The E3 show floor opens in 2 days. The PixelatedCrew is packed and ready to go. We’ll be arriving in our hotel room, which has no refrigerator (wtf), Monday afternoon. Tuesday, when we go in, we want to make sure you get your question answered. We know you can’t make it to E3 and that is why we are going for you! Our site has been created for our readers like you! So, tell us in the comments below, what do you want asked, and who should we go to with your question?
Did you oversleep the ticket Blizzcon ticket sale AGAIN?! Don’t want to pay redicoulous prices on eBay for one? Well, we here at PixelatedGeek we feel your pain. We learned that we bought one to many badges this morning. So, instead of being a scalper, we are giving it away! Stay tuned to our website to find out how!
So the final set of photos are from the girls of the London Expo. Thanks to all that participated in the cosplay event that was the London Expo.
So there’s been a lot of rumours around the PSP, SonyEricsson and the future of the Sony handheld. Looks like some of the previous product mockups turned out true with a leaked video of the June issue of Qore (the Playstation Network media show hosted by Veronica Belmont).
No UMD, 16Gb on board and to be sold at the same time as the PSP3000. Hmmm, why didn’t they put another thumb stick on there, I mean come on, FPS with two thumb sticks on the PSP would be awesome!
Hit the read link for the leaked video in all it’s glory and be sure to check out our upcoming E3 coverage!
Update: Press shots now included after the break courtesy of Eurogamer.
Update 2:
Here are some specs of the handheld beastie:
3.8-inch display
43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000
16GB of Flash storage
Bluetooth built-in; supports handset tethering and BT headsets
No UMD drive
Memory Stick Micro slot
New Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and new Metal Gear Solid on the way (Look out for them at E3)
Full PlayStation Network support (movie and TV rentals / purchases)
Integration with PlayStation 3 (works the same as the PSP-3000 does – read Remote Play)
Let me start off by saying that I get it. I get that Jonathan Blow and David Hellman created what can only be described as “art” with no backing, and probably alone in a basement somewhere. Uphill both ways.
For those of you who haven’t played the game yet, Braid is a beautiful side-scroller for Xbox 360 and PC which seamlessly blends an incredible musical track with direct puzzles, strategy, and some throwing your controller at the TV. If I were to finish the review here, you could all go home happy and I wouldn’t get any hate mail.
Be that as it may, let the rage comments roll because unfortunately there’s a story associated with this “game.” That’s what I’m told anyway. See, I had to read a fucking webpage about the real plot because apparently the plot that I experienced while playing the game is not the actual plot. I was apparently under the misconception that I was going from castle to castle looking for a princess. According to the GameFAQ plot summary — yes, this game requires Cliff Notes to tell a story — I was dead. fucking. wrong.
There are actually two levels of story in this game. One is for the casual observer, the kind of guy who simply needs an excuse to go from one level to the next. For this person, Braid is about a guy chasing a princess from castle to castle, her always being in another one. The books vaguely reinforce this idea, and for the casual observer this explanation will suffice. I'm going to assume you do not fit this description because you are reading this FAQ.
Well, it turns out you’re wrong too: I was only at the website because I needed to figure out what someone with a Ph.D. in Douchebagery thought this game was about. And let’s not pretend like my plot — what I’ll playfully refer to as “the plot that actually happened” — is what an idiot takes away from the game.
No, I am not an idiot. I was probably more thorough than 80% of the people who played this art. See, much like Castlevania had people that you could interact with in the sense that they may as well have been house plants, Blow must have figured this secret out and saved money on graphics by making the people into books. So I spoke with read these books. I READ ALL OF THESE FUCKING BOOKS. And do you know what they were about, you pretentious dick? They were all about saving a mother fucking princess. Check and mate. Game over. I’m right, you’re wrong.
[T]he fact is that there is not a linear, logical story to be found in Braid, at least not to the degree that most people expect. The books found in the "clouds" serve primarily to convey the specific theme of that specific world rather than form any sort of coherent, chronological series of events detailing someone's life.
The fuck? If that’s true, Blow must think he’s the next Faulkner, who I’d like to kill for making me read all his time-disorientation works of shit in high school. Let’s agree to disagree here. You got something out of this game that very clearly came out of your own warped perception of reality, and I’m right. I accept your apology.
I’m going to continue this “review” under the assumption that the game is about traveling from castle to castle to rescue a princess, because it is. (more…)
Oh Yeah...We're Going!
This is it…the weekend before E3. All of us over here a Pixelated Geek are excited to be able to cover what is quite arguably one of the biggest gaming expo’s of the year. There’s so much we still don’t know about what’s coming this year or what to expect, but here’s some more about what we know and can expect.
Sony Unveiling New, Slim PS3?
On the Sony front, talks about a hardware redesign have started surfacing, and speculation is point towards a new PS3. Similar to Sony’s route with the PS2 and PSP, rumor has it that the company is planning to release the PS3 Slim, a significantly smaller version of the black monolith. Of course, the redesign wouldn’t bring that much new stuff to the table, except maybe table space, but the inclusion of Bluetooth 3.0 might be coming with the new system.
However, since no console was specified, the hardware redesign could be for a multitude of things, like the PS2, which is still going strong, or the PSP, though the new PSP Go! has been all but confirmed. Then again, there’s still the rumor of that PS3 Motion controller, which I wouldn’t doubt is coming.
However, there’s news that while a Slim PS3 is in fact on the way, we won’t be seeing it at E3.
Why, you ask? There’s still many standard PS3 systems still available and Sony wants to let those sell before unveiling the updated model. Maybe Sony should go forward with a price drop if they want to unload the rest of those systems. But who knows whether or not that will happen anytime soon.
256 Player MAG Demo for Journalists
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s highly anticipated MMOFPS (that’s Massively Multiplayer Online First-Person Shooter for those of you that aren’t up on the latest acronyms) MAG, formerly Massive Action Game, will be playable at this year’s E3, with Journalists being part of eight-man teams to be led by the game’s developers, taking part in 256-player games. Sounds exciting.
[Source]
Microsoft Reveal Plan for Zune Integration with the Xbox 360
Microsoft will be showing off the Zune HD at E3 and, likewise, will be showcase just exactly how it will be integrated with the Xbox 360. Not just satisfied with Zune connectivity, the Zune brand will become part of the Xbox 360’s Video Marketplace, similar to Netflix Instant Streaming, and will offer a library of TV Shows and Movies to 360 owners.
[Source]
Does Miyamoto’s Absence from Nintendo’s Press Conference Mean More Gamer Oriented Presentation?
Startling news from Nintendo has revealed that the father of many great franchises, such as Mario and Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto will not be speaking at Nintendo’s E3 Press Conference. With previous E3 Press Conferences being geared towards the more family friendly games, his absence from this year’s conference may signal a break from the current family-friendly strategy and a return to some of Nintendo’s core franchises. Who knows, we may see a new Super Mario or Zelda game announced this year. One can only hope, right?
[Source]
Wii Fit Plus to be Revealed at E3
However, even without Miyamoto at the Press Conference, speculation of a Wii Fit Plus being unveiled at E3 are still going strong. Apparently, Nintendo has already trademarked the name and E3 would be the perfect time to make a dramatic. But even with the popular title in the works, the chance of some of Nintendo’s core titles making a showing at E3 is still anticipated.
[Source]
Activision Blizzard Confirms E3 Line-Up
Activision Blizzard has released their E3 line up, though with only the Activision half of the company showing up, it’s no surprised that they’re all Activision titles.
Along with the highly anticipated Modern Warfare 2, here’s a list of what to expect:
[Source]
EA Unveils E3 Line-Up
EA has also released their E3 and it’s a doozy. Along with some of the more anticipated titles, such as The Sims 3 and Mass Effect 2. We’re definitely gonna have a lot on our hands when we get to the EA booth next week.
With just a little over two dozen titles, EA promises to have much to show. Here’s a list of what they’ve got in store:
[Source]
More cryptic images from Kojima regarding new Metal Gear. Plus new project: MASK
Kojima Productions has been driving gamers insane with their needless countdowns, mysterious symbols and images. And now, clicking on the Kojima Productions logo on the countdown site reveals a new site. Labeled “MASK,” my suspicions that the team at KP are working on more than just the next MGS game may have been right all along. The site shows a mask (obviously), slowly revealing a creepy woman underneath as a creepy tune plays in the background.
And back on the MGS front, as the countdown gets lower, more symbols have begun to appear, with a picture of what appears to be the Cyborg Ninja, Raiden. However, a closer look reveals the character has brown eyes, whereas Raiden has blue eyes. Maybe this some new character altogether.
That's not Raiden
With MASK seeming as though it is a completely separate project, will we see it at E3. And while we’re on the topic, could we possibly see any other non-MGS projects? Maybe Zone of the Enders 3?
[Source]
No Dead Rising 2 at E3 due to Swine Flu concerns
Bad news on the Capcom front. Dead Rising 2 will apparently not be shown at E3 due to Swine Flu concerns. I didn’t know Zombies had to worry about the flu, but travel precautions and government restrictions have made it necessary for the Japanese developers that back out of the trip. However, it seems that Dead Rising 2 is the only game that Capcom won’t be showcasing. Given the early stage of the game’s development, the team isn’t comfortable with someone else handling what they have. Bummer.
[Source]
Kingdom Hearts Team not making the trip either
More bad news, this time for Kingdom Hearts fans. Again, due to Swine Flu concerns, Square-Enix has cancelled plans for its Kingdom Hearts team to attend E3. It’s unfortunate, especially for those expecting a KH3 announcement this year, though whether an unveiling of Kingdom Hearts-related games will still surface, given that staff from both European and American divisions of Square-Enix, as well as some Japanese representatives will still be making the trip.
[Source]
Atari cancels plans for E3
Atari has seemingly backed out of E3 this year. With less than a month before kick-off, the company had apparently decided to cancel their plans for E3, supposedly focusing more on other marketing plans for their upcoming titles, including Ghostbusters. I have to say, I feel like this is more Atari’s loss than E3’s. However, only time will tell if this was a smart move.
[Source]
Well, that’s about it. Stay tuned, because next week, Pixelated Geek hits the big time, live (sort of) from LA and the Electronic Entertainment Expo.
With everyone talking about UP, which released in theaters today, Disney/Pixar gave us even more things to smile about. Toy Story 3 gets a release date and a very cute teaser trailer. Most of the voice actors and their characters are back for the third film. But, before Toy Story 3 comes out, Pixar will be released Toy story 1 and 2 in 3D. I can’t wait to watch them all. Also, in my opinion, Pixar has always been better than Dreamworks. To find out why, go past the break. (more…)
You know what’s a great way of saying Happy Friday? If you guessed E3 Mass Effect 2 Preview Trailer then you guessed correctly. Gametrailers posted a new Mass Effect 2 Trailer. The video is great and the game looks fantastic. Can’t wait to lay down some Krogan woop ass!!!
Genres: Action, Drama, Mystery
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Saki Morimi is celebrating the end of her days in college; she decided to take a trip to New York with her friends. While in the USA she wanted to make sure she tossed a coin in the White House fountain. This alerts the nearby security, who begins to approach her suspiciously. Meanwhile, across the street, Akira Takizawa approaches. He is completely naked, carrying a cell phone and a revolver. Moments before reaching the side of the road, he raises the cell phone to his ear… his eyes widen, and his memory is wiped.
His slate cleaned, he takes in the scene around him. Akira notices the young girl in need and distracts the guards. Once they are taken care of, he and Saki get acquainted (of course, after she lends him a jacket and hat to cover himself). They head off, headed for a location marked on Akira’s cell phone as “home”. It’s only later, after leaving, that Saki remembers her passport was in the jacket she lent out! She heads back to the apartment block where she parted with Akira.
Inside the apartment, Akira is confronted with trappings of his previous life. Weapons, photos, piles of forged (yet authentic) documents will his apartment. Saki reappears at his door, pleading for her passport. After rigging his apartment to burn down, taking the evidence with it, they dodge one officer sent after them (with careful deployment of a penis). They leave the USA behind, en-route to Japan.
We begin to learn of the Selecao, of whom Akira was a part. Via a concierge, named Juiz, Akira learns of his task: to continue being “our savior” (and that he has an obligation to spend 10 million yen towards this task). He also crosses paths with another of the Selecao, Yusei Kondo, who is also a detective. The second episode concludes with a “show of power” that the Selecao wield… but I will leave that up to you to see.
This series has a LOT of interesting mysteries to unravel. There is a LOT more in the first two episodes than I have taken time to mention. Terrorism, strange games, hapless youth… all collides in the series, set at 11 episodes plus one upcoming movie. I am definitely hooked on this one.
Overall Hook Rating: A
