It’s been quite a long wait, but finally PlanetSide 2‘s arrival on PlayStation 4 is nearly at hand.
The closed beta testing phase for the free-to-play MMO first-person shooter is scheduled to begin in North America on January 20th. No end date has been set, but the full game launch is expected later this year.
To sign up for the closed beta visit www.planetside2.com/ps2onps4 and submit your email address. A few thousand invites will be issued at beta launch, with additional invites to be sent out in waves throughout the testing period. Invites will be sent in chronological order, so if you’re just signing up today chances are you won’t be among the launch day beta testers.
Learn more about the PS4 version of PlanetSide 2 by reading the official FAQ at www.planetside2.com/faq.
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One of the unfortunate drawbacks to upgrading from the PlayStation 3 to PlayStation 4 is the additional requirement of needing to have a PlayStation Plus membership to play online multiplayer. This is a killer for someone like me who isn’t an everyday multiplayer gamer but likes to dabble with online play and will occasionally get hooked into a particular title’s competitive offerings, because I simply don’t have the interest or extra cash to pay for a regular subscription.
Luckily, there are free-to-play games like Sony Online Entertainment’s massively multiplayer online fist-person shooter PlanetSide 2 that truly are free, as in free to download and free to play without requiring a PS+ account. A launch date for the PS4 version still has yet to be locked in, but the game is expected to be out by end of this year. PS4 demo stations will showcase the first playable console build at E3 next week, but until then kick back and enjoy the new PlanetSide 2 gameplay trailer.
Source: Planetside 2 PS4 Update [PlayStation.Blog]
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Over the weekend at its SOE Live fan gathering, Sony Online Entertainment lifted the veil on the next EverQuest entitled — get this — EverQuest Next!
In development for four years now, EverQuest Next will mark the beginning of “The Emergent Era” for MMORPGs, an era in which players will work together to help build the game alongside SOE’s developers. This cooperative effort will all be possible through the “collaborative building hub” known as EverQuest Next Landmark, a mix of social MMO interaction with the design tools being used to create the game. Landmark will be available this winter as a “Free To Play. Your Way.” product that will allow players to collaborate with each other to design structures and environments, all of which will be considered for inclusion in the full release of EverQuest Next.
SOE doesn’t have a launch date targeted yet for EverQuest Next proper, but like Landmark the game will be a free-to-play offering. I suppose release timing will all depend on how the community embraces Landmark and how quickly content comes together. That stuff will be sorted out in due time. For now, continue reading for more early game info and media SOE has provided for the next generation of EverQuest. Additional updates can be found at www.everquestnext.com.
EverQuest Next Features:
Multi-Classing – EQN will offer players the ability to explore and interact with the world according to their individual style of play. There are no levels in EQN, but there will be more than 40 distinct classes (or professions) at launch, with multi-tiered abilities and specialized weapon skills to collect and master. Players will even mix and match abilities from each class, creating truly custom characters that feel distinct and powerful.
Destructible Environments – No modern MMO has successfully implemented destructible environments that stretch across an entire seamless game world – this changes forever with EQN. Every piece of the world is fully destructible and players will have the ability to manipulate almost all of it. They will interact with and explore the world in amazing ways; venturing down into the deep bedrock beneath the surface and using powerful combat abilities to blow gaping holes into the ground. The EQN world will extend far into the heavens and deep into the procedurally-generated earth through 10,000 years of known lore and history.
Permanent Change – Players will also have the ability to cause the world to change around them, permanently, in dramatic ways. Through the concerted effort of the world’s inhabitants, including players, creatures, and non-player characters (NPCs), city walls will be built and destroyed, large-scale wars will be fought and won, and epic stories will unfold over months and years.
Emergent AI – In EQN, NPCs will have specific motivations and preferences that direct behavior in nuanced and unpredictable ways. Players will find themselves in a world where NPC decisions are based on core values, not dictated by static spawn points. For example, Orcs may attack opportunistically because they want an adventurer’s gold, not simply because a careless hero wanders into an attack radius.
A Life of Consequence – Finally, each character in EQN will have a unique story; they will not follow a predetermined path. Instead, they will seek out adventure, fame and fortune in a constantly changing sandbox world. The game will remember every choice and action that players make and will organically deliver increasing opportunities to do more of the things players like to do … from crafting armor and exploring the wilderness to purging goblins from the forests.
Introducing EverQuest Next Landmark
This winter, SOE will introduce EverQuest Next Landmark
(Landmark). Essentially, Landmark will combine the powerful and intuitive building tools SOE is using to create the fully destructible world of EQN with all of the social functionality expected from a modern MMO.
The game will feature huge persistent worlds that each support thousands of other players and varied terrain inspired by the environments of EQN. Most importantly, Landmark will provide anyone who wants to participate with the opportunity to actually build structures, and eventually create other types of content, to be considered for inclusion in EQN. Landmark will enable players to:
Create Amazing Things
– Build highly detailed structures with powerful and intuitive tools.
– Quickly design complex projects or collaborate with friends to undertake massive shared builds.
– Lay claim to and control specific areas of huge persistent worlds.Share Your Imagination with Friends
– Landmark’s persistent servers will enable players to interact with and experience the collective imagination of thousands of players in a unique shared world.
– Players will have compelling reasons to explore and interact with others. They will congregate at crafting hubs, build design templates to share and trade, and journey across the world to collect the resources required to build and craft.Build EQN with SOE — Using the Same Tools
– Landmark players will gain increasing access to many of the same tools that SOE is using to construct the game world of EQN.
– Not only will Landmark give players access to these world building tools, SOE will provide specific guidance on what we want help building.
– Through this collaborative approach, EQN may eventually represent the largest overall collaborative development effort in the history of online games. For anyone who has ever thought about becoming a game developer, here is your chance. Together we will build extraordinary things!
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Sony just loaded two more bullets into its PlayStation 4 launch arsenal.
Later this year, Sony Online Entertainment’s free-to-play MMO titles DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2 will be available for digital download on the fourth PlayStation console gaming system. Not much of a surprise for DC Universe Online, which has already established a console audience on the PS3. But it will be nice to see PlanetSide 2, previously released only for Windows PC, playable on a home console. (Now how about a new PS4 EverQuest, SOE?)
More info is likely to come next week from E3. For now, here are the first PS4 trailers for DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2!
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Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends and readers of VGBlogger!
I’m pooped after a long day of spring cleaning, which mainly consisted of about three hours of vacuuming in high humidity 90-degree heat, so I’m going to keep things short and sweet and let you proceed to browse the latest edition of Screenshot Saturday while I kick my feet up and catch up on some gaming for the rest of the night (after watching the end of the Sixers Celtics game 7, if it’s not over already). Datura and Jam Live Music Arcade need finishing up, but those require too much effort for my lazy mood right now. So, I think I’m going to dive into some Starhawk multiplayer and then sneak in some time with Max Payne 3 or Future Soldier. (Or maybe both!)
Check out all the new screenshot galleries and enjoy the remainder of your long holiday weekend!
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PS3, Xbox 360):
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LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PlayStation Vita):
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LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (Nintendo 3DS):
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DmC – Devil May Cry (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Sleeping Dogs (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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The Cave (PC, PSN, XBLA):
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Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Nintendo 3DS):
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Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack (PC, PSN, Xbox Live):
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KickBeat (PlayStation Vita):
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Jet Set Radio (PlayStation Vita):
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Resistance: Burning Skies (PlayStation Vita):
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Hitman: Absolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Dead or Alive 5 (PS3, Xbox 360):
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XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz (PlayStation Vita):
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Of Orcs and Men (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Krater (PC):
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Ys Origin (PC):
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PlanetSide 2 (PC):
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Bullet Run (PC):
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ShootMania Storm (PC):
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Spec Ops: The Line (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Gungnir (PSP):
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Bang Bang Racing (PC, PSN, XBLA):
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Dungeon Defenders – Summoner Hero Class DLC (PC):
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Auto Club Revolution (PC):
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Pro Cycling Manager 2012 (PC):
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Check Out These Links:
- Ninja Theory’s Devil May Cry Slated for January Launch
- KickBeat Brings Breakdance Kung Fu to PlayStation Vita
- LEGO Batman 2 Introduces Open-World Gotham City, Talking Minifigures
- Deathmatch Goes Portable in Resistance: Burning Skies
- Square Enix Reveals North American Kingdom Hearts 3D Collector’s Edition
- Get Ready for Square Enix’s Nintendo 3DS Summer of Fun
- Hitman: Absolution’s Special Edition is for Professionals Only
- Updated Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Infographic
- XSEED Games Now Publishing Ys Series on Steam
Multiplayer in God of War? I know, it still doesn’t sound quite right. But Sony Santa Monica has revealed its competitive ambitions for the next PlayStation 3 mythological adventure, and here you’ll find the first screenshots showing teams of Kratos wannabes fighting for the right to slay a giant cyclops.
Not to be outdone, Activision came through with the completely expected news that Call of Duty: Black Ops II is exploding onto the gaming scene this fall. The near-future Cold War premise with horseback riding and unmanned drones turned into an army of robot invaders? Now that stuff wasn’t so predictable.
For mascot kart racing fans, new screenshots for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and LittleBigPlanet Karting crossed the finish line this week. Bethesda also dropped off a screen-grab six-pack for awesome-looking first-person action game Dishonored and, proving once again that games are art, Giant Sparrow presented its beautifully abstract first-person painting adventure game, The Unfinished Swan. Just one more artsy PlayStation Network exclusive to watch out for, folks.
Other new screenshot galleries to check out this week include: Persona 4 Golden, Orgarhythm, Ragnarok Odyssey, Mario Tennis Open, GT Academy 2012, Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, The Last Story, Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles, Hitman: Absolution, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Vita, Ys Origin, Pokémon Conquest, Ms. Splosion Man, The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, Unchained Blades, Warlock: Master of the Arcane, Starvoid, Blood Bowl: Chaos Edition, Salem: The Crafting MMO, Enclave: Shadows of Twilight and Free Realms third birthday celebration.
God of War: Ascension (PS3):
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Call of Duty: Black Ops II (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita):
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LittleBigPlanet Karting (PS3):
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Dishonored (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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The Unfinished Swan (PS3/PSN/PS Move):
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Persona 4 Golden (PlayStation Vita):
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Orgarhythm (PlayStation Vita):
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Ragnarok Odyssey (PlayStation Vita):
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Mario Tennis Open (Nintendo 3DS):
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GT Academy 2012 (PSN/PS3):
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Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy (Nintendo 3DS):
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The Last Story (Nintendo Wii):
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Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles – The Avengers Table (XBLA, PSN for PS3 and Vita):
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Hitman: Absolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PlayStation Vita):
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Ys Origin (PC):
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Pokémon Conquest (Nintendo DS):
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Ms. Splosion Man – Splokour Challenge Event (XBLA):
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The Testament of Sherlock Holmes (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Unchained Blades (PSP, Nintendo 3DS):
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Warlock: Master of the Arcane (PC):
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Starvoid (PC):
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Blood Bowl: Chaos Edition (PC):
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Salem: The Crafting MMO (PC, Mac, Linux):
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Enclave: Shadows of Twilight (Nintendo Wii):
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Free Realms – Third Birthday Event (PC, Mac, PSN):
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Check Out These Links:
- Ragnarok Odyssey Shows PS Vita More RPG Love
- Orgarhythm Crossbreeds Pikmin With Patapon
- TopWare Resurrects Enclave Wii-Make
- Persona 4 Gets Remastered for PS Vita
- First-Person Painting Adventure The Unfinished Swan Waddling Onto PSN
- Mario Tennis Open Update: Multiplayer, Ink Showdown, StreetPass Features and Bonus Characters (vgblogger.com)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II Going Black to the Future
- God of War: Ascension Redefines Competitive Multiplayer
- Sony Teaser Announces God of War: Ascension
- Get Ready for Square Enix’s Nintendo 3DS Summer of Fun
- Square Enix’s 3DS Final Fantasy Rhythm Game Comes West This Summer
- Sackboy Hops Behind the Wheel in LittleBigPlanet Karting
- Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles First Look
- Zen Pinball 2 Comes to PS3 and PS Vita this Spring, Upgrade Free for Existing Zen/Marvel Pinballers
- Hitman: Absolution’s Special Edition is for Professionals Only
- XSEED Games Now Publishing Ys Series on Steam
Sony got its nation of fans into a gamer frenzy with this week’s exciting (albeit completely expected) announcement of its PS3 mascot fighting game, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. So, that’s where we’ll kick things off with this weekend’s edition of Screenshot Saturday. Not a whole lot to see from the game yet, but the first screenshots sure stir up plenty of hype and anticipation for what other characters and stages will be announced once E3 rolls around.
New pics are also in this week for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition, Battlefield 3: Close Quarters DLC, PlanetSide 2, Krater, Hitman: Absolution, Forza 4‘s Top Gear Pack, Cyanide’s Game of Thrones RPG, Gungnir and Mercenary Ops.
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3):
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Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (PS3, Xbox 360):
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Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Nintendo 3DS):
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Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition (PS3, Xbox 360):
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Battlefield 3: Close Quarters DLC (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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PlanetSide 2 (PC):
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Krater (PC):
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Hitman: Absolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Forza Motorsport 4 – Top Gear Pack (Xbox 360):
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Game of Thrones (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Gungnir (PSP):
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Mercenary Ops (PC):
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Check Out These Links:
- Sony Confirms PS3 Mascot Brawler PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
- Harley Quinn Seeks Revenge in Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition
- Hitman: Absolution’s Special Edition is for Professionals Only
- Get Ready for Square Enix’s Nintendo 3DS Summer of Fun
- Grimlock Makes Transformers: Fall of Cybertron a Must Play
There’s a saying in real estate: “Location, location, location.” Of course, the saying refers to the fact that property sells best when a house is in the best, most popular geographical spot on the map. The same mantra can be said about games and when a title is released. New, lesser known titles can be lost in the shuffle of bigger, more highly promoted titles. A prime example from last year is Alan Wake. Released on the same day as Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption, the game paled in sales compared to the juggernaut that was the tale of John Marston.
PayDay: The Heist is another such title that has a lot going for it, but the location on the release calendar buried it in the fateful shadow of Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3. Originally scheduled to be released on October 4th, PayDay was delayed by developer Overkill for two weeks, finally making its way to the gaming community on the 18th. Just one week before Battlefield 3. One week on a calendar versus three weeks to allow a community of first-person shooter gamers to play, explore and spread word of mouth praise for a game that focuses almost entirely around co-operative gameplay. Location, location, location. Did delaying the release hurt the title since gamers’ attention spans are drawn to the next big game thrust in their faces through massive ad campaigns and huge budgets, or was the wait worth it?
PayDay is a squad-based first-person shooter framed around the idea that the squad consists of hired guns given different missions to earn money. Missions are split into six unique scenarios ranging from a bank heist, stealing a panic room full of money from a drug house, to thieving diamonds from a high rise penthouse party. Missions are broken into progressive stages that fit within the context of the mission. Obviously in a bank heist you wouldn’t be able to open a safe without first obtaining either a key or the combination, and thus in the bank mission the first step is to identify and subdue the bank manager. Once that has happened all hell breaks loose. Further stages into the bank heist require drilling through the initial vault door, burning a hole in the ceiling of the actual vault and then finally extracting the money. Throughout the progressive stages, waves of police, SWAT, and FBI are sent in to attempt to stop the heist.
Another heist, and probably my favorite, is one called Panic Room. The heist revolves around stealing a large vault, or panic room, full of money from a drug house. To extract the panic room, four points of the vault need to be cut from where it is secured on the third floor of the drug house. Once those points have been cut, explosives need to be set on the roof, fifth and fourth floors, so that a helicopter can fly in with a magnetic hook to lift the panic room away. As with the bank heist, each step is met with waves of cops and federal agents attempting to stop your heisting ways.
PayDay has a lot of promise with each of the six levels and the story that is told within each, as long as you have a full squad of friends playing. I say this because while the game can be played solo, the rest of the squad AI is only good for shooting cops. Since each mission is broken down into progressive stages that require player interaction, only the player can actually do the work. That drill I mentioned during the bank heist can only be operated by an actual player. The rest of the squad will comment if the drill stops working, but won’t do anything to fix it. Playing solo can be a real chore at times, because depending on the mission and the stage within, a solo player could end up running back and forth across multiple floors, through large waves of law enforcement, simply to restart a drill or a saw. By playing with three other friends, each squad member could potentially camp the drill to make sure there isn’t any downtime while waiting for the drill to be restarted.
Aside from almost intentional crippling of the squad, PayDay has some very fun things going for it. Throughout each level there are plenty of innocent by-standers caught in the cross fire. The civilians can be told to lay down, and then be tied up and used for ransom. Sadly, the ransom only really works playing with other real players. If a squad mate is apprehended by law enforcement, a tied up civilian can be traded for the squad mate, restoring the squad to full. This is a great way to bring players back into a mission, but when playing solo, the game won’t allow ransom trades to be made if you as a solo player are caught.
Another interesting aspect of this game is the level system. There are three skill branches available for players: Assault, Sharpshooter and Support. During any heist a player can select which branch they would like to progress in by pressing the Select button and then the respective face button for the specific skill. Progression in each skill unlocks various perks that help with any heist. Perks range from better body armor, more ammo in each clip, more tie clasps for taking hostages, to better guns. Unfortunately, the explanation of leveling perks is not as clear as it could be. I know that I had to explain it more than once to folks that I met while playing online matches.
The online experience is definitely the way that the game was intended to play, as each player is able to pull their own weight when it comes to operating drills or saws, or drop ammo bags to help fend off some of the nastier waves of law enforcement the further into a heist the squad gets. Voice communication is definitely key to pulling off a successful heist, especially with the last two missions, Diamond Heist and Slaughterhouse. These two missions are intended to be played only on Hard or Overkill difficulty, which ramp up the waves of law enforcement and their armor and fire power. While the missions can be played solo, playing solo with rather dumb AI is doing a disservice to yourself and the game itself.
Playing the game with a group of good players can be almost as challenging as playing solo. What I mean by that is entering a game lobby is easy, but the host of a game can just as easily kick you from the lobby. In one play session, I finally found a good group of players who communicated well and knew the maps. But at the end of the game session I discovered that PayDay was not listed in the XMB section of “Players Met” so I couldn’t add the group to play with them again in the future. I’m not sure why this isn’t just part of all games, PayDay included.
Even with sub par squad AI for solo play, the game is still fun. Law enforcement is a bit predictable at times. As each stage within a heist is reached, the same scripted events occur, however there is enough random placement of objects required for progression to make replay not feel quite so déjà vu. Leveling up and the associated skills for each class brings a lot to the game’s addictive play. I found myself playing a heist, completing it and then immediately starting over just to see if I could finish specific challenges that are also a key component to leveling up. Challenges range from dropping ammo bags X number of times, reviving squad mates, shooting law enforcement X number of times, to shooting out surveillance cameras in a given amount of time. Each completed challenge awards money, which is how leveling up is handled within the game. Oh yeah. There are 145 levels to be earned in the game. 145 levels. That is just nuts! Each level earned unlocks new perks or weapons which make playing through each heist just a pinch easier.
So the question I asked earlier still hasn’t really been answered. Did delaying the release hurt the game? In some ways, I’m sure Overkill would’ve loved to have had the title released three weeks before Battlefield 3, and if the game had been released earlier, my guess is even more folks would be playing it. But there is definitely a community of PayDay players that are active online. Squad-based play is a blast with the right group of players and it is obvious that PayDay is meant to be played that way. Each heist has its own unique style and story that makes for a rewarding challenge when completed successfully, and there are plenty of perks to unlock and levels to earn to keep you going back for more. For $20, PayDay: The Heist is a crime spree worth going on.
Pros:
+ Great squad multiplayer game
+ Tons of leveling for better perks
+ Fun, unique maps
Cons:
– Single player AI squad mates can be frustrating
– No local split screen
– Perk leveling isn’t explained very clearly
Game Info:
Platform: Reviewed on PS3 via PSN; also available on PC
Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
Developer: OVERKILL Software
Release Date: PSN – 10/18/2011; PC – 10/20/2011
Genre: FPS
ESRB Rating: Mature
Players: 1-4
Source: Review code provided by publisher
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Platform gaming hasn’t changed too much since the original Super Mario Bros. Sure, higher resolutions, complex textures, 3D models in 2D environments, and complex inventory systems may add to a platformer, but the idea hasn’t changed over the years: Run to the right, jump or shoot an enemy, save the girl. Platform gaming doesn’t necessarily need to be re-invented to become fresh again, as the original formula still works most of the time. However, when a new idea or concept does come along, married to tight controls and a unique art style, platformin can feel fresh and dope and ‘2 legit 2 quit’.
Alright, you caught me. I’m not hip to the hop of the OG ways of the street. But I do know that Sideway: New York is one seriously cool title that brings platforming to the next level. Playing as Nox, you are brought into a world of graffiti and hip-hop, in the streets of New York, trying to rescue your girlfriend. The catch is you ARE graffiti. Somehow Nox has been sucked into the art on the buildings and has to jump over various 3D objects to get around or deal with enemies sent to stop him from saving his girl.
In addition to dealing with 2D graffiti art painted in Nox’s way, the 3D buildings that he runs across also pose as another potential puzzle issue. By that I mean, running along one side of a building is the typical method of gameplay, but come to the edge of the building (or rooftop), and suddenly the camera and building shift perspective so that either the new side of the building (or rooftop) becomes the main plane for traversal. Moving sideways across buildings and then suddenly finding Nox walking across the top of a building as if he was still walking on the side takes a moment for the old brain box to comprehend, but once it has, a radiant wave of, “Holy crap that is cool….why hasn’t anyone put this in a game before!?”, washes over you and suddenly you are hooked.
Throughout each level there are decals of little cans of spray paint to collect as well as power-ups and unique collectible decals to hunt for. Some areas can only be reached after certain powers have been unlocked, giving the levels a Zelda-like design approach with the intention of replay in mind. There are plenty of items that can be seen but not necessarily reached without some planning and exploration, so gamers with OCD (or trophy hunters) will think they’ve died and gone to collectible heaven.
In addition to an art style that is inspired by graffiti, the music, based around hip hop grooves, immediately grabbed me and really submersed me into the game’s street culture world. I admit that hip hop is not my cup of tea, but the original soundtrack created by Mr. Lif fits so perfectly with the visuals that I found myself boppin’ along and even stopped moving through the environment so that I could just listen and enjoy the music. That being said, I wish there were a few more tracks created for the game, as the same songs repeated over and over became a bit much by the end.
Tone of the music changes as well as the art style as progress is made through the game. Initially the levels are very reminiscent of a typical neighborhood block, but once the first boss (a mean bunny of all things) is defeated, the journey continues into darker, utilitarian-like levels, with a stop through Chinatown for an extra measure of quirkiness. Of course, the further into the world you go, the harder the challenges and new enemy types become. Some levels (or particular sections in levels) are downright maddening and high reflexes are a must. You better be ready to time every jump perfectly or death is inevitable.
Unlike other platformers, Sideway knows that the levels can be tricky and fortunately doesn’t count the number of lives a player has. Instead, checkpoints are spread throughout each level and simply crossing them will save your current progress so if death does occur, re-spawning only sets you back a short distance. The re-spawn mechanism works really well, but I found myself compelled to move forward, because it was obvious where I made my mistake, and I just needed to adjust my timing to get through the particular section that was causing me grief.
In addition to a great visual feast, head boppin’ music, and excellent replay value, Sideway also includes couch co-op. Two players moving through a level can be a bit crazy at times with so many moving components going on at once, but during boss battles, co-op lends an advantage to gamers. In particular, I found myself having a very difficult time beating the last boss (before the last boss) but my son joined up and the AI routine focused all targeting on him which allowed me free reign to attack the boss. What took 10 or more failed attempts by myself in solo play, only took my son and I two tries before we moved onto the final level.
Sideway: New York is a fantastic downloadable game and is worthy of the price. With an ending that ensures more areas are planned, I can’t wait to see what graffiti art style will be highlighted in future installments. The controls are perfect for quickly moving through the richly detailed levels, but you may find some moments of frustration as enemies at times feel a bit unbalanced against you. Music really brings the world to life, and couch co-op adds one more element of fun to an already rich, replayable game. Fans of platforming should not overlook this new title.
Pros:
+ Awesome graffiti art style
+ Plenty of collectibles for replayability
+ Unique 3D world puzzles in a 2D platform game style
+ Fresh, dope music
Cons:
– Overwhelming enemy balance in certain sections
– Boss battles can be overly challenging
– Couch co-op only
Game Info:
Platform: PS3 via PSN
Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
Developer: Playbrains, Fuel Industries
Release Date: 10/11/2011
Genre: Platformer
ESRB Rating: E10+
Players: 1-2
Source: Review code provided by publisher
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]]>One catch to that, however, is that the new date only covers the U.S. PlayStation Network launch, as dates for the European PSN and the PC version in both regions are still being worked out. In the U.S., the digital download game will cost $19.99.
An outline of key features is listed below, and at the top of the page you can find the latest gameplay trailer showcasing the game’s tough slaughterhouse heist.
]]>KEY FEATURES
– Six High-Intensity Heists: Whether you’re blowing the roof off a building to extract a safe via helicopter or emptying the vault at the First World Bank, these action-packed heists will have players on edge and always checking their six.
– Interactive Co-op Gameplay: Whether AI or live, your crew of four must operate as one to bring in the “big score.” Sharing extra ammo and med kits, helping regenerate wounded partners, guarding key positions, taking civilian hostages or cracking through various security measures – it’s all for one and one for all.
– Endless Replayability: Dynamic environments, adaptive enemy behavior, shifting entry points, FBI agents repelling through skylights on ropes, SWAT teams crashing through the windows and special units crawling through the ventilation shafts makes each play-through of every heist a unique fight.
– Massive Character Progression Tree: Players choose a specialty — assault, sharpshooter or support — to gain weapons and equipment that fit their preferred form of violence. Unlock trip mines, silenced pistols, machine guns and much, much more.
– Shout-Out Button: Players need to be vocal and shout commands and directions to the co-op crew, as well as hostages and the police if they want to survive to spend their cut of the take.
– Hostage Trading: Hostages can be used as lifelines. If anyone in the crew is taken into custody, trade hostages to get crewmembers back and increase the odds of completing your objectives.
– PlayStation®3 system or PC*: For keyboard and mouse marksman, as well as handheld controller snipers, PAYDAY is the uber-FPS for a high intensity shooter fix. *PC release date to be announced.
– More DLC: Additional heists, weapons and equipment means PAYDAY — a digitally distributed AAA quality title for less than half the price of a retail game — is total OVERKILL.