"...we are aiming to have it (the Playstation Store) live by the end of May. Contrary to popular rumours, it will not be reopening tomorrow but we will let you know here as soon as the date is confirmed."This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, given Sony's propensity to miss dates in this whole mess. With any luck, it will at least be live before E3. Heaven help them if it's not.
May 24, 2011
Whoops! No Playstation Store This Week
Despite the leaked memo last week, it looks as though the Playstation Store will not return to service this week. James Gallagher stated on the European Playstation Blog today that:
May 19, 2011
Review: Portal 2
It's rare in our sequel filled world that anything equals the original, let alone surpasses it. Portal 2 accomplishes this without losing sight of what made the original great, an even rarer feat.Portal 2 puts you back in the shoes of the original speechless protagonist from the first game. For those that didn't have the patched PC version that explained a bit more of the ending from the last one, you were recaptured at the end of the game, setting up the beginning of Portal 2.
You're greeted by a friendly AI core named Wheatley as the place is falling down around you. After making your escape from danger, you and Wheatley set out to find a way out of the facility. Much like GLaDOS from the first game, the game is absolutely made by the interaction between you and this character. The voicing of this character couldn't be more appropriate. The dialog at the ends of levels, as well as some of the little quips in between were on occasion laugh out loud funny. Of course, GLaDOS makes her appearance in this game as well, and is every bit as hilarious and sadistic as the previous game. The story is very intriguing, and you'll get to learn a lot of the background behind Aperture Science. For a game that in it's first incarnation started with no story at all, they've managed to wrap a great piece of fiction around the brilliant game mechanic that gave life to the series. Whoever is doing the writing for this series is worth every penny that Valve pays them.
The gameplay differs very little from the first game until roughly half way through the game. The same two portal mechanic is still used to solve puzzles, but a curveball from a mechanic standpoint as well as a story standpoint gets thrown at the player with the introduction of gels. There are three different types of gel that it turns out Aperture was working on: a bounce gel, an acceleration gel, and a portal gel. The first two are pretty self explanatory. The third though, allows you to place a portal on any surface. This is a very interesting twist to the game mechanic, especially given how the gels are dispensed. I was worried in early previews when the gel was revealed that this would change the game drastically, and not for the better. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. The gel mechanics add another layer to the puzzles, but are never the absolute focal point of the puzzle. Every puzzle still maintains the portal mechanic as the primary means of getting the job done. I like to maintain my reviews as spoiler free, so I'll leave it to you to see what I'm talking about. Suffice to say, it's a welcome addition to the game.
The only criticism I can level at the game are the load times. This seems to be more distracting later in the game than earlier. (Trying to avoid spoilers here) You'll find that the game will stop suddenly and take significant amounts of time to load the next section. I'm not a programmer, nor do I play one on TV, but I would think at this point that programmers should be able to find an intelligent way to seamlessly load the next section of a game unbeknownst to the player.
This edition of the game introduces a co-operative experience with it's own stand alone story as well. I would strongly recommend finishing the single player version of the game before beginning the co-op. There's two reasons for this. First, completing all the puzzles in the single player mode will prepare you for the challenge of co-op. Co-op is a different beast entirely when it comes to difficulty. Though I only have about three hours in the co-op at this point, I would say that it is more difficult than single player. Secondly, the co-op contains a very minor spoiler for the single player game right out of the gate. It's not much, but if you like to be surprised as much as possible by story elements, you'll want to finish the single player first.
Co-op gives you and your partner each a portal gun and sends you off to do some "testing" for GLaDOS. Though you're able to fire four portals into the world at once, you cannot link your portals to your partner's portals. This certainly plays into a few of the puzzles you'll run into. There's a nice tutorial before beginning the meat of the experience to get you familiar with some of the ways you'll need to work with your partner to complete puzzles. A "portal target" mechanic has been added to the game for the co-op mode, as well as a countdown timer. Both are very welcome additions. The portal target feature is an absolute must. This allows you to show your partner where you would like them to place one of their portals. I've only played this in split screen mode, and even when your partner is on the same couch as you it's a very useful feature. I couldn't imagine not having it in the networked version of the mode. The countdown timer allows you to begin an on screen timer to synchronize your actions with your partner. This is useful if your partner is connected to you by network and doesn't have a headset, but otherwise can easily be handled by voice chat.
Portal 2 keeps the spirit of the original game, and expands upon it well. Nothing was added that doesn't seem to fit with the world that was originally created, and nothing really was removed at all. This game is a shining example of what sequels should be, and is a must own for any gamer that enjoys a good puzzle.
Pros:
- More of the same great puzzles
- Voice acting is outstanding, and the story is both engaging and laugh out loud funny in some instances
- Enough new mechanics added to keep the game from feeling stale, while keeping the focus on using portals to solve puzzles
- Co-op mode extends the play time of the game and gives a completely new experience, complete with its own stand alone story
- Load screens between sequences can take you out of the flow of the game
Score: 5 out of 5 stars - Must Own
Review System - PS3
Time Played - 18 hours, three of which were spent in co-op.
Completion: Single player campaign completed and all single player trophies earned. Co-op campaign completed three out of five sections in the hub world.
Playstation Store Reportedly Back Online for 5/24 Update, Missed Content Published By 6/3
Gamasutra reports that Sony has sent a memo to partners detailing when their content will be published on the Playstation Network. The memo informs partners that the store will reopen on 5/24 with an accelerated publishing schedule. Rather than only the normal Tuesday release, each week will see two releases for the next two weeks to return the schedule to normal:
- The 5/24 reopening will see that week's scheduled content alongside the content that should have been released on 4/26.
- On 5/27, another update will go live, publishing content that originally was to be released on 5/3.
- 5/31 and 6/3 will round out the distribution of the backlogged content.
May 16, 2011
Editorial - Sony Welcomes Back Its Most Loyal Fans With Kick In the Balls
Earlier today, Sony announced the details of its "Welcome Back" program. PS3 users get two free games from the following list once the Playstation Store returns to life:
- Dead Nation
- Infamous
- LittleBigPlanet
- Super Stardust HD
- Wipeout HD + Fury
In addition, PSP users get two free games from this list:
- LittleBigPlanet (PSP)
- ModNation Racers
- Pursuit Force
- Killzone Liberation
The following benefits then also apply to all users:
- 30 days of Playstation Plus (Existing Playstation Plus users get an additional 30 days, for a total of 60)
- A selection of yet to be determined free rental movie titles to be used on a specific weekend
- Playstation Home will offer 100 undisclosed free items as well as scheduled free content and add-ons that appear to have already been scheduled for release from the context of the announcement
If you are a loyal PS3 user, that's been with the PS3 from launch, paid your $600 for your system, and suffered through to this point from the early days of PSN and Playstation Store, you have to feel absolutely insulted right now. I know I do. I know I feel especially insulted as a Playstation Plus member. The list of software would likely appear to the average user to be very generous. I would say to many users, it probably is. Nobody will argue the quality of the PS3 titles listed. There is one theme to the titles if you're a loyal PS3 fan. That theme is the fact that any self-respecting PS3 fan ALREADY OWNS THEM ALL.
I cannot believe that Sony PR has seen all the backlash over this whole situation and sat there and thought "How can we get out of this situation in the least expensive way possible?" Because that's exactly what has happened here. The only title released even remotely recently is Dead Nation, and that title was released six months ago. In addition, all of these titles are pretty much can't miss titles for anyone that is a true PS3 fan. So the only users redeeming these codes will be newer users that haven't been around since the beginning, or those that maybe have never spent a dime on the Playstation Store. On top of this, Playstation Plus users are getting a big thanks by simply being refunded the time they missed (essentially 30 days) and then the same credit everyone else is getting, another 30 days.
So here you have a group of people, arguably Sony's most loyal fans, that they've for all intents and purposes said "Thanks for sticking with us, we know you're not going anywhere, and we thank you for that!". Why would you knowingly be offering games that you know your best fans already have? Why else would you not do something above and beyond for the people that are actually paying the premium subscription for your otherwise free service? The only reason I can think of is that the company is so arrogant as to think that they can do anything to these fans and get away with it. Sadly, judging from some of the reaction I've seen to this debacle on various message boards, they're PROBABLY RIGHT. There's brand loyalty, in consistently choosing one brand over another, and then there's the level that these people are taking it to. I'm calling it brand idolatry. This is the idea that a company can do no wrong, and despite anything that happens they'll defend the company to its death. This is what those that are giving Sony a pass on this mess are doing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the hack. In this day and age, anyone can be hacked. However, the way the relationship between the company and the users was handed in the wake of what happened can be considered nothing short of atrocious. The sad part is, I don't believe Sony would change a second of how this was handled from start to finish.
This program only further seals the decision I made earlier this month to buy only PS3 exclusives for the system. In addition, my Playstation Plus subscription will not be renewed either. Clearly the company does not value me as a premium subscriber, so they certainly don't need any more of my money. I'd nearly softened to the point I would consider buying certain multi-platform games for the system. These would be games that I've historically played on Sony's system, such as Final Fantasy, any sports game, whatever shooter my Friday Night Shooter friends are now playing, etc. That's off the table now. If it isn't exclusive, I'm not buying it, and I'll be buying only extremely high profile exclusives.
I'm really sad to have come to this decision, but as consumers, we have to show companies when their behavior is unacceptable. The only way we can do this is with our dollars. If we continue to buy from these companies no matter what happens, nothing will ever change. I know Sony won't feel my change in purchasing. I'm pretty consistent in buying at least one new game per month, and if we assume that Sony has at least two very high profile exclusives per year that will still get my money, that's $600 worth of retail games that they miss out on license fees for simply because they took the business route rather than the relational route with their "Welcome Back" program. But if many people feel this way and actually take a stand, those multiple $600 chunks will add up. So know this, I know that nobody at Sony singled me out when making this decision. They made this decision in the same way I am right now.
It's just business.
Gears of War 3 Limited and Epic Editions Revealed
Xbox Live's Major Nelson tweeted today that Epic has released details of the Limited and Epic editions of the final installment of the Gears trilogy.
The Limited Edition includes the following:
UPDATE - 5/16/11 @ 11:50am - Here's a link to a video unveil of the contents of both editions by Chris Perna.
The Limited Edition includes the following:
- Octus Award Display Box and Octus Service Medal - Replicas of the honors bestowed on Adam Fenix, Marcus's father, for his work on the Hammer of Dawn
- Unlockable Adam Fenix Multiplayer Character - Each Octus Service Medal replica is engraved with a unique Live code that unlocks Adam Fenix in multiplayer
- Fabric COG Flag
- Personal Effects of Adam Fenix - Includes his "Last Will and Testament", the initial Hammer of Dawn schematic, and other Fenix family mementos
- Everything from the Limited Edition
- Collectible Marcus Fenix Statue
- The Art and Design of Gears of War by Tom Bissell - Book including 96 pages of interviews, photos, concept art, and more
UPDATE - 5/16/11 @ 11:50am - Here's a link to a video unveil of the contents of both editions by Chris Perna.
May 15, 2011
Zombie PSN Lives - US and Canada Back Online, Europe Beginning Rollout Now
As I was writing this Jeff Rubenstein tweeted the following:
 | jeffrubenstein Attention EU! RT @PlayStationEU: The phased rollout of certain PSN services has begun and we'll tweet when each territory goes back online. 5/15/11 10:25 AM |
That's right European gamers, you're up! Have fun across the pond everyone!
May 14, 2011
The Northeast Rejoices: First Back On PSN
Sony's official Playstation Twitter account announced the following just moments ago:
Have fun Northeast gamers!
 | PlayStation PSN service now resuming in U.S. Northeast: http://bit.ly/lrvKD9 CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, NJ, RI, VT and more to come 5/14/11 10:15 PM |
Have fun Northeast gamers!
The Wait Is Over - PSN Limps Back Online
PS3 gamers rejoice! After being taken down by Sony on April 20th due to an external intrusion on their systems, the PSN is at last limping back onto the Internet. Sony has announced a phased rollout to restore the PSN as of roughly 8:15pm Eastern time.
Though the Playstation Store is not yet currently available, users will slowly be able to finally sign in, see their friends list, sync trophies, manage their PSN account, access un-expired rented movies, visit Playstation Home, and most importantly, play online. No word yet on when the Playstation Store functionality will return.
Also, as previously announced, users will need to apply the available firmware update before being able to access the new and improved PSN. Firmware version 3.61 took slightly more than eight minutes for me to install on my PS3, and I have reasonably fast broadband, so that's not terrible given past speeds. Users will also be required to change their password before being given the keys to the network again. Given the already sloth-like speeds of the PSN even before the coming avalanche of users about to destroy the PSN update servers, I wouldn't bet on the speed continuing to be that good. Get on it as soon as you can!.
So install that firmware, sync those trophies, and let's get gaming!
(Updated 9:08pm 5/14/11 to include information about the requirement to change password)
UPDATE 10:00pm Eastern, 5/14/11 - Some users are reporting issues downloading the new firmware. Sony has provided an alternate link. Download the firmware from here and save it to a USB stick. You can then update the system with the firmware on the USB drive.
Though the Playstation Store is not yet currently available, users will slowly be able to finally sign in, see their friends list, sync trophies, manage their PSN account, access un-expired rented movies, visit Playstation Home, and most importantly, play online. No word yet on when the Playstation Store functionality will return.
Also, as previously announced, users will need to apply the available firmware update before being able to access the new and improved PSN. Firmware version 3.61 took slightly more than eight minutes for me to install on my PS3, and I have reasonably fast broadband, so that's not terrible given past speeds. Users will also be required to change their password before being given the keys to the network again. Given the already sloth-like speeds of the PSN even before the coming avalanche of users about to destroy the PSN update servers, I wouldn't bet on the speed continuing to be that good. Get on it as soon as you can!.
So install that firmware, sync those trophies, and let's get gaming!
(Updated 9:08pm 5/14/11 to include information about the requirement to change password)
UPDATE 10:00pm Eastern, 5/14/11 - Some users are reporting issues downloading the new firmware. Sony has provided an alternate link. Download the firmware from here and save it to a USB stick. You can then update the system with the firmware on the USB drive.
May 11, 2011
Xbox Live vs. Playstation Network: One Man's Comparison
As we complete the third straight week of the outage of the Playstation Network, I continue to the following exchange more frequently than I care to admit:
PS3 Owner - "I'm so tired of the PSN being down! This is ridiculous! It needs to be back online yesterday!"
360 Owner - "Glad I own a 360 and not a PS3! HA HA!"
PS3 Owner - "At least my online is free!"
360 Owner - "At least my online works! And even when both are working, mine is better!"
PS3 Owner - "My inferior free is always better than your superior $60/year in my book!"
...ad nauseam, ad infinitum.
So I decided to make a comparison. The original subtitle to this post was going to be "An Objective Comparison", but the more I thought about it, the more some things are going to be subjective no matter how "right" it appears to be. Below (in no particular order) are the top things that always seem to be talked about when comparing and contrasting the two networks. We'll score this in the style of boxing, to give weight to how much better one network may be than the other in a given "round". May the best network win!
Speed:
By anyone's definition, Xbox Live FLATTENS PSN when it comes to speed. Title updates that take upward of 30 minutes on the PSN are effortlessly downloaded in under 5 minutes on the 360. Fortunately, actual online gameplay speeds don't ever seem to be an issue, but overall, this is certainly one category that Xbox Live wins easily.
Winner: Xbox Live 10-8 (Extra point for an overwhelming advantage)
Ease of use:
Both networks make it easy to find a game to play online, but if you want to find a game to play online with your friends, you want to play on Xbox Live. The party system is fantastic, and allows you to meet up with all of your friends outside of the game before going in. Then once you're in, the game realizes this fact, and will make matches accordingly. PSN has no such feature, and desperately needs it. Getting booted from a match of Call of Duty because the connection flaked and then sending PSN messages to everyone to get them to rejoin is one of the most aggravating experiences in PS3 gaming. In addition, this party feature also allows users to group together and hang out regardless of what game you're playing. The chat feature is outside of the game framework, so you're free to hang out virtually regardless of your choice of game on a given night.
Winner: Xbox Live 10-9
Cost:
This is easily one of the most objective points we'll run across in this comparison. The PSN is free to play your games online. There is an optional subscription service (Which will be detailed later) for 49.95/year, but this has no effect on the ability to play your games online. Conversely, Xbox Live retails for $59.99 for the privilege of playing the games you've already paid for online. This is slightly misleading though. Only suckers pay full price for Xbox live. Doing a little bit of research online, I've found 12 month cards as low as $35, and you can nearly always find a deal for $40. It still doesn't excuse the fact that you have to pay for something that is universally free on any other system.
Winner: PSN 10-9
User Experience:
I don't think that anyone will argue that you'll find more jerks on Xbox Live than the PSN. This at least is my experience, and if you ask Wombat from the CAGCast, he'd likely agree after an experience he had a while back. However, the difference arises in what you can do about those jerks. If I run into a jerk on Xbox Live, I can mute him from the console, I can file a player report on him that will ensure I'm not matched with him, and I can also file a complaint with the Xbox Live service that could see the guy do some ban time if enough complaints are levied. The PSN, though the jerk population is lower, has no such tools at the user's disposal. So when you run into a jerk online on the PSN, depending on if the game has any of these controls, you have to suffer through the match, or disconnect and hope not to find another jerk in the next match. I believe that the fact that you have to alter your own game experience (leave a server you're on) or just deal with it if you're on the PSN tilts this one in favor of Xbox Live. Sure, I still have to take the time to mute or report someone on the 360, but at least my friends and I can all stay together, in a server that we may be enjoying otherwise.
Winner: Xbox Live 10-8 (Extra point for an overwhelming advantage)
Extras:
Both networks will run specials on their store from time to time, so consider that even. However, if you're a Playstation Plus member you get some special benefits. Every two weeks bring additional discounts, as well as free games that will rotate each time period. As long as you download them during that time period and keep a current Playstation Plus subscription, the game is yours at no charge. On top of this, the console can be configured to automatically check for system updates and game updates periodically while you're not playing and apply them. All you do is turn on your system and play your games.
This is a tricky comparison since you do have to fork over $49.95/year for Playstation Plus, and not all users will get these perks. But on the other hand, no Xbox Live users see free games on a regular basis on any level of that service. I have to hand this one to the PSN.
Winner: PSN 10-9
Conclusion:
In a close race in categories, Xbox Live edges out the PSN 3 to 2. It's also a little closer than I expected when initially conceiving this article in the points as well, as Xbox Live takes it 48-45. However, this is still a solid advantage. And were I to rate the importance of the categories, the categories that Xbox Live holds advantages in are overall more important than the ones the PSN has won. Too many people use the tired excuse that PSN is free and is therefore better. This simply isn't the case. Xbox Live is clearly the superior online service. It's only drawback is that there is a cost to use it. However, this cost is nominal when you find a deal for a subscription card, which can be found almost all the time. If you're patient, you can find even better deals that can lower the cost to $3/month. If you can't afford $3/month, you may be in the wrong hobby. The PSN hopefully will improve as time goes on and close this gap. However, at least at this time, Xbox Live is the place to game online.
Overall Winner: Xbox Live
PS3 Owner - "I'm so tired of the PSN being down! This is ridiculous! It needs to be back online yesterday!"
360 Owner - "Glad I own a 360 and not a PS3! HA HA!"
PS3 Owner - "At least my online is free!"
360 Owner - "At least my online works! And even when both are working, mine is better!"
PS3 Owner - "My inferior free is always better than your superior $60/year in my book!"
...ad nauseam, ad infinitum.
So I decided to make a comparison. The original subtitle to this post was going to be "An Objective Comparison", but the more I thought about it, the more some things are going to be subjective no matter how "right" it appears to be. Below (in no particular order) are the top things that always seem to be talked about when comparing and contrasting the two networks. We'll score this in the style of boxing, to give weight to how much better one network may be than the other in a given "round". May the best network win!
Speed:
By anyone's definition, Xbox Live FLATTENS PSN when it comes to speed. Title updates that take upward of 30 minutes on the PSN are effortlessly downloaded in under 5 minutes on the 360. Fortunately, actual online gameplay speeds don't ever seem to be an issue, but overall, this is certainly one category that Xbox Live wins easily.
Winner: Xbox Live 10-8 (Extra point for an overwhelming advantage)
Ease of use:
Both networks make it easy to find a game to play online, but if you want to find a game to play online with your friends, you want to play on Xbox Live. The party system is fantastic, and allows you to meet up with all of your friends outside of the game before going in. Then once you're in, the game realizes this fact, and will make matches accordingly. PSN has no such feature, and desperately needs it. Getting booted from a match of Call of Duty because the connection flaked and then sending PSN messages to everyone to get them to rejoin is one of the most aggravating experiences in PS3 gaming. In addition, this party feature also allows users to group together and hang out regardless of what game you're playing. The chat feature is outside of the game framework, so you're free to hang out virtually regardless of your choice of game on a given night.
Winner: Xbox Live 10-9
Cost:
This is easily one of the most objective points we'll run across in this comparison. The PSN is free to play your games online. There is an optional subscription service (Which will be detailed later) for 49.95/year, but this has no effect on the ability to play your games online. Conversely, Xbox Live retails for $59.99 for the privilege of playing the games you've already paid for online. This is slightly misleading though. Only suckers pay full price for Xbox live. Doing a little bit of research online, I've found 12 month cards as low as $35, and you can nearly always find a deal for $40. It still doesn't excuse the fact that you have to pay for something that is universally free on any other system.
Winner: PSN 10-9
User Experience:
I don't think that anyone will argue that you'll find more jerks on Xbox Live than the PSN. This at least is my experience, and if you ask Wombat from the CAGCast, he'd likely agree after an experience he had a while back. However, the difference arises in what you can do about those jerks. If I run into a jerk on Xbox Live, I can mute him from the console, I can file a player report on him that will ensure I'm not matched with him, and I can also file a complaint with the Xbox Live service that could see the guy do some ban time if enough complaints are levied. The PSN, though the jerk population is lower, has no such tools at the user's disposal. So when you run into a jerk online on the PSN, depending on if the game has any of these controls, you have to suffer through the match, or disconnect and hope not to find another jerk in the next match. I believe that the fact that you have to alter your own game experience (leave a server you're on) or just deal with it if you're on the PSN tilts this one in favor of Xbox Live. Sure, I still have to take the time to mute or report someone on the 360, but at least my friends and I can all stay together, in a server that we may be enjoying otherwise.
Winner: Xbox Live 10-8 (Extra point for an overwhelming advantage)
Extras:
Both networks will run specials on their store from time to time, so consider that even. However, if you're a Playstation Plus member you get some special benefits. Every two weeks bring additional discounts, as well as free games that will rotate each time period. As long as you download them during that time period and keep a current Playstation Plus subscription, the game is yours at no charge. On top of this, the console can be configured to automatically check for system updates and game updates periodically while you're not playing and apply them. All you do is turn on your system and play your games.
This is a tricky comparison since you do have to fork over $49.95/year for Playstation Plus, and not all users will get these perks. But on the other hand, no Xbox Live users see free games on a regular basis on any level of that service. I have to hand this one to the PSN.
Winner: PSN 10-9
Conclusion:
In a close race in categories, Xbox Live edges out the PSN 3 to 2. It's also a little closer than I expected when initially conceiving this article in the points as well, as Xbox Live takes it 48-45. However, this is still a solid advantage. And were I to rate the importance of the categories, the categories that Xbox Live holds advantages in are overall more important than the ones the PSN has won. Too many people use the tired excuse that PSN is free and is therefore better. This simply isn't the case. Xbox Live is clearly the superior online service. It's only drawback is that there is a cost to use it. However, this cost is nominal when you find a deal for a subscription card, which can be found almost all the time. If you're patient, you can find even better deals that can lower the cost to $3/month. If you can't afford $3/month, you may be in the wrong hobby. The PSN hopefully will improve as time goes on and close this gap. However, at least at this time, Xbox Live is the place to game online.
Overall Winner: Xbox Live
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