If we look back on 2008 and start ticking off the top names of 2009, one will want to assume that the PlayStation 3 has the momentum.
Not only does it have the obvious exclusive edge over Microsoft's Xbox 360, but it has several other factors going for it.
It's $200 cheaper than it was upon launch two years ago, the launch of the PlayStation Home open beta is scheduled for this month, Blu-Ray has won the HD movie war (and it's certainly the more preferable software format for games), the PlayStation Network and Store have taken gigantic strides, the machine is far more reliable than the 360, and yes, as we just said, the exclusives have really been impressive.
We saw Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Resistance 2, Wipeout HD, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, Valkyria Chronicles, and LittleBigPlanet this year and we can expect Killzone 2, God of War III, Gran Turismo 5, the recently unveiled Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Heavy Rain... More »
So after weighing in on Resistance 2, it started to dawn on us: is this now the franchise to beat in the FPS genre? And with the impending Killzone 2, is the PlayStation 3 now home to the best FPS experiences on the planet?
Typically, Microsoft has been responsible for the best FPS experiences ever since the original Xbox launched way back in 2001 with Halo. Even multiplatform FPSs have been better on a Microsoft console, although we believe that trend will soon fade in this generation.
Earlier, developers simply didn't have a good handle on the PlayStation 3, but now, things are starting to come together and it appears it's Sony's machine that has the best to offer in the FPS genre. Xbox 360 loyalists will consistently turn to Halo 3, but although I am a big fan of that trilogy, the fact of the matter is that Resistance 2 is better.
Insomniac's initial effort, as good as it was, may not have been a "Halo killer," but the sequel most certainly ... More »
According to PSX Extreme (linked above), Nomura has told a publication that we will see a battle scene in FFXIII before the end of the year. He also touched upon the benefits of the Blu-ray format for the game.
To quote: However, according to Final Fantasy XIII-net, (details translated by a NeoGAF forum member), the latest information tells us we will see gameplay footage for FFXIII before 2008 is out.
Square-Enix's Tetsuya Nomura spoke about the game in a Gemaga interview, and he says we will "see a battle scene in FFXIII before the end of the year." He also mentions the benefits of Blu-Ray for their ambitious RPG, and furthermore, they should soon release information on the game's expected-to-be-stellar voiceover cast.
For many, this game remains the most anticipated title of the new generation, and despite the delays, it remains high on everyone's priority list. It is coming to the Xbox 360 as well - PS3 owners still haven't recovered... More »
5.00 M33-2:
* Popcorn bug fixes
* Fixed bug that caused some games with certain icons not to work, and caused document.dat not to work.
* Fixed critical bug that caused continous corruption of psx games in RAM.
* Core bugfix: Fixed sctrlKernelSetInit* functions not working.
* M33 network update doesn’t work in 5.00 M33, fixed.
* Added... More »
Update: Dark_AleX discovered PSX problems in 5.00 M33 due to a bug in M33 code that is caused sometimes with certain icons. He stated, "I'm not gonna bother do an update only for this but I'll post the file that fixes this for anyone wanting to fix it manually replacing the file."
Courtesy of MWeston2 via YouTube, a new video is available of a PSX emulator running on the open source portable Pandora console.
It's not running at full speed, but apparently once it utilizes OpenGL it will easily be able to emulate at full speed!
To quote: This is just a zoomed out video of PSX4Pandora to show it's real. There's nothing new here, but just a proof of concept video that was sitting on my camera.
Sound works with one kernel and the gamepad works with another so it's still a work in progress due to OSS incompatibilities in the kernels. It will get worked out, but still not at 100%.
Square-Enix dropped a bomb at E3 this year when they announced Final Fantasy XIII for the Xbox 360, but can we expect any blockbuster unveilings at the Tokyo Game Show this week?
Well, before the hype and anticipation starts, we'd like to say: nah.
Final Fantasy Union recently ran an article about what to expect, and as far as we can see, we'll have to look elsewhere for any super big announcements. While Square-Enix is bringing 25 titles to the show, only 6 of them have anything to do with the revered Final Fantasy franchise, and only 9 of the total 25 games on display will be playable.
One bit of good news is that this includes the upcoming Dissidia: Final Fantasy for the PSP, so handheld fans should be anticipating some new gameplay footage.
But beyond that, we likely won't see much in the way of new details or information concerning either Final Fantasy XIII or the still-PS3-exclusive, Final Fantasy Versus XIII. We also don't e... More »
Everyone is going absolutely nuts over the LittleBigPlanet BETA, as multiple gaming sites all over the Internet are giving away thousands of access codes. But you may not have to get lucky if you wish to play the game before its October 21 release date...
According to reliable inside information delivered by a reader, it seems Sony plans to open up the BETA testing during the final week to give everyone a shot at it. Essentially, they produce the closed BETA to generate hype and interest, and then open it up to the public in the form of a playable demo a week before the game launches. The tipster in question posted the following in the Blu-Ray.com forums-
"If you don't get in, don't worry. They are supposed to be opening up the public BETA for the final week. Last I heard they were still planning on doing so, this closed BETA is just there to generate a bit (a lot) of hype for the game before it releases. Basically they are talking about turning the limited t... More »
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