E3 Round up

Sony Announce New Exclusive

Sony’s E3 conference was big on highlights, in fact the highlight reel is practically the event in it’s entirety, as it was that good. Featuring new hardware, massive multiplatform games, and the first party behemoths of Uncharted 2, MAG, GT5, God Of War III amongst others and even a third party exclusive coutesy of GTA developers Rockstar called Agent. One of the amazing looking Sony exclusives however was Modnation Racers, it’s currently being described as LittleBigPlanet meets Mario Kart.

Watching the conference excerpt below it is easy to see the comparisons, as the game features a level of creativity never seen before in the racing genre. Modnation Racers features a simple looking and intuitive creation mode, which works in a very similar style as LittleBigPlanet, it is possible to create absolutely everything you see from your character, your vehicle and even whole courses and any of these can be uploaded to share with other users, and obviously you can download their creations as well. The track editor (called Track Studio) looks absolutely amazing and even easier to use than the Popit Menu. You actually design the track by driving a vehicle around, and then add in obstacles and scenery with the Track Studio menu. Just like LBP though it’s not all about creating, as the racing action looks to rival Mario Kart in the fun stakes, with some frantic action and some pretty nifty looking power-ups.

It’s exciting to see Sony expanding on the whole Play.Create.Share ethos of LittleBigPlanet and once again the sky is the limit with the possibilities for Modnation Racers, as you can download every single character, vehicle and track that other users create. Who wants a racer with over half a million levels? well that’s certainly possible if LittleBigPlanet is anything to go by.

The video below shows the customising of characters and vehicles, then the racing action before getting to grips with the fantastic looking Track Studio.

Sony Reveal Rockstar Exclusive

So the Xbox 360 may have a couple of timed exclusives on Grand Theft Auto IV DLC, but Sony have somewhat softened the blow by announcing a brand new IP developed by Rockstar exclusively for the PS3, fancy that, it’s just like the old day all over again. What is known about the title however could probably be written on a postage stamp, but it is Rockstar and it is a PS3 exclusive.

The game is called Agent and is being developed by Rockstar North, the same team which bought us GTA. The title is set at the end of the 1970’s right at the height of the Cold War and will take players on a paranoid journey in the world of espionage, counter-intelligence and political assassinations.

From the lack of screen, trailers or any kind of footage I wouldn’t expect it to surface much before late 2010.

Trophies Coming To The PSP

We all know every PS3 game from now on must include trophies and with the PSP Go! coming in October it would be a prime time for Sony to introduce PSP trophies. Well they have actually realised this and recent videos on YouTube showing Socom: Fire Team Bravo 3 being played in Mama’s Tamales Cafe (never been there, must go during the summer) in LA during a pre-E3 Sony event have started the wild fire for rumours.

Take a look at this video, in fact skip ahead to around 3:40 where you will see a box appear in the top right of the PSP screen. Could this be a trophy? There is definitely something trophy shaped and the guy playing seems to think so. Maybe Sony just didn’t have enough time to squeeze this in during their breathtaking E3 conference.

PS Store Revised

While everyone has their eyes on Sony’s E3 conference, the EU and US PS Store’s have been given a little freshen up.

No major new features; however there is a darker shade of blue to the background and new borders to each segment (e.g. Latest, PS3 Games etc). The load times of the content is swifter and there is a new noise when scrolling through the products available.

Overall, it looks fresher and is an improvement over the older style, but this is not a massive change by any means. We will let you know if there are any improvements other than purely cosmetic as soon as we find anything.

Assassin’s Creed 2 E3 Trailer

After the Microsoft and EA events we thought we knew what we were letting ourselves in for when deciding to stay up and watch Ubisoft’s E3 presentation, starting at 1am in the wee small hours only a hardened few made the call to see it though, mainly out of curiosity towards Assassin’s Creed 2. Hype has been building for the title recently mainly because they are advertising it rather early with the logo appearing in cinemas and magazines.

It wasn’t an easy ride for the people that did decide to stick with it, there was rather more talking and less gaming than the two earlier presentations, and 95% of the things they did show was for the Wii and DS, we have the full round up of Ubisoft’s action (or lack of) here.

Although I was impressed with Splinter Cell: Conviction, especially the lighting techniques which are easily amongst the best on home consoles, I was only there for one reason, and at 02:55 after a strangely low key introduction I was to get my reward. Although disappointed that it’s only a cinematic, especially after the lengthy (and rather boring) play though of Modern Warfare 2 earlier at the Microsoft event, I thought we might see a slice of playable action. There are however, some clues about what we will see in the game with free running again being rather useful, and the surprise appearance of a gun, although this will probably replace the throwing knives from the first title.

Anyway enough talking (Ubisoft might want me to speak at one of their ever so interesting events) and on with the trailer. All four minutes of it.