Everything you know about videogames changes when you take this ‘JOURNEY’…
Step into the shoes of an un-named hooded figure and brave the windswept planes, this is an invitation to a living, breathing interactive artwork in which you control the events – and let the PS3 connect with your very soul.
From the heart of the an intense desert, where the sandy expanse hides a mystery of epic proportions and hot sun beats down on the tomblike buildings above which dance sparkling lights and fluttering red strips of cloth ride the wind as you venture through the ruins of an ancient civilization. What lies beyond the ominous mountains? More mountains? A watery underworld? A mechanical utopia? How about all of the above!?
"Journey-ing with a pal over PSN = gaming heaven!"
The world of Journey, the third game from hotshot indie developers thatgamecompany creators of the tranquil trippy "flOw" and the joy inducing "Flower". Journey builds on both those groundbreaking games and can best be described as an interactive parable…
An online adventure like no other, hard to put into words, this is a virtual experience akin to that of a person’s life passage and their interactions with other’s.
Awaking alone and surrounded by miles of burning, sprawling desert, you soon discover the looming mountaintop which is your goal. Faced with rolling sand dunes, age-old ruins, caves and howling winds, your passage will not be an easy one. The goal is to get to the mountaintop, but the experience is discovering who you are, what this place is, and what is your purpose. Travel and explore this ancient, mysterious world alone, or with a stranger you meet along the way. Soar above ruins and glide across sands as you discover the secrets of a forgotten civilization.
You carry no weapons – but can summon strange creatures and have the power of flight in limited bursts to rise above obstacles. You’re special equipment is just a Dr Who like scarf, imbued mystical runes – charging this up prolongs your flight time.
"weird and so very wonderful"
Journey isn’t a long game – you can make it through to the end in under 5 hours but it does have something that pretty much no other game has (at least to this level) – an undeniable spiritual dimension. Is Journey a portal to God? It is certainly the closest videogame has come to ‘prayer’ and that might be just what gamers need.
Journey is a rare ‘must experience’ game – if you don’t own a PS3 then you owe it to yourself to buy one just to experience this unique slice of awesomeness. Maybe I’ll see you online and we can help each other journey over the PlayStation Network, gaming like this can stand toe to toe with anything on any other media both in terms of satisfaction and credit.
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
Yes Grand Theft Auto V is the game that I'm (and most of the gaming world) most looking forward to this year... but I'm also very excited to play Bioshock Infinite, Mass Effect 3 and the obligatory upgrades of Fifa and Call of Duty (especially on PS Vita).
But here are some videos that might help you get in the mood for some gorgeous looking gaming experiences in 2012...
Once in awhile a game comes along that redefines expectations – something so new, so spine tinglingly delightful, executed to perfection and megaton in levels of invention, gameplay and sheer awesomeness…
The Uncharted games on PS3 have so far both been key examples of the above – so the pressure is on developers Naughty Dog to come up trumps with their third game in the series.
Now having been playing the Uncharted 3 BETA for 2 weeks solidly (it knocked every other game off our PS3) I’m delighted to report that Uncharted 3's multiplayer is a serious beast of shootin, climbing, treasure collecting and beating the crap out of your enemies… And it rocks!!
"character customisation allows for some good variation"
In a Call of Duty style there are plenty of perks and badman weapons to unlock – plus outfits for your character and taunts etc. It’s a god system and it really adds to the gamplay experience as you’ll find yourself risking life and limb dashing into fierce crossfires in suicidal dashes to grab a key piece of treasure.
The BETA brings three levels – an airstrip, chateau and Yemen – all are rich environments packed with really inventive features, e.g. the airstrip level begins with a mad chase of a fleet of lorries all after a cargo plane which is racing down a runway trying to take off. You start either on the plane or one of the trucks and have to leap between the moving vehicles shooting and scrapping as you go. The moving vehicles is a feature rarely scene in multiplayer maps (one notable exception is the Killzone 3 train set level) and it shows just how ambitious Naughty Dog are in bringing something new to this run and gun genre.
The Uncharted games have always had a brilliantly cinematic single player experience – definitely the nearest thing yet to actually starring in your own action flick but it looks like this time the multiplayer experience will be every bit as amazing. Shooting game fans are in for a massive treat when Uncharted 3 hits this November – this really is potentially the game of 2011 and that’s not a claim to make lightly as we have Battlefield 3, MW3 and Gears of War 3 all clamoring for shooting supremacy.
"take a trip to Yemen - love the scenery - try not to get shot..."
Graphically Uncharted 3 is head and shoulders above the excellent standard of even Uncharted 2 – the rich colourful settings and absolutely brilliant character models who move convincingly whether climbing, rolling or fighting… it is breath-taking stuff.
Of the two levels the chateau is a broken down mansion flanked by two serious turrets and has a zipline down which you can fly whilst unleashing hot lead death from above. The airfield (after the plane has taken off) is dominated by a large warehouse with metal walkways and multiple lines of sight, plus cargo containers – any of which could hold a hiding enemy… Both environments are tense, paranoia inducing and seriously good fun!
The weapons of Uncharted 3 are nicely balanced with the AK47 being the standard rifle, plus old favs from Uncharted 2 such as the Dragon Sniper and Sass shotgun – plus RPG (which can be accessed via in game medal collection) and grenades, handguns (got to love the machine pistol) etc. There is a good variety and most games seem to have a decent amount of give and take as the teams are balanced by player ranks.
The kickback bonuses such as RPG are nicely diverse too to suit various play styles with a smoke bomb e.g. that allows you to escape from battles, or a boost of never ending ammo for a certain time… These can really help swing the tide of a fight and gives you real incentive to keep collecting medals which you get for pulling off various kills, stunts and feats.
So as the BETA hits open PSN access this week – get ready to Team Deathmatch your heart out, rip it up in 2 vs. 2 vs. 2 co-op death match or just lose yourself in hours of gunslinging action multiplayer action…
"you don't get to do this in Call of Duty multiplayer"
Nothing comes close to delivering the pure adrenalin thrills of Uncharted 3 – if you’ve yet to download the BETA, stop whatever you’re doing and go get it now. This is the future of multiplayer, if you don’t currently own a PS3 this is the game you’re going to need to buy one to play!!
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
Hands up if you’ve ever fancied being a super powered being with the freedom to go where you want and unleash your unnatural powers on any unsuspecting citizen you happen upon… Yeah, me too!
inFamous was a kick ass PS3 exclusive that literally shocked people with its winning blend of electric powered heroics and real choice / implications of how things panned our depending on your moral choices of good or evil. Developer Sucker Punch realized they were onto a winner as the first game sold well and got a lot of love from gamers, So inevitably they’re back with inFamous 2 and they have changed things up just enough to make super hero fans tingle all over again.
Once again you get to play as the inFamous Cole MacGrath – who fresh from battling a freaky evil world destroyer known as ‘The Beast’ is given a serious beating and left to try and level up his powers in order to be ready for another crack at this powerful enemy. So it’s off to a new town (New Marais) which bears an uncanny similarity to New Orleans – in the kind of way that Empire City was a lot like NYC in inFamous.
Veterans of the first game are immediately rewarded with a Mass Effect chance to import their existing character – complete with good or evil preference. Don’t worry of you didn’t get chance to play the first inFamous though as the sequel stands alone very well too. The controls are intuitive and work well in the detailed sprawling open world (choc full of optional side missions – both from the game developers and even better – from players who have used the LittleBigPlanet style creation tools to make challenges for you to try that are impressive and creative in ways that only user generate content ever is!?
As you work your way through the main missions along with the side distractions the karma metre will kick in. This monitors your actions, tracking how good or evil you are being e.g. disabling and sucking the life force from people = bad, saving civilians from mugging or healing them who’ve been hurt = good.
Fill your karma metre with good and before long you’ll be able to access new ‘heroic ice’ powers and enjoy the adoration of the NPC people. But go psycho on the populace or openly attack cops and you’ll soon be feared and hated – but wielding some alternative ‘nasty fire’ powers.
The open city game area is a joy to move through as you can grind on electric cables, use your electro powers for small bursts of flight etc – all the while leaping and scrambling up buildings in an Assassin’s Creed style.
Everything about inFamous 2 is slick and well designed – it takes all the things that made the inFamous so great and makes them even better… The storyline feels well thought through and not just a cheap add on to make more cash, the graphics are lovely and the gameplay very satisfying.
I can’t inFamous 2 as it delivers on every count you could ask for (except maybe online multiplayer?). If you love open world games, super powers or just a great gaming experience, inFamous 2 is a tour-de-force of excellence that you owe it to yourself to invest in!
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
Some say that you don’t have to be a massive geek to enjoy complex role playing games but that isn’t a widely held view outside of the millions who have sold their souls to World of Warcraft and the like. Level 5 however are the kick ass developers behind the PS2 age classic Dark Cloud and the first White Knight Chronicles which was a fun Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG) and they are at the cutting edge of helping to widen the appeal of these games.
Back with a beefed up sequel in White Knight Chronicles II which continues the whole battling RPG adventure and manages to improve on the graphics, control system and general excellence of the original. This might just be the JRPG that helps make role playing on your big HD TV both more accessible and whisper it ‘acceptable’ to a wider circle of non hard core geek gamers.
If you’ve played any JRPG – you’ll be right at home here, the basics are all in place, hero who forms a band of like minded pals to fight for the forces of good, levelling up and collecting powers and equipment along the way to saving the world. Oh and I should just mention the killer ‘wow’ factor that both the White Knight games bring the party – basically when you have sufficient power your characters can transform into giant knights – massively powerful and seriously brutal warriors who can beat the living crap out of multiple enemies.
White Knight Chronicles II has some brilliant features including character customisation that allows you change up your main character – who you will use both in the single player and as your online player. And, whereas the first game just let you create your ‘human’ character, this time your get to make your ‘White Knight’ too. Creating your own bad boy devastating pain bringer is enough to put a big smile on even the most cynical gamer’s face.
The even better news is that your customised Knight can be used in online play too… Nice.
Battling (which forms the meat of all modes) has been nicely improved too with a host of new ways to take the fight to your enemies. There is certainly plenty of content too – clocking over 50 hours of play – which can be tackled solo or in a team up online scenario.
Veterans of the original game are rewarded by being able to transfer characters, equipment and gold from the original title which is really nice bonus. And Sony in their wisdom have even added the first game to the blu-ray disk so you are in fact getting both White Knight Chronicles games for the price of one. Of course if you choose to play through them both back to back you might not have a real life to return to as these are potentially life consuming adventures!?
If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy, the Dark Cloud games, the original White Knight Chronicles - or hey, even if you're not a RPG fan, White Knight Chronicles II is a game you should definitely consider getting.
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
‘The power is yours, how you use it is up to you!’
inFAMOUS 2 is kicking super ass on PS3s around the world - with the electric power Cole back in the second chapter of this best selling ‘comicesque’ franchise... Once again the gameplay is unique in giving game-players the chance to shape the game by the choices they make; be it good or bad, every decision has a consequence.
No-one knows the pros and cons of being famous or inFAMOUS more than those in the fickle world of celebrity (musicians, footballers, models, actors and general guys/gals about town).
To celebrate the launch of the new title inFAMOUS 2, PlayStation 3 is behind a unique collaboration between Howard Marks (Mr Nice) and the Godfather of British comics Pat Mills (creator of 2000AD and key writer on Judge Dredd who currently writes graphic novels for Repeat Offenders Ltd, as well as having worked with both DC and Marvel).
The fantasy comic strips, which bring together seven of the world’s freshest comic artists, explore what would happen if some of the world’s favourite celebrities were integrated into the fantasy inFAMOUS world alongside characters of New Marais, allowing them to hold superpowers and the choice to change the world for better or worse.
Pat Mills says “The moral issues that the game brings up are very much the preserve of comic books, and always have been. That and the super powers of the game characters have something of the classic spirit of comic books about them. This project has been a really fun way to play with the morality of the celebrity culture we are so obsessed with. Perhaps most exciting for me has been working with this slate of talented young comic books artist that we are all going to be seeing a lot more of”.
Speaking on the artistic exploration & collaboration Fame & Morality Editor Howard Marks commented “I'm a comic book fan - and I'm no stranger to moral ambiguity - so my involvement in this project is a no-brainer. I'm also really enjoying seeing the best emerging comic book talent doing their thing! Kapow!”
The celebrities were chosen by inFAMOUS fans, celebrity commentators and bloggers for their impact on celebrity culture over the course of the last year.
The seven fantasy strips can be viewed at www.InFamousthefame.com and explore the central theme of comics and much of the gaming world - morality and the choices we make around it. Check them out and see if you can work out who has the power!
inFAMOUS 2: The Fame Strips
click to read!
here's an overview of what the strips have for your viewing pleasure:
Beyonce - Bootylicious Trouble – ‘It’s tough being part of the world’s most influential celebrity couple especially when your famous friends continue to show you up’: illustrated by Barnaby Richards – contributor to cult comics anthology Sturgeon White Moss; Barnaby has worked with Paul Smith and has works featured in a whole host of newspapers – his graphic novel ‘ the Funeral’ has just been published.
Cheryl - Bad Hair Day – ‘We all get them but when you’re in the public eye they are just that bit meaner!’: illustrated by Ellen Lindner; Ellen has published numerous stories in both the UK & US including her own graphic novel Undertow. She is also editor to the ongoing anthology ‘ Whores of Mensa’.
Gary & Friends - ‘Nearly Naughty’ – ‘Temptations of the flesh feature heavily in everyone’s lives - to grab or not to grab that’s always the question!’: COMING SOON!
Justin - ‘ Animal Saviour’ - ‘The UK public are animal crazy what better way to raise your profile than with some pet loving!’: illustrated by Luke Pearson; Luke’s work has appeared in seminal comic book anthology ‘Nobrow’ alongside work for a range of magazines.
Pippa - ‘ Empire Building’ - ‘Sibling jealousy can make you do strange things!’; illustrated by Kate Brown; winner of the prestigious Art Foundation prize, Kate has recently published her graphic novel SelfMadeHero.
Gaga – ‘Down with the kids’ – ‘When is too far too far?’: illustrated by JAKe is one of the UK’s leading illustrators having worked with the likes of Fatboy Slim, the Prodigy and Star Wars. His recent projects include illustrating The Mighty Book of Boosh
Lindsay – ‘Reformed Character’ - ‘Nothing changes if nothing changes but do we ever really change?’: illustrated by Fay Dalton; Fay recently won the Pickled Ink’s Pickled Award and is creating a huge buzz with her very naughty strip ‘Party Girls’ looking at the lives of footballers wives and special friends.
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (A version of this review is also available at Frank The Monkey!:)
AAHhhhhh my butt is on fire!
Welcome to MotorStorm: Apocalypse, the third PS3 game in the MotorStorm franchise which has been tearing up Sony’s powerhouse machine with a uniquely balls out flavour of racing since it launched. ‘Apocalypse’ brings a new level of insane destruction to the mix – the races this time are not just off road, but off the scale awesome as the urban landscape itself is torn apart by a massive earthquake.
Ah yeah, the earthquake, well that didn’t work out so well for the makers as MotorStorm: Apocalypse was due to be released just when the real world earthquake had just hit Japan. So the game was quite rightly delayed for a few weeks to literally "let the dust settle".
So if you’ve played any of the previous MotorStorm games then you’ll know what to expect racing wise – full throttle arcade thrills, where ramming opponents is actively encouraged and boosting over the winning line on fire is part of the experience. Apocalypse recaptures some of the original’s spunky attitude which had been toned down for the last outing, it is also a darker take on the genre with passers-by and spectators fair game to become road kill if they get in the way!?
Anyway - this video shows you exactly what to expect:
The racing dynamics are tight and highly satisfying, boosted by the addition of some wicked new vehicles including supercars, superbikes, hot hatches, muscle cars and choppers. The urban setting makes a refreshing change from the mud, sand (and ice if you count the PSP ‘Artic Edge’) and the feeling of driving a suped up supercar through a dust cloud of pure destruction as the whole track literally collapses around you is a buzz that no other racing game to date has managed to deliver. It dwarves the efforts of Split / Second which was the closest to it in terms of urban racing / destruction and sets a new benchmark for total hard core arcade racing fun.
The MotorStorm Apocalypse city where the ‘Festival’ of racing takes place gets ravaged in real-time as you race - bridges can buckle and twist, buildings collapse and rifts open up beneath the vehicles as they drive, it’s awesome. You can also tinker with the look of your vehicles this time with vinyls, parts, and modified stat changing ‘perks’. It gives you a good affinity with you vehicles and lets you set them up in the style you want to race – combative, pure speed, defensive etc.
MotorStorm fans know just how important using the boost is – and letting it cool down is a key part of winning races. Driving through water is one way to cool / recharge the boost but here you can also let the air cool you down by performing some crazy big air jumps.
The city (or what’s left of it) is still home to some folks – and they can effect the race by doing things like firing missiles onto the track… This interference adds another element to the races and keeps it unpredictable.
You begin as a ‘Rookie’ and can work your way through ‘Pro’ through to ‘Veteran’ – it doesn’t take too long to progress if you’re any good and there are plenty of achievable trophies to grab along the way.
So the Festival is the main single-player mode and has a storyline which is new to the series – told through fun graphic novel like cut scenes. MotorStorm: Apocalypse – of course keeps and improves on the excellent brutal online multiplayer racing too – complete with Call of Duty alike perks to unlock.
"I feel the need, the need for - oh wait, not that game, this is MOTORSTORM!"
MotorStorm: Apocalypse is a great game which delivers a unique and fun to play racing experience that kicks the ass of any other off road racer on any system. If you like racing games then this is a must buy – don’t deny yourself the sheer excitement that awaits.
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
ööööö
(5 - Awesome shock and awe on wheels)...
If MOTORSTORM APOCALYPSE was a girl it would be recently named by Esquire Magazine 'sexiest woman alive': Katrina Bowden
We brave PS3 gamers have fought the Helghast and using the ISA marines pushed into their homeworld thanks to Killzone 2…
Now even with their evil leader ‘Visari’ taken down, we find that the war is far from over…
The Helghast forces are not beaten and are mounting a devastating counter-attack, the few remaining ISA are being pushed back to the point we must evacuate the planet of Helghan.
But if we have to go… let’s go in fine style and take as many of the enemy as possible with us – lock and load soldier!!
"don't shoot until you see the reds of their eyes"
Ok, so there isn’t exactly a shortage of fine First Person Shooter games, Call of Duty and Modern Warfare are mass selling master-classes of the genre, Battlefield Bad Company 2 brought tasty destruction of the environment into play. Medal of Honor got revamped with extra beards, Halo Reach continued its classy sci-fi warfare and newcomer Bulletstorm raised the level of insanity with ‘skill kills’. But as we wait for the promising looking Crysis 2 and the potential game of the year Battlefield 3 ...
There is only one game you need…
Just what can Killzone 3 bring to this overcrowded orgy of destruction then? Well, how about the best and most satisfying online multiplayer frag fest to date, a unique and brilliant motion control method through the Move and by far the richest FPS graphics to grace any console… That’s what I’m talking about… Bring it!!
Killzone 2 was graphically superb but Killzone 3 surpasses it on every level – the levels range from article snowfields which boast the best incidental ‘snow effects’ of any game available through to steamy alien jungles. The industrial Helgan cities and bases return and have been brought to even more vivid life than in the previous games. Both the orange eye Helghast and the macho jock ISA characters are excellent with gorgeous detailing (the feeling of satisfaction when you shoot a Helghast’s helmet off and he turn round to frantically try and find it is immense).
Killzone 3 packs a mighty surround sound punch too – the fear inducing explosions rip from all directions, the screams of the injured and the barked orders of friends and foes echo convincingly around the beautiful battlefields. This game has quality voice casting also with screen legend Malcolm McDowell voicing evil Jordan Stahl and British legend Ray Winstone voicing Helghast Admiral Orlock. Having actors of this magnitude lends the cinematic cut scenes massive watchability and it is a joy to watch the baddie commanders squabbling amongst themselves in the power vacuum left by Visari.
I mentioned that Killzone 3 can be played in two ways – the trusty Dualshock 3 can be used with a Call of Duty button set up which will please fans of those shooters. The new way to play though is through the funky Playstation Move – this uses the glowing light ended controller to ‘look around / fire’ and the nav controller to move. For the most realistic control system out there you’ll want to invest in the sharpshooter peripheral which fits both the two Move controllers into a shotgun / rifle style rig (complete with pump action reloading). It’s just beautiful… Once you acclimatise to set up many have reported getting much better kill / death ratios with the Move controls!?
The main game campaign can be played in either single player mode or through co-op – very satisfying it is too working with a human pal to take down the enemy. It’s good but the campaign is only part of the Killzone 3 package and it’s not even the best part. The online multiplayer mode is where the real fun is to be had – refined and polished from the Killzone 2 online there are a decent choice of game modes including Guerrilla (Team Deathmatch), Warzone (which cycles through different objective based games) and a brilliant ‘Bot Zone’ where you can hone you skills against the A.I. opponents.
Kills and feats will give you points to spend on new abilities and weapons – and the upgrades are very very tasty so it is worth going for them as the gameplay just gets better with each new weapon or skill e.g. the sniper ‘Marksman’ can unlock a powerful Machine Pistol as a secondary weapon which has a ferocious rate of fire…
Overall Killzone 3 is delicious, addictive multiplayer deathmatch perfection… And if you have a 3D TV, this game will show it off like nothing else around. Every gamer on planet earth who has ever enjoyed a shooting game should witness the sheer brilliant carnage that Killzone 3 delivers – there is no substitute!!
"David Cameron's recreation mask"
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
You don't need to be a N-Dubz fan (like my eldest son Luke) to appreciate just how cool this is. The power of LittleBigPlanet 2 on PS3 is awesome... So N-Dubz have created the first pop video in Little Big Planet2, and if that wasn't enough the band are also offering you the chance to create your own LBP2 N-Dubz video for a chance to win tickets to meet the band. Head to the YouTube LittleBigPlanet UK Channel homepage for full details or Click here.
StarHawk - the unofficially named sequel to WarHawk might just be hitting the UK in February if a post over at the mighty SIXTH AXIS (who got it from this source) is to be believed.
Darkmatters loves WarHawk - it has been one of the most played PS3 games in our household for years so the very possibility of playing a massive, multi-player space war made to the same gorgeously playable standards is a very exciting thought - even if the 04 Feb '11 date proves to be a fake, and please note that the artwork above is completely speculative...
Seems that 2011 is going to be a monster year for PS3 owners - Mass Effect 2 (finally), then exclusives like: Killzone 3, Little Big Planet 2, The Agency, DC Universe Online, The Last Guardian, SOCOM 4, Resistance 3 and Twisted Metal to name but a few...
Back in the days of PS1 they used to say "Do not underestimate the power of PlayStation" - might be time to dust off that slogan again as with over 4 million MOVE controllers already out the door and funky 'Kung-Fu Live'which teaches the Kinect a thing or two about how to make a satisfying controller free game - without the Kinect! (review this week).
There has never been a better time to pick up a PS3!
You see the corner closing rapidly as the scenery blurs past at blinding speed. You take your foot off the throttle and slam on the brakes. The G-Force from the deceleration immediately dominates your senses – the tyres scream out as if in pain as they battle for grip on the road surface. You’ve picked your racing line and aim for the sweet spot of the corner – the point where centrifugal and cornering forces reach their equilibrium – where all there is left is pure acceleration… This is the essence of Gran Turismo 5, this is the ‘Real Driving Simulator’…
OK so GT5 is finally here. Over five years of painstaking development time, delayed so often that it made grown men weep with anticipation as the hype reached proportions that made Halo look ‘meh’. Having sold over 56 million units worldwide, the award-winning Gran Turismo franchise is regarded as the best and most authentic driving simulator ever created due to its true-to-life graphics, authentic physics technology and design. Since the inception of the Gran Turismo franchise, famed creator Kazunori Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital have pretty much revolutionised the racing category as we know it today. GT games bring the most realistic driving simulation you can find on a console and give a unique medium for automotive manufacturers to showcase their products. So, with much pressure comes much responsibility for Polyphony Digital to deliver the ultimate racing sim and with so many preorders expectation is running at an all-time high…
And now we have it so is it any good?
I can still remember the first time I played Gran Turismo – on my brother in-law’s original PlayStation circa 1997. I had a Sega Saturn and was mid-way through telling him how much better Daytona USA was than anything on the Sony machine when he loaded it up. In the next few hours everything changed… I loved it, but then my first word was ‘car’ – not ‘mum’ or ‘dad’ but ‘car’!?
When Gran Turismo made the jump to PS2, I was there straight away and likewise I was at the midnight launch of Gran Turismo 5 where I won a Signature Edition of the game – the omens were good!
"yeah - that's my copy..."
First things first then, Gran Turismo 5 is an astonishing achievement – (un)charting new territories in visual wonder, the new ‘premium’ cars are shiny models that could make even the most car adverse person drool in awe. Taking these babies for a spin through some of the greatest cities in the world is an experience which will flood you with auto-endorphins as streetlights or sunlight (depending on the time of day) reflect off the polished sheen of your automobile. Alas not all the 1000+ cars are built to this level of jaw-dropping detail. There are many ‘ported’ cars from GT4 and you can add more from the PSP version – these cars are ok but stand out miles compared to the premium ones in terms of graphical fidelity.
But looks aren’t everything and even the most eye-popping visuals can’t make up for shoddy gameplay. Fortunately Gran Turismo 5 keeps the ‘tried and tested’ gameplay that has served the series so well up until now and upgrades the wealth of options to a point unmatched by any other console racing title.
Hungry to jump into a performance care straight away? Head for the ‘Arcade mode’ which is ready and waiting to entertain. If however you’re keen to work through the fabled GT Career - which is like a car based RPG - then you’ll get to earn your licences, build up cash and experience points through racing to unlock / buy better cars.
The GT5 physics engine is crazy realistic, there is a real feeling that each car is handling as you’d expect it to in real life which is much more noticeable than in the arcade flavoured games such as Need for Speed where each car is basically just either a faster or slower model with essentially very similar handling.
So it looks great and plays beautifully (and is a dream if you invest in a decent steering wheel controller) but there are some tasty new elements added this time too. First up is car damage – a feature never before allowed in the world of Gran Turismo due to real world manufacturers not really wanted people seeing their cars mangled in such explicit detail. GT5 brings the damage, which is great on the premium cars and not even really noticeable on the standard ones. It may affect your driving style though when you see the prices of repairs after a heavy bout of paint trading with opponents!?
The online portion has been upgraded – and although the servers are struggling at the moment with the Call of Duty levels of people trying to get onto them – the racing in multiplayer sessions is fun. Sixteen people can race against each other and there are multiple options for setting up your own challenges etc. Speaking of setting up your own things – GT5 has a track builder which allows you design your own course and then race them.
Another ‘oohhh that’s nice’ feature is using the PS Eye camera to play with ‘head tracking’ which lets you look around when using the cockpit view… And if that wasn’t enough there is also the option to play in stunning 3D – I got to play a rally stage in 3D at Sony Betarooms Event and it really does add something special to the driving experience (although not special enough for my wife to countenance us upgrading to a 3D TV at home!?).
The feeling of burning around the Top Gear Test Track one minute, then drafting behind your opponent in a tense NASCAR showdown the next before going on to rain drenched F1 race is amazing. As is the satisfaction of tuning and building up your own garage of cars, photographing them and re-watching your spectacular saved films of your greatest victories…
Is Gran Turismo 5 perfect? Not quite – there have been many reviewers out there getting hung up on ‘odd looking shadows’ or moaning about the standard cars… But to be critical of Gran Turismo 5’s small issues is to miss the overall point, kind of like refusing to go out with a supermodel because she has odd toenail…
GT5 is an awesome game, it stands head and shoulders above any other racing game on the market and should be top of every car / racing game fan’s Christmas list.
Overall: Darkmatters rating: öööööööööö (10 car porn experiences out of 10)
"If GT5 was a girl - it would probably be Amber Heard!"
Gentlemen START YOUR ENGINES... Gran Turismo® 5 Release Date Confirmed
Matt Adcock
The most highly anticipated racing game will be in your hands by Christmas
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe confirms to Darkmatters: Gran Turismo® 5 will go on sale across the UK from Wednesday 24th November 2010.
“Gran Turismo 5 is an ambitious project, with challenges and complexities which have made it our version of the Apollo Space Programme!” commented Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc. “When we created the original Gran Turismo back in 1997, we wanted to set a completely new precedent for the racing genre. With the technological leap onto PlayStation 3, our objective with GT5 was to create another great revolution which would not only satisfy our own high expectations, but would meet or even exceed the anticipation of the fans. Satisfying the loyal Gran Turismo followers is at the heart of all of our efforts, which is why it was such a difficult decision to delay the release of the game, and one which we did not take lightly. I can only apologise to everyone for making you wait so long, and I hope that when you try out the wealth of driving experiences available in Gran Turismo 5, you will not be disappointed.”
"nothing can compare to the pure GT5 feeling!!"
In Gran Turismo 5, you can tackle the world’s most famous racetracks, rendered in high definition that is as vivid as the real thing, and get behind the wheels of some of the most legendary cars in motor racing from past to cutting-edge present. Today, the impressive complete list of over 1,000 in-game cars was unveiled, including the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, the Lexus LFA and the McLaren MP4-12C. The full track list was also revealed, which will see players going head to head on famous legacy circuits such as Autumn Ring, Deep Forest Raceway and the Grand Valley Speedway, plus renowned real-life circuits such as Nurburgring and the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
With more than 56 million units shipped worldwide, the award-winning Gran Turismo® franchise for the PlayStation® , PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®3 and PSP (PlayStation® Portable) is regarded as the best and most authentic driving simulator ever created due to its true-to-life graphics, authentic physics technology and design. Since the inception of the Gran Turismo franchise, famed creator Kazunori Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital Inc. in Japan have revolutionized the racing category as we know it today. His offerings provide the most realistic driving simulation in the industry and a unique medium for automotive manufacturers to showcase their products.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PlayStation®3, PlayStation®2, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PlayStation 3 in November 2006, over 38 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level. Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 146.1 million systems worldwide. Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 62.7 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market. With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 54 million accounts have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 1.1 billion items have been downloaded.
PlayStation, the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PS3 and PSP are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Sony Computer Entertainment UK (SCE UK) and LOVEFiLM, everyone’s favourite European film subscription service, today announce a ground-breaking partnership to bring LOVEFiLM to millions of PlayStation®3 (PS3™) users across the UK.
Yes - LOVEFiLM becomes an official PS3 integrated subscription film service partner which means that LOVEFiLM subscribers will be able to stream the UK’s largest choice of subscription titles directly to their TVs, through their PS3s and open a new world of interactivity with LOVEFiLM.
"Your perfect film delivery box... also plays the best games around!"
The partnership will soon take LOVEFiLM, currently with 1.4 million subscribers and approximately a million billion movies, into PS3’s three million-and-growing UK households. It is the most significant extension to date of LOVEFiLM’s direct-to-TV rollout which began in March when LOVEFiLM launched on SONY BRAVIA Internet Video TVs, Blu-ray players and Blu-ray Home Theatre kits.
LOVEFiLM Chief Executive, Simon Calver, said,
“This is game-changing for LOVEFiLM and transformational for the UK home entertainment market as a whole. PS3 already has a very large installed customer base of all ages, all of whom will soon be able to benefit from our unique combination of instantly available content, streamed through their PS3, as well as DVD, Blu-ray & Games rental by post. To become PS3’s partner for our service is a tremendous endorsement of the value, choice and convenience offered by LOVEFiLM.”
"Coming to a PS3 near you soon - films like Twelve which sees the lovely young Jessica (Emily Meade) hooked on designer drug 'Twelve'... don't do drugs kids!"
The LOVEFiLM service will become available on the XMB (Xross Media Bar) on all internet-connected PS3s, providing most members of LOVEFiLM on subscription packages access to thousands of titles from major studios and independents, streamed instantly to their TV via their PS3, in addition to the rental by post services. Members will be able to scroll through titles on the page, also search through categories including ‘Pick of the Week’, ‘Most Watched’ and ‘Highest Rated’, view ratings and search through the LOVEFiLM instant offering by title, actor and genre. LOVEFiLM will offer any PS3 users who are not already LOVEFiLM subscribers, exclusive incentives to join the service, including free trials.
“We know there is a huge interest within our audience for film, and so the addition of LOVEFiLM to our current range of services is a very natural fit and one which significantly enhances the value proposition of PlayStation 3,” said Ray Maguire, MD of Sony Computer Entertainment UK. “LOVEFiLM has a proven track record of success and innovation in the film distribution field and is a very welcome addition to the PlayStation family that I’m confident PlayStation gamers will embrace enthusiastically.”
About LOVEFiLM
• In a little over 6 years, LOVEFiLM has become a leading European film subscription service, combining the benefits of DVD rental by post and, more recently, watching movies online via the LOVEFiLM Player (on the PC or streamed to the TV). Customers can therefore choose how they want to watch from a selection of over 67,000 titles, including HD/Blu-ray DVDs, video games and digital streaming.
• LOVEFiLM has over 1.4 million members and operates in the UK, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany
• LOVEFiLM weekly newsletters reach over one million members
• LOVEFiLM was a pioneer in digital film delivery in the UK and has recently launched the LOVEFiLM Player with thousands of digital titles available for members to watch on their TV or PC. The LOVEFiLM Player is available to all users of LOVEFiLM. For those on an Unlimited package the service comes at no extra cost. Premium titles are available to everyone on a pay-per-view basis, and a number of titles are available to all site visitors for free with advertising support
• The LOVEFiLM Player is becoming available through a range of internet-enabled devices - including Sony and Samsung - taking LOVEFiLM directly into members’ living rooms through their TV sets
• LOVEFiLM customers have generated 80 million ratings, 843,000 member reviews and generate around 2 million trailer views per month – information which helps LOVEFiLM to promote the most relevant titles for customers to choose from
• LOVEFiLM also sells DVDs, Blu-ray and video games through the LOVEFiLM shop
• LOVEFiLM is Hitwise’s 2009 Number 1 website based on market share of visits among all UK websites in the Entertainment - Movies industry (ranked 4th in the Shopping and Classifieds - Video and Games industry)
• LOVEFiLM offers a range of rental options in each market with free postage and no late fees. In the UK these include £3.99 a month allowing members to have one DVD at a time (limit of two per month. Does not include online viewing), £5.99 a month for one DVD at a time (limit of three per month plus 2 hours online viewing ), £7.99 for two DVDs at a time (limit of four per month plus 4 hours online viewing), £9.99 a month for one DVD out at a time (Unlimited DVDs by post and online viewing), £12.99 for two at a time (Unlimited DVDs by post and online viewing) and £15.99 gives the option for three DVDs at a time (Unlimited DVDs by post and online viewing). Members on an Unlimited package have access to the LOVEFiLM Player at no extra cost
• LOVEFiLM also offers a range of video games rental options in the UK market to support gaming across XBox 360, Xbox, PS3, PS2, Wii and DS. These include £5.99 a month for one disc at a time (limit of three per month. Does not include online viewing), £9.99 a month for two discs at a time (limit of three per month plus 4 hours online viewing), £14.99 a month for two discs at a time (Unlimited discs by post and online viewing) and £18.99 for three discs at a time (Unlimited discs by post and online viewing), all with free postage and no late fees
• LOVEFiLM UK awards include: British Video Association's award for the UK's Best Rental Service in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, won the fast-growing media company Media Momentum award in 2005, 2007 and 2008, UK technology – Innovation & Growth award for Mediatech Impact of the Year 2008, Home Entertainment Week awards for Rentailer of the Year 2007 and 2008, the 2008 Fast Growth Business Award for Retail/Leisure business of the Year, featured in The Sunday Times top 100 fastest growing private technology companies in 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007, awarded 3rd place in The Sunday Times top 100 private equity-backed companies with the fastest-growing profits in 2010, a finalist in the National Customer Service Awards 2008, finalist in the Retail Week awards 2009, awarded 5th place in the Deloitte Fast 50 UK 2009, awarded 22nd place in the Deloitte Fast 500 EMEA fastest growing public and private technology companies and named Company Of The Year at the Growing Business Awards 2009
• The group currently works with major partners in the UK including Tesco, easy Group, CD Wow, Guardian News Media, Odeon and Vue Cinemas, some of whom offer a fully white-labeled online DVD rental service
About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PlayStation®3, PlayStation®2, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PlayStation 3 in November 2006, over 38 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level. Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 146.1 million systems worldwide. Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 62.7 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market. With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 54 million accounts have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 1.1 billion items have been downloaded.
More information about PlayStation products can be found at www.playstation.com . PlayStation, the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to ensure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it: TOP GUN.
Top Gun is a not just a film, it is a classic, genre defining classic that put Tony Scott on the map as a director and cemented the iconic status of Tom Cruise.
Now PS3 owners have the honour of enlisting in a virtual Fighter Weapons School, taking to the skies as call-sign ‘Maverick’ and shouting “I feel the need, the need for speed!” at their HD TV…
Are you good enough to be counted amongst the best of the best? It’s time to strap in and find out!
"This bogey's all over me..."
Top Gun is an arcade air combat game – don’t come here thinking that this is a hardcore flight simulator… This is a hardcore shoot-em-whilst-singing-along-to-the-official-soundtrack-em-up!! Homo-erotic volleyball games are not included…
Doublesix Games have gone ‘right into the danger zone’ with this one because if you mess with classics you mess with the massive devoted fan base (I’m one of them)… So the big question is – does it work?
In one way it really does – the basics of jumping into a jet, take to the skies and dogfight the living daylights out of enemies (first trainers such as the iconic Jester and Viper whilst at Top Gun), because those darn Russian MIGs are waiting to blow you out of the sky. The flying / aerial combat of the game works very well, it takes seconds to master the flying, and being an arcade game you get weapons that reload in flight and armour that mends itself!
"All the girls love a Top Gun!"
While playing – fans will be taken aback by the bastardised dialogue e.g. when Iceman somes over the radio saying “You two really are cowboys” and Maverick (you) should reply: “What's your problem, Kazanski?” – what happens here is you get Goose mumbling a half assed re-written version of your lines!? So when you’re expecting Iceman to follow up with: “You're everyone's problem. That's because every time you go up in the air, you're unsafe. I don't like you because you're dangerous.” You have to take matters into your own hands and shout over the rubbish that ‘Goose’ is responding to with: “That's right! Ice... man. I am dangerous.”
There are some really nice touches to the gameplay too such as CFI camera which allows you to track enemies as they turn and burn with the aim of getting a missile lock on your ass. You’ll soon be pulling things like ‘the gutsiest move I’ve ever seen man’ – if you do find yourself on the wrong end of a missile lock you do have counter measures which can be launched.
In addition to the main campaign, Top Gun also has a wicked ‘Horde’ mode where unending waves of enemies will come at you until you finally succumb to their bombardment.
There are even some multiplayer modes including aerial death matches and capture the flag, where sixteen players can take each other on. Good times!
Darkmatters rating: öööööööö (8 missile locks out of 10)
Top Gun shoots down other arcade flight sims like the much more expensive HAWX 2 and gives the classic Warhawk a run for its money. For me this might not be the ‘best of the best’ but it is a great fun blast “Great balls of fire!”
