See complete details here.

Much criticism has always been heard regarding the volume of quality games that have been coming out for the PS3. With formerly exclusive franchises such as Resident Evil and Final Fantasy making their way to Microsoft’s gaming machine, including the recently announced Metal Gear Rising, Gran Turismo 5 for me, will be (pun intended) driving  most of the hardware and software sales this coming holiday season.

I used to see myself using this for GT5, but now I’m dreaming of this.

So many toys. Frak.

There was a time when I used to buy around 2-3 games a month. This was back in high school when I still relied on my trusty old Playstation (yep, the gray thingamajig that changed gaming forever). Aside from having the free time to play as much as I wanted, the games were just so damn cheap. Piracy just allowed middle class kids like me to purchase games on a monthly basis. And I didn’t even play or finish all of them.

Almost 10 years later, and I find myself in a different situation. Time no longer permits daily gaming sessions. One thing I’ve learned to value over the years however, is the amount of creativity, imagination, and work that goes into creating a videogame.

This is precisely the reason why:

1. I no longer treat all videogames as racing games – In my first weekend with my first Playstation, I played Resident Evil for 10 straight hours. If the game normally takes 5 hours to finish, make sure you play it for 10. Treat every game that you play with the mindset that it’ll take a few years before anything like it comes out again.
2. I now buy original games - Not that pirated software isn’t available for the Playstation 3. I chose this console because it had the exclusives I wanted to play. God of War 3 and the long delayed Gran Turismo 5 are on top of this list.

It is also because of these reasons that I am quite disturbed at some game publishers’ efforts to discourage reselling videogames.

Having successfully introduced one-time codes that can be redeemed for DLC with Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age, Electronic Arts is extending the concept to its line of sports games.Electronic Arts announced today that new copies of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 will feature an “Online Pass,” which can be redeemed for title-specific features. Additional passes will be available for $10.00, and EA will be offering seven day trials for the service.

What’s wrong with reselling a game you’ve already finished? It’s only a clear indication that the replay value, nor the downloadable content isn’t enough to keep the gamer interested. Unless you’re talking about MMORPGs or socially driven games such as Little Big Planet or Modnation Racers, selling “one playthrough” games is obviously the next step if you plan to keep your gaming hobby alive.

I completely get the coupon strategy that most publishers are now employing, and I experienced this first hand with God of War Collection. The game came with a redeemable coupon that allowed users to download a demo of God of War 3. I bought the game because I wanted to play through God of War 1 and 2 and try out God of War 3. What if I had only wanted to play through God of War 1 and 2, and not care about the coupon for the demo?

My bottom line is reselling videogames do not diminish anything from these gaming companies’ bottom lines. We’re not exactly talking about a dying industry here. These DRM issues do nothing but punish consumers who pay good money for their videogames.

The Ultimate Edition will include the following:

Exclusive Collectibles
• High-End Sculpted Replica of Pandora’s Box
• Limited-Edition God of War Art Book featuring exclusive art, content and interviews

Exclusive Digital Content (Available via PlayStation Network voucher codes on day of launch)
• God of War Combat Arena containing an exclusive environment and seven challenges
• Premium Kratos Skin – Dominus
• God of War: Unearthing the Legend Franchise Documentary – a full-length movie documentary depicting the history of the God of War franchise
• God of War Trilogy Soundtrack – God of War, II, and III scores from the game (mp3 digital download).
• God of War: Blood and Metal EP – a heavy metal homage featuring original music inspired by God of War (mp3 digital download).

With a wedding coming up, I think I’ll just settle for the “normal edition”, and just as I did for NBA 2K10. My only gripe? It’s a very big one.

Why didn’t they include the remastered  versions of God of War 1 and 2 in this package? I’d give up Pandora’s box for those instead.

It’s always an uphill climb getting a videogame publisher to look at the Philippines as a viable market. Trust me, I’ve fought the long battle before. And believe me, receiving a ton of “I’m sorry but we don’t have a market there” letters can really get to you. If Logan and his adamantium lined self can’t fend them pirates off, I shouldn’t feel bad right? I just thought it would take a lot more than Gyudon strips at Yoshinoya to do it.

I don’t know the details, but Rockstar Games in the a promotional deal with Yoshinoya? Similar cross promotional deals have happened locally before. I’ve seen Sega minigames given away as part of Mc Donald’s Happy Meals, Ragnarok Online entered a trade partnership with Milo and an apparel deal with Penshoppe (I even have one of those shirts), and most recently, E-games with this same Japanese resto chain.

I’m sure a lot of gamers are looking at this as a temporary marketing blitz that can help Yoshinoya’s brand positioning towards in the 13-29 market segment. But what the hell right? This is definitely good news. I’m just one of those who still silently wish Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo can give our 7,000+ islands even the least bit of attention.

A formal press launch for every major console game release shouldn’t be too hard. If anyone’s listening, let’s do it and see how that goes!

It’s been a while since my last post, and with good reason. I recently went through a draining used PS3 chase that left me with no choice but to acquire a new one instead. Outside work and other gym stuff, free time has been more scarce because Nikko Bellic and Chris Redfield. So yeah, no more looking at empty PS3 boxes through store windows!

Well anyway, I was in Trinoma mall yesterday when decided to go to their small technology wing. Even though I didn’t have the money or the time to splurge on another game, I just wanted to find out if there was anything new.

What did I find? Another P500 bucks out my wallet care of CD-R King — on what I think is the cheapest and most useful add-on you can buy for your PS3 controller. If you’re always online with your PS3, you’d know what I mean.

After standing in line for more than 15 minutes, I had purchased myself, a mini QWERTY keyboard attachment for my PS3 controller. The pack came with the following items:

All you need to do is mount the PS3 QWERTY keyboard on the controller using the included mount. When not in use, you don’t even have to take the thing off as it doesn’t interfere with any button or analog controller movements. Unless your playing posture requires you to hold your hands up without using any surface to use an an anchor, the weight of the keyboard (even with the two AAA batteries) won’t cause any kind of discomfort.

Sure, you can plug in a normal USB keyboard, but if you’re looking for something non-obtrusive, this is the way to go.  The PS3 CD-R King QWERTY keyboard controller doesn’t change the way you play videogames, but definitely makes it a whole lot easier.

*Apologies for the grainy pics, just used my Nokia E51 camera
**Failed to take a picture, but it uses a standard RF dongle that plugs into the PS3′s USB port.

Despite my experience, nothing could have prepared me for the wild goose chase I was part of last Saturday.

As I was browsing through TipidPC on Saturday, I saw the following ad — Sony PS3 60GB version with game (Grand Theft Auto 4). P13,700.

The catch? The seller was in “San Fernando, Pampanga”.

I said to myself, fine, that’s not a problem at all. I knew it shouldn’t take more than an hour to get there from Manila — my mom grew up in Pampanga. After a few texts and a phonecall, I was on my way. I didn’t even wait for him to text me the address before I left out of fear someone might beat me to it.

I was halfway to San Fernando when I decided to give the guy a call. I didn’t have the address with me yet, because he said he was going to text it to me. First call, I got a busy signal. He probably pressed it by mistake. I asked my fiancee to text the same number to inquire about the unit, and she immediately got a reply — Sorry, reserved na po. I heaved a sigh of relief and assumed it was reserved for me.

When we finally got to San Fernando, I decided to give the guy another call. Someone finally picked up, but it wasn’t the person I had talked to earlier.

“Sino po ito?”

“Ako yung bibili nung PS3 package.”

“Ah nag deal po ba kayo ni ________(don’t remember the name)? Kasi umalis sila.”

“Ah ganun ba, kasi nangaling pako ng Manila para lang dun, pwede ba mahingi yung number nila?”

“Ah kasi ito talaga yung telepono nya eh, wala shang ibang number, tatawagan nalang kita ulit”

And with that, I put the phone down.

What do you say in a conversation like that? Right then and there, we parked ourselves in a Sbarro restaurant and I went online to check on the page again. Not surprisingly, there were quite a few posts that came right after. I even sent a private message to the person after me asking him if he had gotten it. What I got was a reply saying he was also trying to contact the seller, but he wasn’t answering at all.

That’s when I found out it was some sort of scam. I think the guy who was “selling” the used PS3 didn’t expect someone to actually go for the long drive just to pick it up (What can I say, Resident Evil 5 can do that to a person). I tried calling the same number at least thrice before I finally gave up. The phone was already off.

Will I ever buy anything online again? Most probably yeah, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to hit the brakes if I begin to sense even the slightest form of deceit or hesitation.

My advice to others still willing to risk any kind of online transaction:

1. Good feedback doesn’t mean honest feedback – Try to look at the dates of the feedbacks that were submitted. If the guy doesn’t sell anything else, then he probably hasn’t sold a lot of items on a frequent basis. Chances are, most of the feedback you see there was invented.
2. Proximity shouldn’t be a problem – When you’re talking to a provincial seller, try to determine if he keeps on insisting to have the item shipped. If he can’t give you his physical address or can’t give a straight answer, then you’re better off buying from someone else.
3. If the price is too good to be true… – Then it probably is, specially for any item/s such as Ipods or PS3′s. Everyone who has posted online has Internet savvy to know what the market value of any item posted there is.
4. Screenshot the sucker - If people start sensing that the seller is just a scammer, then the ad will probably be gone in less than a day. Save the page as proof and have the guys IP banned for life. He’ll probably come back, but they have to “manufacture” new positive feedback.

And oh, by the way, catherine_romero090681 with cell # 09159718266 — fu** you and your daughter, I got a spankin new piano black 80 GB PS3 the very next day.

Just this morning, something dawned on me – it never takes me more than two years after release before I acquire a newly released gaming console. It’s just my nature. I tried to forget about gaming (and I ended up working for a videogame magazine) when the first Playstation came out, but a trip to a friend’s house changed all that.

Do you remember the first time you saw all those rabid dogs jump out the window in Resident Evil 1? I sure do, because it made me want to purchase a Playstation. Since I purchased the console for my 16th birthday, I have finished all four Resident Evil games except Codename Veronica (I didn’t have a Dreamcast). I do remember though having a bunch of my high school buds sleep at my basement rooms for days just playing Resident Evil 2. Those were very good times indeed.

“Resident Evil 5 is practically guaranteed to be the last of its kind,” said 1-UP. “Takeuchi assured us that a reboot is in order for the inevitable Resident Evil 6.”

So, if someone happens to have a spare PS3 out there (yeah right), you know who to contact. Even though I don’t have one, I’ll be one of those eagerly waiting for March 13th.

*Since this will be the last one in the series with reference to all previous installments, you can be sure this will be the best.

Fine, fine. I sort of plagiarized the title for this blog post from this IGN review of Street Fighter 4. I just thought, Ryan Clements came up with a perfect description for the 4th installment of probably the most influential fighting game franchise of all time (If even mentions Tekken or Virtua Fighter, you are all fools!). After months and months of waiting, the game will finally be released on February 17th!

The part of this review that I immediately looked out for was of course the multiplayer play.

Besides the 3D visuals, Street Fighter IV also sports online play, which will certainly please network-happy gamers looking for more than just the local competition. During my time with Street Fighter IV’s online mode, I found it ran well on both the PS3 and 360, though there were occasional hitches that popped up mid-game. Honestly, casual fans will have no problem playing online, though the hardcore audience will likely stick with local multiplayer, regardless. No matter how good your connection is, there’s never a guarantee that you’re experiencing the exact same battle that your rival is experiencing, which would trouble competitive players. Furthermore, there’s no telling how the game will run online once everyone begins jumping on, but my time with it was quite positive.

So local play is a lot better than online play? I wasn’t just hoping for local play to be better – I was praying that the online version would become unplayable.

Welcome back, 2D Ken and Ryu

I think that if there’s any game that should bring back the gamer to the arcades, Street Fighter 4 would be it. I know I’m reaching too far here given the current state of the economy, but I wish for the game to have the same effect on the gaming industry as when Street Fighter 2 was ported on to the Super Nintendo almost two decades ago. It made everyone want a Super Nintendo yes? Hell, if videogame sales still continue to increase year on year despite the hard times, anything is possible!

Don’t you miss the days when people used to crowd behind an unbeaten joystick wielding Street Fighter warrior in every video arcade? I’m not a joystick type of guy (and I’m not a fan of Emo Dance Rev Tambays in malls), but I do wish video arcades make a comeback from being classified as nothing more than places where cheap plush toys can be picked up by mechanical cranes.

… is with this baby right here. The game lives up to being the one and only “real driving simulator” on so many levels. I just don’t know why they didn’t go all the way and make a G35 version for the PS3. Oh well, I’m not complaining. There isn’t any shortage of valid reasons to get a next-gen system anyway.

Well maybe a little — I ain’t got a PS3 or HDTV. At least not yet.

Only one more day before the Grand Theft Auto IV bomb is dropped on all the lucky gamers in the US. As for the rest of us? Well, the first review of GTA IV is already posted on IGN here. Lucky bastards. Will update this with other review scores as they are posted. In the meantime, check out GTA IV’s launch center on 1up.com.

I think the more pressing question is this — how do you top a perfect game? I wouldn’t be surprised if the people at Rockstar Games think of something.