The SIXAXIS 05.01.07
Posted by Andrew Mellick on 05.01.2007
A changing of the guard for Sony. Plus, hot new details on the next generation of the Eye toy, big previews coming your way, and can anything save Tomb Raider? All that and more in another exciting edition of the SIXAXIS!
If your 5, 5, 5, then I'm SIX-AX-IS!
Well it is May, the weather is getting warmer blockbuster movies are set to release, and TV sweeps are on the horizon. However, in my neck of the woods, we had no April showers; does this mean no May flowers? And if no May flowers, then what; polar bears drown, volcanoes explode, and the world turns into a flaming ball of death! Damn you Al Gore! Why didn't we listen?!
Sony News
Oh Ken, put down the SIXAXIS, it's too much! (soft weeping)
Amid the flurry of a botched launch, production issues, and costly hardware prices; Sony finds themselves in a place they have not been in quite some time, third. All these factors have contributed to a bottom line which usually enjoys a healthy positive balance, in scarily deep negative one.
So between bad publicity and a monetary deficit you knew somebody's head had to be on the chopping block. That head happened to belong to SCE founder Ken Kutaragi. The mastermind, which built the Playstation into a household name has decided to seek retirement as of this summer. So to you sir we say, Domo arigato, Mr. Kutaragi-o
Tale of the tape
So who is set to fill the shoes of this gaming mogul? None other than Kazuo Hirai. Mr. Hirai got his start in Sony's music division and has worked himself into quite an impressive reputation.
Where the former Kutaragi was known for being very controlling, Kazuo has a friendlier approachable manor. He speaks fluent English and is expected to take the largely Japanese flavored company and give it a more global perspective.
I have to say, I like the change. Nothing against Kutaragi but he seems like the type who has to control everything, which is fine in a small company, but now with the Playstation brand as a worldwide billion dollar industry, the company needs a fresh face and more forward thinking. Here's to a welcome change.
Oh, the Eyes of Playstation are upon you.
With the success of the Eye toy you knew it was only a matter of time until Sony released a newer version for the PS3. However, this isn't just some slight upgrade to its predecessor; this is something that will revolutionize the gaming industry! (According to Sony)
If you're like me you thought that the Eye toy was stupid. If I want to see myself performing daily activities on TV, I'd tape record myself drinking in the bath tub, singing Celine Dion and crying myself to sleep. (Too much information?)
Well this ain't your daddy's (or slightly older brother's) Eye Toy. No sir, this baby comes fully loaded with a slick rate of 120 frames per minute, making for a much smoother picture. It also comes with a microphone geared to pick up on direct voices and cut down on other noise in the room. With the massive PS3 hard drive, owners can now take audio and video clips and save them right to the system. Add to that a myriad of capture features such as slow down and time lapse, along with free editing software, Eyecreate and you've got yourself a sweet little peripheral.
Sony has really upped the ante this time around. This really opens up a whole new world to online play. Picture sharing, Eyetube, Eye porn! The possibilities really are endless. Finally the Eye feature goes from geek to chic!
Preview's galore.
Sony is set to get your salivary glands working overtime with a glut of new previews to excite gamers the world over.
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma Demo (free)
- Virtua Tennis Demo (free)
- Gauntlet II Video (free)
- The Wheelman Trailer (free)
- Stranglehold Trailer (free)
- The Godfather Trailer (free)
Wow, some pretty big titles in that line up. Obviously, the biggest is Ninja gaiden Sigma but Stranglehold and The Wheelman both look to have potential as well.
The last piece of the geographical puzzle
Sony launched the PS3 in the last major global market this past week. India has finally caught up with the rest of the gaming world. Upon launch, Sony released 12 first and third party titles. Not as many as other areas, but maybe it's a lot for India, I don't know.
The launch went smooth, with no reports of theft or violence, which is always a good thing. Welcome to the future of gaming my Indian brothers and sisters!
New Releases
PS3
Release of the week: Spiderman 3 Regular readers of The SIXAXIS know that, while I think the whiney pubescent voice of spiderdork is nauseating on the big screen, I am quite the fan of the games. Hopefully this one will not disappoint.
PSP
Legend of the Dragon: This action title features magic bracelets and dragons…I can't wait.
Asphalt Urban GT 2: I'm still holding my breath for Dirt Rural Pig race POS 2!
Ultimate Board Game Collection: Finally somebody has figured what gamers really want!
Winx Club: Join the club: It's a side scrolling shooter featuring fairies. Brought to you by 4:20 productions.
PS2
Spiderman 3: With no power comes no responsibility.
Legend of the Dragon: Multiplatformania!
Heatseeker: It all started with an air show gone horribly wrong.
Survey of the week
We all love (violently loathe) remakes. So this weeks question brings up that passion (greatest hatred).
What should be done to the Tomb Raider series to save it?
-Make it an RPG 9%
-Have Lara killed off and get a new lead 16%
-Make it more like the old school title 41%
-Nothing can be done to save the series 34%
So make it more old school aye? I got to say I agree with that. Could you imagine how sweet that game could be, exploring dark caves and hidden cities could look amazing on the PS3. Not to mention the new element of balance the SIXAXIS controller could involve. Odds are we'll sooner see Tomb Raider Ranch: Lara meets Barbie.
The water cooler
This week since we've been discussing the Tomb Raider series I thought, why not pitch an idea for a new TR game that might not suck?
Picture it: We zoom in on a beautiful day overlooking a gorgeous mansion. We pan over to find our favorite spelunker just stepping out of the pool (hey sex sells) to be greeted by a messenger with a package. Lara grabs a towel and takes the small box into the house for a closer look. In it she finds a gold piece with the letter "A" engraved on it. Thus, our adventure begins searching for the lost city of "Atlantis"!
Lara could take this clue and use it to lead her to the next clue on a sort of treasure hunt across the world. The game would hearken back to its roots, challenging the gamer with puzzles, dead ends, and booby traps (no pun intended).
All of this would of course lead up to the jaw dropping spectacle that would be the lost city of Atlantis. Which no doubt, would be filled with mysteries, treasure, and other treasure hunters hot on Lara's trail.
You got an idea for a Tomb Raider remake? Send it into me. You may just find yourself on the pages of the next addition of The SIXAXIS!
Youtube Theatre
Check out some killer in game action from Ninja Gaiden Sigma for the PS3 coming out June 26th!
Pictures for Ashish
Alright, so I think I got the hang of what it takes to get an eye grabbing picture up for my column each week. Once again I have scoured the web in search of the perfect image to capture my column and to excite readers.
This ought to excite readers aye? I said it before and I'll say it again, sex sells.
So there you are Ashish, I've covered my quota of T&A for another week.
I don't want to cram pimpage
Damian is back with all the dirt on his Love life! Oh and there was something to do with sim dating games too, check it out!
Theo is back with all the Donkey Kong news you crave (couldn't give a crap about).
