I can't wait to touch it...

PSVita coming up fast

Honestly I’m getting excited for the launch of this thing. The PSVita seems to answer so many requests of Sony’s handheld division. It releases on February 22nd – less than a month away, and I’m trying to figure out what accessories I’ll grab with it.

Question one: Wifi or 3G version?

This to me seems like a pretty simple choice. With the 3G version being $50 more expensive and not really adding anything new to the experience (there are no games that are using the 3G feature as of yet it seems) and with data plans for 3G in Canada being outrageous, the Wifi Model seems like the way to go. Playing online can’t be done on 3G so why not just survive on WiFi like the rest of the world? I travel a lot as well, and having to pay for a 3G plan when I’m not in the country seems like a stupid thing to do.

Wifi Model $250

$100 dollars isn't terrible... but it's not great either

Question two: Memory Cards

There’s no doubt about it, memory cards for this baby are expensive. Though they’re not as much as previously thought the 32 gig card is $99.99. This is a hefty price tag, but when you think about it and compare it to Apple iTouch pricing $199 for an 8 gig, and an extra $100 for another 24 gigs – it’s not that bad. But does anyone need 32 gigs on a PSVita? If you’re looking for a good amount of space but a cheaper price you can take a look at the 16gig card for $60. Still lots of room for games, but not the full hundred bucks they’re looking for. This does need some thought, but I have the 16gig card in my sights at the moment.

16 Gig Memory Card $60

Question three: Games

No boxart for me...

Vita games are the same price as new PSP games were, so you’re looking at $40 a title. The real question for these games it whether you’ll get them digitally or with physical cards. Personally I’m looking to grab my games all digital, considering you can never lose them and you can always download them again if your hard drive manages to crap out or if you change systems. Obviously there are a few PSP games that I have that I’ll be playing on the Vita day one (Because since the launch of the ill fated PSPgo I’ve been buying all my games digitally). Really though for me it’s all about the Uncharted. I’m a big fan, and I can’t wait to see what it feels like on a handheld. Already the game is looking great. Another title, Gravity Daze has peaked my interest. Maybe I’ll have to pick that one up too.

Uncharted Golden Abyss, Gravity Daze $80.

Question four: Protection

The last thing you want on your new console is a scratch. Now of course I’m not going to be putting it in the same pocket as my keys, but just incase that happens I better buy some protective plastic to cover up the screen. You can never be too careful and they’re cheap as hell.

Screen protectors $10

All my money...soon to be gone...

All told?

So all told we’re looking at about $400 (Plus tax!) of hard earned cash going towards this thing, I hope Sony is appreciating it. Really for me the thrill of getting a console on launch day is exciting, despite the fact that people in Japan have had it for over a month now. I’ve never had a console on launch day before, so I think it’s time to change that. As soon as I grab it I’ll be taking pictures and writing a review for the site, including what PSP games look like on that gorgeous OLED screen. Lets just hope that Sony adds in the PSoneclassic emulator soon (it’s not going to be there for launch), and that they add a PS2classic emulator as well. I think that’s everything I’m looking for in a handheld.

Anyone else looking to get the PSVita at Launch? I mean c’mon, Uncharted on the bus!

PSoneclassics.com

Parasite Eve 2 Boxart

Parasite Eve 2

Original Release date: September 12th, 2000

Release on PSN: August 23rd, 2011

Price: 5.99

I haven’t been playing very many games lately, and that’s because of one game, Parasite Eve 2. Let me tell you why.

Story

Once again you play as the protagonist from the first game, Aya Brea, formerly at New York City cop, now working for the Feds after the events of Parasite Eve. This time you’re part of a task force that finds strange mutated monsters and shoots them. This takes you all over to different locations in the States, but it also gets rid of the open world and colourful setting of New York City as seen in the first game. Really, I haven’t played all the way through the title so I couldn’t tell you if the story is worth experiencing or not, but you’ll see my problem with it when you look at the next section.

Fun Fact : It seems like this game is funded by Coca Cola. It’s amazing how often you see a great big Coca Cola vending machine just right out of the blue, even shinning bright when the power is off. It was really kind of insulting how this was done. Also you’ll find keys to get to the next section of the game, that just happens to have a Coca Cola keychain on it.

Is that supposed to scare me? Mop top monsters must be scary in Japan...

Gameplay

This is what completely destroys the experience. In the first Parasite Eve game there was an RPG styled shooting system that not only made you strategic but you could use skill by running around the battlefield avoiding enemy attacks, making for a thrilling and fun battle system. Parasite Eve 2 on the other hand decided to shelve that interesting and unique battle system that worked so well and make a Resident Evil tank shooting system.

Parasite Eve 2′s take on the RE style battle system is a little strange though. For instance there’s a lock on button that will snap your gaze to any nearby enemy, even if they’re off screen, which you think would take a lot of hassle out of that system, but it just seems to make it bland, usually playing it safe and firing off screen for 2-3 minutes until Aya doesn’t lock on anymore making the shooting a chore. Also the Midochondrial powers that Aya had from the first game come back, but in a strange way, for instance your magic meter doesn’t charge by itself, you need to kill enemies to get your “magic” points back. So that has you caring for your Magic points as a resource, but whenever you do use it it runs out way too fast, and there’s no way to recharge it unless you finish a conflict. Oh yeah, and if you leave a conflict because you’re out of ammo lets say, they dock experience from you.

Aya seems to be a moron in this one as well, in the last game you could take the weapons you acquired with you onto different missions, but in this game you can’t. There’s even a moment when you’re at your FBI hideout testing out the guns you took in during a mission, and she says something like…

He should have known that Coke restores HP!

“These guns are great, too bad I can’t take them with me”

It seems like the FBI decides that guns are just for show, and that sending an agent into the field to fight mutated monsters is only ok if you give her a handgun instead of the automatic rifle she was using on the last mission. This also takes the whole RPG element of the game and snaps it like a twig. Imagine Cloud in FF7 saying, “Wow, this new Buster sword is the strongest in the world… too bad I can’t take it with me, off to fight Sephiroth!”

The puzzles in the game are frustrating as well. I remember taking 15 minutes to do a puzzle with lifting up a car in a garage just to get by. I understand that she’s not a jumping character, but it seems like it’s impossible for Aya to even roll over the hood of a car instead of wasting a quarter hour playing with buttons to raise it. It makes the whole game feel like work.

Needless to say the gameplay in Parasite Eve 2 killed the game for me.

Graphics

The graphics in Parasite Eve 2 are really typical for the time, but considering that it was released in 2000, I would have expected something better from the guys at Square. Its similar to a RE2 type graphics, but the Art Style is just not there. The colours are bland, and really show little imagination (from what I saw).

The cinematics also aren’t as interesting as they were the first time around, in the first game they almost compelled you forward because you knew you’d see something gruesome and horrible happen, in this one, not so much.

The music made absolutely no impression on me, but hey at this point I was probably a little bitter from all the gameplay flaws.

You kidding me?

Is Parasite Eve 2 worth playing?

In my humble opinion I would say hell no. If you want to see what the Parasite Eve series is about play the first game, it’s a lot more intuitive. Parasite Eve 2 seems to me like a travesty. I had such high hopes for it but the gameplay changes completely ruined it for me as they tried to copy Resident Evil. If you’re a fan of horror games grab Resident Evil 2 instead. Parasite Eve 2 failed at being an RPG and a horror game so take that as it is and don’t buy Parasite Eve 2 it’s not worth your money and especially not worth your time. I’m glad to be removing it from my PSP.

4.5/10

This was a journalistic review of Parasite Eve 2 by PSoneClassics.com

Please emulate on the Vita!!!

Grand Theft Auto 3 and Vice City have been rated by the ESRB, games which should be pretty popular on the downloadable system. These two titles, the best selling games on the PS2, and most likely they’ll do pretty well on the PS2Classics side of the store. Despite the fact that I own the Grand Theft Auto series already, if I can get those games to play on a Vita for instance I’ll be quite excited.

Cool things going for PS2Classics, I better get going on that damn PS2Classics website!

PSoneclassics.com

So Cool

Games finally get the Museum Treatment in Game Story: A History of Video games

I was lucky enough to catch an exhibit at the Grand Palace in Paris entitled Game Story: A History of Video Games. It’s not often that you see video games celebrated in such a way, and I was lucky that my Paris layover was on the last day of the exhibit. This was a really cool experience, and it was probably one of the best layovers ever, because this exhibit was not only informative and thought provoking, but also interactive, with tons of different games systems new and old (especially old ones) that you could play for free after paying your entrance fee of 8 Euros. I took a few pictures, and instead of giving you a whole run down of game history like the exhibit does (which you probably already know) I’ve decided to just post the pictures I took. I hope gaming gets more exhibits like this!

The first ever home console, the Magnavox Odyssey on the left and an original Pong machine on the right

The Originators! These were the first commercial gaming machines, sadly they weren’t for play, I would have loved to play Pong on a real machine. They also had a Pong table that wasn’t working… My Dad actually told me about the Pong table that he played in his college bar days. Sadly it wasn’t working either.

Pong Clones and Home consoles

These were the first forays into the home gaming market by Atari, they were licensed to department stores and were sold by the millions as Christmas gifts.

The Vectrex

The Vectrex with Mine Storm. This was playable, and actually it was loads of fun, and it ran so fluidly too! It was probably running at 60 FPS! Mine Storm is an asteroids clone for those interested.

Atari's bad bet.

The game that single handedly destroyed the American games industry, and allowed Japanese companies like Nintendo and Sega (originally American!) to dominate it even today… well… not Sega…

Megaman Origins

The exhibit did this really well, showing how games that were popular in the West were based off Japanese Manga, and other cultural influences like films. This one showed how games like Megaman were based off of (or influenced by) properties like Astro Boy, also Metoid and Asteroids.

Still playable and fun after 23 years!

I must have played Tetris for about 20 mins until I reluctantly set it down for others to enjoy it… I wish they still made these, and that PSMini Tetris game looks a lot more tempting now…

Forgotten and unpopular Consoles, All playable!

These were actually really cool to play, the different controllers were interesting to find as well. I never thought I’d be able to play an Atari Jaguar, sadly the only thing they had to play on it was the original Rayman, so you couldn’t see the embarrassing attempts at 3D graphics that the Jaguar had.

How could you have a games exhibit without Goldeneye?

This thing was probably one of the most popular consoles of the exhibit, with no surprise.

Fighting games! SoulCalibre on the beloved Dreamcast

I got my ass thoroughly handed to me in the fighting game exhibits. Especially on Tekken. Maybe it’s high time I grab that one as a PSOne Classic…

Crazy Taxi, still a ton of fun,

It’s crazy that all these games get me to look at more PSP games. Crazy Taxi made it to the PSP as Crazy Taxi Fare Wars. It’s only $9.99! Sadly I have way too many games and barely any time… damn… Looking at the text on the upper right, it says the “arrival of 3D”.

A fitting end?

So overall, was Game Story worth seeing?

You’re damn right it was. Game Story is sort of a mile stone as far as gaming history goes as well, there are museums for games of course, but what makes Game Story: A History of Video Games special is the fact that it wasn’t in a strange small place in the middle of no where, it was an exhibit in a respected and internationally renowned museum, and it was popular! As far as I know it isn’t heading off to any other museums any time soon, but that’s a great start for games being considered as a real art form. I hope to see more of this in the future. It was a lot of fun, but luckily there’s a museum in the rooms of many readers of this very blog.

PSOneClassics.com

If you’re looking to see something like Game Story come to a museum near you, talk to your museum! I’m planning on doing the very same thing where I live.

PSoneclassic or PSMini? Who knows!

Myst coming to yet another platform type!

Myst has already been released as a PSP game, but Myst seems like it’s the game that has no bounds and is going to be re-released as a PSOne classic or a PSmini coming soon. Myst is the puzzle game that really blew people away in the early 90s with its at the time revolutionary graphics. I haven’t played the game since I was a kid, so a small asking price of $5.99 might be just small enough to gain my interest. (The PSP version is currently at $19.99 on the NA store, way too steep in my opinion). Once again we never know when these games will be released but sometime soon would be nice.

What about the sequels?

Riven: The Sequel to Myst was also released on the PSOne back in the day, perhaps some day we’ll get to see that title make it’s way to PSN, it too was wildly successful and then led the way to Myst III: Exile to be released for the PS2 and PC in 2001. It is impressive that a game from 1993 is still ported to new platforms over and over again. If you remember the original Myst was done with all pre-rendered graphics, so it should take a mammoth amount of data on your PSP Memory stick if you chose to indulge.

This was mind-blowing back when I was 8.

Myst coming to PSN sometime soon!

PSoneclassics.com

Space Nazis are fun to shoot.

Killzone 1 for your PS3!

If you’re like  me and have only joined the Playstation generation with the PS3 and the PSP, you’ll be wondering what the original Killzone was like considering their two sequels have played such a big role in Sony’s First party line up the last few years. Luckily with the PS2 Classics program on PSN you’ll be able to grab it for only $9.99 come Jan 24th. GameInformer managed to break the story and Sony confirmed it! So for those looking for a little more Killzone action for cheap, you’re in luck!

Killzone for the Vita?

The real question that I’m sure everyone is asking is when will the PSVita receive a PS2 Emulator for these titles? Sony has said they’re working on getting the original PSone emulator working on the device (but that it won’t be ready for launch). Here’s hoping there are coders locked behind very big doors at Sony Japan working on this very problem.

Check out Killzone as a PS2Classic on Jan 24th for $9.99.

PSoneclassics.com

For all you Final Fantasy addicts out there it seems like some more prayers have been answered, with Final Fantasy Origins coming to PSN for $9.99. The original games, released on the NES were actually last ditch efforts by Square to stave off bankruptcy, hence the name “Final Fantasy”. Of course it became the huge hit we all know and sequel after sequel was released. I’ve never played the first Final Fantasy games, but if you’re looking to see what started the mammoth game series, here’s your chance.

Grab Final Fantasy Origins for $9.99 Tuesday.

PSoneclassics.com

Brennan (PSoneclassics.com)

Last PSoneClassic for the year!

Klonoa Finally released!

Way back when we broke that Klonoa would be coming to PSN at some point, that was July 18th, and yesterday December 27th it was finally released. If you were waiting out for this one and you have any money left after Christmas it’s now up on the store for $5.99. Klonoa is a side scroller but still with 3D graphics, and a lot of people were really excited about when the ESRB rating leaked check it out if you have the time!

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Current 32gig SDcard price $36 on Amazon.com

Proprietary Memory Sucks.

Gamestop released the prices for Vita Memory Cards, and the prices aren’t that sexy. I mean they might be small and pretty, but 120 dollars for a 32 gig card? That’s outrageous! On Amazon.com right now you can buy a 32 Gig SD card for $36!

Possible reasons why they cost more?

There might be some special reason, like write and read rate, there will be a lot of data going though these little cards at a quick pace, so you don’t want to have future games bogged down by a slow transfer rate (pop in sucks yo). Perhaps they didn’t have enough room for a regular SD card in the PSVita and had to make a smaller version so it would fit inside safely.

Actual Reasons why they cost more.

Because they’ve got us by the balls. They want to make money off the memory cards that they’re not making off the device  itself, and they made it proprietary so that you’d have to buy Sony day one, because other companies can’t compete until they get their heads around the technology. The Vita card from what I understand will not be used in other Sony devices, and it’s not like your laptop is going to run this thing either. It sucks that this is proprietary but it isn’t really a surprise for anyone. Sony and Microsoft have been doing this for years in their devices, it seems like the only company that has it’s head out of it’s ass with this aspect is Nintendo, but sadly it’s head is up there in other areas. They’re doing this because it works though, the device costs less, but just like the original 360, a hard drive is pretty necessary (in the Vita’s case some games won’t run without memory cards installed!).

If you want to buy a PSVita with a 32 gig memory card and one game you’re looking at 410 dollars before tax. That shit is crazy for a handheld. The proprietary memory is a kick in the backside, but it’s one we’ve seen coming. I never thought they would be THIS expensive though….

PSoneclassics.com