The SIXAXIS Report 11.20.07
Posted by Mark Salmela on 11.20.2007
In celebration of the one year anniversary of the PS3, you will all buy Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune! Plus there’s finally cake, and another crazy PS3 commercial that makes little kids cry.
Hola! Como te llamas? The holiday season is in full effect, and hopefully everyone is pumped for Christmas part 1 this week. Thankfully I don't work at Sears anymore, and I won't have to work Black Friday at 4 am. Trust me, working Black Friday sucks, and if you know anyone who does, give them some props. I didn't have a fight break out or anything at my store, but you should see how bonkers some people go for some lousy 10% off deal on a screwdriver set.
Any who, Uncharted is out this week, and you all need to buy it, the game is simply too awesome to pass up. Without posting any spoilers, the twist is awesome, and the game is much better than Assassin's Creed *though I enjoy both*.
But as for the column, just like I promised, we are finally returning to normalcy! No more tests, projects, broken computers, or other crap to get in my way *for now*, so without further adieu…
Not quite old enough to drink, it's Sony News!
Happy birthday PlayStation 3!
November 17, 2006, a day that will live on forever in the minds of Sony fanboys all across the world. A day where PS3's were selling on e-bay for upwards of $2000. You read that right, 2 grand. People were lined up for almost 2 days *2 of my friends waited at a Wal-Mart for about 32 hours to get their PS3's*, thankfully I had my PS3 on reserve at my local Gamestop. I waited all day, and it seemed like everyone at my school talked about the awesome potential that was the PS3 that day. Let me tell you, I don't think I have ever been more excited than when I brought home my brand new PS3 that Friday night, I couldn't wait to see what was inside. Sure the PS3 went downhill after that, but for that one night, Sony was on top of the world, and I had never been so proud to call myself a PS3 owner.
Now, one year later, the PS3 is fighting an uphill battle, as we speak the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii are widening the gap on the sales charts, and all of the hope in the PS3 seems to be aimed at Metal Gear Solid 4. Some say it might be too little too late and even Solid Snake might not be able to compete against the gap set by Master Chief and Mario. But I still love my PS3, and if Sony is serious about this ten year life plan *something that the 360 and Wii have no chance at doing, neither will go over 4 or 5 years*, than there may be light at the end of the tunnel. So Sony fans go buy Uncharted and Ratchet, and wait through the bad, as next year there will be no Master Chief, no Super Mario title, next year belongs to Sony and the PlayStation 3. Sony may just finish the fight after all...
Credit: Sony
PlayStation Network update for the week of November 15
Well never fear, Sony is here! The PSN was updated again this week, sporting a bunch of new videos, as well as a demo of the new PSN game, Toy Home. The game takes an open ended driving game and puts it in a household setting *you play as a toy car*. I would go into more detail about the game, but it's a largely forgettable experience. I mean the game wasn't particularly bad, but there's nothing really good about it. I guess to show what I mean, I've purchased every downloadable game on the PSN *sadly that includes Go! Sports Ski*, but I think Toy Home is finally going to be the game where I break the habit and don't buy it.
Credit: Sony
Rumor: Home BETA to come November 29?
I normally don't post rumors here, but after Sony has basically said it still plans to release a BETA of its virtual reality world Home, we may finally have a release date. Apparently according to some leaked PS3 advertisements, the Home BETA will go live on November 29 along with the downloadable PSN game PAIN.
Here's the picture that this whole rumor is based off of. I must admit since November 29 is a confirmed release date for PAIN, and the Home picture is right next to it, one would assume they would be in the same update. Any who, we'll all find out for ourselves in less than 2 weeks, and if the rumor turns out to be true, be sure to look for a guy with the account name "Fester" running around causing trouble.
Well one of my favorite games of the year has hit shelves, as Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is in stores now. Players play as Nathan Drake *why are most of Sony's protagonists named Nate, like Resistance for example*, descendant of Sir Francis Drake, and go on an expedition for lost treasure. The game mixes Tomb Raider style adventures *but done much better in Uncharted* while adding a great storyline and Gears of War style shootings *behind cover 3rd person*. I have a full review coming soon, but if you own a PS3 I can tell you now, buy this game!
Credit: Sony
Sony Quick News!
As a reaction to some people have problems after updating for version 2.00 last week on their PS3, Sony has responded by saying 2.01 will be coming soon *probably by Thanksgiving*. The update will fix the download speed slowdown some people experienced, as well as some bugs the attention board has been causing to some users *I have had no problems myself*.
Apparently Wal-Mart will soon be offering a deal where if you buy a brand new 80 GB PS3 for $500, you will be getting 10 free Blu-Ray movies. This will certainly be a good deal for anyone who's been waiting to get a PS3, the only downside is that 5 of those Blue-Ray DVD's require you to send in for them by mail. Still, it's 10 free movies, which considering the price of Blu-Ray movies, is almost $400 worth of movies free.
In what has to be considered a victory in Japan, the PS3 has outsold the Nintendo Wii this week despite the launch of Super Mario Galaxy. The PS3 sold 60,000 units the week ending November 11 compared to the Wii's 34,500. Just for the record, the 360 is still dead over the Pacific, selling a lousy 5,800 units, not even a fraction of the PS3.
The PlayStation Store update for the week of November 22 *Thanksgiving* will be going up early, as you can expect the update on Tuesday *which should be when this column goes up*. I have no idea what they will be updating *probably firmware 2.01 at least*, but you can all expect some new content for your PS3's this Tuesday. Come on Piyotama, I NEED a Thanksgiving skin!
EA has gotten a little cocky, saying that their new title Need For Speed: Pro Street will dominate the sales charts. I don't know how they can say this with games like Halo 3, Mass Effect, Uncharted, and Super Mario Galaxy coming out, but if they want to actually believe it, more power to them. I personally think they're crazy, and I just posted this news item so I can laugh at them when they don't exactly "dominate" this holiday season *maybe breaks the 10 ten charts, but no way does it dominate*.
Look for NBA Ballers: Chosen One from Midway games this spring. Midway, please stop screwing around and release NBA Jam on the XBLA…
Apparently Fallout 3 will be coming to the PS3 after all. I honestly thought this game was Xbox 360/PC exclusive, so I guess this calls for celebration. Too bad we'll be lucky if this game comes out before 2009.
Video B3yond!
The new PS3 commercial from Europe, and damn it all if Sony isn't at it again. I turn around for one second thinking Sony's ad campaigns are becoming normal again, and then they pull this shit on me.
See, that's how you do a commercial. On another note, I'm picking up Time Crisis 4 this week, and I'll be back with hands-on in next week's column and eventually a review.
Some footage of all the best and upcoming PlayStation Network content. I really recommend WarHawk, Super Star Dust HD, and Calling All Cars as must have games for the PS3.
Some footage of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, I tried to find some footage of the church scene for you right near the end of the game *it's the best chapter*, but you're going to have to settle for this. Look for my review this week.
The One Man Water Cooler~!
Well I kind of covered everything I had to say about Sony in the beginning of the column by talking about their one year anniversary.
Today I will be picking up Time Crisis 4, and it is basically the last title on my list to pick up before I'm ready to make my list of best games of the year *at least for PS3 and Wii, I don't think I'll get Mass Effect until around January*. I completed Uncharted, COD4, Ratchet, Motorstorm, Virtua Fighter 5, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Oblivion, WarHawk *as much as multiplayer allows*, Assassin's Creed *I haven't played start to finish but I played the majority of it including the ending*, and I've played Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3. So it may not be next week, but look for my list of the best PS3 games of the year sometime within the next few weeks.
In one last note, I haven't heard too many people complaining about the writers strike going on right now. I don't want to say it's totally because of video games, but at least for me it has made a huge difference. I don't need new episodes of 24, I have Modern Warfare waiting and ready for me at anytime.
The 411mania Empire~!
The Full Circle by Mike Minotti, who has gone *even more* insane if he thinks the upcoming Ghostbusters game will be good. Nintendophiles by Theo Fraser, who liked to use bullet points *asterisks are much more hip and funky-fresh*. The Select and Start News by Vincent Chiucchi, and the Spike TV VGA awards are a joke…
Signing Off
Well I hope everyone enjoyed this birthday tribute to Sony, not to mention the cake that I'd been promised ever since The Orange Box came out *who cares if it's not out on the PS3 yet*. Look for my review of Uncharted later this week *spoiler: it's really good!*, and another edition of the report next Tuesday. Happy Thanksgiving *Christmas: Part 1* everybody!
