“Super fighting robot: MEG… Maverick Hunter?”

Aesthetics.  I have highlighted several times (unintentionally and on purpose) the role of aesthetics in videogame characters. And now I come to find out the iconic Mega Man was almost a victim of virtual reconstructive surgery.  In my “ZOMG! DANTE IS DARK HAIRED NOW! I’M DONE” post I discussed how a character’s aesthetics is one of the main factors which binds people to a specific character.  So when you take that away, people are going to react – and not in a good way.  Especially when not only Mega Man, but also Mega Man’s world would have encountered the virtual scalpel.

Maverick Hunter.

First Person Shooter.

Mega Man?

Armature Studios was working on releasing a Mega man X reboot as a FPS and with redesigned character graphics.  That previous sentence alone will boggle the mind of any gamer who has ever played Mega Man X.  I really don’t understand the reasoning behind these developers sometimes when thinking it’s a fucking great idea to change a character’s appearance.  I can understand an enhancement here and there – that’s okay.  But to the point the character is almost unrecognizable? That’s foulplay.

The above picture: Mega Man.  Impressed?  Well, I can’t say it’s not a cool suit – pretty badass to an extent.  HOWEVER, would I be hyped this is how Mega Man will look like from now on?  Not so much.  For one thing,  everybody and their mothers are accustomed to Mega Man’s face being exposed all the time.  It is his most human-like attribute.  And what do you see here?  Whatever it is, it’s not Mega Man.  Now let’s discuss how the cannon doesn’t look like a cannon.  Classic Mega Man has a sphere/round like and solid shape cannon.  There’s no wires showing.  It’s not rectangular shape. And it certainly does not look like a sub-machine gun.  To be completely honest, this guy over here looks like a slimmer version of Halo’s Master Chief.

Surprisingly enough, (from what I read) fans have been more outraged over Maverick Hunter being a FPS – which I found extremely interesting.  Arguments mainly revolve around how “horrible” of an idea is to exchange Mega Man X’s 2D platform gameplay with the FPS universe.  Fans have complained about the limited visibility that characterizes FPSs and the difficult platform controls when needing to jump.  They also argue how Mega Man X reboot would have to compete against giants like Halo and Call of Duty.  All valuable points, no doubt.  Nonetheless, I do believe people are stretching it too far with the whole FPS thing being such a horrendous idea since I’ve experienced AMAZING FPSs that were once platforms.  Example: Metroid Prime.

I was a platform once.  What seems to be the problem?

In the end, the Maverick Hunter got dropped when Keiji Inafune (illustrator and co-designer of the Mega Man character) left Capcom.  Capcom communicated “ongoing discussions about Mega Man” for the future.  After losing Inafune, a vital part of who Mega Man is, I believe it’s a smart move.  Nevertheless, Capcom has to be careful when playing around with Mega Man.  This has not been the first time a Mega Man game has been shot, buried, and left to rot.  With that, Mega Man’s fanbase is massive – would be a shame they started walking out of the franchise.

Last, but not least, a special shout out to my friend, The Ralphnerd, (go and check out his blog, by the way) who shared this Mega Man news with me…  And has personally requested for me to review specific videogames he believes he might like before buying them, ha, ha.

Any articles you want me to look over?  Any games you want me to review?  Just let me know!

See you around!

 

“What can I do for you?” ♫

I haven’t been more excited for a videogame remastering since God (or whatever divine entity out there) knows when.  While Flipboarding the gaming section, I stumbled upon an article with a famous female trio: the wonder women of Final Fantasy X-2.  I am completely and utterly in love with FFX-2.  I believe it was underrated and mainly guys butchered it because it was “girly.”  Well, fuck that!  The game was super fun, interesting, and actually a pretty damn good sequel.  I have clawed people’s eyes out when listening to them talking shit about this game.  Well… I haven’t exactly physically done the latter, but just so you get the point.

Famitsu magazine met with producers Yoshinori Kitase and Hideki Imaizumi to get the scoop of such project.  Turns out 2013 is the FFX-2’s birthday!  YAY!  And as a present, BOTH Final Fantasy X-2 and Final Fantasy X will be undergoing this beautiful restoration.  Both games have a special place in my heart because of the boundaries pushed regarding gameplay and the story lines were emotive and breathtaking.  From Tidus dissipating away in hundreds of sprites causing me psychological turmoil to Yuna’s Thunderplains concert where she sang her heart out, pouring her mixture of hope and hurt on to the world of Spira…  SO GOOD!

The interviewed producers want to finish this remastering project as soon as possible.  However, some of the data from the original game is not available or incomplete.  As a consequence, some of that data will be eliminated and programmers will have to start from scratch – which I’m pretty sure it sucks.  Nonetheless, I seriously encourage them to take all the time needed.  Both of these games combined have a HUGE fan base population. With that, disappointment could prove fatal to not only game sales, but also the reputation and faith gamers have regarding the technology Sony has to offer is at stake.  Only time will tell.

How do you feel about this remastering idea?  Personally, I can’t wait (but I’m sure you got that by now).

See you around!

 

Part III – PlayStation 4: “The most powerful console”

Part III?  Why, OF COURSE!  As I mentioned in my previous entry, the PS4 left us with much to talk about.  So now, on to the fun stuff: videogame releases for the PlayStation 4.

 

Killzone: Shadow Fall

At one point during the PS4’s announcement, co-founder of Gorilla Games, Herman Hurst, takes the stage and transports us to the universe of Killzone: Shadow Fall.  In this first person shooter a war between factions has begun in an intergalactic setting.  Opening scene: you’re in a spaceship flying over a beautiful architecture of alluring plazas and elegant buildings. Once you arrive to your destination and being treated like an (almost) V.I.P. …  BOOM!  Alarms go off; the ground begins to shake; and before you can even make sense of what the heck is happening, an explosion knocks you unconscious and all you see while blacking out is a wall of fire coming your way.  Pretty fucking scary… You finally get out of your mini-coma state only to see this asshole trying to make a bullet a permanent part of your face. 

The Asshole

 

In matter of minutes into the game you’re stabbing the same motherfucker in the neck; find yourself in the middle of a shooting fest; and finish up grasping for dear life from a motherfucking rope attached to a flying space craft while some douche is trying to shoot you.  Two words: FUCKING AWESOME!  Yes, you got your pistols, rifles, scopes, and grenades – the usual.  But KSF appears to have gone above and beyond to make its gameplay far more interactive than normal FPSs which I believe will be its highlight (still impressed by the rope scene. Ah, love it!).

 

DriveClub

From the warzone to the streets!  Sony has waited 10 long years to finally develop one of the most gorgeously crafted driving games I have seen, I am willing to bet, ever – all thanks to PS4 technology.  The result? DriveClub was born.  The game gave me a Need For Speed vibe, but the graphics…  Oh, my GOD!  I don’t know if the trailer showed cut scenes or actual gameplay graphics (which I pray to whatever divine entity out there is the latter), but damn they were stellar.  The graphics looked INSANELY real – to the point that I believe if you lick the screen I bet you’ll be able to taste the fucking leather on those seats.  Backpacking out of my obvious love with these graphics, there was a cut scene during the announcement of a game titled Deep Down and it was almost like watching a movie in HD – I almost died.

But wait!  There’s more!

How about we visit the supernatural for a brief moment?  Between a guy spewing fireballs and fabricating swirling infernos out of thin air in a heavily guarded city, The Sucker Punch’s game Infamous – Second Son makes its presence known.  Not much of a storyline could be taken out of the trailer for this game; however, I believe it’s a wonderful addition to the PS4 releases.

I have to admit Sony has targeted a vast range of gaming styles.  Take the games The Witness which is basically a puzzle solving game.  Not excited over it, certainly not needed to take so much screen time during the PlayStation 4’s announcement, but I can’t judge.  Just because it’s not my cup of tea to sit down in front of the PS4 to connect dots on a screen, doesn’t mean other Gamers out there don’t enjoy it.  Other games announced included Diablo III (a roleplaying game centered on investigating a celestial mystery) and Destiny (a captivating FPS which has been predicted to be the next mind-blowing game for the Ps4) which certainly will not disappoint. 

 

Watch Dogs

Now on to my favorite: Watch Dogs.  By the middle of the trailer for this game I wanted to fast forward to the day I will be able to purchase such beauty.  And the fact that it takes place in Chicago?  MY current city?!  It’s a must have.  The demo demonstration during the announcement got me intrigued from start to finish.  Watching the main character walk around streets I visit on the regular tapping into people’s personal devices and gain access to whatever private data without no one noticing gave it SUCH an exciting/scary atmosphere.  And I loved every single second.  All of the sudden you’re chasing and putting a random street thug out of his misery only to have the Chicago Police Department on your ass!  But don’t fret.  You end up jumping on one of the  CTA’s (Chicago Transit Authority) trains and escape…  It had me at edge of my SEAT!

PlaySation 4 has proven itself to be a phenomenally POWERFUL system.  With software engines working only to enhance graphics; the push for enrichment of social connection; and array of features to please almost everyone in the fucking world, I believe other consoles have quite some homework to do if they don’t want to be left in the shadows.  Yes, we have to wait until “Holiday 2013” to get out hands on such machine.  And if the PS4 lives up to the high expectations, I could not care less if it’s released it December 31, 2013.

Well, that’s what I got for you regarding the PlayStation 4.  Any questions, things you believe I should review, etc., don’t hesitate to contact me.  Hope you’ve enjoyed the informative read! 

See you around!

(P.S. Below are the trailers for each of the games I mentioned in this post.)

• Killzone: Shadow Fall

• DriveClub

• Deep Down

• Infamous – Second Son

• The Witness

• Diablo III

• Destiny

• Watch Dogs

 

Part II – PlayStation 4: “The most powerful console”

Warning!  Warning!

System overload!

Warning!  Warning!

Welcome to Part II of Lou-Cyo’s PS4 review!  Let’s get right into business since there’s a significant amount of data waiting to engrave itself into your brain cells.  Take us away, Dave Perry!

Dave was actually the one who announced the PS4 is aiming to have the fastest network in the world.  Yep.  You read right.  Fastest.  In.  The.  World.  Pretty admirable and ambitious.  And as a well-known game developer and co-founder of Gaikai (a cloud-based service software) I believe he knows his business.  Apart from apparent superhero speed, Dave explained the PS4 will be able to analyze your input while navigating the network (e.g., purchases, searches, etc.) and the console will “tell” YOU what YOU like.  Sending random data for public access has never been my cup of tea, but as the lazy person that I am, I do not mind suggestions on things I might enjoy – keeps me from wasting time and effort.

Another unique quality of the PS4 is the pairing with the PS Vita.  Dave made me feel all tingly on the inside when he mentioned that in the instance you’re playing a game on the PS4 and you need to leave the room, let’s say because your roommate wants to watch television, the game can be transferred to the PS Vita immediately.  Again, you read right: whatever PS4 game YOU were playing will transfer I-MME-DI-AT-LY. How fucking cool is that!? And when he mentioned there would be a future where cloud technology will let you play EVERY SINGLE PLAYSTATION GAME EVER MADE ON ANY DEVICE…!  Not gonna lie, I might have peed a little bit…

Nonetheless, remember not to expect that any time soon, even less when the PS4 comes out.  Dave stated the cloud project has been “green lighted,” but I am certain this “cloud” is far from being completed – it was more of a strategy to keep PS fan interested and attract new fans to Sony products.  …And they’ll probably round up a couple of thousands individuals who have the attention span of Dory from Finding Nemo and missed the aforementioned fact about the cloud-tech not being available for quite some time.

Also during Dave’s presentation, another new feature was introduced: the Share button.  The “Share” button located on the (ugly) controller will give the player the ability to record “one of a kind” moments and able to share the videos with anyone who has access to the PS4 network.  Though it sounds pretty impressive, I fail to see the efficiency of it – especially is you’re trying to capture exactly that: a “one of a kind” moment.  How the hell are you going to know when to start recording to capture an epic moment if you don’t know when it’s going to happen?  Unless the system is recording your whole gaming walkthrough with some kind of RAM-esque technology, I don’t see how the Share button will be as entertaining as it was portrayed.  But that’s only my speculations with the vague information given about how does the Share button actually works.

So what is the PS4 aiming for?  We can safely assume one of its major goals is to give each and every person who gets to own the console the chance personalized the system to that person’s liking.  A system that tracks and recognizes you’re preferences to the point you’ll be entertained even by advertisements. Basically, a  COMPLETE holistic approach to personify entertainment that, not gonna lie, seems to be a great add-on.  It’s all about connectivity and pushing social connections with family, friends, and people around the world.

 

PlayStation 4: “The most powerful console”

It took forever to write this entry, but I finally feel I have all around information.  WELCOME to Lou-Cyo’s review of the PlayStation 4!  Excited?  Well, you should be.  Boy, I have a lot of surprises for you!

It’s been a little over a month since the announcement for the PS4 was introduced to the public eye and streamed live all over the world.  I was at the edge of my bed and…  BAM!  It started.  An introductory video of what it could be described as a holistic image of the evolution of the PlayStation world – like strolling through PS Memory Lane with the future of gaming waiting for you at the end of your journey.

As a Gamer, I appreciated that introduction.  However, I am also going to admit that I was expecting more PS4 material than anything else.  Not discrediting old games by any means and not saying the video wasn’t fucking awesome, but this was the launch of a NEW console.  Hence, I was expecting to see significant amounts of what the PS4 has to offer – especially after the hype Sony created among Gamers around the globe.  No doubt that after the announcement we were left with much to discuss, but at times I believe the announcement strayed away from focusing on the PS4.

Andrew House (current President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment) took the stage and let us have it.  He bestowed upon the viewers a plethora of unique options and technology Sony has planned for the next-gen console.  Again, all fine and dandy with this “view of the future,” but he strayed from what I and let’s say a couple of millions of other people were tuning in for: the PlayStation 4 and what it has to offer, not Sony as a company.  You know how you’re watching your favorite series and you get those annoying “filler” episodes?  That’s how it felt every so often during the announcement…  Moving on.

Woot!  Famous game designer, programmer, and producer, Mark Cerny was on spotlight.  I was excited to see him and even more to listen to him speak – Mark Cerny is behind SUCCESSFUL games like Crash Bandicoot, Ratchet and Clank, and God of War III.  WHY wouldn’t I (or anyone else for that matter) NOT listen to him?!  Mark covered the console architecture aspect of the PS4 and, HOLY SHIT, he did a damn amazing job.  So let’s start!

“A single device was now expected to provide a range of services and applications.”  You are right about that, Mark.  Too bad PS4 is not quite doing that.  The rumors (sadly) were true: PS4 won’t be having backwards compatibility.  So unless you hoard previous consoles, you won’t be able to play classic and beloved games.  And let’s be honest, very few look forward over having to wire an older console to play Crash Bandicoot for a few hours and then having to rewire the PS4 for a game night with friends.  It’s far from practical.  I was hoping the PS4 would have corrected this issue, but it fell through the cracks.  Some may think “He’s so nit-picky ” and you may be right.  But if you’re a true Gamer, you understand the elation when being able to play one of your favorite classics.  You won’t be able to do that with the PS4.  And I believe it also restricts new Gamers from playing masterpieces like Chrono Cross – it ain’t right.  Quoted to be “the most powerful console” and it can’t play old games?  What the fuck is that?  I can’t…  On the other hand, the PS4 has such an array of exceptional features that I have to admit may compensate for this slip.

Mark explained Sony took on the task of gathering extensive feedback from diverse groups of people and incorporated it as a fundamental point when developing the PS4.  As more and more presenters took the stage and presented features of the PS4, it’s noticeable that the PS4 speaks to a vast number of diverse groups – Sony staff did their homework and it was done right.  Those sales are going to be astronomical.  It has not been two months and IGN has reported 900,000 GameStop customers have signed up to receive whatever information is released about the PS4.  So almost a million people just requesting information about the PS4?  That’s impressive.  Now on to some pretty nifty features the PS4 has to offer.

PS4 is tackling the lag and loading time which I think it’s a godsend to us Gamers.  I don’t think anyone in their right mind enjoys that loading screen where you can’t do anything.  It’s annoying.  Period.  But apparently that’s going to be a thing of the past.  In fact, the processing speed will be so fast that with the PS4 you’ll to be able to start downloading a game and play the downloaded parts while the same game finishes downloading.  How fucking cool is that!  SIGN ME UP!

Mark also presented the social aspect which characterizes the PS4.  First, you set up a complete profile where people can see your profile picture, trophies earned, recent activity, etc. – kinda facebook stalk-ish, but whatever.  The aesthetics are easy to the eyes and appear to be simple to navigate.  In addition, the PS4 will actually let you watch people play LIVE.  My immediate thought: “Oh! It’s like gamefaqs, but animated!” Getting to see someone demonstrate LIVE how to play a certain level or watch how to find a hidden weapon sounds way more efficient (and cooler) than reading rather confusing paragraphs explaining 2 seconds of game play.

As in for the PS4’s hardware, we have nothing.  Nada.  Only the controller was displayed during the announcement…  Which I continue to be upset about and I will not rant about it here because it’s basically what I wrote on my PS4…  Say it ain’t so! entry.

Well, that’s it now.  I’ll be posting my take on the PS4’s features in separate posts so it doesn’t become a daunting read in the next couple of days.  And that way I will keep you excited for future posts, ha!  See you around!