IGN (linked above) has posted its review of the official Sony wireless keypad for the PlayStation 3, and seems to have a problem with its general design more than anything.
They note that the biggest issue is the top mounted nature of it, but essentially QWERTY keypads for game controllers don't really work that well and its probably best to pick up a microphone and talk.
To quote: But regardless of the poor touch support and ill-advised key design, the biggest issue I had with the Wireless Keypad is that Sony opted to design it as a top mounted add-on. I don't want to seem partial one way or another, but I definitely think Microsoft had it right when they made their keypad attachable between the handles of the Xbox 360 remote.
The keys seem much easier to view and access when they are located just below your thumbs on the thumbsticks. To be fair, the choice in top versus bottom attachment may have been out of Sony's hands. It's possible that Mi... More »
We know some of you put off playing Grand Theft Auto IV when it launched earlier this year on "video game consoles" – instead, preferring to wait for the inevitable PC port.
After all, if there was any chance of some hidden hot coffee action, the PC would be platform of discovery. So you waited. And waited. And finally word came through the tubes that GTA IV would see a PC release on November 18th of this year.
Now, if listings on popular online video game retailers like Amazon and GameStop are any indication, we're hoping you circled that date on your Friends of GTA charity calendar in pencil because you may be in for a two-week delay.
We put a request out to Rockstar early this morning and have yet to hear back, leading us to believe this del... More »
Recently, XBox 360 product manager, Aaron Greenberg, indicated in an interview that the Blu-ray is not the future. He also goes on to take stabs at Sony for some of its decisions regarding the PS3.
Greenberg stated in an interview with Major Nelson, that the Blu-ray is no DVD. He also indicated that the Blu-ray format could be the next UMD. I assume he is attempting to correlate UMD as a failed format for movies. An odd comparison considering that the UMD is a Sony PSP-only format. I assume you could also say then, that the Nintendo DS cartridge is a failed format as well.
Greenberg said: “We have no plans to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience,.. We believe that we shouldn’t force consumers to pay for things they don’t want. We also believe that the future’s digital, and that’s why we’ve invested in a massive library of entertainment content.”
This supports my recent story detailing how Microsoft’s nickel and dime bu... More »
Yes folks, it's October, which means that the crazy end-of-year games rush has begun. A boggling number of games are due out over the next few months, so let us guide you towards the titles we really think you should be keeping an eye on.
Remember though, most of these recommendations are based on previews, so wait until the final review verdict before picking any of them up.
1. Animal Crossing: City Folk - Wii, 16th Nov US, December EU
It might not be the great hardcore hope Reggie claims it to be, but the Wii version of Animal Crossing certainly promises to be the definitive entry in the series. It's got proper online play, mic and keyboard communications, Mii support, a new city area full of customisable gear to pick up and connectivity between Wii and DS. In other words, it's got everything Animal Crossing always needed. AC is one of those games you either love or just don't get at all, but if you're the former, this will be a must.
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The red rings of death issue simply refuses to go away for Microsoft, and no matter how much it reduces the cost and extends the warranty one simple question remains: will the Xbox 360 ever be fit for purpose?
I guess that the headline should have read 'Will my Xbox 360 survive past Christmas?' given that I intend to use my own experience of Xbox 360 ownership to highlight that, no matter how hard Microsoft tries to convince the public differently, it just cannot seem to fix the hardware problems users of the Xbox 360 face.
Are you sitting comfortably? Great, then I will begin. My story starts almost exactly a year ago in October 2007, with a badgered father giving in to the requests of his son to buy an Xbox 360.
After doing some research, the newly released Xbox 360 Elite seemed to be the perfect choice as it was meant to have fixed the dreaded red rings of death problem. It was also black, and I like black gadgets when it comes to audio-visua... More »
Fans of massively multiplayer games who were looking forward to Warhammer Online were understandably shaken this summer when it was announced that some major features were being pulled from the game.
However, those worried fans can now take heart. Speaking to 1UP earlier today about this week's public launch of their new game, Mythic Entertainment general manager Mark Jacobs assured us that the cut content that does find its way back into Warhammer Online will be reintroduced free of charge -- not as part of a paid expansion.
"Are we going to put [the pulled content] in a paid expansion? No," Jacobs explained. "What I've told the users point blank is that we want to give it to you as part of subscription content. We don't have a schedule penciled in for when that will be coming, but we're going to release it without any additional charge to players."
The cuts, announced in July to help keep the game on track for a fall release as well as... More »
The comparison between the two generations begins with the PS2/Xbox generation. During that time, there were a variety of reasons to own both systems - there are always reasons to own a successful video game platform - and for most avid gamers, those reasons were obvious.
The Xbox was the more powerful console and its relatively familiar hardware was similar to PC, which paved the way for many great FPSs. And we're not only talking about exclusives like Halo; we're also talking about most all multiplatform FPSs, which were typically best played on the Xbox.
In general, multiplatform games really were slightly better on Microsoft's machine, simply due to the ease of development and the added power the PS2 didn't offer.
At the same time, the PS2 was following closely in the footsteps of the original PlayStation and attempting to steal the original console's crown of "King of the RPGs." If you were an... More »
The official story: "Dead Rising: Chop 'til You Drop coming for the Wii!"--Tight-lipped and promotion-minded Capcom senior communications director Chris Kramer.
What we heard: Last Friday, Diamonon posted the latest in a series of behind-the-scenes looks at Bionic Commando Rearmed to the PlayStation Blog, and in a display of dedication to the message, spent the weekend posting personal replies to nearly every commenter. On Sunday night, a user going by the name renanbianchi posted a note applauding Capcom for its support of the PlayStation 3 and begging for a new installment of Dead Rising.
Diamonon answered the plea, simply saying, "You haven't seen the last of Dead Rising." When another poster asked if that was confirmation of Dead Rising for PS3, he replied that he was "not confirming anything, just hoping." After a bit more pestering, he finally just said, "There's nothing more I can say regarding DR except that you'll have to wait and see."
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