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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Rumor: God of War IV, Syphon Filter 4 to be unveiled soon
Two of last year’s biggest rumors were undoubtedly God of War IV and Syphon Filter 4. The former was pegged by PSM3 for a September 2012 launch, while the latter was expected to show its face at E3, though failed to materialise. However, it appears the gossip will finally come into fruition next month, with U.K. magazine PLAY stating both games will be announced in February. A new Syphon Filter would certainly make sense, seeing as how the series has been on hiatus for a few years now, and hasn’t even had a full-fledged PS3 outing yet. As for God of War IV, well, while Kratos’ epic bloodbath seemingly had closure with the third game, there’s always plenty of room for everyone’s favourite slap head to rack up the kill count, so why hold back? Furthermore, rumors suggest two-player co-op between Kratos and his brother, so if it means Sony Santa Monica is injecting a little more diversity into the proceedings, then I for one will embrace a few changes. We’ll have to wait and see, though, so for now take it with a pinch of salt.
GTA III, Vice City for PS2 Classics?
Ever since Sony announced plans to release a PS2 Classics range in the U.S., it’s been pretty much a given that at least one Grand Theft Auto game would form part of these digital re-releases. Sure enough, the ESRB has re-rated GTA III and GTA: Vice City for PS3, which all but confirms the Rockstar crime juggernauts are heading to PlayStation Network as PS2 Classics. Honestly, it’s a no-brainer, seeing as how both games are some of the biggest-selling titles ever released, let alone on Sony’s last-gen machine, so it’d be a crime (haha!) not to give them a re-release. Conspicuous by its absence however is GTA: San Andreas, although I’m sure that’ll turn up eventually. Nonetheless, spare a thought for the poor buggers who live in the U.K. and mainland Europe, as Sony has yet to unveil the PS2 Classics range for PAL regions. Sob.
Mass Effect 3 to improve new player orientation
Jumping on board a franchise as vast as Mass Effect for the final chapter without having played the previous games is a pretty overwhelming prospect. Fortunately, BioWare has said it’s made more effort to embrace newcomers to the franchise, having admitted it didn’t do such a great job with Mass Effect 2. PS3 owners probably have a good idea of this, seeing as how the original game is strictly off-limits for Sony’s black beast. Then again, the digital comic did do a pretty good job of bringing players up to speed and helping them make some crucial choices for the journey ahead, though the first half an hour or so was pretty overwhelming, leaving more questions than answers. Still, if ME3 aims to remedy these issues, then that can only be a good thing. After all, the fans will lap it up, but attracting new players is key to any franchise.
Jak & Daxter Collection release date announced, includes over 100 Trophies
Developer Naughty Dog might be synonymous with all things Nathan Drake these days, but back in the days before shiny HD TVs and epic set pieces, the company was perhaps best known for Jak & Daxter. Alongside Ratchet and Clank, the duo offered easily some of the greatest platform gaming of the PlayStation 2 era, so it’s no surprise to see the original trilogy bolstering Sony’s PS2 HD remasters series when it arrives in stores on February 7. Aside from a high-definition makeover and 3D support, the Jak & Daxter Trilogy will also pack over a whopping 100 Trophies, making it an ideal purchase for fans and completists alike. Those of you who never played the games would do well to plonk down the cash for this – you won’t regret it.
Tomb Raider in alpha stage, will get simultaneous worldwide launch
Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider reboot is unequivocally one of 2012’s most anticipated games, packing both gorgeous visuals and adding an intriguing, survival-based take on a venerable franchise. No longer will Miss Croft be the nimble, gun-toting heroine of old, but rather, players will have to fight for their life on an island crawling with unknown habitants with homicidal tendencies. No release date has been announced, but Tomb Raider is now apparently in alpha build, with the game in a fully playable, albeit somewhat rough state. Furthermore, when it does finally show up at some point this year, it’ll receive a simultaneous global launch, much like the old PSOne titles, which typically arrived in November in time for the holiday rush. Not much has been shown on the game in the last few months, but hopefully that will change as development continues to chug along at what sounds like a brisk pace.
No more Resistance games from Insomniac
Insomniac Games did a bang up job with Resistance 3 after a patchy follow-up to the original game, and I’m sure I’m not alone in assuming they’d churn out at least one more game in the series before putting it to bed. Not so, apparently, as CEO Ted Price confirmed this week that it’s putting the franchise firmly behind it, and won’t be developing anymore games in the series. A pity, as Resistance has remained one of Sony’s flagship series for PlayStation 3, and considering how brilliant the third game was, it could have potentially laid the stepping stones for even bigger things. Sure, we’ve still got the PlayStation Vita title Burning Skies, but the future of the console titles remains in doubt. Unfortunately, while Sony may decide to put the series in another developer’s hands, the fact is Resistance 3 didn’t sell terribly well, which may influence their decision on whether to lay the series to rest or not. As for Insomniac, they’re moving into multiplatform territory with Overstrike, which is long overdue an info burst any time now…
Pac-Man, Mega Man coming exclusively to PlayStation in Street Fighter x Tekken
Capcom has been spoiling PlayStation owners with its forthcoming crossover brawler Street Fighter x Tekken. Not content with throwing in exclusive characters Cole MacGrath and Toro and Kuro, the Japanese giant this week confirmed that another two fighters have joined the roster – Capcom icon Mega Man and ghost-eating gaming legend himself, Pac-Man. Yep, that’s another two exclusive fighters for Sony platforms, meaning anyone who owns a PS3 or Vita will be able to enjoy five extra fighters not available on rival formats. Quite how the pair will translate into the beat-‘em-up experience for the long haul remains to be seen, but from the look of the trailer, it should be a right laugh.
SEGA confirms Aliens: Colonial Marines delay
Just when you thought that Aliens: Colonial Marines may actually see the light of day this spring, SEGA drops the bombshell that the long overdue shooter has been pushed back for the umpteenth time. Presumably delayed in order to make sure the final product is the dog’s bollocks, the Gearbox-developed will now turn up some time in the autumn – still firmly locked in 2012, but not quite soon enough for some. Unfortunately, there’s a fair amount of weight placed on Gearbox’s shoulders for Colonial Marines, mainly due to the fact the game has been in the works since 2006. That’s a lot of consumer expectation, and knowing rabid Aliens fans, a potentially massive let down if the game turns out to be anything less than stellar. Still, this is Gearbox we’re talking about, so let’s have a little faith, eh?
The Best of the Rest…
Twisted Metal demo coming to PSN next week
Next Assassin’s Creed will be the biggest yet, says Ubisoft
Final Fantasy XIII-2 getting Lightning DLC
Original design of PS Vita was thinner, says Sony design boss