Welcome to another instalment in our weekly news digest where the team at PSU Towers picks our favourite slices of gaming gossip from the past seven days, before proceeding to offer our two cents on each story for good measure.
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Mass Effect 3 Shepard to be a ‘deeper character’
BioWare really seems to be pulling out all the stops to ensure the final instalment in the Mass Effect trilogy goes out with a bang. From gameplay to graphics, we’ve already seen a number of improvements – some subtle, others not – and it seems this is now extending to the narrative side of things. Specifically, the series’ leader writer, Mac Walters, has declared that Commander Shepard will be portrayed in Mass Effect 3 as a far deeper character. Apparently, BioWare saw fit to inject more emotional quality into the narrative, describing the process as taking storytelling to the next level. We’ve invested much time in Shepard’s character, so this sounds like a winner to us.
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee HD coming to PS3 & Vita in Q2 2012
Having already ported over the brilliant Stranger’s Wrath to PlayStation Network in shiny HD, developer Just Add Water’s confirmed this week that we won’t have to wait long until the next high definition Oddworld makeover. Yep, Munch’s Oddysee will arrive on PS3 and PS Vita in Q2 2012, though can you believe it’s over a decade since it originally hit shelves? The game was actually an Xbox launch title way back in November 2001, though don’t let a few age-related wrinkles put you off; it’s a brilliant title, and continues the Oddworld brand’s recipe of vibrant worlds, quirky characters and brilliant storytelling. Keep your eyes out for this one, folks.
Grizzled hero Max Payne’s third entry has taken its fair share of delay bullets of the past few years, though fortunately this latest setback isn’t much more than a couple of months. Originally due out in March, Take-Two confirmed this week that the bullet-time blaster will instead launch in mid-May, pushing it into the publisher’s FY2013. Not too long of wait, but still, the game itself has been a long time coming; after all, it was originally announced back in 2009 with plans to release later that year. That obviously didn’t happen, and the sequel suffered numerous delays until ending up where we are today – a 2012 launch. Still, from the look of things it’ll be well worth the wait. Aside from packing what looks like a meaty single-player campaign, the multiplayer also sounds pretty intriguing, and is a first for the franchise.
Mortal Kombat confirmed for PlayStation Vita
NetherRealm’s eponymous Mortal Kombat reboot was one of 2011’s undeniable highlights, garnering widespread acclaim from reviewers and going down a storm with rabid beat-‘em-up fanatics. Chuffed we are to learn, then, that the game will be coming to PlayStation Vita in Spring of this year, augmenting what is already a stellar early line-up for Sony’s swanky new handheld platform. But that’s not all. Aside from offering what promises to be a fine portable version of the bloody brawler, Mortal Kombat will also pack a heap of PS Vita-exclusive features to tuck into. With a few months until launch, NetherRealm is keeping tight-lipped on any details regarding the new content, but seeing as how great a job they did with the original version, it’s sure to be worth it.
Final Fantasy Versus XIII to be shown in real-time when it next appears
There’s a lot to be said about Final Fantasy Versus XIII, a game that was announced nearly six years ago and yet we’ve hardly seen anything on it to date. To be more precise, we haven’t seen any real-time footage of the PS3-exclusie RPG, nor do we have any remote clue as to when it’ll finally seen the light of day. Quite why Square decide to lift the wraps off the game back in 2006 is anyone’s guess, as it would have been far better to focus on Final Fantasy XIII and then announce it later down the line. However, at long last, it seems we won’t have to wait much longer to get a good look at the title. Tetsuya Nomura, head of all things Final Fantasy, has confirmed that the next time we see the elusive project it’ll be demoed in real-time. No fancy CGI or pre-rendered magic, just raw footage running on the hardware we have sitting under our TVs. Of course, Nomura-san wouldn’t divulge any specific details as to when we can expect said footage to drop, but I’m thinking TGS 2012 at the latest. Fingers crossed eh?
Metal Gear Rising to be playable at E3
The staff at PSU Towers have had plenty of fun poking fun at Rising’s ridiculously ostentatious VGA trailer (RE-VEN-GEANCE!!!), and it’s fair to say the footage has divided fan opinion. Is it really Metal Gear? Is it all nonsense? Is it actually pretty badass and not at all really supposed to be Metal Gear, hence the removal of ‘Solid’ from the title? Have a butcher’s around on any online gaming forum and these are some of the questions you’re likely to find. Still, it’s not fair to make such harsh judgements until we’ve actually played the game, right? Well, if you just so happen to be heading to E3, you’ll be able to do just that – Hideo Kojima’s confirmed Rising will be playable at the Los Angeles-based bash this June. Let’s hope Platinum delivers the goods.
PS Vita sales continue to dwindle in Japan
I’d wager than a majority of you are pretty fed up of seeing headlines around the web that seemingly indicate PS Vita is a bit of a flop over in the Land of the Rising Sun. True, sales have been pretty lacklustre since launch, but the handheld is barely a month old; to write it off yet is nonsense. Still, in regards to Vita being outsold by its predecessor, PSP does have a lot going for it right now: Monster Hunter, heaps of RPGs and an attractive point. Regardless how great PS Vita’s launch-line is, you’ve got to admit it was far better suited to western regions – which bodes well for the U.S. and European launch next month – than Japan. Monster Hunter would undoubtedly send sales through the roof, but honestly, a decent JRPG or one of those crazy, idiosyncratic titles the Japanese love so much would give Vita the shot in the arm it needs. Hopefully the next slew of major software isn’t too far away.
Resident Evil 6 officially announced
Eight years of development my arse, Capcom. Okay, so that was never going to happen, but Resident Evil 6’s less-than-shocking announcement today did come with one particular jaw-dropper – it’s out this November. Evidently, Capcom took the wise approach of quietly beavering away on the game and refusing to announce it until it’s had a few years of work under its belt – a strike contrast to Resi 5’s 2005 unveiling, as it wouldn’t see the light of day until early 2009. But that’s not the point. RE6 is here, it’s real, and from the look of things, it hasn’t changed all that much since we last saw the series. A teaser trailer showcases a full-blown cover system, gun-toting baddies, massive explosions and cliché action heroes.
Chris and Leon are the stars of the show, and much to my utter delight, the old-school zombies appear to be back. Actually, from the look of things, Chris will take the more action-oriented route cultivated by RE4 and 5, while Leon’s game looks to be at least somewhat more reminiscent of the classic survival horror games, albeit with RE: Revelations’ over-the-shoulder aiming. Capcom’s said co-op will also make a return, though whether this will be forced ala RE5 or a separate component altogether remains a mystery. I’m personally hoping for the latter, as co-op did absolutely nothing for me at all, and detracts from any potential fear factor. However, there also appears to be a third playable character, namely the mysterious military bloke with the buzz cut. Unlike Chris and Leon however, this chap seems to think he’s Nathan Drake, and likes to punch things and leap across gaping chasms. If nothing else, it seems like Capcom is looking to cater to a variety of gameplay tastes; a little something for everyone, so to speak. Quite how it will pay off remains to be seen, though I can’t help but feel a little let down by previous chatter of a complete series reboot.
The Best of the Rest…
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City pre-order bonuses detailed