Companies:
Sony
By Jonti Davies
Sony's showing was a strong double-bill starring the PS2 and PSP supported by an encore of PlayStation3 video footage. A huge cinema area running a loop of PS3 footage drew considerably larger crowds than anything else at the show. The closest anyone got to the actual hardware was a demo by Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear Solid 4 where he used a dev kit and early controller to show off the game in its nascent phase. Coupled with the Metal Gear Solid 4 video looped at the PS3 area, Konami's main man served up what was by far the most exhilarating title on show. Just a shame it wasn't playable, but we can wait.
The PS3 loop also gave us a glimpse of a future Getaway. SCEE's game bordered on the photo realistic, but it was just a demo. Genji 2 was similarly pre-rendered. However, those titles only helped to show the fine proximity between actual game engine footage of Metal Gear Solid 4 (that's what is was) and the mock-up displays from other developers. You could almost touch the bristles of Solid Snake's greying moustache. His cigarettes, too, were positively alight. Certainly, something special is just around the corner and MGS4 is walking out in front.
Elsewhere, the PSP put in a showing that levelled with the innovation present in DS titles. Talkman was demonstrated in a small room away from the hubbub. The software runs with a microphone attachment atop the PSP, but its versatility is actually quite limited. Although you can translate spoken communication through Japanese, Chinese, Korean and English, you must utilise the game's dedicated sections -- there's no general-purpose feature to really make this essential. Choosing 'restaurant' mode gives you the opportunity to talk about food matters only, for example, and if you need to translate a phrase for use elsewhere you must interact with Max (Talkman's parrot mascot) in specific areas of the code. Still, with pronunciation grading built in, Japanese users will undoubtedly find Talkman to be a worthwhile utility.
Portable Resort is another innovative PSP title -- which is exactly what the format needs right now -- and a new feature of Namco's tropical island-dwelling holiday 'em up was revealed in the shape of a virtual ukulele. Adopt an air guitar stance, then grab the PSP and 'strum' the analogue stick while holding the face buttons to change chords. The ukulele sounds are nice and thick. This isn't the main feature of the game, but it certainly makes for a satisfying diversion. Portable Resort is certainly one to watch.
Sony's showing was a strong double-bill starring the PS2 and PSP supported by an encore of PlayStation3 video footage. A huge cinema area running a loop of PS3 footage drew considerably larger crowds than anything else at the show. The closest anyone got to the actual hardware was a demo by Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear Solid 4 where he used a dev kit and early controller to show off the game in its nascent phase. Coupled with the Metal Gear Solid 4 video looped at the PS3 area, Konami's main man served up what was by far the most exhilarating title on show. Just a shame it wasn't playable, but we can wait.
The PS3 loop also gave us a glimpse of a future Getaway. SCEE's game bordered on the photo realistic, but it was just a demo. Genji 2 was similarly pre-rendered. However, those titles only helped to show the fine proximity between actual game engine footage of Metal Gear Solid 4 (that's what is was) and the mock-up displays from other developers. You could almost touch the bristles of Solid Snake's greying moustache. His cigarettes, too, were positively alight. Certainly, something special is just around the corner and MGS4 is walking out in front.
Elsewhere, the PSP put in a showing that levelled with the innovation present in DS titles. Talkman was demonstrated in a small room away from the hubbub. The software runs with a microphone attachment atop the PSP, but its versatility is actually quite limited. Although you can translate spoken communication through Japanese, Chinese, Korean and English, you must utilise the game's dedicated sections -- there's no general-purpose feature to really make this essential. Choosing 'restaurant' mode gives you the opportunity to talk about food matters only, for example, and if you need to translate a phrase for use elsewhere you must interact with Max (Talkman's parrot mascot) in specific areas of the code. Still, with pronunciation grading built in, Japanese users will undoubtedly find Talkman to be a worthwhile utility.
Portable Resort is another innovative PSP title -- which is exactly what the format needs right now -- and a new feature of Namco's tropical island-dwelling holiday 'em up was revealed in the shape of a virtual ukulele. Adopt an air guitar stance, then grab the PSP and 'strum' the analogue stick while holding the face buttons to change chords. The ukulele sounds are nice and thick. This isn't the main feature of the game, but it certainly makes for a satisfying diversion. Portable Resort is certainly one to watch.
Companies:
Sony