going to get more home but that's it for now with that.

E3 Sony Update: Game Montage and Gran Turismo TV

Ratchet and Clank Future quest for booty,
Fat Princess
Jixel junk
Pain
Flower
Siren Blood Curse
Ragdoll and Kung Fu
and other games

Gran Turismo-TV...

Pay-Per-View footages of racing events, makings of new cars, concept cars and alot of things cars. Looks exciting if your a car freak.