E3 2011: Sony Reaction

No PS4 in sight, and that’s a good thing

The Sony Press Conference at this year’s E3 was all about three news thing, really. I’ll get right to the quick on this. The first BIG thing of course was the unveiling of Sony’s new 3DS killer handheld, the PlayStation Vita. Formerly called the NGP (next generation portable) back when it was first showed in Japan in January, this new gizmo from Sony and Co promises to be more than just a PSP2. For those that don’t know, “Vita” is Latin for “Life”, so this next device promises to integrate itself into your life, never releasing you from its plastic grip.

Should you be excited?

Why the hell not? I sure am. I loved my PSP, even with all its flaws. But even at its peak, I knew that my little black portable couldn’t go toe-to-toe with the superiority of the DSi, let alone the 3DS when it debuted earlier this year. But finally, it feels like Sony has answered back with a handheld capable of holding its own against the Nintendo mini-beast.

At first glance, it resembles a glorified PSPGo, but when you see what it’s capable of, it gets interesting. Yes, the PS Vita has a touch-screen. It is five inches, a slight step up from the PSP’s 4.3 inches. It now boasts two analog sticks with dual shock support. For that reason alone I consider it far better than the PSP. If you never played a PSP, then consider yourself lucky in a sense. It only had one flimsy ass analog stick on the same side as the D-pad (controlling Toni Cipriani in GTA: Liberty City Stories was a test in patience, to say the least). Anyway, the PS Vita will also utilize the sixaxis technology found in the PS3 controllers. Cameras are placed in the front and the rear, as well as a rear touch pad for additional control. All in all, it’s looking pretty sweet.

But what’s there to play?

Tons. Well, maybe not tons, but surely there is lots to look forward to. Uncharted, ModNation Racers, Resistance, WipEout, Bioshock, Call of Duty and Little Big Planet (all stellar PS3 exclusive brands, with the exceptions of Bioshock and CoD) have games in development for the Vita. Sony has also stated that the Vita is slated to connect with your PS3, more than likely meaning that it will support the PS Minis and Classics available for purchase in the PSN Store. By far, the coolest thing I did with my PSP was upload Final Fantasy 7 onto it. I was then able to take it everywhere, leveling up my Cait Sith as I waited between (and sometimes in) classes and then putting the PSP away just like that when my disgruntled professors walked by. Here’s hoping I get to do that with the PS Vita. The PS Vita promises to integrate you to your games on a level that we haven’t seen.

What about for the not-so hardcore?

There certainly is something for the, ahem, casual, Zynga-loving social gamer. If the technical specs alone are not enough to sway you, then rest assured that this new feature will trump Nintendo and its gimmicky 3DS. The Vita will have a new feature called ‘Near’ that will find other PS Vita owners in your vicinity and work as a social network function for your gaming pleasures. I realize that the PSP had a feature like this too, but nothing on par with ‘Near’. The PSP connectivity was centered Wi-Fi and sometimes ad-hoc. And while it was nifty the first time you tried it, it certainly got stale after a while. Essentially, the ‘Near’ and ‘Party’ functions are going to be to the PSP (and, fingers crossed, to the 3DS) what Facebook was to MySpace: its far better, more user-friendly superior.

Oh, the places you’ll go (and the money you’ll blow…)

As far as connectivity goes, the PS Vita comes in two models: the Wi-Fi and the 3G/Wi-Fi. Here’s where it gets sweeter: pricing. The Wi-Fi model is only two fiddy (249 USD), while the 3G model will cost you and additional fifty (300 USD). The Wi-Fi model costs just as much as the 3DS and that’s for a new system! Fork out an extra Ulysses S. Grant and you get to connect online wherever, not just at hotels, airports or that one vegan coffee shop you like going to. But then here’s my only gripe: guess who Sony contracted for the aforementioned 3G services? You guessed it, none other than will-provide-bandwidth-for-food AT&T… … …Fuck! No, I don’t think they should have gone with Verizon; however ANYONE ELSE BUT AT&T WOULD HAVE BEEN AWESOME! Ever since it lost out on the Apple exclusivity, AT&T has been quick to get into bed with whoever the hell puts out. So much for playing Call of Duty Vita on my road trips to Tijuana, dammit.

While there have been no confirmed release dates, expect more information to be released as the year goes on. Keep your eyes on the industry, because the gaming goodness isn’t over yet. We still have the Game Developer’s Conference Europe and Gamescom, both taking place in August, as well as the Tokyo Game Show later on in September. With no concrete info on the release, we will have to hold our breath and hope that Sony delivers in the Vita what it failed to do with the PSP.

Is that it?

But that’s not all for Sony. As I mentioned earlier, there were three major things happening for Sony and its games. The second major deal is, of course, 3D gaming. Sony is really pushing its 3D agenda by bustin’ out a branded, 24-inch 3D capable display that will set you back the price of two PS Vitas (500 USD). Supposedly, it’s part of a plan to make 3D gaming more accessible to the people. I don’t know about you, but for half a grand I could buy a 50 inch 1080p LCD from the Antichrist Wal Mart, 3D be damned. Yep, 3D sure is cool if you can afford it, but then again, most of us can’t so to me it feels like a side-ploy to be swept away. Love 3D? Try playing Black Ops multiplayer on a massive 3D display and see if your head isn’t pounding by the time you frag someone…it’s not so much “3D” as it is augmented, pop-out 2D What Jim Carey did on Batman Forever, now that was 3D…

The other major thing that I was excited about at this year’s E3 was all the HD remakes. The trend first picked up when God of War and God of War 2 were re-mastered and sold as the God of War Collection. I picked it up, and the up-scaled visuals are more than impressive on a normal 720p display. This is great news for owners of 2^nd gen PS3s and PS3 Slims, since those systems are not backwards compatible. Hell, my first gen PS3 is backwards compatible and I own most of the PS2 games being re-hashed and I’m still going to get them! Why? Because of the God of War HD collection. If you own a PS3, it is your DUTY to pick that game up. Two full-length, top-notch games for a reduced price tag. What’s not to love? Here’s a quick re-cap of the remakes I’m most excited about.

Resident Evil HD Collection: the genre-defining Resident Evil 4 and the forgotten Dreamcast/PS2 gem, Resident Evil Code Veronica. These will come in downloadable form, via the XBLA and PSN.

The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection: the video games that defined Stealth Action for the last generation are coming back, slicked up with crispy visuals for PS3 and Xbox owners. Included are Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (hell motherfucking yes) and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The recent PSP hit, Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker is also being ported to the PS3. While there have been gripes about the PSP graphics looking downright fugly on your HD TV, any metal gearhead will relish the opportunity to play this gem without the PSP’s clumsy interface.

God of War Origins HD Collection: Speaking of refurbished PSP titles, this collection encompasses both PSP God of Wars into a neat little package for PS3 owners. GoW: Chains of Olympus and GoW: Ghost of Sparta (both amazing games in their own right) are included. That means that you can play through all 5 God of War games from the comfort of your couch, looking at them through your LCD or Plasma display. Hell. YES! (And I fully realize that there was another God of War game, Betrayal, which was released for the mobile phone. Don’t worry, this was released pre-iPhone, pre-touch screen, pre-Angry Birds…not worth your time. Don’t believe me? Go ahead, go on youtube and check out the game play. Try not to laugh too hard.)

Silent Hill HD Collection: I’m sorry, but Resident Evil ceased to be scary scary after the third installment. Yeah, I still jumped when I saw a zombie burst through a door every now and then, but there was never that mind-fuck factor. Enter Silent Hill. I’m lucky I get to sleep with my wife at night, otherwise, it would suck playing these alone and then crying by myself in bed. Silent Hill 2 (considered the best in the series) and Silent Hill 3 (still pretty damn good) are in this one. For those of you wondering what the hell happened to the first Silent Hill, keep in mind that it is already available for purchase on the PSN Store, so it doesn’t need be included.

All in all, things are looking pretty sweet for PS3 owners. We just need a little patience and a touch of faith. Until holiday season, gamers, until holiday season…

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