Dead Island developer Techland is back and they are staying in the genre that made them famous: zombies. Dying Light is a first-person action game that will have you thinking more Mirror’s Edge with zombies than just another Dead Island.
The new E3 trailer for the game is just as well made at the original Dead Island video that put that game on the map and while the Dying Light video may not tug at your heartstrings it certainly conveys the hopelessness in this society and has a great “pull the rug out from under you” part.
If Techland can correct a lot of the jankiness that accompanied Dead Island and get the smooth, free running gameplay of Mirror’s Edge down, they could be looking at a winner.
Dying Light releases in 2014 for Xbox One and PS4.
Sony is pulling no punches this month. With E3 only days away they have updated their Instant Games Collection on PS Plus for the month of June and as you can see, it is damn insane.
You will be able to get Uncharted 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Saints Row The Third, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Little Big Planet Karting and Machinarium FREE for PS Plus members. The Vita will also be getting Virtue’s Last Reward and Gods Eater: Burst free to play.
So just this month you will be getting well over $200 in games to play on the PS3 just for being a PS Plus member. What more do you need to realize that this is the best deal going in gaming?
Can you feel that? That gut feeling knowing we are only a week away from the release of Man of Steel. And if you thought we were done with the trailers you would be right (in Bizarro speak). Nokia and Warner Bros. have released a special trailer for their partnership together that features a lot of new footage and even more of Hans Zimmer’s amazing score.
Sony will be the last press conference on Monday before the actual E3 show begins on Tuesday so they better use the opportunity to absolutely hit me (and you) over the heads with how insanely awesome the PS4 is going to be. Now I have already gone on record and said that Sony has already won me over with their February press conference when they solely put the focus on games. I expect E3 to continue this, especially since Microsoft is getting a bit of blow back from their gimmick heavy Xbox One reveal (which they did say beforehand would happen, but the internet cares not).
Like with Nintendo, we will offer up a few points that we think Sony should hit on to make sure gamers know the PS4 is a powerhouse that warrants their hard earned money this fall.
PS4 Price AND Release Date
This is in no way a guarantee to happen, but it will go a long way to helping out my wallet if I know the when and how much of the Playstation 4. Selfish? Yes, and I don’t mind. Sony could hold one or the other off for a later date, but they know all eyes will be on them on Monday so why not go ahead and throw us gamers a bone?
I still hold to my thoughts that the PS4 will beat the Xbox One to the shelves, if only by a week or so. October 25th still has a nice ring to it. It is a few weeks after a big PS3 exclusive (Beyond: Two Souls) and a week before the release of Call of Duty: Ghosts.
When it comes to the price of the system this is where the guesses are all over the place. Some analysts have recently ventured a guess and said that the PS4 could retail in the $350-$400 range. This is a pipe dream. Now don’t get me wrong, I hope to God that I can get a PS4 for under $400 come this fall, but I just do not see this happening especially with all the hardware under the hood of it. I am already mentally prepared for a $499 price point with a slight possibility of a second sku for $549. We are a different culture than 2005 when Sony floored us with “599 U.S. dollars” for the PS3. We pay $200 for new phones on a regular basis, a large section of the population have tablets that range anywhere from $250-$800, Apple overcharges for a brand name and our country proudly ponies up the cash. I don’t think Sony has to be worried of any backlash when they announce a $500+ console anymore.
Photo courtesy arcadesushi.com
Use Your Franchise Power
The real power behind Sony is in its bevy of quality studios and their franchises. Sony Santa Monica, Naughty Dog, Polyphony, Sucker Punch, Guerrilla and Media Molecule are huge developers that handle Sony’s biggest properties and there is not a bad one in the bunch. Microsoft only wishes they had studio strength like that which is probably why they have announced a new initiative to get more studios under their umbrella. We already know that Killzone: Shadow Fall and Infamous: Second Son will be launch titles for the PS4 and should be playable at the show. That is a good start. For Sony to really take a hold of the gaming community they need to show off the PS4’s potential with their other big names. Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank, God of War and others will all eventually make their way onto Sony’s next-gen machine and even just an announcement of one of these will certainly help matters. Please be Uncharted 4.
Let Microsoft Take The Hit On Used Games Fiasco
Ever since the Xbox One reveal, Microsoft has quickly gone from elation to damage control over the mixed signals about the online connectivity of its new console and the possibility of charging a full game fee for using games on other consoles. Now Sony has already gone on record and said that the PS4 will not be requiring an internet connection of any kind to play games, but the jury is still, mysteriously, out on a one-time use code for games that will link new games to owners consoles. I think this is inevitable and Sony and Microsoft are going to get a lot of flak, but it is most likely publisher driven. So since Microsoft is already the “bad guy” in this scenario let that keep being the story for as long as possible. Let the idea a new game code marinate in people’s brains for a few months before announcing that the PS4 will require them also. It may not be a popular decision, but at least most of the heat will have died down.
Photo courtesy turntherightcorner.com
Wherefore Art Thou Vita?
Even with slow sales, the Vita keeps chugging along and has, in the year and a half since its release, built up quite the quality library. The addition of PS Plus to the handheld has added a lot of extra value giving buyers anywhere from 6-11 free games with a year of Plus. Guerrilla Games Killzone: Mercenary is looking like the true current-gen handheld FPS we have been waiting on. Beyond that it gets a little thin, but fear not, Remote Play is coming along to save the day. News is that Sony is requiring all games that will release on the PS4 that are not Move oriented to have Remote Play between the console and the Vita. Now I know that Remote Play on the PSP was sketchy as hell, but the Vita is a powerhouse for a handheld system and should have no problem running a scaled down version of games with its beautiful OLED screen. The Vita will never be a competitor to the 3DS, but Sony can still ensure that it carves out its own unique niche.
Stay The Course
It has been so far, so good for Sony and the PS4 and there is no reason why they should not leave E3 feeling as if they are in the driver’s seat for the next-gen consoles. They took a calculated risk in February when they went all in with gamers. Microsoft will keep up with their “all in one” presentation for the Xbox One so all Sony needs to do is keep hedging their bets on the gaming community wanting a system that is built from the ground up to play games. This next generation will be like no other with Sony and Microsoft splitting paths on their company strategy when it comes to consoles. To me, Sony is easily winning the word of mouth battle with gamers and come E3 all they need to do is stay focused on the games.
I don’t believe you truly understand what you are in for when you click play on this video. Even if you are a Saints Row veteran, nothing can prepare you for the dong-slinging, alien crushing, Keith David-having action in the new [amazon_link id=”B00BRQN2H4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Saints Row IV[/amazon_link] “War on Humanity” trailer.
Yeah, you read that right Keith David. Now that may not sound like anything new (especially for Mass Effect fans), but the fact Keith David is playing Keith David is so meta it makes my brain hurt with joy. I swear to God if Roddy Piper is in this game anywhere I will gladly bestow the title of “greatest game of this generation” to Saints Row IV.
Overreaction? Maybe? But I’ll be damned if I don’t love They Live.
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) is bringing two of their heavy hitters to the Playstation 4 this fall further expanding its launch library.
DC Universe Online will be ported over from the PS3 and the first-person shooter Planetside 2 will come over from the PC. Both are free to play and offer microtransactions to add to gameplay. I am happy to see Planetside making its way to a home console giving more people a chance to try it out.
It looks like console users won’t have to wait very much longer to get their hands on Blizzard’s massive sequel, [amazon_link id=”B00BGA9V2Q” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Diablo 3[/amazon_link]. The hack and slash dungeon crawler that fills our deep, hidden OCD desires to loot everything in site will be making its way onto the PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 3rd.
The control scheme has been completely reworked for consoles and best of all, it will not require an internet connection to play like its PC big brother. You can play online or can have local co-op for some old school adventure. Remember? You used to have friends that would come over to your house and you would play games together? No headsets or racist twelve years old. Good times.
We are still a bit over a week away from the release of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic adventure, [amazon_link id=”B007CM0K86″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Last of Us[/amazon_link], but today the first reviews began rolling out and it seems that the long desired game is living up to the massive hype. We will have our review ready for you as soon as we get our copy and undoubtedly lose ourselves in it. Until then, take a look at what other media sites are saying about The Last of Us.
“The Last of Us seamlessly intertwines satisfying, choice-based gameplay with a stellar narrative. It never slows down, it never lets up, and frankly, it never disappoints. It’s PlayStation 3’s best exclusive, and the entire experience, from start to finish, is remarkable”
“The Last of Us is a brutally realistic and often shocking depiction of a world in crisis, but is undeniably fun to play. It perfectly captures a civilization on the brink through its believable and hellish atmosphere. It represents one of the strongest console exclusives in a long time and is absolutely a must-have experience for mature PlayStation 3 gamers.”
“The relationship that grows between Ellie and Joel as they fight to protect one another is the most genuine I’ve ever seen, brought to life by superb writing and excellent performances. It’s more than a father-daughter archetype, more than an easy ploy to tug at the heartstrings. A deep love blooms between the two of them, tinged with a sadness that sometimes makes it difficult to bear.”
“In other words, as with so many post-apocalyptic stories before it—Hello, zombie clichés!—The Last of Us‘s fungal pandemic is really just table-setting for a much more intimate, human story. Like last year’s The Walking Dead game, this isn’t actually a tale of zombies and bandits and the end of the world. It’s a tale of loss and hope and friendship and family that just happens tofeature zombies and bandits and the end of the world. And it’s a fine, worthy tale, at that.”
“The Last of Us is a deeply felt, shockingly violent game that questions what we’re willing to sacrifice and, more disturbingly, what we’re willing to do to save the ones we love. The conclusion offers no easy answers. You won’t forget it.”
“The Last of Us is a bold work, especially for a developer recently known for strapping us into cinematic roller coasters. The Last of Us is not fun, at least not in the traditional sense, and that’s exactly why it’s so interesting.”
“There is more to The Last of Us than just combat and “emotional” story tropes. To touch on its setpiece moments, to detail its beautiful changes in pace, would be to spoil too much. It cannot be said enough, however, that Naughty Dog’s new best creation is complete, and when I saycomplete, I mean it to pay the highest of compliments. I do not want more from The Last of Us: I do not need more. As the last line was uttered and the credits ushered in the close, I was done. The Last of Us had achieved everything it needed to achieve in order to provide me with everything I wanted.”
” It achieves incredible emotional high points about as often as it bumps up against tired scenario design that doesn’t fit its world. Survival in the post-apocalypse requires compromise, but The Last of Us has given up something vital.”
Chances are if you are already getting [amazon_link id=”B00BRQN2H4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Saints Row IV[/amazon_link] then you are a bit on the ridiculous side. Don’t worry, there are a lot of us. If you expected the Collector’s Edition of the game to be anything less, you have another thing coming.
This insane set named “The Super Dangerous Wub Wub Edition” comes with the Commander in Chief version of the game, an 8 inch Johnny Gat memorial statue, a Dubstep Doomsday button (because why the hell not?) and the pride and joy of this $100 box of insanity, an actual replica Dubstep Gun.
To add more fuel to this crazy train, the Dubstep Gun will play the same song heard in the game when you use the weapon and come equipped with a laser sight.
I won’t apologize for that title. I like it and that’s the way it is going to be…….
……..
I’m sorry for that title. It’s the best I could come up with on short notice. Just enjoy the video from Mega64 involving the near unanimous Game of the Year for 2012, [amazon_link id=”B008CP6RWU” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Journey[/amazon_link].
You know it is always a quality Mega64 video when the cops get involved and this is no different.
Also, am I the only one wishing they would do one for Saint’s Row where they slap people around with a dildo? I am? Damn.
