Sony held their E3 Keynote address last night. An impressive big screen 3D intro opened up the event which was held in a massive packed out auditorium. The intro reel showcased full stereoscopic 3D game footage on a massive screen, before the focus of the event moved swiftly on to the PlayStation Move.
PlayStation Move
So what does Sony want you to know about Move? Well apart from pricing and release date details, they are pretty proud of the fact that it has buttons and doesn’t rely solely on motion control. So a bit like the Wiimote then, but with full one-to-one motion tracking.
The first thing they showcased for the Move is a game called Sorcery, which is an action adventure RPG that puts the player into the shoes of a Wizard with a magical wand. Players use the Move to wave different spells and combinations around, and what could have easily been written off as novelty shovelware looks like it may be saved by some truly innovative gameplay applications.
Next was tiger Woods 11, which looks super difficult using the Move. Where previous golf games relying on motion control use a very basic swing-axis control interface, Tiger Woods 11 employs full one-to-one motion control in the swing. So if you don’t want to suck at Tiger Woods 11 using the Move, then you better have a pretty decent golf swing. Based on the show footage, using the Move, Tiger Woods 11 will be the most realistic – and challenging – golf game ever made. I’m still apprehensive though, as the lack of physical feedback from the remote will make every swing feel like a slice of fresh air.
Next was an action platformer called Heroes on the Move, which features notable PlayStation characters such as Ratchet and Clank, Jak, Sly Cooper and others. Various novel gameplay mechanisms seem to hinge on the Move, and only time will tell if it is anything more than a novelty motion-centric game.
Other games that Sony promises to be Move compatible include Ruse, Killzone 3, Echochrome 2 and Heavy Rain (with patch).
Sony then showed off some Move related marketing gunk, and if anything, it only served to further illustrated that they are hoping to capture the success of the Wii – with basic mini-games – while at the same time making it something that more serious gamers may also enjoy.
The focus then shifted to the PSP, and apart from a pretty amusing new marketing campaign, Sony didn’t have much to say. They promised 70 new PSP games out before December, the most prominent of which was God of War: Ghost of Sparta.
More marketing spam followed, with Sony bragging about the PSN’s impressive 50 million + users. They also announced that their entire E3 stand has been recreated in the PlayStation Home for those not at the show.
Finally, before looking at some important forthcoming PS3 games, Sony announced that a sequel to their reality TV show, The Tester, is on the way.
A brief showcase was then made of upcoming Sony games. These included the following:
Little Big Planet 2
The presentation showed off some cool looking custom made mini games, and the focus of Little Big Planet 2 is very much on the powerful level/game creation tools. Examples were shown, including custom built RTS, puzzle, racing and shooter games. “Any kind of game you can imagine. It’s truly a platform for games” said Sony’s Peter Dille.
Portal 2 for PS3 and Gabe Newel cameo
Game development legend and Valve big cheese Gabe Newel then came on stage. He announced that Portal 2 will be released for PS3 next year, and that it will be “the best console version of Portal 2.”
Mafia 2 exclusive day 1 DLC
Sony confirmed that the PS3 version of 2K’s Mafia II will be getting exclusive day 1 downloadable content.
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood exclusive PS3 beta
EA’s Assassins and exclusive maps packs
Gran Turismo 5 out November 2 2010
A release date for the hugely anticipated PS3 exclusive racing simulator was confirmed. November 2nd it is. Write that down.
Twisted Metal
The announcement of one of PlayStation’s longest standing brands arrival on PS3 was a surprise. Twisted Metal will finally be coming to the PS3, with full multiplayer support and the same ridiculous action-arcade-centric gameplay that those who played the predecessors will be familiar with.
PlayStation +
Sony then went on to announce its new premium PlayStation Network service – PlayStation +. They insist that the current free to use PSN model will not be affected, but those wanting more can subscribe for $49.99(R380) per year, or $17.99 (R140) for 3 months. For this they will get discounts on PSN games, exclusive content and enhanced functionality. PlayStation + subscribers will get full free games, preferred early demos and more.
PlayStation + will launch later this year.
EA and PlayStation
Sony then went on to discuss their relationship with EA. Apparently the two companies are best buddies, and Dead Space 2 and Medal of Honor will both be getting PS3 exclusive special editions. The Medal of Honor Special Edition will include a remastered version of Medal of Honor: Frontline, and Dead Space Special Edition will include Dead Space Extraction with PlayStation Move support. Furthermore, Crysis 2 will be 3D compatible on the PS3.
And that was pretty much everything Sony had to say at E3 this year. Nothing too massive, but enough smaller reveals to keep Sony customers happy for a while.
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