| Mail |
You might also like: WoW Insider, Massively, and more

Hatsune Miku not planned for North America, at E3 as 'sneak peek'

Hatsune Miku not planned for North America, at E3 as 'sneak peek'
Yesterday, when I found Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F for Vita in Sony's E3 booth, I interpreted that as evidence of a North American release. After all, it was a game being shown at E3. However, that isn't actually the case.

Today, I went back to the booth and spotted a Sega rep next to the demo. He informed me that the game wasn't actually planned for North America; it was just being shown off at E3 as a demo. A brief image on a big screen inside the booth called it a "sneak peek" of a game coming to Japan.

In short, it was at E3, but isn't actually intended for North American release. That's quite unusual.

Vita PSOne Classics to be rolled out gradually

PSOne Classics will soon be compatible with PlayStation Vita, finally. However, the launch won't just be flipping a switch on all the PSOne Classics available on PSP and PS3. Instead, Vita PSOne Classics will be rolled out gradually starting this summer, Sony informed Joystiq today.

If you've previously bought any newly Vita-compatible PSOne Classic, you'll be able to download it for free on Vita. The exact launch lineup wasn't announced, but expect it to include the games shown at Sony's press conference: Wild Arms, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy 7, Twisted Metal 2, Arc the Lad, Cool Boarders 2, and Jet Moto.

Danica Patrick is in Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed

Danica Patrick is in Sonic and AllStars Racing Transformed
Danica Patrick, NASCAR racing star, is a playable character in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. This is despite being a real human person and not a cartoon hedgehog, confined monkey, or any other kind of Sega all-star.

Sega is returning the favor by sponsoring a special Sonic-themed car for Patrick to drive at the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge on November 3.

Continue Reading

Madden 13 aims to be the 'first true sports RPG'

Madden 13 aims to be the 'first true sports RPG'

After Electronic Arts held its E3 2012 press conference Monday, the Madden NFL 13 team streamed the latest in its series of "playbook" videos detailing the game's Connected Careers mode. The mode is new to the series, but was described by Senior Designer Josh Looman as a combination of the familiar superstar and franchise modes of the past.

"Franchise mode is dead. Online franchise mode is dead. Superstar mode is dead," Looman explained. "It's really the first true sports RPG."

In Connected Careers, players will have the option of controlling individual football players or coaches, the latter being more akin to the standard "call all the plays, use all the players" game of Madden. The mode can be played alone or in a league of 32 players, clearing away any distinctions between online and offline franchise modes we've been accustomed to.

Continue Reading

'Hatsune Miku' bringing synthesized vocal music gaming to North American Vita

'Hatsune Miku' bringing synthesized vocal music gaming to North American Vita
In Japan, Hatsune Miku Project Diva F is a big enough game to command its own Vita hardware bundle, featuring a special-edition console and everything. In North America, it's something I randomly happened upon in Sony's E3 2012 booth, completely unheralded and unexplained. This difference in status makes sense, given that it's a music game about, starring, and featuring music by a virtual anime idol with a synthesized voice. In Japanese.

Called simply "Hatsune Miku" in its demo station, the game has you hit X and O in response to on-screen prompts (X and O icons flying into them), along with timed touchscreen swipes and directional presses, while Miku dances around on the screen. You're graded on the timing of each hit, and if you miss, it pops up as "WORST" which hurts pretty bad, guys.

The song I played was called "Catfood." Did I mention that I was surprised to see this in North America? There was no release info, or really anything. Just a demo unit sitting there.

Resistance - Burning Skies review: Hot air

Sony hears you, loud and clear. You want to play a proper first-person shooter on the go, with real controls and everything – none of that virtual thumbpad shit. Well, Resistance: Burning Skies is certainly that. It's a recognizable part of Sony's sci-fi franchise, which sees 20th-century history diverted and converted by a snarling platoon of alien origin, and it counts as a traditional shooter that takes advantage of the Vita's twin directional sticks. Consider those goals dutifully met yet not exceeded, and realize that Nihilistic's spin-off is worth discussing only for that context, not its content.

Burning Skies is supposed to represent the worst day in a New York fireman's life, but its gauntlet of peril barely registers as lukewarm. As Tom Riley, you join the military's panicked push back against the Chimeran invasion, and eventually juggle an entire wheel's worth of alien weaponry. Firing them doesn't convey much kick or fury, and the impeccable presentation and orchestrated encounters of Resistance 3 are missing here, but at least the franchise's playful variety in offense is preserved.

Moving and aiming with the Vita's shallow sticks takes some practice and finesse (and a few trips to the options screen), but soon enough you'll find that headshots are well within reach. However, the lack of fine-tuning via the accelerometer, used to great effect in Uncharted: Golden Abyss, is odd – especially when considered alongside some of the other Vita gimmicks you have to caress and couldn't care less about.

Continue Reading

Sony tags PlayStation All-Stars as 'Super Smash Bros.' on YouTube [Update: Removed!]

Sony tags PlayStation All Stars as 'Super Smash Bros'
Update: That was quick! Sony has since removed the tags and replaced them with some more appropriate ones – good thing we have the screen cap. You can find our original post below.

Original post: The official YouTube channel for PlayStation has oddly tagged its E3 trailer for PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale – specifically, with some "Super Smash Bros." tags. "Super Smash Brothers," "Super Smash Bros" and "SSBB" are all tags visible right now on the YouTube page.

So for how much we're all comparing the new mascot brawler with Nintendo's franchise, it would seem even Sony is willing to acknowledge its influence or is simply looking to grab players looking for Super Smash Bros. content on YouTube.

Hit the jump for a larger version of the page, screen capped for posterity.

Continue Reading

Joystiq and Engadget pick up mics for a live chat, post-Sony E3 style [Update: It's done!]

Joystiq and Engadget pick up mics for a live chat, postSony E3 style

After these high-profile E3 press conferences we like to relax by grabbing a latte, eating some dinner and catching a nap, which is why we've sent our editors-in-chief to stand in front of a camera and discuss the minutiae of Sony's presser. Thanks, guys. This latte's for you.

Watch our live post-Sony feed below!

Update: Our live stream is over but you can watch the recorded version above! Thanks for playing along.

Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation trailer shows off Aveline's arsenal

Image Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation has only officially existed for a few minutes, but that doesn't mean we can't start ogling our new female assassin's impressive arsenal of assassination armaments. ... Continue Reading

Live from Sony's E3 2012 press conference [Update: It's over!]

Image
We're here at Sony's E3 press conference, which is set to go down at 6PM PST. So far, we've seen food trucks and someone who may have been Ron Gilbert. Stick around for our liveblog once the action starts.

[Update: We're having some technical difficulties - hold tight!]

HTC is first partner for 'PlayStation Mobile,' the new name for PlayStation Suite [Update: Press release added]

No longer will PlayStation Certified titles be confined to Sony hardware. Andrew House, president of SCEE, revealed that HTC would be the first third-party hardware to support PlayStation Suite – not surprising since the platform has been in open beta since April.

Oh, and that's the other thing – it's no longer called PlayStation Suite, but rather PlayStation Mobile. House provided no timetable for when we'd see the first PlayStation Certified titles on HTC's line of products.

Update: Sony has sent out a press release, but it doesn't really say much beyond what was revealed during the press conference. Still, we've embedded past the break in case you're curious.

Continue Reading

Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation confirmed for Vita, launches October 30 [Update!]

Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation confirmed for Vita, launches October 30
Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation will be launching on the PlayStation Vita on October 30, alongside a "Crystal White" Vita bundle that includes the game. As heard previously, the game will star a female assassin. Linking with the PlayStation 3 version of Assassin's Creed 3 will unlock exclusive in-game content.

Update: Also as we heard before, our new assassin's name is Aveline, a "woman of conviction." The game takes place in 18th century New Orleans, and will take advantage of the Vita's suite of unique input methods to provide "distinctive combat, character interaction, deciphering and traversal controls." Multiplayer has also been "tailored" to the Vita, though no further specifics were given.

Specifics were given, however, on the game's PS3-unlocked goodies, which include "an in-game version of Connor's tomahawk, an exclusive character skin, a multiplayer character and a complete upgrade of all ammunition pouches."

Continue Reading

Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified hitting Vita

Call of Duty Black Ops Declassified hitting Vita
The Call of Duty title we knew would be coming to Vita this fall is Black Ops Declassified, Sony announced today at its E3 press conference.

PSOne Classics coming to Vita

PSOne Classics coming to Vita
Wild Arms, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy 7, Twisted Metal 2, Arc the Lad, Cool Boarders 2 and Jet Moto will all be coming to PlayStation Vita as PSOne Classics starting sometime this summer.

LittleBigPlanet 2 DLC turns the Vita into a PS3 controller

LittleBigPlanet 2 DLC turns the Vita into a PS3 controller
LittleBigPlanet 2 is getting DLC later this year with cross-controller compatibility, turning the Vita into an "enhanced" controller for the PlayStation 3 version, with tilt and touch functions. The DLC will add a new story mode, costumes, decorations and stickers, Sony announced at its E3 press conference.

Join us in watching Sony's E3 2012 press conference, right here

Join us in watching Sony's E3 2012 press conference, right here

What's that? You couldn't afford a plane ticket to Los Angeles, but you really, really wanna see your buddy Jack Tretton? Well you're in luck, friend, as Sony's got a handy livestream of the whole goings on. What's more, we've embedded that stream just above. Go ahead, give it a shot. Pretty nice, right?

Joystiq and Engadget do it live before Sony's E3 press conference [Update: Our pre-show is over!]

Joystiq and Engadget do it live before Sony's E3 press conference

Joystiq and Engadget are ready to bust down the doors of Sony's E3 press conference, but first they're going to stop and have a nice chat about the likely reveals, anticipated assets and most-wanted details. Watch it live right here!

Update: Our live pre-show is finished, but we recorded it so you can watch to your heart's content above!

Live from Ubisoft's E3 2012 press conference [Update: It's over!]

Live from Ubisoft's E3 2012 press conference
Ubisoft's E3 2012 presser begins at 3 p.m. PST here in Los Angeles, and by coincidence that's also when it starts for everyone else in the world. We'll be here, liveblogging the whole thing. Keep your eyes peeled!

Live from EA's E3 2012 press conference: 'The Download' [update: it's over!]

Live from EA's E3 2012 press conference 'The Download'
We're seated in the center of LA's famous Orpheum Theater to watch EA's E3 2012 showings. But what will we see? Let's find out!

Sound Shapes coming to PS3, both versions out August 7

Sound Shapes coming to PS3 concurrent with Vita version

After a long Sound Shapes-filled commute, you can go home and play more Sound Shapes. Developer Queasy Games just announced that it'll be released day-and-date with the Vita version.

So ... when is that date? August 7, for $14.99. Best of all, if you buy it on one system, you'll get it on both. User-generated content can be shared between versions. You'll be able to see the PS3 version on Sony's livestream at about 5:30PT, and you can see the Vita version (played by composer Jim Guthrie) up here.

Featured Vita Stories

Engadget

Engadget

TUAW

TUAW

Massively

Massively

WoW

WoW