You submitted the questions, we got the answers. Following on from our 'Ask Your Questions' article, Insomniac's James Stevenson has been kind enough to answer your questions regarding Resistance 3, which is almost upon us. Better get cracking, then.

Will Nathan Hale show his alien, bullet-riddled face in Resistance 3? What will post-release DLC comprise of? What does the future hold for the Resistance series? All these questions, and more, have answers below. Have fun.

Is Resistance 3 going to answer the major questions regarding the history of the Resistance universe? In particular, are we finally going to see the complete picture of who the Chimera are, where they came from, and what is their relationship to Earth and humanity?

For the players dying to know more about the mythos and the lore, there are lots of nuggets hidden throughout the game. The overall story of the game is more about one man and his journey across the country, though, rather than necessarily getting into the high-level story about the Chimera themselves.

How long will the Resistance 3 campaign be?

It’s around the same as the others; give or take your skill, and difficulty level, maybe a shade shorter. We think it’s a varied and well-paced campaign though, and should be really satisfying. Plus, you can replay on a higher difficulty level to continue levelling your weapons up.

What have you, Insomniac Games, learned on the Resistance 3 project that you wish had been more apparent when developing the previous installments?

Just having time to play the game was such a luxury. Moving to a three-year development cycle allowed us to really step back and take a look at the game as a whole with months to go. In the past, at that point we would’ve been scrambling to finish the game. This time we were able to make major changes in pacing and training of players, and it made a huge difference for Resistance 3.

Will we get online trophies via post-release DLC?

We will have some DLC, but we won’t be adding any trophies in the DLC. For us, we wanted the full trophy suite to be available to campaign/co-op players, and to allow medals and statistics to form MP side of it for those that like it.

In split screen co-op mode, will you be able to use two Move controllers and two navigators?

No, it will be Dualshock only for split screen.

Is Resistance 3 going to have that same cooperative perk system the second one had? Or is it going to be a more streamlined experience?

We actually are back to campaign co-op for Resistance 3. One of the big reasons we shifted was due to overwhelming fan feedback on Resistance 2 that they were disappointed, so we removed it. Furthermore we knew that, to get the level of polish on R3 that we required, we would have to reduce the scope. So making sure our co-op was playable through the campaign, instead of as a separate co-op campaign, was huge in that goal.

What's been the biggest influence on the design around the third game? What did you absolutely want to make better?

The biggest thing we wanted to do this time was create a very focussed, atmospheric experience. We wanted to tell the personal story of Joseph Capelli – and not make another military shooter. So, we looked at a lot of great films that do a really good job showcasing a brutal personal journey. For instance, The Road was a big influence. And on the game side, we looked at Half-Life 2 and Metro 2033, both very atmospheric experiences.

Will Nathan Hale make a return or be referenced in one form or another?

We actually discussed this quite a bit at the beginning of production. Should Hale come back? Should he be a major boss in the game? In the end, we felt like it’d be really cheesy to revive him, and that his legacy would be best left if we kept him buried.

Just how far across America can we be expected to hike?

So far! From Haven, Oklahoma to New York City. Let’s just say you couldn’t make a day-hike out of it.

With Insomniac branching into multiplatform games like Overstrike, are there plans to introduce Xbox gamers to the Resistance series?

Sony owns the Resistance IP, so it’s unlikely that that will happen.

Just how much will Resistance 3 expand and possibly shake up the canon of the series? Could we expect to see a future game set on an alien world?

You know, the Resistance universe is so vast that there are many, many possibilities for a tonne of exploration. So, who knows! There’s already a future game announced for PlayStation Vita that’s being developed by Nihilistic, called Resistance: Burning Skies, which will take you back to the US invasion.

Will Resistance take a back seat after Resistance 3, so Insomniac can focus on Overstrike or Ratchet & Clank?

We’re just focussed on supporting Resistance 3, getting Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One out of the door, and continuing development on Overstrike and our Insomniac Click Facebook game. As far as what else is down the road, anything is possible!

Many fans were upset with the general tone of Resistance 2. Do you think Resistance 3 rectifies this and aims to please the core fans more?

We like to think Resistance 3 combines the best parts of Fall of Man and R2. The result is the definitive Resistance experience for fans of the series. I think when they get their hands on it they will feel the same way.


And one very specific one from a reader:

This is a really important question, because I really want to buy the Survivor Edition but I currently live in Germany, so I have to know if the German (USK) version of R3 comes with the English language pack or not.

If English is set as your primary language on your PS3, it should automatically be in English. So, yes!

Thanks to all you who you sent questions in, and thank to James Stevenson and Ryan Schneider for the interview. Be sure to stick around, as we have many more games and developers simply queuing up for a GGTL interview in the near future, including one for an upcoming Bethesda game.

...if only I could remember what it was called.

Labels: 2011, Community Interview, Exclusive, Insomniac Games, Interview, PlayStation 3, PS3, Resistance, Resistance 3, Sony

File this under 'Movie-game tie-ins that sucked a lot less than they could have'. Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue isn't a great game, but then, it was harder to tell back then, wasn't it? I was seven years old in 1999. It's sometimes tempting to approach things with the same critical eye as a seven year-old and grade things on a scale of fun and voraciousness; if we want to keep playing - even if we don't know why - the game is good. And, by those merits, Toy Story 2 isn't much worse than the 3D platformers it's copying, such as Super Mario 64. Is the hassle of good game design really worthwhile when you can produce the same enjoyment with a clunky movie-game?

I guess a seven year-old doesn't really know what it means to call platforming 'clunky'. It means this: Buzz Lightyear moves with the inertia of a spinning top. He's overly lithe and prone to bounding past or falling short of whatever destination you'd intended for him. You'll never be able to make a jump in good faith that you'll land safely, and whatever sense of depth perception you have should be left at the door.

And then there's the story. Like any good 3D platformer, you're running around performing idiotic tasks for friends Hamm, Slinky, and Rex, in order to collect important objects; namely, Pizza Planet tokens, which are required to progress to new levels, the last of sees you rescuing Woody. Presumably, Hamm, Slinky, and Rex are on your side, and presumably they'd like to rescue Woody, too. They've access to these powerful Pizza Planet tokens, but curiously they won't give them to you unless you've collected fifty coins, saved six army men or beaten them in a race around Andy's backyard.

...some friends.

It doesn't make sense, but this is a game I spent a lot of time with when I was seven. Playing it, I can't help but reconnect dots between my seven-year-old self and my nineteen-year-old self. Twelve years ago, I was in this digital playground, and twelve years later I still enjoy it. It's familiar, too; I'd be lying if I said that I really thought games twelve years ago were that different from today, at least in the ways that matter.

Red Dead Redemption, for instance, is essentially Toy Story 2; a giant world that you explore and gain help from strangers inside, in exchange for help with their myriad problems, from herding sheep to hog-tying outlaws. The biggest improvement we've made since Toy Story 2 is how to create characters who are willing to put up with the fickleness of NPCs. More than anything, NPCs are selfish jerks, but our protagonists are written to be more patient, so it evens out. Our ability to justify gameplay in the context of a plot is increasing.

I can't think of any way to measure 'fun'. I could say that I have just as much fun playing Toy Story 2 as I do playing Red Dead, and there would be virtually no way to back it up or prove otherwise. So, let's explain it like this: Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue is as much fun as Red Dead Redemption, but it's not as consumable. I get tired of Toy Story 2 much more quickly than I do Red Dead Redemption. There are huge amounts of effort put into creating a world in Red Dead that obfuscates just how video game-y it is; incentive to come back, incentive to replay, and incentive to never leave.

The biggest improvement over the last dozen years? Games' ability to rope you in and never let you go. You don't just want to play video games anymore; you want to be lost in them. Games' gameplay, mechanics and stories have all taken baby steps compared to the expansion of their knowledge in how to hook you with meta scores, achievements and volume of content. You're getting more for your money than you ever have before.

Isn't that nice?

Labels: 2011, Feature, Parker Scott Mortensen, PlayStation, PS1, Sony, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue

A few weeks ago, reports surfaced that David O. Russell - director of films such as Three Kings and last year’s The Fighter - had left the Uncharted movie, and that Columbia Pictures is looking for a new treatment. This is just as well; Russell’s treatment of the Uncharted movie as it stood showed a profound lack of understanding as to what makes the franchise popular. Rather than an Indiana Jones-esque hunt for ancient treasure, Russell imagined a family (yes, family) of treasure hunters, emphasising the family dynamic over the adventure elements. Russell also cast Mark Wahlberg as Nathan Drake, but I’m not prepared to hold that against either of them just yet, despite having already seen and walked out of Max Payne.

Russell may be gone, but Columbia and Sony both seem bound and determined to make an Uncharted movie happen, and are currently searching for both a new script and director. The gaming community has largely celebrated the departure of Russell from the project, but many still feel that an Uncharted movie is unnecessary, redundant, and takes away from what is otherwise a very strong franchise. They don’t want a 'good' Uncharted movie; they simply don’t want a movie at all.

The argument goes something like this: the Uncharted series was based on old 1930s adventure serials, where affable explorers searched exotic lands for lost treasure, as well as the properties influenced by them over the years, such as Carl Barks’ Uncle Scrooge comics, and George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg’s Indiana Jones franchise. The Uncharted games themselves have been painstakingly designed as cinematic experiences, giving gamers the feel of a playing through one of these adventure movies. Why would studios want to take a property so steeped in cinema, but so assisted by the interactivity of a game, and turn it back into a movie? It would be like the novelisation of a movie based on a book, or Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game.

With the shaky initial treatment and the game-based movie’s reputation for poor quality (according to Rotten Tomatoes, the highest-ranking game movie so far is Final Fantasy: The Spirit Within - take from that what you will), it’s understandable why many Uncharted fans simply want Hollywood to leave the precious franchise alone. Let it simply be a good game, and don’t sully its name by attaching it to a poorly-executed film project. Personally, though, I’m excited that the project continues to move forward, because Uncharted has the potential to make a great film.

First, Uncharted’s narrative structure is more suited to film adaptation than previous games-turned-movies. Naughty Dog went to great lengths to put players in the role of a top-tier Hollywood blockbuster, and crafted the story and narrative to have more in common with Raiders of the Lost Ark than Modern Warfare 2. Rather than challenging the player with repetitive, mechanic-heavy experiences, Uncharted’s story provides both players and spectators with wondrous sights, quickly moving from one area to the next in a flurry of pitch-perfect pacing.

Also, unlike most games (but similarly to most good movies), Uncharted roots itself firmly in well-developed, compelling characters. It’s the characters in Uncharted who drive the action, instead of the level design or the player, allowing the whole experience to unfold naturally, rather than through cutscenes or ham-fisted plot points. Uncharted excels in character portrayal and development — Nathan Drake, Elena, and Sully are three of the strongest characters in gaming, with personalities, histories, and chemistry all of their own, much like memorable movie characters. Even if all gameplay was distilled from Uncharted, the strength of its cast would still be enough to pull the entire experience, and it’s this strength of character that makes Uncharted a perfect choice for film adaptation.

Lastly (and I may be alone in thinking this), the world just needs another awesome adventure movie. Not a bunch of CGI explosions, bullet-time moments, or slow motion running standing in for entertainment; but a good, solid adventure story that takes audiences to new, exotic places and makes them feel like intrepid explorers alongside the main protagonists. Certainly it would be a bit derivative, but the Romancing the Stone or National Treasure series haven’t suffered from feeling slightly familiar. Uncharted is one of gaming’s premier adventure franchises, and I see no reason to keep a fun, exciting property like this out of the hands of movie lovers everywhere.

Who knows whether or not this project will even be active going forward (remember the Halo movie?), but I think it would be a crying shame if a wonderfully cinematic franchise like Uncharted weren’t able to somehow be realised on the big screen. Sony and Columbia: take as much time as you need to build this project into the epic bastion of cinema it deserves. I’ll thank you with my wallet.

Labels: 2011, Andrew Testerman, Columbia Pictures, Feature, Film tie-in, Sony, Sony Pictures, Uncharted, Uncharted movie

This article contains information about PlayStation Store content relevant to the U.S. PSN region, but may not necessarily be applicable to other regions.

It's been a long wait, but the PlayStation Network is finally back. You can now sign in, message your friends, play games online, and return to purchasing. But, wait a second, the PlayStation Store isn’t up again yet, is it?

Nope. Oh balls.

The PlayStation Store is the thing I have missed most during the PSN outage, and although our online games shopping centre hasn't quite reopened yet, now that the PSN is back to running on most of its cylinders it’s only a matter of time before we can all begin a collective shopping spree. In celebration I've decided to guide you through my planned purchases, whilst simultaneously recommending some awesome games currently available on the PSN. Where do we start?

Well, with the classics, of course!

I have been clutching a PlayStation controller in my hands since 1997, so I’m pretty familiar with a lot of the original PlayStation's games, many of which I just can’t wait to replay. Now, I know there are many of you out there who missed the PS1 golden age, and given the virtual sea of PS1 classic games to choose from on the PSN (not all of which are worth your money), I’m here to help you out. There are a few real gems in the PS1 classics section of the PlayStation store; here are just a few that I'd suggest you take a look at.

Bloody Roar 2

If you like fighting games, and don’t mind stepping into some 1999 graphics, Bloody Roar 2 is worth a look; a 3D fighter (think Tekken), which gives you the opportunity to control eleven distinct fighters, in combo-heavy hand-to-hand matches. The major selling point? Like those lovable Autobots and Decepticons, these fighters are actually much more than what meets the eye. All the fighters in the game have been genetically altered, and can transform into a human/beast hybrid mid-battle. Wolfmen, bunny ladies and weird insect dudes; Bloody Roar has them all. It's easy to recommend Bloody Roar 2 over its predecessor, as it offers more characters and modes, as well as better graphics than the original, albeit first-generation PS1 graphics.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Simply put, Symphony of the Night is Castlevania at its best. If you have no idea what Castlevania is, then I weep for your soul. In a nutshell, the Castlevania series of games follows the Belmont clan of vampire hunters throughout the generations, in their seemingly eternal fight against Dracula, the vampire king. Unlike the recent Lords of Shadow, the classic Castlevania games are strictly a 2D affair, heavy on the plaforming and the battling. Imagine Megaman with a mediaeval vampiric gothic twist, and you’ll start to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Symphony of the Night is the central gem in the Castlevania crown. The game follows the story of Alucard, the son of Dracula, as he braves the dangers of Dracula’s castles. It's 2D platforming at its best, with just a smidgen of RPG-style character growth. With a great plot, gorgeous art style and pitch-perfect gameplay, how can you live with yourself knowing that this classic is just a download away, but you've never bought it?

Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

Ever wonder what the guys at Naughty Dog - the developer famous for creating the Uncharted and Jak and Daxter games - were doing way back in the nineties? Look no further, my young padawan: Crash Bandicoot is what they were doing.

Sony’s premiere mascot and the PlayStation’s response to Mario, Crash is a cartoon-looking bandicoot – yes, they're actual animals – who wears jeans and has a liking for jumping on things. The Crash Bandicoot games were the best 3D platformers the original PlayStation ever saw, exuding all of the great production values that Naughty Dog is famous for. For a few laughs and some genuinely enjoyable platforming, Crash is the way to go. The third game in the series is easily the best of the lot, but you can go ahead and get all three - you certainly won’t regret it.

Final Fantasy IX

Back in the 1990’s, Squaresoft - now known as Square Enix - was on a roll. When Final Fantasy VII was rolled out on the PlayStation 1, no one could know that it was the game that would define that generation of gamers. Expectations were high for each subsequent game, and for the most part Squaresoft did not disappoint. The PSOne was home to three main-series Final Fantasy games, all of which were astounding. Now, we all know that Final Fantasy VII is an easy recommendation, but some of you might have overlooked the somewhat underrated Final Fantasy IX, which, looking back, is one of my favourite games in the series.

After the modern styles of Final Fantasy VII and VIII, Squaresoft decided to revisit its roots in Final Fantasy IX. Everything from the character design to the battle system is a throwback to the company’s SNES-era Final Fantasy titles; you can count that crystals, castles, airships, unlikely heroes and princesses will all make an appearance. The eight characters in the game mostly correspond to one of the classic 'jobs' that the series is known for - thief, white mage, blue mage, black mage, summoner, etc. - and all are compelling, unique and likeable. This is a Final Fantasy game, so - surely enough - the plot is epic and will have you in a battle for the fate of the world itself. A classic RPG through and through, if you can tolerate the classic sensibilities of the game, Final Fantasy IX is well worth your time.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

The original Resident Evil started it all. Resident Evil 2 is perhaps still the definitive game in the series for most gamers who played the classic titles. Resident Evil 3, however... well, it just was. The critics knew the game was great, but it simply wasn’t as successful as its predecessors. Chances are, you probably didn’t play this game either. I can guarantee you’re missing out on some of the best survival horror to ever come from Capcom.

In Resident Evil 3, you play as Jill Valentine, protagonist of the original game, as she desperately attempts to escape Raccoon City whilst it is being overrun by zombies. To complicate matters further, Umbrella Corporation has developed a bioweapon, designed exclusively to track and kill Jill, called 'The Nemesis'. Resident Evil 3 plays just like its predecessors, with the series' classic controls, but the Nemesis creature really adds something new to the mix; specifically, jump-out-of-your-seat terror. The Nemesis will show up repeatedly and unexpectedly throughout the game, and unlike the other creatures you face, it will follow you through every door and up every staircase, until you choose to face him. To put this simply, all these years later I can still remember how much Nemesis scared the shit out of me. Are you ready to be scared?

Metal Gear Solid

You’ve heard about those nifty action/stealth games called Metal Gear, right? Well, this is the game that started it all. Metal Gear Solid isn’t the first game in the Metal Gear series, but was the first of them to be infused with the cinematic style and stealth gameplay the series has become famous for since.

Like Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid was a console-defining game. At the time, nobody had seen anything like it, and its legacy is still palpable today. If you haven’t played this game, you should. 'Nuff said.


So, there you have it: my list of must-have PlayStation 1 classics. Make sure to download at least one of these classics if you can once the PlayStation Store is back up. And if you have any personal PS1 favorites that get you all teary-eyed, don’t be greedy: share your opinions in the comments below.

Labels: 2011, Bloody Roar, Castlevania, Classic Consoles, Columns, Crash Bandicoot, Final Fantasy, Joey Núñez, Metal Gear Solid, PlayStation, PS1, PSone, RePlay, Resident Evil, Sony

E3 isn't far off. As a matter of fact, we're actually less than a month away from experiencing all the news and delicacies that keep you drooling at the mouth annually. There's quite the lineup this year and, with big-name rumours alongside inevitable surprises, I'll take a chance here and say that this year will be one of the more definitive conferences.

Saying that, it's time we made a wishlist of what we're expecting to see at E3 2011.

One of the most anticipated announcements will come with Nintendo's press conference. Should they unveil the Wii's successor, some sort of cataclysm will surely surround the L.A. Convention Center. With developers already speaking out about it, I'm pretty certain that this rumour will turn out to be true, and we'll get some beefy details on the Super Nintendo Wii, along with its assortment of games. Will it have connection options with the 3DS? Will it play GameCube and Wii titles? How about the stuff we've already bought off the Nintendo Shop? I have no doubt this will all be addressed, and hopefully Nintendo will stick with what they've been saying and will garner more third-party support for their new platform. No crazy ass controllers with LCD screens can make up for the same shoddy lineup we've been receiving with the Wii.


Along the lines of new platforms, Sony has something to reveal in the form of their 'Next Generation Portable', or NGP, the working title of the PSP's new successor. Their press conference will likely delve into the madness that was the PSN outage, but I fully expect Kaz Hirai and his entourage to lighten the mood with some excellent announcements and further information on the NGP. After that, maybe we'll get some definite dates on The Last Guardian, and more Twisted Metal news. Oh, yeah, and you can't forget that Naughty Dog will undoubtedly be present showing off more Uncharted 3 goodness. Epic is almost certainly going to be showing Gears of War 3 at Microsoft's press conference, and with Killzone 3 already out, an Uncharted 3 stage demo is almost certain to happen.

The biggest tease going around at this moment is the Modern Warfare 3 quadra-trailer apocalypse. Regardless of what it looks like, the game is going to sell, but a lot rides on its execution. With the original Infinity Ward all but gone, the new staff have tremendous pressure on them to deliver a stellar, triple-A experience. If not, you'll probably find Call of Duty heading even further towards the waste basket than you previously realised.

Speaking of Infinity Ward...


Respawn, the new studio under EA headed up by major ex-Infinity Ward employees, has been extremely quiet. We know they're working on a new project but the legal troubles they've been tied up in with Activision is more than likely impeding their progress. I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't hear anything at all from them this E3, but then again, EA has invested valuable resources in this project, so maybe something might manifest on the showroom floor.

Since we're on the topic of shooters, Gears of War 3 should have a tremendous presence this year, but I am expecting a reveal of the next Halo game sometime soon as well. Whether it be at Halo Fest later this August in Seattle, or at E3 next month, you know its coming. Plus, since we already know the remake of Halo: Combat Evolved is on the way, the new game could be closer than originally anticipated. Regardless of all this Uncharted, Gears, and Halo talk, my main hope and concern is that we're honoured with some solid info on Half-Life 2: Episode 3. It's been in the works for just about forever, and what with the Portal 2 release version containing more than a few Half-Life easter eggs, I'd be ecstatic to see that their next project is, indeed, this. Also, maybe seeing some Defense of the Ancients 2 footage wouldn't hurt either?


BioWare should, once again, set the show on fire with another tantalising The Old Republic trailer. I'm expecting more news on it, but I'd be taken aback if more people weren't actually playing the game this year than talking about it. Mass Effect 3 should also have its own panel Q&A sessions, and surely we'll be bombarded with information, since its release isn't too far off (beginning of 2012). I'd also like to hear gasps of excitement when Team Ninja shows new gameplay from Ninja Gaiden 3. Will it happen? Who knows, but we haven't had any news on it since the original teaser. Whyever not now?

Batman: Arkham City is going to be a great game, but new gameplay footage wouldn't hurt its cause. Starhawk, too, should be making its first official appearance, so we'll see what the big deal is behind the "spiritual successor" to Warhawk. Other than that, there's quite a bit else I'd like to jump into, but we'll have to wait to see what E3 brings. As long as I get an answer on HL2: Episode 3, see some Duke Nukem gameplay again, and get my questions about the new hardware aligned, I'll be a happy camper.

Oh, and I almost completely forgot. Dark Souls is going to be there. I really would like to see more of that heinous game.

How about all of you? Are there any games that you're wanting to make an appearance? What's your most anticipated of E3 2011? Sound off in the comments section below!

Labels: 2011, Andrew Whipple III, E3 2011, Epic Games, Gears of War 3, Microsoft, Naughty Dog, Nintendo, Sony, Uncharted 3

I own a PS3. In fact, I've owned every Playstation console. I've followed the Metal Gear Solid series from humble beginnings to tired old end, played over a decade of FIFAs on a Dualshock, and booted up all three machines countless times. I really like my Playstation 3.

But I'd never fight for it.

I own a PS3 for a plethora of totally inconsequential reasons. When 2007 rolled around, I decided to plump up the extra money due to little things; I was much more comfortable with the Sony controller, I wanted to finish off exclusive series, I had some old Playstation games I didn't want to become obsolete. It was just habit. If I had the money, I'd buy an Xbox 360. And I'd really like it, too - for different reasons, obviously. Maybe I'd make a snap judgement like 'Nah, I don't like the buttons on the controller much' or 'I dislike the green colour scheme', and then I'd be favouring one console over another. But do you see how absolutely minute the details are there? How utterly trivial the minor discrepancies between green and red, Sony and Microsoft, PS3 and 360 are? At the end of the day, they both play games, and all I want to do is play games. Whichever I use, I win.

That's just a brief outline of why I hate fanboys with an undying passion. Occasionally, there's a story or event that brings these gormless, cowardly fools into the deadly pits of forums and websites across the internet, where they ooze out senseless propaganda and whip up scornful hatred again the 'opposing side', because... well, I'm not really sure. For some reason, one of those machines is infinity better than the other due to [insert minor difference here]. Duh.


So, the PSN is down. The online service that connects the Playstation universe has fallen to unknown forces, and rumour is rife. It's the perfect storm for flame wars, as users complain how incompetent Sony is, or remind others that Xbox Live went down once, for a while, and that the PSN being down proves nothing/proves everything. But when you step back for a minute, and just lay down your internet quill, you may come to a different conclusion:

A free service that users have no absolute right to has been taken down, possibly due to a very large security threat, and no one has much control over the situation.

For some reason, IGN decided to get involved in all of this, demanding answers, putting a useless, fanboy-baiting, size 72 'Yes/No' sign up, and just generally trying to cause as much of a stir as possible. Various websites reported on Sony fans thanking the Playstation Blog for continued updates, even if all they did was update on the lack of updates, and the internet basically dissolved into a riotous street brawl, full of misspelt swear words and insinuations.

It's very frustrating to watch all this. There seem to be two views on dealing with PSN downtime - either rise up with your comrades and demand compensation from Sony, or do other stuff. The 'do other stuff camp' seems insistent on dressing up as your mother and patronizing you about how it's such a warm day outside, and you should get a life and go make some friends. It's very much a time for extremism.

It really shouldn't be. While it's true that the PSN is down, and you can't play games online, it's really no cause for all this anger. I'm using my very limited economic knowledge to guess that, oh, I don't know, bringing down the online capabilities of a machine owned by millions probably isn't good for business. So, Sony aren't secretly holding PSN down to mess with people, or to frame some internet group, or to validate any other childish rumour; their service went down because of circumstances we do not fully understand. No one really had a choice. And yet there are so many posts and threads demanding compensation, that this is an outrage, and so-and-so should be shot. This too shall pass.

Everyone, just chill out.

Labels: 2011, Chris, Chris Hawke, Fanboys, Microsoft, PlayStation, PSN, Sony, Xbox 360

Damn, do I love Uncharted. It's like some wonderful, God-given genius took those brilliant and (in retrospect) pretty creepy Willard Price books and made them playable. Action, adventure, shootouts and standoffs; hidden treasures deep in secluded jungles, marvellous puzzles epic in scale, Arctic caves filled with dangerous monsters, beautiful damsels in distress and fiendish villains out for vengeance. Gaming doesn't get much better than swinging from ancient ropes to crumbling ruins, the thrill of the unexplored pushing you forward.

Except, Uncharted 2 disgusts me. The gameplay is sheer awesome, no doubt about it. It can get testing when the same old shotgun-totting bad guy takes four clips to finally bring down, but it's a speck in a snow-covered plain of excellency. No: the trouble lies with the plot. Most notably, a somewhat celebrated 'hero' by the name of...

Drake. Nathan Drake.

"But he's so charming!" Fans swoon and weaken at the knees as they gaze upon his gel-ridden hair and five o'clock shadow. He's got all the trappings of a modern day American Bond - the witty comments, the boyish charm, the sexual appeal and the acrobatic prowess of a dastardly, attractive mountain goat. How can anyone possibly hate him?

Simple.

He's a mass-murdering butcher.

"Kitty got wet!" he triumphantly boasts, as he throws a man two hundred feet from a clifftop to be dashed on the rocks below. That man had a family. Judith, his loving wife, and their beautiful baby daughter (Gertrude) were expecting him home in just a few weeks. He had a life; he was full of cares and dreams, hopes and ambitions. He only joined the private military to earn money so he could send his child to school - he'd never actually kill anyone! But then, Nathan Drake waltzes along, all skin-tight jeans and smug grin, and pulls him off a ledge to his death. And then makes a funny remark.

What the hell does "kitty got wet" even mean?! Who is the kitty? Why did they get wet? Don't you mean "Man just got thrown off ledge TO HIS DEATH"?

Take one of the first missions: a night-time theft in Istanbul. What jolly japes will Drake and co. get up to this time, gallivanting about the globe? Oh look, it's the mass murder of Turkish innocents! You may laugh, but think about it. Drake wants a map. The map is an a jug-type-thing in Turkey. So, naturally, Nate sneaks in, disables the security systems and kills guards by throwing them off ledges or cracking their necks. Those that he doesn't kill, he gives severe brain damage to by choking them. If someone did that in real life, it would be an immeasurably monstrous act; a selfish desire leading to the murder of several, totally innocent civilians, only doing their job. How is this man a hero? How can any player get behind a character who is perfectly content to cut lives short for his own petty gains?

Not personal enough for you? Then remember Jeff, the quiet yet diligent cameraman for Elena's documentary. He's only in Nepal because this is his job. Who knows; maybe he has a crush on Elena, and is building up the courage to ask her out, or maybe he has a family back home. He's an innocent passenger in the Drake whirlwind. And, of course, he gets shot. In the face. With bullets. One could easily blame Drake for bringing the soldiers to their hiding place, and getting them into the mess in the first place, but let's be kind and forget that. Jeff gets shot. Drake and Elena run away. And, I kid you not, a mere minute later, she asks Drake whether he's OK. 'Nothing that won't heal', he responds. They share a giggle.

Seriously? Jeff literally just died! Are you over it that quickly? Does death not matter to Drake? This morally corrupted and viscously lethal man is meant to be the hero here; he's the one supposed to stand up to evil, protect the good of the people and saving others. Yet all he does is kill, kill, and then makes jokes about killing. At this point in the game, Lazarevic has killed a total of two people. Drake has killed well into the hundreds, possibly thousands. Now, from those figures, who do you think the audience should be routing for?

Take one final, crushing example. The Tibetan village. Remember? You could pet the Yaks, play football with the kids and greet the locals. It was peaceful, pulchritudinous (good word, no?), and idyllic. The people were happy, engaged in simple arable labour. Everyone had a smile on their face.

Then Drake struts in. A quick hike in the mountains later, and the place has burnt to the ground. You even join in the fight, to see your handiwork; dead bodies strewn about the place as mounted guns slice through the harmonious community. Brilliant work, Nathan, leading tanks and soldiers straight into one of the most amazing villages we've ever come across. Thanks for that.

And what is this all for? A secret city, inhabited by blue people. What does Drake do? He kills the blue people and blows up the city. It's just stupid. Nathan Drake has a killcount in the thousands; some innocent, some aggressors. He's led his mortal enemy to the secret city of Shambhala, where Lazarevic becomes semi-invincible. Drake has to kill him, and in doing so destroys the city forever. Drake has come all that way, spilt all that blood, only in order to demolish what he was after.

There was an uproar over the use of the word 'Taliban' in Medal of Honor. People worried that Grand Theft Auto IV might promote violence. Yet no one said a word when Drake started his rampage, teaching people all over the world that 'Hey, it's fine so long as you get what you want in the end! Or destroy it!'. I'm not the sort of person to cry 'Think of the children!' every time someone shoots a gun in gaming, but what baffles me is that Nathan Drake is portrayed as an absolute hero, an idol to the player. I could understand if he were a anti-hero of sorts; one who kills, but for a utilitarian purpose (here's to you, John Marston), but Drake has an unquenchable thirst for blood, and nothing will stop him from killing. Then laughing about it.

Do we want this character as a figurehead of gaming? Celebrated as an invention of narrative genius? Put your thoughts in the comments below, and follow our Twitter for more awesome sauce, every single day.

Labels: Chris Hawke, Discuss, Nathan Drake, PS3, Sony, Uncharted 2

Game Information


Basic information
Heavy Rain
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released: February 2010

Platforms
PlayStation 3

Genres
Interactive Story (IS)

Certification
BBFC: 15
CERO: D
ESRB: M
PEGI: 18
USK: 16

The tyres slid as Ethan Mars slowed his car to a halt; the road he drove was slick due to a downpour of almost torrential rain. He was now parked in the middle of an overpass, alone. Below him ran a highway, busy with the sights and sounds of dozens of speeding cars. He jumped when the GPS on the dashboard began to speak. "You have reached your destination. Are you ready to show your courage in order to save your son? Listen carefully. Take the highway and drive against the traffic for five miles. If you haven't reached your destination in five minutes, you will have failed." It cut off. Ethan shook his head. I don't want to die. Not here. Not like this. I'd kill a bunch of innocent people! What gives me the right to play God, even to save my son?! Looking at the highway running under the overpass, Ethan felt his his heart pounding like a drum. I've got to do it. For Shaun's sake. He held his eyes shut. The rain continued to land pitter-patter on his windshield. I have no choice. Opening his eyes, Ethan put the car into gear and drove down the off ramp, placing himself directly in the path of the waves of traffic below.

This is just one of many memorable scenes found in the much-anticipated interactive adventure title from Quantic Dream, Heavy Rain; a game built on a foundation of story and human psychology rather than on action alone. It's a game about people, and their reactions to a series of events that unfurl when they are thrust into the web of intrigue surrounding the elusive Origami Killer.

If it could be about one thing and one thing only, Heavy Rain would be a game about good, solid plot. At its heart, that's what it is - a game that tells a story about how different human beings react to a single series of events. The stage is set like this: four characters find themselves caught up in the case of the Origami Killer, a serial murderer causing fear and panic in an unnamed city on the east coast of the United States. Nobody knows his motives, but the killer's method of murder is clear - four days after being kidnapped, boys between the ages of nine and thirteen are found drowned, their bodies abandoned next to railroad tracks at various points around the city. Each victim is found with a piece of origami clenched in their right hand, and an orchid placed on their chest. After months of searching, the police are far from finding a suspect when a new victim disappears - Shaun Mars. As they race against the clock, each of the four main characters in Heavy Rain are emotionally, physically, and psychologically tested as they attempt to find the Origami Killer and save Shaun before it is too late.

As stated above, Heavy Rain revolves around the events witnessed by its four main characters: Ethan Mars, Scott Shelby, Norman Jayden, and Madison Paige, all of whom find themselves intimately involved in the events surrounding the case of the Origami Killer. Each of them has their own unique back story. Ethan is a divorced architect who lost his oldest son, Jason, two years prior to the events of the main plot, and has had major psychological trouble recovering from that loss. Though he struggles to answer whether or not he is to blame for the death of Jason, he tries desperately to be a good father for Shaun, his second son. Scott is a retired police officer who now works as a private detective in his spare time. An affectionate and likable man, he has been hired by the families of the Origami Killer's victims to bring the murderer to justice. Norman is an FBI agent, sent to aid the local police office by his superiors in Washington. He is completely dedicated to discovering the killer's identity. One of Norman's gadgets obtained from the FBI gives him an advantage investigating the case: a pair of glasses that allow him to see the "augmented reality" of a crime scene through an "Added Reality Interface," commonly referred to as ARI. Unfortunately, Norman suffers from a debilitating addiction to the fictional drug triptocaine, which comes in a small blue vial and is snorted similarly to cocaine. Lastly, Madison Paige is a successful photojournalist who finds herself caught up in the events following Shaun's kidnapping. She suffers from acute insomnia, and, when she does sleep, often has the kind of nightmares that make insomnia look appealing. As the story unfolds, each player delves deeply into the conspiracy of the Origami Killer, compiling evidence and undergoing experiences that will ultimately decide whether or not Shaun lives and the culprit is found.

The most interesting aspect of Heavy Rain is how its rare breed of interactive gameplay works to engage its players psychologically and emotionally. In the prologue (which acts as a tutorial), the player has control over not only how Ethan wakes up, brushes his teeth, and goes through his normal morning routine, but also over more emotionally motivated choices, like whether or not he kisses his wife and tells her he loves her, or which son he decides to play with first in the yard. All four characters are given hundreds of actions with these kind of emotional implications to choose from, the majority of which the player can choose either to follow or ignore. That makes deciding on any action difficult, as most choices have consequences that could (and very often do) effect the long-term plot of the game. To make deciding on one of those choices more exciting, most decisions must be made in a fraction of a second before the option is taken away and the character makes a decision on his own, without player control. This can be maddening, but it will drive you to the edge of your seat.

This style of gameplay ends up working for two reasons: the emotional nature of decisions will make you care about your characters, and the need to constantly watch the screen to catch and make split-second choices will keep you on your toes. I found the latter to be especially true during particularly exciting scenes, like fights, escapes, and chases, when a half second was all the time I had to dodge the sweeping cut of a katana, leap over a railing before being tackled by twelve sprinting policemen, or weave through a barrage of incoming vehicles while driving against the grain in freeway traffic. Those scenes are made of the same style of thrilling fun that we've gotten used experiencing a century of movie magic (there were more than a few fight sequences that could have be pulled directly from old action movies like Die Hard or Indiana Jones).

From a production standpoint, Heavy Rain lived up to almost every expectation presented before it. Aesthetically, its setting is dark, beautiful, and, perhaps most importantly, entirely believable. Walking through the city, I felt like I had been transported to a place where the landmarks and culture of Boston met the never ending precipitation of Seattle, or any city in Britain. As those are all real locations that I'm over 99% sure exist in the world today (I'm giving one percent in case of some conspiracy like the one from the Truman Show), it was extremely easy to suspend my disbelief while exploring the make-believe city in Heavy Rain that borrowed heavily from all of them. Such a strongly believable setting made it easy to believe and get completely immersed in the game's plot.

As good as the game's visual and environmental aesthetics are, its soundtrack is even better. Composer Normand Corbeil combines traditional noir brass (that lonely sax, wailing in a damp alley on a full moon night), with the haunting scores of the Clint Mansell Orchestra (à la Requiem for a Dream), to create a sound that perfectly sums up Heavy Rain's dark, melancholic world. Take a minute to listen to these clips, and you'll get an idea of what I mean. Imagine those sounds mixed in with Heavy Rain's engaging gameplay and believable setting, and you may begin to get a sense of the overall feeling that Heavy Rain offers. The voice acting in the game is generally very good, though there are a few points where it gets unbelievable, and awkward (like during any scene with children).

A single playthrough of Heavy Rain should take you between seven and eight hours, after which you'll probably want to immediately go back to a previous parts of the story, just to see how the game would have played out if you had done something differently. Luckily for us, Quantic has made replaying an extremely easy affair by keeping track of every chapter of the game as if it were a checkpoint. That means that you can pick the game up from the beginning of any chapter in your first playthrough and start from there. Not only that, but you can also choose whether or not you want to save your progression from that checkpoint as you play it for the second time. If you decide you do want to save your progression, then all subsequent chapter checkpoints will be resaved as you reach them, so that they follow whatever new decisions you make. This may seem confusing to read, but it allows for players to see all of the different causes and effects of their actions without replaying the game from its beginning every time they want to see the effects of a single different choice.

One feature of the game worth noting is its extras section. As you complete the game, your decisions can unlock bonuses which can be viewed from the main menu. These bonuses are images and videos that give players a glimpse of Heavy Rain's development, mostly in the form of concept art (some of the best I've ever seen) and documentaries. This is an amazing feature for anyone who is interested in game design, as it gives you a valuable, detailed inside look into the creation of the game that you just played that you don't have to look up online. You can just play a scene, then navigate on over to the extras section to see how they made it, all from the same couch. Along with bonuses, you can look at your collection of Heavy Rain trophies (which come in the form of different origami figures), and browse any available Heavy Rain downloadable content, which will come in the form of new scenes entitled Heavy Rain Chronicles, the first of which, The Taxidermist, is already available (as of March 4) for a small fee.

The one problem I had with Heavy Rain was its apparent love for crashing, freezing, unsynching its audio, and generally annoying the hell out of me with rampant bugs. These problems were all easy to fix (just eject the disk, give the tired, asthmatic console thirty seconds to breathe, clean and reinsert said disk, sacrifice a small animal to the god of Playstation karma, and enjoy), but not before they broke the flow of the game. In a game like this, flow is important. Still, these pestering annoyances were the only negative aspects that I noticed, and they were not nearly serious enough to make the game "bad" in any way. They just periodically made me want to throw my Playstation 3 out of a window at passing children.

Out of all adjectives, the one I think most suits this game is special. It is unlike any other blockbuster game currently on the market. If the gods of gaming are listening to my pleas, then they know that I'd like them to use the high acclaim of Heavy Rain as a jumping off point towards making the "interactive story" (IS) a popular genre in the gaming medium in general. I want to play many more games that use this style - good interactive story built on a foundation of the testing of emotional and psychological human responses. This IS style of game design could be especially fun for games with plots revolving around any influential historical figures or events. Imagine Heavy Rain's gameplay set in the time of Julius Caesar, adapted for a game in which the actions of your characters decide whether or not Caesar, and/or the Roman Republic, live or die. The history nerd in me is geeking out over just the thought of it. That's part of the beauty of Heavy Rain - not only is it immensely fun on its own, but its ingenuity also inspires people to think creatively about gaming (and that's a good thing).

Simply put, Heavy Rain is an experience that must be tried by anyone who loves games, film, or engaging stories in general, as it has the best of all three in one package. At seven hours of play time, it is (ironically) the perfect game for a rainy day. Its sights, sounds, and story have the power to transport you to a gripping, psychologically-engaging dark noir world for about the same amount of time it would take you to go to school or work. I strongly encourage anyone who is doubtful about Heavy Rain to give it a chance. Not only do I wager that you will find some personal meaning from its setting, art, and story - I'm also willing to bet that you'll have a lot of fun in the process.

And if that doesn't swing you, there's always the interactive sex scene. But don't buy the game for that. That would just be creepy.

10/10

Greg

Labels: Greg Mengel, Heavy Rain, PlayStation3, PS3, Quantic Dream, Review, Sony

If you're reading this post right now, then chances are, you're a gamer. If you're not a gamer, well, did you see the name of the website? Move along now. However, if you are a gamer, you have probably at some point in your life fantasised about being a game tester. Ah yes, the holy grail of gaming dream jobs, getting paid to test upcoming videogames. Sound interesting to you? Well, Sony is looking for someone just like you, and aiming at giving you a free pass through the front door.

Cue "The Tester", Sony's attempt at it's very own reality show (because the public still can't get enough of regular Joe's lighting up their screens), and your ticket to fifteen minutes of fame and the ultimate dream job. In The Tester, Sony will pit a group of gamers against each other in a series of tests and challenges, in order to determine who should take way the grand prize: a job as a game tester in Sony's QA department in San Diego, California.

If testing games for Sony in sunny San Diego sounds as sweet to you as it does to me, go on over to the PlayStation.Blog and register for a chance to participate. For those of you who are just fine at your current day jobs, make sure to check the PSN for episodes of The Tester this winter.

Joey

Labels: Joey Núñez, Sony, The Tester

Sony sure has been full of announcements these past few months. A new slimmer, cheaper PS3; the UMDless PSPGo; Firmware 3.0 and a tidal wave of PS1 classics hitting the Playstation Store were just some of the videogame goodies which Sony has been feeding its fans. What more could a Sony fan ask for? How about some classic God of War, HD style? Our wish, Sony's command.

That's right boys and girls, Sony has announced that, due to repeated fan requests, the now-classic God of War and God of War II will be slicing and dicing a PS3 system near you this holiday season. The collection will be coming in a shiny new Blu-Ray Disc and will feature remastered graphics, with the series' famous gore and brutality now set to shock and amaze at 720p resolution.

Pretty new graphics don't cut it for you? Well, the Gods of Olympus have come prepared for you non-believers, and they offer you the almighty Trophies. I'm thinking killing your way through games 1 and 2 of the franchise should be a bit more fun when you get an extra trophy for ripping that Medusa's head off.

At $39.99, this collection is looking like a pretty sweet deal for franchise fans, who just can't wait to get their hands on God of War III next March. And for those of you who haven't experienced two of the best games the PS2 ever offered, this might be nothing short of a must buy.

No official release date yet, but we'll make sure to keep you posted. In the meantime, let us know what you think of this collection in the comments section. Gift from the Sony Gods? Or a collosal rip-off?

Joey

Labels: God of War, Joey Núñez, Releases, Sony

For weeks and weeks rumours about a newer, smaller version of Sony's flagship console had circled the internet. Now, its official. Kaz Hirai (the biggest of the big wigs over at Camp PlayStation) announced yesterday afternoon at Sony's much awaited Gamescom conference that the PS3 Slim is real and its coming at you faster than you can say "what now Mr. Gates?".

The PS3 slim is set to hit stores September 1st, 2009, at a reduced priced of 299€, £249.99 in the U.K., and $299 stateside. Hirai also announced that the new slim will also herald a price reduction of the regular PS3 model (PS3 Fat? Doesn't seem too catchy), also dropping to the prices listed above, as of tomorrow.

So all you readers out there who have been holding out on buying a PS3, waiting for that much talked about price cut, wake up and smell the Japanese craftmanship, the time is now my friends.

Let us know what you think of the new slim and the new price point in the comments section.

Joey

Labels: Gamescom 09, Joey Núñez, PS3 slim, Sony

Additional accessories for games consoles seem to be all the rage just at the moment, primarily because they add that little something extra onto your already-beloved console. So, it’s no real wonder that Sony has decided to release another official PS3 accessory, this time in the form of a wireless, clip-to-your-controller keyboard.

The keypad itself is pretty run-of-the-mill. Including a standard QWERTY keyboard and some OS-specific buttons, the keypad itself is just what you’d expect it to be.

The keypad includes some nice little features, too – ones that you wouldn’t really expect to usually find. The keypad features three new buttons just above the Select and Start buttons, which allow you to quickly navigate to your friends list, message inbox or activate the keypad’s built in touch-sensitive mousepad.

However, some niggling little flaws prevent this accessory from being all it could be. For starters, the buttons are tiny. When typing with the keypad, you find yourself constantly making mistakes and having to either delete or edit what you’ve already written in order to make it at least legible, which can be an irritating and time consuming process. Also, the buttons are so small that you can’t type without forever looking at what you’re doing – you find yourself staring at your fingers all the time, just to make sure you’re pressing the right thing, even if you can usually touchtype.This can be seriously annoying.

Another thing: the mousepad. A great idea, don’t get me wrong, but it just doesn’t work well enough to be worth adding in the first place. It is amazingly inaccurate – you can use the mousepad to move your cursor to a link, just to find the cursor jumps back again once you take your finger away. Also, the mousepad is so well hidden that you often only find it by mistake or if you’ve actually read the manual (and, let’s be honest, who does read the manual?).

Symbols can be difficult to handle too. Instead of utilising the standard ‘hold shift, press button, insert symbol’ interface which pretty much every PC user from five to ninety years old is used to, the keypad uses two ‘dedicated’ shoulder buttons on the top of the keypad which you use instead of shift. Now, call me whatever you like, but these shoulder buttons are actually more trouble than they are worth – it is much easier and more instinctive to merely use the normal shift interface.

The keypad is good for a few things though. You’ll notice that logins on websites immediately become less cumbersome and much quicker – the keypad is particularly good for quick input of passwords. The dedicated OS buttons make XMB navigation lightning fast – whatever you’re doing, a press of one of those buttons will get you where you need to be fast. And, if we’re honest, it does exactly what it says on the box; it does work as a keyboard. Just not amazingly well.

In conclusion, however, it really isn’t worth buying if you’re likely to use it to type loads of messages or use online forums through the PS3 web browser. For the 18 quid it costs, you’d be much better off looking for a standard bluetooth keyboard.

4/10

Linford

Labels: PS3, Review, Sony, XMB

If you know ‘The Getaway’ series, then you may already know who Katie Ellwood is. She worked on the original Getaway game and The Getaway: Black Monday. However, more recently, she has broken away from Sony to pursue a more independent career, now screenwriting for games and film as a director of two different business. She took some time out of her schedule to talk to me for Gamer’s Guide to Life about writing for games, films and The Getaway series.

Linford: Before you 'broke into' the games industry, did you ever want to work writing screenplays for games or film?

Katie: Film, yes; I'd thought about it, but when I started writing I was writing for theatre. My background was in dance, so I'd always had a love for the theatre and stage and when I was studying English at university I started writing for theatre. It was to write narratives into dance, so very, very different to anything game related. So no, I'd never considered games - in fact, I think that, back then, you didn't really have a need for professional writers in games. It tended to be, back then, that the designer, or the designer's mate, or the designer's mum would come up with the story if there was one.

Linford: You've written screenplays for both games and film. How does one differ from the other, and if so, which do you prefer?

Katie: The games that I've written for have been quite film-like in structure. They're quite narrative based, such as the original Getaway. With The Getaway: Black Monday, we did have a branching storyline towards the end, so you could end in four different places with four different endings. There's obviously that to take into account - whether it's a linear narrative or not - but the other thing with a video game is that you don't know whether someone's only just played the previous level or if they've left it for two weeks, or six months. There's a lot of restating of information that we had to do. People from the film industry who have read my game screenplays say 'you're making things obvious'. Watching film narrative unfold, the viewer just sits there for ninety minutes and his/her attention is focused there for that amount of time. Also, in film, you have to make your character strong, a decision maker; that's your protagonist, it's their journey that the audience are interested in. In games, we as players make the decisions. When you play a character, you want to see a certain amount of yourself in that character. We tried never to over-assert the characterisation, so that someone could feel that there was a part of themselves in that character. Not to say we we left our game characters as a blank canvasses, but we made them a little more neutral than perhaps you would in a screenplay for film.

Linford: With games becoming less and less linear, screenwriting must become harder. How does, say, a free-roaming, semi-story based game affect the typical screenwriting process?

Katie: That's a difficult one for me to answer, actually. I've not actually been involved in writing a really branching narrative. We've looked into a lot of different structures, and I've written recently for a European company on a game which was very episodic, we was new and came with it's own set of challenges. If designers design levels that branch and lead the player in different directions, it can feel very much like a no linear and personal experience, however bringing the level back to the same hub or cutscene ensures the writer can have a handle on the flow of the narrative also.

I think what's happening on development teams now is that the design and the narrative are created in tandem. Before it was very much a case of weaving a narrative into a game. This resulted in a shoe-horned narrative. Now we find the missions or levels are as narrative-based as the cut scene themselves, and the cut scenes might not exist anymore. Players want to play the narrative, be immersed in it. That's nothing new, it's always been the case that players wanted that. Now it is more possible with more powerful hardware: dev teams are more able to run a variety of set piece animation and dialogue during within the game play i.e. real time. Rather than bookending levels with narrative, you actually embed the narrative into the levels themselves. It's exciting when that happens.

Linford: Tell me about your work at Sony. What is it like to work at such a famous company, dealing with such a fast-moving, hype-fuelled industry?

Katie: I was with Sony for seven years, and I think the nature of Sony has very much changed. When we first started out there our team was relatively small, and it felt very much that we were inventing the wheel, if you like; everyone was very young and fresh and it was more about creativity than the actual marketing and moneymaking processes. That happened elsewhere. Now I think developers are more corporate in structure and in the current state of finance everyone need to be more aware of their market, who they're writing for and who they're making games for.

Sony Computer Entertainment grew massively in my final years there. With the advent of PS3 games teams and budgets were much greater and thus we really had to justify what we were creating. In a way this is great as everyone becomes hugely focussed on the task in hand, but sometimes great original, 'out there' ideas get lost because they might be perceived as less commercial. Having said that, I think Sony's creativity is seeing a resurgence now; the question is 'how can we break the mould again?'.

Linford: We first saw a tech demo of The Getaway (PS3) at E3 2005, and then another trailer at 2006's show. Then nothing until March 2008, when it was confirmed that the game was 'still in the works'. It entered preproduction and then, just a few weeks later, it was mysteriously cancelled. Is it really dead?

Katie: Well, I can't actually say that. I'm not with Sony any more; in all honesty, I don't know. I'd love to see The Getaway be reinstated. Sony still have the IP [intellectual property] and it's there for them to do what they want with it in the future. So, let's hope that it's not dead and buried, but I have no official information on that.

Linford: When The Getaway (PS3) was cancelled, how did you react? How did it affect the morale of those working on the project?

Katie: Being such a close-knit team, we were very much a family for a long time. We really had a lot of passion for that project, and I think we all still do; although some people are working out in San Francisco and some in Canada, we all met up recently and we always talk about The Getaway; we always talk about what we could do with it. There was a disappointment but then, in many ways, many people were very excited to move on to different projects because, obviously, we'd been working on the same thing for 7 or so years so it's nice to get out there and find something new.

Linford: You announced plans for a Getaway movie a while back. Any developments on that front?

Katie: Again, I can't really say because I'm not there [at Sony] any more, so unfortunately I don't have any official information on that either. But I am working on another SCEE game film adaptation which should be announced soon.

Linford: With game-movie tie-ins beginning to pick up more pace now (with such big releases such as the Lara Croft films and the Max Payne series), what are your views on this new cross-industry activity? Do you think that game-movie tie-ins are a good idea?

Katie: I think they're a good idea, I'm just yet to see one that works well. I don't know why that is, but I think that a movie has to be it's own thing; I think that you can base a world or character on games but you need to find a story for the film which can exist outside of the game. I like what they tried to do with The Matrix, but I still think we're waiting for someone to nail it really successfully.

Linford: You write screenplays as a job, but what do you spend your spare time doing? Are you a gamer yourself?

Katie: I played more games when I was at Sony, but I'd call myself a casual gamer now. I do like adventures, and I do like games with a good story - I'd say ICO is probably my favourite game of all time. I love Singstar, games like that which you can play with friends. But I don't spend as much time playing games as I do watching movies.

Linford: Sony has a stellar list of releases lined up for 2009, as do other third party developers. Are there any which stand out to you or that you're particularly looking forward to?

Katie: The game that I was really looking forward last year was LittleBigPlanet; we played that as a demo way back and I fell in love with the whole concept. I love that the game was about working together to complete levels than working against each other. I think that's the kind of creativity and difference which I like to see in games. On a story level Heavy Rain and Alan Wake are going to be ones to watch.

Linford: Would you say that a good screenplay is essential to the success of a game?

Katie: I'd like to think so, but actually my instincts and experience say 'not especially'. When it comes down to it, fundamentally, the majority of time spent making and playing a game is in the realms of it's design. I think a good story will entice people into the game's world, but it's the design and the way that the gameplay's going to hold their attention that's important. There is a great sense of depth that a good narrative and characters can bring to a game beyond the button pressing. And that's where the magic can happen.

Linford: How do you find it beginning a new screenplay for a game or film from scratch?

Katie: For games we always collectively generated the breadth and flow of the story; we very much mapped out where it was going as a team, and then it was just a case of filling the gaps and adding depth with the screenplay. I think it's always a challenge to begin anything fresh. But it's ultimately the most exciting way to do it.

With a film, I often write alone - and I could write anything, I'm not beholden to the game play. So it's definitely difficult at times - you'll always have points where you're staring at a blank piece of paper - but then again it can flow very freely at times too. I guess it boils down to how you're feeling on any certain day.

Linford: A lot of games of this generation use in-game cutscenes (from the character's perspective) as opposed to the FMV cutscenes of old. Do you prefer cutscenes which could add narrative depth, or is it more important for you to keep the player in the action at all times?

Katie: I think 'player in action' is the ultimate way. You know, there's been rendered cutscenes in the past which I've loved, that have worked really well, and I think they're stunning. But really I like to see a mix, like in the God of War series. There's narrative in the gameplay but then, at times, you're given a bit of respite and you can sit back and watch [a cutscene]. But when you have to be careful when you take players out of the action, I think that's where you can lose people's attention.

Linford: This generation there has been a rise of online game purchasing platforms, such as PlayStation Network or Xbox Live Marketplace. A lot of these games sacrifice any kind of narrative in favour of good fast fun; titles such as Geometry Wars and Everyday Shooter, for instance. Do you think that it is better that these games are allowed to just be a gameplay experience, as opposed to a gameplay experience with a shoddy narrative?

Katie: Yes, I think they can totally manage without narrative. When it comes down to it, people sometimes just want pick-up-and-play fun, and I don't think that necessarily needs narrative plugged into it at all. That's kind of the old school, golden era of pure gaming, really; like Tetris.

Linford: Do you think the concept of episodic gaming, seen in the Penny Arcade and Sam and Max series' will ultimately allow the game industry's narrative quality to increase?

Katie: I think it's a new way of thinking about gaming and gaming narrative, and I do like the idea of it; we've been calling for episodic gaming for years because people want to play in an episodic way. The thing that scares new gamers is the thought that all their time will be eaten away by gaming, but that's not necessarily the case.

In terms of narrative quality; I think there's a high narrative quality in various TV series; the epitome of episodic entertainment. There is also a deep narrative quality in films, which are ninety minute experiences. It's just down to the type of narrative you creating. You write with the end result in mind. I think that you have to find a good narrative for episodic gaming. If we look at TV writing, a 12 part series will have an entire series story arc, but it will be compiled of 12 discrete stories with cliff hangers at the end of each. Now TV writing is so deep they even write mini cliff hangers before each ad break.

Linford: With Konami all but cancelling the controversial Six days in Fallujah, do you think gaming is ready to take on such a controversial, emotionally charged subject like the Iraq war, or are we going to be permanently destined to play games in "unnamed middle-eastern" countries?

Katie: I think that's a really difficult question and I don't have the answer. If you set up an enemy and a hero, that's risky territory.

Game developers are intelligent people and if they can handle their subject matter fairly and maturely, there is not reason why books and films alone can make social commentary. War is horrible and people die. A player can experience that horror and adrenalin more in games than any other medium.

However with games in which violence is involved and the player has the gun, you have to be really careful about who is perceived to be the 'enemy'. You're making political statements and asking a player to kill a countryman of a named country to 'win'.

You give the player an opportunity to shoot and fight [in a named place] and they have control in that world - that's where the difference lies. Developers of games (just like filmmakers or writers) need to be accountable for any racism they fuel or myths they permeate.

Linford: You've now set up Ellwood Entertainment, a business of your own which works in games. How do you find that compared to work at a corporation like Sony?

Katie: It's great to be able to move from project to project. Previously, I was very involved with The Getaway, which is great because you build up a relationship with the team, but it's superb to go in somewhere fresh and get a variety of people to work with, with new and very different ideas. That is great; I really enjoy that.

Linford: Are there any projects you're working on at Ellwood Entertainment that you can tell us about?

Katie: Unfortunately not. I'm not able to talk about them because the projects I've been working on are all in development and I'm not able to announce anything. Sorry.

Linford: In your work in film, what are you up to at the minute?

Katie: I'm currently one half of a co-directing team called Bert and Bertie and we have just finished our second live action film called The Taxidermist, which is going around festivals now. Last year I wrote my first feature-length CGI animation film. Currently we're just starting a very exciting new CGI animation project involving dance and a well-known story, which again, I'm not able to talk about.

Linford

Labels: Exclusive, Extra Extra, Getaway, Interview, Sony

If you really want to get one, you can go to http://www.sony.com/getpscard to apply for one.

Linford

Labels: Geeky but cool, Sony

• New PSP model - the 3000 - is announced. But....but I only just got my PSP Slim :(
• PSP 3000 will have better LCD quality, in built microphone an will launch on the 15th of October in Europe for €200
• 80GB model to be released in Europe for €399, special 160GB version will be also come out at €449 with €70 worth of downloadable content (by the way sorry about having to price this stuff in euros, but I don't want to get the UK/US/Canada price wrong)
• Play TV to launch in Europe on the 19th of September
• LittleBigPlanet to be released in Europe on the 29th of October
• New Sixaxis keyboard addition announced; will look something like this
• New EU music service called VidZones. On demand music streaming free of charge. Will be released in '09
• You can now put PS2 iterations of the Singstar franchise in your PS3 and all of the songs from them will be added to the PS3 version via a firmware update
• New Disney songs coming to Singstar
• PS3 pets game coming - compatible with PSEye
• Heavy Rain shown, seems impressive, all in real-time, exclusive to PS3, will arrive in 2009
• LittleBigPlanet will have trophy support and 50 pre-made levels

Matt

Labels: Heavy Rain, Leipzig, LittleBigPlanet, Matthew, Matthew Meadows, Singstar, Sony

PlayStation 3

New 80GB Model
-Retail of $399.99, same configuration as the current 40gb model.

Resistance: Fall of Man 2
-Fantastic graphics, good framerate.
-Good, clear music and sound effects
-Similar weaponry sounds and dialogue as original.
-Updated HUD
-Huge, impressive monsters. Demonstrated enemy almost impossible to damage. Also has huge robots, bigger than the original versions.
-Set in America in 1953.
-Chimera converting villages of people.
-8p online co-op, 60p online multiplayer.
-Ability to walk along constructions and enter alien ships.
-Good fire and explosion effects
-Set to 'redefine online gaming experience'
-Autumn release

God of War III
-Announced for PS3
-Trailer shown
-Looks nice but was all CGI and no gameplay

LittleBigPlanet
-PS3 exclusive
-Allows players to design and imagine
-Challenge friends online
-New, revolutionary experience
-User generated content to be main focal point
-Cleverly utilized to tie in with conference
-Can put a lot into the game
-Unlimited potential
-Looks fun and simple
-October release

DC Universe Online
-Comic book like graphics
-Superman, Batman, Wonder woman and other famous characters
-Massively Multiplayer Online

MAG
-Stands for Massive Action Game
-256 player online battles
-Military strategy/shooter
-New ranking system

Greatest Hits
-Like platinum for PS2 and PSone. $29.99 retail. will include R:FoM, MotorStorm, Warhawk, CoD3, Fight Night, NFS: Carbon, Rainbow Six Vegas, Assassin's Creed, Oblivion, Ninja Gaiden Sigma

Life With PlayStation
-Provides PS3 owners with news, weather and live video feeds. Launches before end of July.

PlayStation Network

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty
-Smaller scale game
-Pirate themed
-Answers questions left from Tools of Destruction
-Huge snakes which breathe fireballs
-Usual R&C humour, fighting, slapstick, etc.
-Focus on platforming and exploration
-Fantastic graphics
-Retail $14.99 (£7.50)

Gran Turismo TV
-Worldwide content provided. Includes BBC Top gear, D1 Grand Prix, '08 Nurburgring 24h, GT-R Legend and Super GT.
-Some content only on Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

Upcoming Releases on PSN
-R&C: Quest for Booty
-Crash Commando
-Fat Princess
-New Pixeljunk pack
-PAIN Amusement Park
-Flower
-Siren: blood Curse
-Ragdolls of Kung-Fu: Fists of Plastic

Video Downloads
-TV shows and movies to buy or rent - TV shows $1.99 per episode, movies $2.99-$5.99 rental, $9.99-$12.99 to buy.
-Full Store and wallet integration. New store interface with separate sections for movie and TV downloads
-From day 1, many content providers will be operational. Includes Sony Pictures, FOX, MGM, Lionsgate, Warner, Disney, Paramount and Turner Entertainment
-All new movie and TV content will be accessible tomorrow for EU users.

PSP

New Pack
-Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters bundle, retail $199. Includes R&C: Size Matters, Silver PSP, National Treasure 2 UMD, PSN Echochrome voucher and 1GB memory stick.

Resistance: Retribution
-Resistance for PSP :)
-Nice graphics
-Over the shoulder view
-Very similar to R:FoM, although different HUD.
-Good animation and framerate

Upcoming Releases
-Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
-EA Sports Madden NFL 2008
-LocoRoco2
-NBA 09: The Inside
-Super Stardust Portable
-LEGO Batman
-Patapon2
-Buzz
-Valkyria Chronicles

Overall: Looks like Sony's going to be very busy over the coming year or so. An impressive E3 conference with many a surprise. I'm looking forward to testing out these new releases when they become available.

Linford

Labels: E3, Sony

PS3 E3 news coming in the next couple of hours. Stay tuned.

Matt

Labels: E3, Matthew, Matthew Meadows, Sony