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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Assassin’s Creed to return next year?
Ubisoft’s celebrated historical adventure series has been popping up annually ever since the release of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood in 2010, a tradition that will be continuing with this year’s entry, Revelations. Unsurprisingly, it looks as if another instalment in Desmond’s journey will unfold next year, with developer Ubisoft Montreal saying it’s aiming to wrap up the whiny barman’s saga before real-life December 2012. Indeed, those of you who are well acquainted with the series will know that date just happens to coincide with the whole ‘end of the world’ plot that’s been brewing up since Ezio took centres stage in Assassin’s Creed II. This isn’t really all that surprising to hear, and Ubisoft has made it abundantly clear numerous times that it has a detailed road map laid out in regards to how they are taking the series. No doubt as soon as Desmond’s story wraps up next year, we’ll probably be taking a well-earned back before the franchise comes back with an all-new protagonist.
Sony reveals ‘Only On PlayStation Network’
Sony’s trumpeting exclusive PSN content this month with the announcement of a brand new programme appropriately named ‘Only On PSN.’ The new initiative will provide exclusive games on a weekly basis throughout the month of October, treating users to the likes of inFamous: Festival of Blood and the latest offering from the PixelJunk team. Oh, and PS Plus subscribers also bag 20 percent off games during launch week to boot. Can’t be half bad can it?
Rumor: Mass Effect features ‘online multiplayer pass’
Internet rumblings on a multiplayer component for Mass Effect 3 have kicked up another notch this week, with perhaps the strongest indication yet that Shepard’s epic swansong will feature an online mode. Specifically, a South African retailer has posted a listing for a Collector’s Edition of the RPG sci-fi sequel, which mentions the inclusion of an ‘online multiplayer pass.’ Has the cat been prematurely let out of the bag? Possibly, considering EA teased that a big announcement pertaining to Mass Effect 3 would be made ‘within the week,’ following its presser in Las Vegas just last Monday. To be honest, while you could argue until the cows come home about whether or not the series needs multiplayer, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least – just take a look at other EA-published endeavours recently, such as Dead Space 2. However IF it’s included, fingers crossed developer BioWare has done something unique and compelling enough to warrant its inclusion. Regardless, we shouldn’t have long to wait to find out.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC, pre-order bonuses confirmed
Square’s already confirmed that Final Fantasy XIII-2 will receive a healthy batch of downloadable content, though this week it finally revealed exactly what U.S. gamers will be getting their mitts on. Unlike the Japanese market, which will receive DLC via PSN, folk across the pond will be able to bag items as a pre-order incentive from selected retailers. Details can be found in our news article, but if you fancy grabbing a new Serah Costume for example, you’ll have to pre-order from GameStop. All content will be available in time for launch, so they’ll be no waiting around for any post-release pleasures this time around. Admittedly some of the add-ons are better than others, so it’s probably best you have a think about it before putting your money on the counter.
Naughty Dog says there is ‘plenty yet to coax out of PS3’
If you were to believe some developers, the games industry is stagnating in terms of the technical accomplishments, and in dire need of fresh hardware. On the other hand, chaps like Naughty Dog, the developer behind the critically-acclaimed Uncharted franchise, insists there’s still plenty of legroom left to exploit in current consoles, in this case PS3. This week, the esteemed studio has talking up Sony’s black beast, saying it still reckons there’s plenty more juice to be squeezed out of the aging machine. Unsurprisingly, it used the forthcoming Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception as an example of how it is managing to pull off eye-popping new feats as the console approaches its five-year anniversary. Most of the staff at PSU, including myself, have always asserted our belief that PS3 still has plenty of life left in it, not just from a technical point of view but in terms of overall market life, and it’s developers like Naughty Dog who keep stretching rubber band that makes up the console’s meaty innards that ensures we’re still going to be blown away every few years. Sure, we’re probably not going to see the leap in visual fidelity over the next five years we’ve witnessed between Uncharted 1-3 for example, but advancements in technical wizardry are far from over.
Syphon Filter Vita in development?
Sony’s celebrated sneak-‘em-up has kept the rumor mill spinning throughout much of this year one way or another, whether it’s chatter on a new console outing or this latest development on a Vita project. We’re still yet to hear anything on a new game, but I don’t think a Vita project is out of the question, nor a PS3 offering for that matter. Originally it was thought we’d hear something the latter – then thought to be Syphon Filter 4 – at E3, and apparently the game was spotted on Sony’s website before quickly being swept under the carpet. With reboots being quite popular these days, could we possibly see a complete reinvention of the series? Watch this space.
SEGA confirms Yakuza: Of the End for western release
SEGA confirmed this week that gangster/zombie mash-up Yakuza: Of the End will be coming to the U.S. and Europe under the revamped moniker of Yakuza: Dead Souls. Indeed, this shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise to our regular readers, as SEGA filed a European trademark for the game just a few weeks back. Still, a great development for fans of the series, and it’s swell to see SEGA jumping on board with localisations, as there was a time where the future of western Yakuza releases looked decidedly bleak. However, after much prodding from fans, all PS3 releases – bar the quirky Yakuza: Kenzan – have made their way to U.S. and European shores. It’s worth mentioning for those who are unfamiliar with Dead Souls, however, that the game is a totally disparate affair to past titles, taking the form of a zombie shooter filled with buckets of gore and guns, though a few staples such as the hostesses do make an appearance. Is this the direction we want the Yakuza series to take? Definitely not. Does it look like a fun spin-off though? Absolutely.
What’s inside the Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One Special Edition?
Considering the amount of triple-A treats that are receiving their own special editions this year, perhaps it’s time to spare a little sympathy for your wallet. Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is the latest title to join the crowd, puffing its chest out with a sumptuous Special Edition featuring an 8 inch Ratchet Plushie Doll, heaps of DLC, and swanky 3D Lenticular cover. Far be it from me to tell you what SE you should be forking out for this year, you could definitely do a lot worse than Insomniac Games’ offering; however, it is rather pricey clocking in at around $119.99. Will you have enough dough to fork out for this and the Uncharted 3 bundle? Decisions, decisions.
Naughty Dog: Uncharted 3 is ‘finished’
So there we have it. As hard as it for me to conceive, development on Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception has wrapped. Right now, Drake’s hotly-anticipated adventurer is winging its way to Sony’s certification process in preparation for its November 1 launch in the U.S., and November 2 in Europe. Admittedly, while I cannot wait to get my grubby paws on the wise-cracking hero’s latest offering, part of me is slightly gutted the journey is coming to an end. After all, as with any major release, following a title through its development process, while digesting and analysing every ounce of info divulged, is part and parcel of the overall experience. The only difference now is I do it for a living, and in Uncharted 3’s case, I’ve been following the game since its unveiling – in fact, I remember writing the announcement article back in November 2010. I’m stoked to play this game, as I’m sure you lot are; it’s unequivocally one of the prettiest games I’ve seen and a sure fire contender for Game of the Year –but I wish I could savour things a little bit more, since I know it’ll be over in a flash.
Enslaved let down by marketing, says dev
Enslaved’s story is a teary tale to say the least. After building a fair amount of hype prior to launch, the game finally touched down a year ago this week, receiving positive reviews and delivering a thoroughly enjoyable, partner-centric fantasy romp. Unfortunately, Joe Public didn’t think so; in fact, Joe Public didn’t even know the game existed judging by its reception at retail. By April 2011, Enslaved had still yet to break the million sales barrier, shifting just over 700,000 units. And, while publisher Namco Bandai had said multiple times that it was looking into possibilities for the series, nothing ever came into fruition, and a sequel is apparently a definite no-no. A shame too, considering the amount of sequels and rush-jobs that are churned out on an annual basis, a fresh IP like Enslaved was a breath of fresh air, and it’s a crying shame to see the series won’t get a chance to find its feet.
The time isn’t right for a download-only platform, says Sony
Sony said this week that it doesn’t think the industry is ready to embrace a download-only console, a statement that perhaps shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the platform holder’s spectacular blunder with the PSPgo. The portable console was a sexy piece of kit no two ways about it, and certainly ahead of its time – however, it was a harsh lesson of the fact consumers are just not ready to abandon physical goods just yet. Furthermore, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida pointed out that high-speed broadband hasn’t penetrated all corners of the globe yet, and as such it would be impractical for gamers to adopt a platform that requires you to download massive files (Uncharted Vita, for example, is nearly 4GB). Granted, portable consoles and home console aren’t strictly the same, but fundamentally I think Sony has definitely got a point: we’re not ready to go download-only yet, far from it in fact. It just wouldn’t be viable in a market where, as Yoshida-san pointed out, punters are still eager to go to the shops and plonk their cash down on the counter. Having said that, sales of digital content has increased over the past couple of years, but until we see significant growth in that sector vs. physical products, I think we’re be shoving discs in consoles for the foreseeable future.
Sony unveils new monthly PSN best-sellers list
Sony’s pulled the wraps off a new monthly list of PSN best-sellers, starting with September 2011. Retro heads flocked to Warner’s Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection, which topped the list ahead of heavy hitters including Resident Evil 4 and From Dust. Speaking of Resident Evil however, Capcom’s venerable horror franchise pulled in the punters last month something impressive, with Resident Evil 2 & 3 landing at five and six, respectively, and Resident Evil: Director’s Cut barely missing out on the Top Ten at 11. Personally I find it interesting to see how well downloadable releases perform on a monthly basis, particularly in regards to the popularity of PSOne Classics vs. new PS3/PSP titles.