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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Square says FF Versus XIII is now in full development
After more than five years since its initial announcement, Square finally confirmed this week that Final Fantasy Versus XIII has entered full development. And about bloody time, too. Updates on the game have been few and far between in the past few years, and the game has been conspicuously absent from numerous trade shows as of late – you add this week’s Tokyo Game Show to the list while you’re at it, since it wasn’t there either. To be honest, while it’s not surprising considering production hasn’t been ramped up until now, Square really didn’t do themselves any favours by lifting the wraps off the PlayStation 3-exclusive RPG as early as it did. Hopefully though, next year will see the start of a steady trickle of fresh info, though quote when the game will launch is anyone’s guess – 2013 by the look of things.
Players can become a vampire in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Oblivion was chock full of things to see and do, and one particular favourite past time of fans was to indulge in the way of the vampire. Yep, become a pasty-faced fang freak and you could enjoy a whole new outlook on your virtual life – sinking your teeth into unsuspecting victims, enjoying enhanced abilities and a burning to death in the sunlight are just some of the fruits of the undead to indulge in. Unsurprisingly, fans have been eager for an answer as to whether or not vampirism would make a return in Skyrim, and fortunately developer Bethesda’s finally put us out of our misery – it is. This is a bit of a no-brainer for me; becoming a vampire and battling fellow bloodsuckers is just part and parcel of the whole Elder Scrolls experience, adding yet another fine thread to the series’ rich tapestry. Bring it on.
L.A. Noire GoTY Edition out by November?
Rockstar had a stonking hit on its hands with L.A. Noire, so it’s no surprise that the acclaimed crime caper may potentially receive the Game of the Year treatment. November seems a little premature however, as typically these content-heavy SKUs are rolled out the year after the main game hit stores – just look at Red Dead Redemption’s just-announced GotY Edition below, for example. While scoring just shy of the universal praise that Red Dead received, Team Bondi’s gripping adventure is worth every penny, and in my humble opinion is thoroughly deserving of a GotY release. Naturally, PSU heaped praise on the 1940s thriller in our review back in May, so if the planned re-release is the real deal, then this is the perfect opportunity to plonk down the cash for this technically stunning detective romp.
Rockstar confirms Red Dead Redemption GotY Edition
We loved Red Dead, the rest of the Internet loved Red Dead, and from the look of things, you loved Red Dead. Let’s face it; this has been coming for a while now. Sceptics may palm it off as nothing more than Grand Theft Auto with horses, but there’s so much more to John Marston’s quest than tenuous comparisons to its crime-fuelled stable mate. The game stands on its own two feet, calving out a believable, stunning world ripe with satisfying combat, plenty of quests and a surprisingly emotionally-engaging narrative. Marston in particular is one of the most compelling game protagonists of recent times, as PSU’s own Adam Dolge asserted in his review back in May last year. This combined with the ample supply of post-launch content and you’ve got one meaty package that’ll last you months on end. Plus , there’s the inclusion of zombie cowboys and wildlife – how can you go wrong? Needless to say, if you still haven’t strapped yourself into Red Dead’s saddle yet, then be sure to lasso a copy of the Game of the Year Edition next month. You won’t regret it.
PlayStation Vita will launch on December 17 in Japan
So there we have it. The Tokyo Game Show megatons have dropped, and first out the Bombay doors is the long-awaited confirmation of Vita’s Japanese launch – December 17, just in time for Christmas. Unfortunately, we didn’t hear diddly squat on the western release of the swanky new portable machine, but that’s probably not unsurprising – this isn’t E3 or GamesCom, after all. Anyway, it’s a curious date, being in such close proximity to the Christmas holidays, and many expected the device to be rolled out in early November, which would have given the platform a little more time to gather steam. Nonetheless, with pre-orders opening next month, Sony should easily be able to capitalize on holiday buyers and get Vita out the door and hitting the ground running, and with a stellar launch line-up, we should be in for a healthy launch.
Sony announces Metal Gear Solid, Zone of the Enders HD for Vita
For all the corporate fluff and fiddly onstage antics with a PS Vita that seemingly refused to do what it was told, Sony’s rather tame press conference was immediately elevated to awesome heights with the appearance of one man – Hideo Kojima. Yep, the Metal Gear maestro popped up to confirm he’s busy chiselling away on Vita versions of the sumptuous Metal Gear Solid & Zone of the Enders collections for Sony’s new pocket brick. How about that? We knew Kojima-san was pretty excited about Vita, and in all honesty, I really thought we’d get a Trophy-enabled port of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Alas this wasn’t to be, but HD-powered versions of some of his best work to date (scratch that, some of THE best games ever conceived, period) makes Vita all the more of an essential purchase for hardcore gamers.
Square announces Final Fantasy X 10th anniversary remake for PS3, Vita
While there’s bound to be a few folk lamenting the fact we didn’t get a Final Fantasy VII remake announcement, you’d probably be hard pressed to find someone who wasn’t stoked by this little gem. Yep, Square used Sony’s pre-TGS presser to lift the veil on a special 10th anniversary HD revamp of Final Fantasy X (blimey, has it really been that long?) for not only PlayStation 3, but for Vita too. Alongside the aforementioned FFVII, X remains one of the most celebrated outings in the series to date, and helped flog plenty of PS2’s back in the early 00s. The story was stellar, and the bread-and-butter gameplay/combat – particularly the comprehensive and rewarding GRID system – particularly satisfying, and injected a little more life into the tired and tested FF paradigm. Needless to say, if you haven’t played the game yet, this is the perfect chance to nab a piece of history.
26 games confirmed for Japanese Vita launch
The PSP’s launch line-up wasn’t DS-style lacking, but it was certainly full of some notable holes nonetheless. Evidently, this is something Sony has been keen to fix with the Vita, and it certainly shows with the sumptuous software onslaught it’s got lined up for the handheld’s Japanese release on December 17. 26 games have been confirmed for Vita’s launch, and fortunately they tick all the right boxes, ranging from meaty first-party offerings including Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Hot Shots Golf to third-party highlights such as Ninja Gaiden Sigma and Metal Gear Solid HD. With the 3DS still suffering from something of a software draught, there’s every reason Sony should be able to enjoy a healthy launch when Vita hits shelves just before Christmas. Some folk may find a few areas to pick at in the launch line-up, but it’s certainly leaps and bounds ahead of the PSP’s, and certainly packs more punch than Nintendo’s last couple of handheld efforts. Cracking job, chaps.
Team Ninja unveils Dead or Alive 5
Beat-em-up fanatics have been waiting for this to drop for a while now, and sure enough, Team Ninja didn’t disappoint, confirming Dead or Alive 5 for release on PS3 and 360 next year. Not much is known about the busty brawler at present, though the developers have promised a shift in focus for the series, with intent on delivering flashy visuals and touting the slogan ‘Fighting as Entertainment.’ If battling as voluptuous babes can be considered entertainment (here’s a secret: it can) then we’re already sold. It’ll be interesting to see what Team Ninja does to spice things up given the amount of competition on the horizon (Tekken Tag 2, Soul Calibur V etc) but we’re sure they’ll come up with the goods. Be sure to keep an eye out for more details as they become available to us.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 dated, gets PS3 bundle
We’ve known roughly when FFXIII-2 would arrive on both sides of the pond, though aside from an ambiguous ‘early 2012’ release window, Square hasn’t been forthcoming with any concrete details. That all changed this week, with the Japanese giant slapping a January 31 date on the RPG sequel in the U.S., and confirmed it’ll arrive in PAL territories shortly after on February 3. As for Japan, the game will arrive on December 15, just days before a certain Sony handheld also hits shelves. Impressions of FFXIII-2 have been fairly positive, and many fans are eager to see Square rectify many of the flaws present in the game’s predecessor, 2010’s FFXIII. The time travel system in particular sounds quite intriguing, and I’m especially pleased –as I’m sure many other fans are – at the presence of branching dialogue while conversing with NPCs.
GTA IV ships 22 million units worldwide
While all eyes are on Rockstar to announce the eagerly-anticipated fifth instalment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, parent holder Take-Two was this week keen to remind people this week just how well GTA IV has sold. Specifically, the crime romp has shipped an impressive 22 million units since its release in April 2008, bringing the franchise to 114 million units shipped globally – far and away Take-Two’s most successful IP to date. Other series turned in big numbers too, with Red Dead Redemption on 12.5 million shipments alone since its release last year, while BioShock and Max Payne also pulled in the punters with 9 million and 7.5 million shipments, respectively. With both of those due to receive a third series entry next year – as well as a possible GTA V announcement in the pipeline – Take-Two is sure to find itself a snug place on the consciousness of gamers and industry bigwigs alike as we tuck into 2012’s offerings after a mental holiday line-up.
Sony ‘doesn’t know’ if Monster Hunter 4 will come to Vita
Capcom’s shock announcement that Monster Hunter 4 would be coming to 3DS was a kick in the teeth to Sony console owners, no two ways about it – after all, the series has enjoyed gargantuan success on PSP for the past few years now. I haven’t even played a single Monster Hunter title, and even for me the revelation cast a few grey clouds over Sony’s Vita TGS showcase, even more so when the game failed to show up at the firm’s presser like so many had anticipated. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there’s any light at the end of the tunnel, with SCEJ big cheese Hiroshi Kawano saying he “doesn’t know” if the game will be coming to Vita. I like many people find it unfathomable that MH4 isn’t on its way to Sony’s new pocket brick, though I imagine the 3DS’ second analogue stick add-on was perhaps too good of an opportunity for Capcom to miss out on. Nonetheless, with a massive fan base and commercial success built on the back of Sony hardware, the fact Vita isn’t getting a look in leaves me at a loss for words.
inFamous 2: Festival of Blood gets Move support, dated for October 25
Super-charged Cole McGrath’s latest outing was a sumptuous slice of gaming pie, no two ways about it, and from the look of things, this curious Vampire-centric add-on is sure to be bloody brilliant too (both figuratively and literally with any luck). Sony this week slapped an October 25 release date on Festival of Blood, which sees McGrath become a fellow fang face after succumbing to a vampire bite. The add-on looks great, and is sure to offer a welcoming shake-up of the bread-and-butter inFamous experience. Furthermore, you’ll also be able to get your waggle on, as Sony’s also confirmed that the game will support PlayStation Move. Quite how well this will translate to gameplay remains to be seen, but fingers crossed eh?
New Katamari rolling to PlayStation Vita
The Katamari franchise and all its idiosyncrasies single-handedly encompasses everything that’s so great when it comes to Japanese games development, and indeed represents the type of risk that many creators are just too scared to take. Fortunately, Namco’s keen to keep the ball rolling (geddict?), confirming plans to bring Katamari Demacy (working title) to Sony’s PlayStation Vita. Be sure to have a butcher’s at the announcement trailer in our weekly video digest.