Microsoft, by all accounts, had a pretty run-of-the-mill conference announcing some kind of TV partnership, stupid tacked-on Kinect features in high-profile games like Mass Effect 3, and the final surprise announcement of *gasp* Halo 4. What? You mean Microsoft wanted to once again milk its most well-known and lucrative original franchise? What a shock.
*snore*
Sony began its show with a long, loud promo video and then a necessary apology for the lengthy outage of the PlayStation Network. Then it was games, games, games all except for the announcement of the company's new handheld console: the PlayStation Vita.
I hadn't heard any rumors about Sony releasing a new console handheld or otherwise so this came as a bit of a surprise to me. Sony's last few iterations of the PSP haven't been stellar successes. Despite having better specs and more features, the PSP has never been in the same ballpark as the Nintendo DS when it comes to sales numbers.The Vita is Sony's response to the 3DS and I have to say it looks like the more compelling platform for the serious gamer. It's essentially a revamped PSP with better specs and a capacitive touch screen. Nice. If I didn't hate Sony's guts, I might be interested.
Here's why I think it's compelling. Rather than trying to do horrible, eye-straining 3D, Sony has integrated the best feature of iDevices and Android phones along with six-axis motion control and traditional analog joystick and buttons. It's all of the current ideas of how to interact with your games all in one nice neat package. It seems like a good platform for hardcore and casual games alike. I wonder how long it will be before the insufferable and ubiquitous Angry Birds is ported to the bloody thing.
Finally, Nintendo's press conference revolved around the reveal of the recently-rumored Wii 2... which is called the WiiU.
Yes, really. Reggie was serious. He's a serious man. Who works for Nintendo. It's really called the WiiU.
Believe me, I wouldn't make fun of the name so much if the product didn't look like this.
Are you kidding me? Did Fischer-Price make a game system?
Now before I lay into this thing, I'd like to say there are a few cool things about it. It's kind of cool tech. The console can stream the game you're playing directly to the controller's screen meaning you can play a game even if the attached TV is in use. It can also be used with a stylus to draw Wacom-table-style. Nice.
It's good to see some real innovation. However, just because it's new and different doesn't mean it's any good. I submit the Wii as an example of that.
As a controller, this thing looks bulky, possibly heavy after awhile, and unnecessarily distracting. A video showed off some potential uses for the new controller the last of which was a Legend of Zelda demo. Please do not ruin Zelda with this tacky gimmick, Nintendo. Remember what happened with Twilight Princess? Most people I talked to preferred the non-motion controlled GameCube version of that game.
Admittedly, the WiiU looks friendlier to hardcore gamers like myself. This is underscored by a substantial graphical upgrade with HD output (finally) as well as a lineup of M-Rated titles from third party developers. Still, according to reports from reports from the show, the graphical improvement is only comparable to the six-year-old Xbox 360. That's not particularly impressive, but maybe the Wii will stopped getting passed over by hardcore game developers.
Right now the new controller and all the comes with it are gimmicks. Motion control is still a huge gimmick (along with 3D, I'll add). They don't add any more essential fun because half the time you're wrestling with the system trying to get the controls to work. However, I think the technology will eventually catch up. Whether the gimmicks, once perfected, will prove actually worthwhile is anyone's guess. I'm thinking yes and no.
Tomorrow: games, games, games!
Just one small correction. None of the specs for the new Nintendo system have been released yet. Nintendo execs have said that the new system's graphical quality will be comparable to the 360 and the PS3, but nothing has been fully confirmed yet. All of the preview footage that we've seen has been of third-party games from those other current-gen systems. Nintendo's next system is nowhere near ready enough to be providing in-game footage yet, according to all the reports I've read.
ReplyDeleteNo, the specs haven't been released. I was going by what I read: here. I did hear a lot of the promo footage shown at the press conference was from the 360 and PS3. Sneaky, guys. Anyway, I think it's safe to say that there's some level of confusion, but the graphics are certainly improved over the Wii's.
ReplyDeleteI think given the time between the release of the 360 and PS3, the Wii U ought to have comparable or better graphics. Nintendo has shown with its previous two home consoles that it doesn't value graphical prowess as highly their competition. Although I would agree that, in general, better graphics do not make a better game, Nintendo has missed out on a lot of developer support (and consequently a lot of games) because they lacked the power of the other consoles.
Now, it appears, they will have caught up in that department. My point was only that catching up after 4 or 5 years is not terrible impressive, but who knows when the next Xbox or PlayStation will come out? Nintendo will probably be just fine for awhile.