First Street Fighter x Tekken PS Vita screenshots featuring Cole

Capcom announces Street Fighter x Tekken for PS Vita,NGP

   

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NGP: Launch games official, pre-E3 info explodes

Sony has lifted a bulk embargo on pre-E3 NGP content, confirming the new Uncharted title as Golden Abyss and giving early access to the machine itself. ton of pre-E3 information pertaining to Sony’s NGP has gone live today, including the handheld’s specs and launch line-up. You can find links to absolutely everything from every site below. The system, which was officially announced back in January, will have the following games available day one:

Uncharted: Golden Abyss: Developed by Bend Studios, the game will contain the same sort of adventures and action you are used to with the series, as well as the intoduction of touch and tilt controls.
wipEout 2084: The game is set during the birth of “anti-gravity racing” and features a near-future environmentsand the ability to play against PS3 racers on WipEout HD Fury.
Little Deviants: This title contains a series of “madcap adventures” which will utlize NGP’s rear touch pad, touch screen, the motion sensor, and both the front and rear cameras. It contains augmented reality elements and makes use of the handheld’s microphone.
Reality Fighters: An augmented reality fighting game in which you capture yourself using the NGP camera andgo up against other fighters around the world.
Super Stardust Delta: The game uses the dual analog sticks, plus the touch screen and motion sensing controls.
Sound Shapes (working title): Play, compose and share with other NGP users with this “side-scrolling platformer.” In it, you will create music with your actions using the touch screen and share them with the PSN community.
Hustle Kings: Like the PSN version, only handhled and makes use of precision controls via the touch screen and rear touch pad.
Everybody’s Golf: ClapHanz has added touch and tilt controls to the game of golf which also includes online multiplayer.
Resistance Retribution: Since you will be also to play your PSP games from the PlayStation Store on NGP, start with James Grayson’s voyage across Europe which makes use of the NGP’s dual analog sticks.
Many hardware previews have also gone live today, telling of a console rather large in size with a 5″ OLED screen. It has small face buttons, but, according to all reports, it doesn’t feel as big as it looks and it fits well in your jeans.
As revealed back in January, it has two analog sticks on each side of the screen, which, according to Ars Technica, feel a bit like the Dual Shock 3: it takes only “seconds” to get used to them.
The touch panel on the back is being reported as smooth, and you don’t notice it unless you are using it. It apparently allows for easy adjusting of the front screen’s size.
The system is backwards compatible with PSP games. So far, nothing is known of the machine’s final battery life.
NGP will release this year. Expect a lot more from E3.

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Battlfield 3, Mass Effect 3, Could Be Released On NGP

We know Sony’s planning to wow the audience at E3 when it shows off what NGP’s made of and the many games that will be released on the handheld console. We asloknow Call of Duty released on it, a big boost for the Sony, and now we’re hearing talks that Battlefield 3 will also see a release on the Next Generation Portable.

In its Q4 results, EA teased “new ways to play Mass Effect” and listed a fourth quarter release for a handheld/mobile release of Battlefield 3, according to Kotaku.

We don’t know for sure what handheld platforms EA’s eluding too, but with NGP being the next big thing on the market, it’s a rather easy prediction. The game could also show up on Nintendo’s 3DS.

On Mass Effect 3, “new ways” of playing the game seems to mean an impending handheld announcement, since it’s already on PC and consoles.

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EA, Ubisoft to announce new games in 48 hours

Despite both of them rocking quite the impressive E3 product slates already, publishing giant EA and aspiring publishing giant Ubisoft will be making new game announcements next week, the companies have revealed.

Next to showing off the likes of Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic and Need for Speed: The Run, EA’s press briefing on Monday will offer “news and announcements on new games and digital/online initiatives.” Like Insomniac revealed some hours ago, one of those announcements will be their new multiplatform property. The conference will begin at 12:30 PM PT.

Ubisoft’s briefing a few hours later (2:30 PM PST) will play host to “exclusive new announcements” — one of them rumored to be a return-to-roots Rainbow Six game — as well as live demos forAssassin’s Creed Revelations, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Rayman Origins etc.

Ubisoft is also using next week’s expo to kick off its 25th anniversary celebrations and promises to have a line-up worthy of the occasion; the company promises its “strongest and most diverse brand portfolio to date.”

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Codemasters has claimed that it has included "all the features that people have wanted" in its beautiful racer F1 2011.

Speaking to CVG at a pre-E3 reveal, chief game designer Stephen Hood argued that this year's F1 instalment isn't like other annual game updates.

"I'd say [this year's game] completely stands on its own in comparison to the other game. I by that I mean sometimes you get the sequel to a title and you go, 'there could be a reason to purchase the new one, I'll see how it goes'. But now I think there's so much content in the new one, it makes you feel compelled that you need the next game," he told CVG.
According to the Codies man, the fans asked for two-player split-screen and co-op in the next stage from F1 2010 - and the developer has listened.

He added: "Every area I look at, right down to the handling, which I think is actually the most important thing because it's the core of the game, feels completely different," he said. "It's more enjoyable to drive the car and I gets more of the things I wanted out of the game which is the strategy, the consistency...

"And it plays into all of the new multiplayer features as well like playing in co-op, seeing your friend online in the garage and competing against him... all of the stuff that we really wanted to do for the start of the series is starting to come true now."

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Is Resident Evil Portable now an NGP game?

We all remember Sony’s brief reveal of Resident Evil Portable two years ago at their E3 press conference. But now we’re all stuck with the same query: What happened to it?

Resident Evil is no stranger to the portable gaming space and the franchise even has two outings coming up for the Nintendo 3DS, The Mercenaries 3D later this month and Revelations early next year. So, with Sony’s next handheld looming in the horizon and with the PSP slowly approaching the end of its life-cycle, could we end up seeing Resident Evil Portable on the NGP? Or better yet, could it be re-revealed next week at E3 for said platform?

The announcement for Resident Evil Portable was just that, an announcement, with virtually no substantial details behind the game being revealed. All we knew was that the franchise would be landing  on the PSP and that it’ll be utilizing the platform’s online feature. This, of course, led to speculation that this may be a handheld version of the popular Outbreak experience. But we really had no concrete information to really cement that speculation as a possibility. And now, years later, the game has seemingly gone the way of the once proposed Devil May Cry PSP game (What is it with Capcom and their propositions for PSP version of their console experiences?).

“It’s been canned” is the popular belief, especially since Capcom has been extremely quiet over the matter since it was first revealed. Another belief is that the team behind ‘Portable’ ended up shifting gears to 3DS development, and thus ended up getting caught up in the development of Resident Evil: Revelations. Both notions are sound but it would be nice to hear straight from Capcom concerning this. Will we ever, though? That’s the true question. Unless Capcom has decided to shift the development of ‘Portable’ over to Sony’s upcoming NGP.

We’ve already seen what the NGP is capable of in terms of sheer power. The dual sticks also lends itself greatly to offering gameplay experiences that can be found on Sony’s blu-ray powered home console. Add to that touch-sensitive capabilities by way of the front screen and the device’s rear, with motion-sensing features as well and you have quite a powerful handheld, leaps beyond what could be done in the portable gaming space before. So, how does that benefit Resident Evil Portable (if it has, in fact, been ported over to this new handheld)?

Well, for starters, ‘Portable’ would be able to offer a very close-to-the-console experience if released on the NGP. Just look at the recent pics and videos showing off Uncharted: Golden Abyss in action and you’ll see what I’m talking about. The game will also have the capabilities to offer a deep online experience, which is something that was originally planned for the MIA PSP title. But will it happen? I feel strongly about Resident Evil Portable being an NGP title now, but we’ll have to wait and see if there’s any truth to that. And what better time to announce it than next week at E3.

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Is the Japanese RPG Dead?

Yesterday we looked at how 2011 looks to be the "Year of the Western RPG." But what about its eastern counterpart? Typically, Japanese RPGs have been known as "traditional" style (though they derive from the American Dungeons & Dragons) compared to the "western" style RPG that has been the king as of late on this side of the Pacific.

If you were to walk the store shelves of any gaming retailer today, this question "Is the Japanese RPG dead?"might arise. Outside of the DS and PSP, only barely pronounceable games have landed in the US on consoles this year, and were met with dismal sales success. Of course, portables are huge in Japan, but is that mentality killing the genre for the rest of the world?

Fresh off the Boat

Japanese RPGs released this year:

Pokemon Black/White - Nintendo (DS)
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded - Square Enix (DS)
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation - Nintendo (DS)
Radiant Historia - Atlus (DS)
Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel - NIS America (PS3)
Hyperdimension Neptunia - NIS America (PS3)
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together - Square Enix (PSP)
Ys I & II Chronicles - XSEED (PSP)
Phantom Brave: Heroes of the Hermuda Triangle - NIS America (PSP)
Jikandia: The Timeless Land - Aksys Games (PSP)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - XSEED (PSP)
The 3rd Birthday - Sqaure Enix (PSP)
Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection - Sqaure Enix (PSP)

Setting Sail

Japanese RPGs confirmed for the US:

Record of Agarest War Zero - Aksys Games June 14, 2011 (PS3, Xbox 360)

This is the prequel to last year's Record of Agarest War, which was most likely remembered for its boob-based mouse pad that came with the Xbox 360 version. This time around, both versions are getting the retail treatment from Aksys Games. Can the unique soul-breeding (pick a wife to determine skills) and strategy-RPG gameplay save this game from its dated visuals?

Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten - NIS America September 2011 (PS3)


Better graphics help bring the Disgaea series closer to the HD era. The series is already known for its insane amounts of in-depth tactics, and now adds a map-generating mode to the mix which allows players to create and share an infinite amount  of content.

Atelier Totori: The Adventurer or Arland - NIS America Fall 2011 (PS3)

Totori is the the 12th installment of the Atlier series and follow-up to last year's lukewarmly-received Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland (what a mouth full!). Totiru is giving its more traditional JRPG battle system mixed with alchemy crafting another go later this year. Will this game be able to turn the series around? Or will the cutesy art style miss its mark again?

Xenoblade Chronicles - Nintendo TBA 2011 (Wii)

Though with no release date in sight, Xenoblade Chronicles can still be found on Nintendo's 2011 calandar. Europe's getting Monolith Soft's (Xenosgas series) latest  in the fall. With a battle system and visuals similar to Final Fantasy XII,  Xenoblade has the potential to be the Wii's best RPG. Though will the threat of Nintendo's  new home console squash Xenoblade's chance of succeeding in the west?

White Knight Chronicles 2 - D3 Publisher December, 2011 (PS3)

From Level-5 (Professor Layton series), this sequel actually contains the first game (which was published by Sony) as well.  Reviews were all over the board for the original White Knight Chronicles, but with a more complete package, 6-player online co-op and customization galore WKC 2 has the potential to be a big hit at the end of the year.

Tales of Graces F - Namco Bandai TBA 2012: (PS3)

It took awhile, but Namco finally decided to bring Tales of Graces to the U.S. Originally a Wii title, this updated port boast enhancements all across the board. Better graphics, enhanced gameplay, and an all new epilogue. The Tales series has always been one of the elites in JPRGs  and Graces looks like it will keep that tradition strong. Will the sales give us western gamers the chance to play Xillia? Only time will tell.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Square Enix Q4 2011/Q1 2012 (PS3, Xbox 360)

Square touts that XIII-2 "exceeds Final Fantasy XIII in every aspect." I guess we will have to wait and see since XIII-2 isn't coming till late this year or early next. One thing is for sure, expect amazing cutscenes.

Portable Pontoons

Cladun x2L - NIS America Summer 2011 (PSP)

Classic Japanese dungeon crawl and super retro-style graphics give Cladun a very niche following. But can a title set for PSN make it big? We'll find out soon!
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked: Atlus Summer 2011 (3DS)


Better graphics (though no 3D support), more demons and an extra day (mission) make this remake of the 2009 DS version a must play for strategy-RPG fans who missed out the first time around on the DS. Will the extra content offer enough to make this the definitive version or should gamers just seek out the cheaper original to play on their shiny new 3DS's?

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2 Innocent Sin - Atlus Fall 2011 (PSP)

The PSP is pretty much dead as the NGP looks down upon it from the near future. That isn't stopping Atlus from bringing out the one Persona game that failed to reach North American shores. Adolf Hitler's presence in the game (yes, that Hitler!)  kept Innocent Sin from coming stateside, as Atlus released only the second half of this two part series, Eternal Punishment, on the original PlayStation. We'll find out shortly if Hitler makes the trip intact this time.

Tales of the Abyss 3D - Namco Bandai Fall 2011 (3DS)

This 3Ds port is one to be on the lookout for if you missed the PlayStation 2 original. Considered by many to be the best in the series, it is a JRPG classic. We're not sure if there's much new for this port, but we'll find out when it releases this Fall.

 

Last Hopes

Japanese RPGs unconfirmed for the US:


You can all but guarantee that if it a game has Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts in the title, it will make the trek across the Pacific. Atlus games are pretty much a guarantee too, but titles like Tales of Xillia and Valyria Chronicles 3 seemed destined to only come across if their predecessors sales make them a safe investment.  As for Ni no Kuni, Level 5 and Studio Ghibli's brainchild, their niche nature may compromise their odds. As for Last Story...with the Wii due to be replaced, this may actually be Hironobu Sakaguchi's literal last story, based on the performance of his Xbox 360 titles, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey. Outside of Final Fantasy, Tri-Ace's unnamed project could be what the Japanese RPG needs to land big in the west again. The tech-demo for their latest game engine was breathtaking with visuals that rival gaming's elite.

Ni no Kuni: The Another World - Level 5 TBA 2011 (PS3)


Tales of Xillia - Namco Bandai  September 8, 2011 JPN (PS3)


Final Fantasy Versus XIII - Square Enix TBA (PS3)


Final Fantasy Type-0 - Square Enix Summer 2011 JPN (PSP)


Grand Knights History - Vanillaware  TBA 2011 JPN (PSP)


Valkyria Chronicles 3 - SEGA January 27, 2011 JPN (PSP)


Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 - Atlus July 28, 2011 JPN (DS)


Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance - Sqaure Enix TBA (3DS)


The Last Story - Mistwalker January 27, 2011 JPN (Wii)

Earth Seeker - Kadokawa Shoten April 7, 2001 JPN (WII)

Unannounced Tri-Ace Project - ???

Sinking Ship ???

The Japanese RPG is definitely not dead...especially as long as Pokemon and Final Fantasy fans keep buying those games in the same numbers.  But the genre that once flourished stateside after the impact of Final Fantasy VII has slowly dwindled away as gamers move toward the more instant gratification of shooters like Call of Duty. Can Japan find their creative juices again and revive the genre to the upper echelons of gaming? Who will be the first to bridge the gaps between east and west? One thing is for sure: niche Japanese RPGs are still here... but for how much longer?

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Silent Hill HD Collection

Konami announced Silent Hill HD Collection for PS3 and Xbox 360, which is a HD remake of Silent Hill 2 & 3. A new installment of the series called Silent Hill: Book of Memories was also announced for Sony's NGP.

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E3 2011: AT&T Partnering with Sony for NGP 3G?

Inside source says an E3 meeting with game makers is in the works.It's no secret that the NGP -- Sony's Next Generation Portable -- is a 3G device that will allow players to connect to the Internet from wherever they are. However, Sony hasn't announced anything about 3G when it comes to prices, carriers and so on. That might change next week at E3 2011.

An inside source has told  that Sony Computer Entertainment America is contacting developers and publishers about a 3G "symposium" hosted by AT&T next Wednesday at E3. When reached for confirmation, an SCEA representative said that the company does not comment on rumor and speculation.

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E3 2011: Konami’s Press Conference

Last year, Konami had put up what is probably the worst E3 press conference we had ever seen in the history of the show. Gimmicky games, sketchy presentations; everything felt like a total joke. Luckily for the company, this year’s press conference was much better and did bring some great announcements. Here is what you may have missed.

A new IP from Konami

Directed by Shinta Nojiri (who worked on Policenauts and both Metal Gear Ac!d titles), Konami’s new IP is called Never Dead. First announced at last year’s E3, more details were shown. This game is a 3^rd person shooter that puts the player in control of an immortal demon hunter. As the player can’t die, the protagonist of the game will be able to lose limbs and reattach them, which will come useful for solving puzzles. The game is scheduled for next winter. To present the game’s E3 trailer, it was revealed that Megadeth wrote a song especially for the game.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2012

Konami’s popular soccer franchise is back once again this year. Few announcements were made about the next edition such as improved physics, advanced motion capture and refined controls.

Silent Hill

Few announcements were made about the Silent Hill franchise. For the long-time fans out there, the Silent Hill Collection was revealed. It will contain Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3, both retouched in HD. No specific platform was mentioned nor was a release date. A new entry in the franchise named Silent Hill: Book of Memories was confirmed to be in development exclusively for the NGP. Finally, a new trailer for Silent Hill: Downpour was shown.

Also, a new Silent Hill movie was announced. Named Silent Hill Revelations 3D, this new movie will be highly inspired by the third game.

Lots of Kojima Productions announcements

First of all, Hideo Kojima confirmed the existence of the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. Available on both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, this package will include updated versions of Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. All of the games will receive a special treatment that includes updated HD graphics, updated audio and achievements/trophies. This game package will be released in November 2011.

To make Kojima’s fans happier, a similar collection was announced for the Zone of the Enders franchise. Including Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders 2, Zone of the Enders HD Collection will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2012.

One thing to take note of is that the PlayStation 3 version of both of these collections will support a new feature called Transfarring. This new options will allow gamers to transfer their save files from a PS3 to a PSP and vice versa. To keep things short, it enables gamers to start a game at home, take their progress with them on the road to play on their PSP to then get back home and continue to play on their home console. This new feature is only the first step of what Kojima really wants to do: enabling the feature to work between PS3 and NGP, which would run on rather similar game versions.
Also, more details about Metal Gear Solid 3DS: Snake Eater were given. It was said that the game was enhanced to take advantage of the 3DS’ capabilities. Aside from the 3D field-of-depth and touch menus, the game will take advantage of both the 3DS’ cameras and gyroscopic sensors. The former will be used for the PhotoCamo feature which will allow the players to create camouflage based on pictures that they take in real life. For example, you could take a picture of a tree to obtain a tree-textured camouflage in the game. Since Snake Eater revolves a lot around hiding in the environment, this will come-in handy. Also, the gyroscopic sensors will be used for specific situations including ones in which the players must walk across a tree trunk.
As for Metal Gear Solid: Rising, it has been confirmed that nothing will be shown this week at E3. However, the game is still scheduled to be released in 2012.

Finally, Kojima has shown that his studio has built a strong gaming engine shortly after the development of Metal Gear Solid 4. Named the Fox Engine, it will supposedly allow Kojima to bring his next unannounced project to life on multiple platforms at once. While the famous game designer did tease that the game might be revealed at next year’s E3, we do know that it will be available on multiple platforms as the Fox Engine makes it easily possible.

Other quick announcements

To celebrate the Castlevania franchise’s 25^th anniversary, it was announced that more downloadable content will be available for Castlevania: Lord of Shadow later this year. The long-time classic Frogger franchise will receive a similar treatment for its 30^th anniversary as it will be released on the 3DS.

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E3 2011: Uncharted NGP graphics on par with PS3

 We have a treat for gaming fans right before E3 2011 now, as Sony has just posted a brand new video feature on the upcoming Uncharted title for the Sony NGP or PSP2, or PS Vita as it may end up being called.

First things first and we can confirm that the title has also been given it’s proper name, and that is Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Just to recap, the game will take place before the events of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune but it’s understood that this is not a prequel, but rather a brand new storyline in the Uncharted universe.

The game will make use of dual analogue sticks, touchscreen support and also motion controls thanks to the new NGP hardware. Golden Abyss is being developed by Sony Bend, with original developers Naughty Dog overlooking the project. Sadly there’s no release date yet, but you can look forward to seeing much more info on the game at Sony’s E3 press conference next week. (E3, PS3, PSP2, Sony, Uncharted: Golden Abyss) 
We have a treat for gaming fans right before E3 2011 now, as Sony has just posted a brand new video feature on the upcoming Uncharted title for the Sony NGP or PSP2, or PS Vita as it may end up being called.
First things first and we can confirm that the title has also been given it’s proper name, and that is Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Just to recap, the game will take place before the events of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune but it’s understood that this is not a prequel, but rather a brand new storyline in the Uncharted universe.
The game will make use of dual analogue sticks, touchscreen support and also motion controls thanks to the new NGP hardware. Golden Abyss is being developed by Sony Bend, with original developers Naughty Dog overlooking the project. Sadly there’s no release date yet, but you can look forward to seeing much more info on the game at Sony’s E3 press conference next week.
As for the new video, we get to see some brand new gameplay from the game, although the PS Blog reminds us that the game is still running on a NGP development kit, and the final product will look a lot more polished. That’s pretty impressive since the visuals in the video look pretty good as it is, especially some of the cut-scenes – definitely PS3 like.
Check out the video below to see the new Uncharted control system demonstrated on the new hardware, as well as seeing what the developers think of the game too.
Is this game a must buy for you or are you not too impressed?

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Electronic Arts Reveals E3 Lineup And Its Huge

"Electronic Arts have releases their list of games that they are planning to show off at this years E3 and we must say its quite a list!

Electronic Arts have releases their list of games that they are planning to show off at this years E3 and we must say its quite a list!
Below is the complete list:

• Battlefield 3
• EA SPORTS PGA TOUR Golf Challenge
• FIFA Soccer 12 — Console
• FIFA Soccer 12 — Handheld
• FIFA Superstars
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
• Madden NFL 12
• Madden NFL Football — Handheld
• Madden NFL Superstars
• Madden NFL 12 — iOS
• Mass Effect 3
• NCAA Football 12
• Need for Speed™ The Run
• NHL 12
• The Sims 3 Generations
• The Sims 3 Pets
• The Sims Medieval – iOS
• SSX
• Star Wars: The Old Republic
• World Series Superstars

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Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Sony has released new screenshots of Uncharted: Golden Abyss for NGP. The game will make use of the dual analog stick, gyro sensor, front and back touch panels; such as throwing grenades by dragging them on the touch screen. The game takes place before Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the story is standalone and therefore not a prequel.

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Konami Transfarring System

Konami announced a cross platform data transfer system called Transfarring during a pre-E3 broadcast, which allows you to play a game on home console and continue playing on the go. Save data can be transferred back and forth between PS3 and PSP using USB cable; only one version of the save file is active to prevent data conflict. An example would be playing MGS Peace Walker HD on PS3, and continue playing outside on the PSP.
The first games to support Transfarring are Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection and Zone of the Enders HD Collection. Although these games are also heading to Xbox 360, but only the PS3 version support transfarring with the PSP.

Hideo Kojima also mentioned that PS3/PSP data sharing is only phase 1 of Transfarring, phase 2 will be bringing PS2 classics to PS3 and NGP, and phase 3 will be data sharing between PS3 and NGP.

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