B3yond the Report 07.07.09
Posted by Mark Salmela on 07.07.2009
This week Mark discusses PS2 emulation on the PS3. Will the PS3 ever receive PS2 backwards compatibility again? Plus, news on the PS3 Slim, Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time, BlazBlue, Afrika, Battlefield 1943, Punisher: No Mercy, a new PS3 bundle coming to Best Buy, DJ Hero, SOCOM 4, and more when you go B3yond the Report.
Hi this is Vince from B3yond the Report. You're gonna be in a great mood all day because you're gonna be laughin your troubles away with B3yond the Report.
I mean look at this column. Stop reading a boring column, stop having a boring life. Only Mark Salmela with B3yond the Report can provide the entertainment you need while keeping your hands out of your pants.
B3yond the Report, it's so easy to read. Read it in the shower, read it at the doctor's office, read it while donating sperm, read it while burying the hooker who bit your tongue off last night, read it while you wait for your neighbor's dog to finish cooking in the oven, read it while you clean up the vomit your son spewed from drinking the drain-o last night.
You know I can't promote B3yond the Report all day. Get your credit cards ready and call to order. Here's your regular host Mark Salmela.
Thanks Vince! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!
No longer accepting business checks, it's B3yond the News of the Week~!
PlayStation 2 emulation coming to the PS3?
The biggest news of the week has to do with Sony applying for a new patent regarding PS2 software emulation on the PS3 via the PS3's cell chip. As a quick side note the reason Sony had to patent PS2 software emulation on the PS3 is because since the PS2's backwards compatibility would be run entirely on the cell chip, theoretically anything that uses a cell chip could become a PS2 emulator. Thus Sony has to patent the technology so that only PS3's can take advantage of their work.
Anyways for those who've been living under a rock for the past few years the PS3 no longer includes the components of a PS2 inside of the PS3, meaning there hasn't been built-in PS2 emulation inside of the PS3 for a while now. The option to emulate the PS2 via software using the PS3's cell chip has been widely talked about and demanded for quite a while now, but until recently PlayStation 3 users who do not have one of the original PS3's have been left in the dark. Reports have been coming out that the PS3 actually does have software emulation built into the PS3 and has had one since firmware 2.10, but the emulation is so poor nothing would run at an acceptable rate. Apparently it is the "graphics synthesizer" which needs a lot of work before Sony will "activate" the PS2 emulator which is inside the PS3's firmware. So it isn't the emotion-engine that has been giving Sony problems like everyone wanted us to believe, it is the "graphics synthesizer".
I know I'm getting rather in-depth and nerdy here but the bottom line is that Sony is apparently very close to finishing work on a PS2 emulator on the PS3. This is an emulator that would run on the PS3's cell chip and would work on every PS3 past, present, and future since the cell chip is a necessary component of the PS3. If this were to happen then PS2 games would most likely come to the PlayStation Store as downloadable titles, where they would likely run between $15 and $20. In my opinion this would easily be the biggest news in a long time regarding the PlayStation 3. Forget the motion controller, getting PS2 games on the Store and getting PS2 backwards compatibility back into the PS3 would be absolutely huge. Personally I would pay any amount of money Sony wanted to download classics like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus onto my PS3 hard drive. Sure I do have a launch PS3 and can already run these games but finding a copy of Ico under $40 is near impossible. Plus I am a big fan of downloading classic games.
The other big news of the week has to do with production of the PlayStation 3 Slim. Rumors are flying that the PlayStation 3 Slim is currently in production and are to ship to Sony warehouses in July. If you haven't figured that out that means PS3 Slims are going to be arriving at Sony this month.
First a little background. Sony doesn't actually make the PS3's themselves. Sony hires actual manufacturing companies in Japan to mass-produce the PS3s, and then send them to Sony to sell to retailers and wholesalers around the world. I don't have the actual names of the Japanese companies who produce the PS3's currently because to be honest it isn't important. The same goes with the companies who are producing the PS3 slim, although I'd bet money the same companies producing the PS3 Slim are the same companies who were producing the PS3 fats.
The current theory going around is that the PS3 Slim won't start selling at retail until September at the earliest. This is because Sony has to get rid of their current supply of PS3 fats. Sony still has hundreds of thousands of PS3 fats sitting around, and they probably don't want to start selling PS3 Slims until the PS3 fats have been sold out. This is why Sony has not yet officially announced the PS3 Slim. Just like the PSP Go! everyone knows that the PS3 Slim exists and that it is coming. At this point it isn't a rumor. But Sony is being very smart and will continue to deny the existence of the PS3 Slim until they are ready to sell it, which will be around September I'd guess. Because if they just went out and said the PS3 Slim would be coming this fall current sales of the PS3 would plummet, as everyone would wait until the PS3 Slim comes out. So PS3 Slim is on its way, but don't expect to hear official confirmation until September at the earliest, although that's just my guess.
Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time pre-order goodies revealed
Now onto some fun news. Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time will be having exclusive goodies for those who pre-order the game. The only problem is that there are 4 different pre-order packages, each exclusive to a different store. If you pre-order the game at Gamestop you will gain access to the "Discovery package" where you will gain access to a special level where you can roam around the Insomniac museum. Those who've played Ratchet 2 or 3 will recognize this as the Insomniac museum that was included as an Easter egg. Now you gain access to it by pre-ordering the game at Gamestop. Personally I pre-ordered at Gamestop as I want the Insomniac museum.
The other three pre-order packages are the "bolt package" where users will start with 5,000 free bolts, the "power package" which will include a free power-up mod for the "Cryo-mine glove", and the "space package" which will include a custom skin for Ratchet's space ship as well as a new Ratchet costume for Home. The bolt package is the absolute worst package since 5,000 bolts is nothing in the Ratchet and Clank games. The bolt package will be exclusive to Amazon. Best Buy and Gamecrazy will get the other two pro-order packages. As I said before if you have a Gamestop and want to get Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time you really need to get the discovery package. A free level is way better than those other options.
Lots of Clanks.
New PlayStation 3 bundle arrives at Best Buy
Best Buy will be selling an exclusive PS3 bundle in the near future. For $400 you get an 80 GB PS3 with Metal Gear Solid 4 and Killzone 2. That's an incredible deal and if you don't have a PS3 yet and don't mind missing out on the PS3 Slim than you owe it to yourself to get this bundle. As I said in my top ten exclusive PS3 list which can be found here Killzone 2 is my 4th favorite PS3 exclusive and MGS4 is the best game on the PS3 in my opinion. That's a great bundle.
New SOCOM game coming to PS3?
I just want to comment very quickly that apparently another SOCOM game is coming to the PS3, right now under the title of SOCOM 4. The big problem is that there isn't really anyone at Sony to develop it. I mean Zipper is making MAG, and Slant Six is making the third SOCOM game for PSP. Sony Bend Studio is available, but it sounds like they're making a Syphon Filter for PS3, which in my opinion is much better than SOCOM 4. After the cliff-hanger ending of the last Syphon Filter it's about time we got a new one, and it's even better if it'll be on PS3. So could there be another SOCOM on the way? Sure, in fact there's probably a design document laying around for it, but unless Slant Six is trying to do a sequel to SOCOM Confrontation which sucked I don't see who's available. If anyone is going to make another SOCOM it should be the original developers Zipper, but they're way too tied up with MAG to even consider it.
PlayStation Store update for the week of July 2nd
This week's PlayStation Store is something of a letdown in my opinion. Most of it is focused on PSP content. The only real game to come out on the PlayStation Store this week for the PS3 is the Punisher: No Mercy for $10. Punisher: No Mercy is a first person shooter developed exclusively for the PSN. Unfortunately the game is not getting that good of review scores, and since it doesn't have a free demo I'd recommend passing on Punisher altogether.
The only thing that interested me this week on the PSN was the new Motorstorm: Pacific Rift expansion pack. For $10 you gain access to I believe 4 new levels, although it may only be 3. I am not sure because I haven't had time to play Motorstorm Pacific Rift, although I will later this week.
After that there lots of little things for download on the PS3, as well as Capcom Classics Collection, Mind Quiz, and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Essentials for PSP. Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Splinter Cell Essentials just went up for download on the PSN Store when the next Splintercell game coming this winter is exclusive to 360? No? Ok. Moving on then.
PlayStation retail releases for the week of July 7th
There are only two titles coming out this week for the PlayStation 3, and one of them is a downloadable title. The big release of the week for me will be Battlefield 1943 on the PlayStation network. Battlefield 1943 is a download exclusive game that will play a lot like the original Battlefield 1942 but use the Battlefield: Bad Company engine. That means great graphics and destructible environments. Battlefield 1943 is exclusive to the XBLA and PSN and will retail for $15.
The only disc release for the PS3 this week will be The Bigs 2. While I am a fan of arcade baseball games I have never been able to get into The Bigs franchise. Something about it just doesn't click with me other arcade baseball games in the past have. Maybe it has something to do with the best arcade-style sports games have come from Midway. NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, and NHL 2-on-2 hockey are some of the best sports games ever, and they're all over-the-top arcade style.
Oh and I would like to clarify a statement I made last week regarding BlazBlue. In no way did I mean to say I thought BlazBlue was a bad game. In fact I cracked under pressure and did buy the game last week *well I went 50-50 with a friend*. BlazBlue is a decently fun 2D fighter but what I was getting at last week is that fighters should not retail for $60. Tekken 6 will retail for $60 this fall but it shouldn't. Street Fighter 4 should never have been $60. Nor should Soul Calibur or Virtua Fighter 5. Fighting games, 2D or 3D, should retail new for $40 tops. They may have improvements over older games in the franchise and may feature both better graphics and online mode, but that doesn't justify in my opinion a $60 price tag. Fighting games is one of my favorite genres but $40 should be the maximum price for fighters when they release.
Here's some footage of Afrika, a PS3 exclusive that'll be coming to America *finally* this fall. The game looks pretty cool, basically an HD version of Pokémon Snap without the Pokémon and not on rails.
Finally, for those of you who care, here's some gameplay footage of DJ Hero. If they made a soundtrack for the game on a CD I'd probably get that but I'll pass on the $120 game, thanks *at least I think it's $120, who knows it's probably more expensive knowing Activision*.
The One Man Water Cooler~!
This week I'd just like to clear up some of my thoughts and opinions regarding the recent news stores such as Activision demanding Sony drop the price of the PS3.
One thing that I want to get across to everyone is that no matter what price the PlayStation 3 retails for, publishers will still want a price drop. I mean it should be a slap on the forehead "duh" moment that publishers aren't happy with the PS3 of the PS3. If they could determine the price of a console that they didn't make it would be free. Hell they would like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo to pay YOU to own their consoles. That way everyone in America would have one and have more money to spend on THEIR games. Once again this should be economics 101 but I'm getting the feeling from the comments section that some people have not grasped this concept.
Yes, the PS3 costs too much. From a realistic standpoint the PS3 needs a $100 price drop. But even WHEN the PS3 does drop $100 publishers still won't be happy. Why? Because that'll still be $300 that could have gone towards buying games for the platform. Until the PS3 is free we're going to be seeing news reports of companies wanting the PS3 to drop in price forever. Hell if Sony committed a suicidal move and made the PS3 $200 everyone and their mother would bury the Xbox 360 and demand a price drop from Microsoft. It's never going to end. Publishers want money, and every dollar spent towards a PS3, a second PS3 controller, and content that is related to Sony is just another dollar that isn't going to them.
So you better get used to it, because developers are always going to want a price drop. You don't need a marketing degree to realize that.
The 411mania Empire~!
The Full Circle by Joe Roche. I don't even know why I make fun of Joe Roche anymore. It's like Michael Jackson jokes, they're still funny, but everyone cries fowl because he was a defenseless child. Nintendophiles by Theo Fraser. Once again, who the hell is Theo Fraser? The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by Armando Rodríguez. I was actually going to make fun of Armando earlier in the column, but the poor bastard can't even get himself a banner. At least he attempts to write something worth reading now days. But he needs to lay off the Shaq jokes, only I can make fun of the Diesel Daddy. 411 Games Top 5 by Todd Vote. Speaking of Shaq, I bet he had a good time on last week's Games Top 5. I mean come on, everyone knows Shaq actually wrote it and not me, right? 411 Fact or Fiction Games by Drew Robbins. Good read, but needs more nudity.
Signing Off!
Well that's it for me everyone. I'm off to catch some more sun before returning to the darkness of my room to play Motorstorm Pacific Rift. Wednesday is Battlefield 1943, and after 4 months of not having Xbox Live Gold I finally re-subscribed so I can play it with my friends. I was one of the lucky people to snag a free copy *or two, or three* of Battlefield 1943 at E3, so I'll be hitting up Xbox Live for the first time in a long time. With that said I can be contacted in either the comments section below or by sending an email to marksalms@gmail.com. I read everything you guys send me and I love to get feedback from you. Also, feel free to add me on the PSN, my PSN ID is Fester. With that said I'll be back in 7, and here are some parting words from Shaqy.
Who believed Sony was having trouble emulating the Emotion Engine? That's the part they've been emulating from the day they first launched the 80GB SKU. It's the GS that's the issue, but the patent doesn't mention that at all. I'm not sure what the deal is, if they just didn't release the patent info on the EE emulation at the time they did it, or if it took this long for the patent to be approved.
Posted By: Rod Oracheski (Registered) on July 07, 2009 at 12:28 AM
I am not going to get a ps3 slim cuz I'm perfectly fine with my 60gb ps3 fats! I am going to get a psp go! cuz I need to upgrade my psp and also the go just looks really cool!
Posted By: Hdj360 (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 01:58 AM
Are you just picking on fighters because you do not like them? Why don't you argue that all FPS should be released for $40? Why don't you argue that all action games should be released $40? Basically, you should argue that almost every game in the world should be released at the $40 price point.
Posted By: David (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 05:59 AM
I read "No Mercy" in the title and clicked prematurely thinking it was a remake of the WWF No Mercy game from the N64....boy am I disappointed.
Posted By: jaked (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 06:45 AM
Yeah, the patent is on the Emotion Engine that was software emulated in launch PAL PS3's anyway (they still had the GS chip though).
Old news. Until there's a patent on the GS, I wouldn't hold your breath.
Posted By: BradleyLove (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 08:47 AM
The difference with fighting games, Dave, is that the differences between each fighting franchise are so subtle that they can hardly be considered worth full-price. Plus, as a single player affair, fighters are always (outside of SCII) a bad investment. Blazblue is Guilty Gear, but pretty, so $60 just seems a little ridiculous.
Posted By: Drew Robbins (Registered) on July 07, 2009 at 10:19 AM
I just want to correct my last statement, it is Guilty Gear but prettier
Posted By: Drew Robbins (Registered) on July 07, 2009 at 10:49 AM
I agree fighting games, as much as I love them, are not really deep enough to warrant the $60 purchase price. With other types of games, you can get a much deeper, more involved experience.
If they could figure out a way to expand the fighting game experience, then the $60 would be easier to part with. This is why I love the XBLA. If I want a decent fighter, I can pick one up for about $10 or less.
Posted By: Todd Vote (Registered) on July 07, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Did you even PLAY the game? It has very little to do with Guilty Gear. Most of the characters have their own play style and meters. Haku-Men can launch his "super move" without even hitting someone. It just charges. >__<
Anywho, his argument is fundamentally flawed. You can make that argument about any particular genre. The only thing that fighting game A has in common with fighting game B is the ability to hit a character.
If you want to complain about something, why doesn't he complain about sports games? Keep in mind, I referring to the series that have yearly installments.
Posted By: David (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Yeah Dave what I was getting at is pretty much what Drew and Todd are saying.
I even said that fighting games is one of my favorite genres above, but they don't add enough new stuff to change it up. Because let's be honest, Street Fighter 4 is the exact same as Street Fighter 2, except now there is a meter to build up for super moves. That doesn't make it worth $60.
The good first person shooters however manage to change up the gameplay enough to make a $60 investment worth it. Even World at War made enough changes from COD4 to make it worth it, especially for fans of the franchise or more specifically fans of COD3.
Posted By: The Salms (Registered) on July 07, 2009 at 01:12 PM
Please, 60 bones is too much for any game.
Posted By: G-Walla (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 01:26 PM
FPS differ because there's a whole single player mode that's generally radically different from the experience you get in multiplayer. For a fighting game the single player is just a series of matches against the computer. There's really nothing new there and the single player is generally over in only two or three hours.
There are other genres that release continual upgraded versions, but few other have those 'upgrades' so hidden to the mainstream gamer. Hardcore fight fans might be able to tell things like an immunity window has been changed from four frames to just two...but who else would?
Posted By: Rod Oracheski (Registered) on July 07, 2009 at 04:38 PM
There is no point in arguing/discussing this with you. You have made up your mind, and there is no point in arguing this with you, Drew, or Todd.
Posted By: David (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 05:25 PM
"The difference with fighting games, Dave, is that the differences between each fighting franchise are so subtle that they can hardly be considered worth full-price. Plus, as a single player affair, fighters are always (outside of SCII) a bad investment. Blazblue is Guilty Gear, but pretty, so $60 just seems a little ridiculous."
I don't even like Blazblue, but it has the most elaborate single player story mode I've seen in a fighting game in a long time. Folks I've talked to that play it a lot have gotten 15+ hours out of story mode already.
Also, your suggestion that Tekken, for instance, is only subtly different than Marvel vs Capcom (or any other fighter) can apply to any genera. You may as well have said that since all games in a genera share core similarities, none of them are worth full price. Don't hate on fighters just because you can't appreciate their subtleties, it makes you sound ignorant. If your stance is that big differences are required to warrant a $60 price tag then be impartial and apply the logic to all types of games.
It's just personal preference anyways. Some people think it's worth it to buy Madden or Call of Duty every year. I don't, but I'll buy a fighting "sequel" that has balance changes and a couple new characters even if nothing else has changed. To each his own.
Posted By: Andy (Guest) on July 07, 2009 at 06:14 PM
Just to clarify my thoughts I agree with Dave that sports games have no right being $60 either. F*ck EA for killing off the NFL2K brand, as the 2K games were retailing for $20 new each year until this whole "exclusivity" bullshit killed that idea off.
But yes, as big of a fighting fan as I am *and trust me I play fighters constantly* they are not worth $60. Rod, Todd, and Drew have hit the nail on the head. It's just unfortunate that I have a feeling that games are going to cost even more in the future. I don't see the price of new games ever going down despite them desperately needing too.
Posted By: The Salms (Registered) on July 07, 2009 at 10:51 PM
As game prices go up, Gamefly subscriptions will as well!
Posted By: Madcap Unlimited (Guest) on July 09, 2009 at 01:34 PM
Copyright � 2011 411mania.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
Click here for our privacy policy. Please help us serve you better, fill out our survey.
Use of this site signifies your agreement to our terms of use.
