Ben's Week In Review: June 26

A couple really good games came out this week; if you're all caught up, I'd recommend snagging either F.E.A.R. 3 or Shadows of the Damned...or both.

"Finishing touches" on Grand Theft Auto V...?

Maybe I'm the only one who noticed it, and the statement certainly only involves particular aspects of the game and not the entire production, but what's this about "finishing touches" in GTAV? Even if they are only polishing up some mini-games, you don't get anywhere near that stage of development unless the project is a good ways along. The strange part is that one would assume Rockstar would assault the media with everything GTAV. I mean, the instant anything of even the remotest importance becomes available, I would bet we'd know all about it. But it wasn't revealed at E3 and everything remains in the dark, and yet, the latest update sort of indicates that development is moving right along. Might it even come out early next year?

GTAIV released back in 2008 so even if GTAV comes out in the first quarter of 2012, that's almost four years. That's about the right amount of time for a GTA; there was a four-year gap between San Andreas and GTAIV, and that gap had to cross a generation! I just want to know more about the fifth one...like, now.

Call of Duty "action/adventure" isn't dead...maybe it should be

So it seems that non-FPS CoD is still in development at Sledgehammer Games, and Activision will probably pursue it after Modern Warfare 3 is out the door. But why? I just can't imagine who's going to buy it. I assume they're counting on the CoD fanatics to pick it up simply because "Call of Duty" is on the box, but all of them want a shooter. They want an FPS. Third-person? No. It just isn't going to happen. Maybe Activision thinks the game will appeal to an entirely different crowd; i.e., those who don't play the current CoD titles now. I suppose that's possible but it would have to be something pretty damn special, wouldn't it?

And by the way, why is Eric Hirshberg all upset? Is it really such a terrible thing to admit that two franchises put you at the top of the world? I mean, so what? Just embrace it. You don't have to try to crow about your diversity and variety; even if it does exist, that didn't make you the #1 video game publisher on earth. And you know it.

Personal gaming update

I wasn't able to play more of inFamous 2 this week because of F.E.A.R. 3 and Shadows of the Damned. Both of them really damn good and well worth playing. They're also very different in terms of style and tone; not to mention the fact that one is a FPS and the other is a TPS. I really think most gamers should try one or the other. I might want to finish Shadows before getting back to inFamous 2; we'll see. There certainly isn't anything on the immediate horizon I want.

Catherine comes out on July 26 and I'll be getting that from Atlus; we may also be getting some questions answered from the localization team. Beyond that, it looks like a pretty quiet summer, as usual. But we'll keep spicing it up with more episodes of our PSXE Show. The second episode should be in the Home Community Theater on Thursday and we'll have our little get-together again- 8 p.m. EST. And who knows? Might just be in your best interest to show up...

Oh, and in the third episode, I debate taking a samurai sword to a copy of Black Ops. Watch for that. :)

6/25/2011 Ben Dutka

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Comments (57 posts)

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StevieRV
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 9:53:59 PM
Reply

i loved GTAIV, everyone seems to hate it 6 months afterwards but it is actually the best, people forget how much fun they actually had with it

on a side note thanks for the Uncharted 3 beta code benny

2 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 10:00:39 PM

The episodes were immensely superior to the core GTAIV. Though the stories weren't as good. Nevertheless, it was decent fun, but it was a little too realistic for all that much fun. My opinion.

2 up, 0 down

CanadianGuy420
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 10:53:24 PM

GTA IV was amazing! some people just like to shit on it because its so successful. the episodes was great to. gay tony is my favorite of the GTA IV saga it was just so damn fun & colorful & funny

Last edited by CanadianGuy420 on 6/25/2011 10:55:52 PM

4 up, 3 down

main_event05
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:03:01 AM

i didn't hate it. i liked it, but following GTA:SA it seemed a little gimped. I also have to add that aside from the 1st MG:O, GTIV had THE MOST fun online play ever.

5 up, 0 down

Claire C
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:13:38 AM

San Andreas is best!

6 up, 0 down

CanadianGuy420
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:27:42 AM

san andreas was possibly the best but GTA3 is my favorite it was such a revolutionary title it changed gaming forever

Last edited by CanadianGuy420 on 6/26/2011 12:28:26 AM

2 up, 0 down

main_event05
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 1:25:20 AM

comparing GTAs is like comparing FFs.

'nuff said.

3 up, 0 down

Godslim
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:33:36 PM

gta4 wasnt amazing it was ok....a step down from sa in my book

4 up, 1 down

Lawless SXE
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 9:59:19 PM
Reply

I'm all ready for a new GTA, but maybe they're keeping it quiet so that they don't get the incredible expectations that were about GTAIV before its release, and it ultimately disappointed a whole lot of people. If they keep quiet, it'll help people to keep their hopes as low as what was set by GTAIV (Personal opinion, may I just say here) and thus ultimately avoid disappointment. But yeah, bring it out next year, and I'll be happy.

I'd buy a CoD in the vein of Uncharted if it is deserving. That is all.

PU:
Almost finished reading Emma, and when I've done that I'll be moving onto the selected works of Edgar Allan Poe.
I also have my niece and nephew with me again, so my participation will be lower than normal, and I also won't be playing inFamous... just a little too violent. Going to play the R&C Future arc instead. YAY!
Peace.

1 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 11:10:23 PM

Oh, speaking of iF2, I have 89% completion on one of my save files, but all I'm missing is two Dead Drops... The question is, do I have to go and do all of the little side quests, like wiping out the cops, healing civilians, etc. to get that 100%, because I'm not sure I could do that.

1 up, 0 down

sirbob6
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:05:46 AM

No, those little side missions are just there for karma purpose.

1 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:19:15 AM

Then what am I missing?

1 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:37:33 AM

Getting those last two dead drops will bump you up to 90% and it will stay there even if you have completed all missions, side/story, collected all blast shards and dead drops. Only until you platinum the game on your second play through will it show 100% completion. And it will only show that on your second save file. Not sure why. I just Platinumed the game today. My Hero save file still says 90% but my inFAMOUS save file says 100% completion even though I technically competed everything could on my Hero file. I think your trophies are apart of that completion precentage.

1 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:48:45 AM

Then I shall never get the 100% due to the online trophies... Makes me sad :(. The Platinum I could do without anyway...

2 up, 0 down

sirbob6
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:50:14 AM

The missing percent might be the opposite karma's powers.

Or there will be some DLC released down the line or something along those lines.

Last edited by sirbob6 on 6/26/2011 12:51:38 AM

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 10:21:34 PM
Reply

After seeing footage of Saints Row The third, and watching air strikes and elbow drop wrestling moves on hookers I think I'm done with GTA as a core open world sandbox game.

I ordered SR2 cheap, should be fun. Call of duty is kinda over. So blah.

Catherine is July 26? My birthday is July 30. woohoo

1 up, 1 down

Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 11:22:40 PM

Saints Row has never impressed me.

I'll be surprised if SR3 does.

3 up, 2 down

CanadianGuy420
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 11:44:21 PM

SR2 was a good guilty pleasure kind'a game something you could just jump into for 20 minutes & have some fun. SR3 will probably be the same. but GTA is a completely different level of gaming experience. in terms of its presentation in story characters writing its city & so on.

Last edited by CanadianGuy420 on 6/25/2011 11:48:33 PM

5 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:15:43 AM

That's where I think I'll be okay, I don't expect to be impressed. Just wanna have goofy fun. GTAIV impressed me, but wasn't much much.

2 up, 1 down

Beamboom
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 3:19:32 AM

What's *impressive* about SR2, from a technical point of view, is the rock solid coop integration. I've not to this day experienced a better game on that particular field (other than, of course, mmorpgs).
Other than that I agree it's more of a "guilty pleasure", and you got to have the right attitude, like you seem to have World, to get the most out of it.

Last edited by Beamboom on 6/26/2011 3:21:45 AM

1 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 4:38:24 PM

shit my order was canceled.

0 up, 0 down

Dreno
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 10:27:42 PM
Reply

Thursday @ 8, ill be there, and ill make the meet and greet this time for sure.

Wait, what time would that be in nv?

I would love to see the katana meet codblods, just for destructive purposes.
I should get the 15 lbp key blade I made in weldingin high school back from my buddy and send it to you ben soo you could use that. It would prolly just smash it all to hell though.

Lawless, if your moving on to some E.A.P ( you can never go wrong with some E.A.P, ( he's my personal facortie poet/short story teller ) you should check out some of the works by jim morrison, although I think his is all poetry.

PGU : still playing some wkc, waiting for wkc2. And playing some infamous here and there, with a little ff:ta tossed in from time to time.

Also, I just went and got a $20 psn card, but I've no idea what ill use it on. Was thinking about the taxedermist dlc for heavy rain but wanted to see if anyone here had played it and could tell me if its worth the 5 bucks. Other than that though, I'm clueless and was hoping for some recomendations from the psxe family. Was thinking about picking up some psx rpgs, butill wait for some recomendations first.

1 up, 0 down

Lawless SXE
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 10:33:12 PM

Hey, thanks for the suggestion. I don't mind a bit of poetry, so I'll get around to checking him out sooner or later. :)

0 up, 0 down

cLoudou
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 11:12:51 PM
Reply

What's there to debate, slash that mother up. I'll even lend you a sword and join you by cutting up my cousin's copy.

2 up, 1 down

Lawless SXE
Saturday, June 25, 2011 @ 11:23:38 PM

I'd join the party, but the only machete we've got wouldn't cut paper anymore, and a butcher knife just wouldn't be as fun :/

1 up, 0 down

Claire C
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:17:37 AM
Reply

PGU: I'm sick as a dog *cough* *sneeze*, finished Infamous 2 and Chrono Trigger (DS), and am 23hrs into FFIX (PSP). Now back to bed. *snivel*

4 up, 1 down

Lawless SXE
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:19:52 AM

Get well soon.

4 up, 0 down

cLoudou
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:41:22 AM

You forgot *fart*.

6 up, 1 down

BikerSaint
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 9:08:40 AM

Get Well Soon, Claire!
And keep on playing, playa!

2 up, 0 down

Claire C
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 10:40:43 AM

@cLoudou

Don't be pushing your own nasty habits on me. ;)

5 up, 0 down

Teddie9
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 3:56:24 PM

Please get better soon Claire. :)

1 up, 0 down

SoulController
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:22:46 AM
Reply

I just got back from 6 flags great adventure. My body still feels like I'm going up and down on the Nitro so I can't sleep...aahhh

GTA, meh I'm done. 4 was good but all of the previous entries were 10 times better to me, especially vice city. Best Soundtrack, city setting hands down.. They need to do a GTA reboot/refresh like from GTA 2 going into GTA 3. Hopefully that's why they're being so quiet about GTA5.

COD..eat a bag o' _____ guy! Why even try and make up some bs about why you and activison are so Damn greedy. It's seriously no excuse that these pieces of crap have all this money now & cant even sneeze out a new IP or experiment. Activison doesn't get any respect from the smart, hardcore cause we know these guys only want to bleed us.

PGU: I'm almost at the end of my first playthrough of infamous2 but can't seem to finish because of work and enjoying the summer. I got LA noire from the dope best buy sale and have only played maybe an hour. All I can say is, wow what polish and balls Rockstar for trying something new. Pay attention Activison! Rockstars money is just as long as yours.

I need to finish up Vagrant story, dead nation and finally platinum portal 2. Beyond good and evil is also mine next week. Man I miss the old days when I had more time.for gaming.

5 up, 0 down

Jawknee
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:43:15 AM
Reply

Just Platinumed inFAMOUS 2 today. Such an awesome game. I want to play it again but I'm going to take a break so I started playing L.A. Noire. Cool game. Nice change of pace after playing inFAMOUS 2.

5 up, 0 down

frylock25
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 2:42:22 AM
Reply

so i have been playing AC Brotherhood the past few weeks and loved it. i havent gone online with it yet and not sure if i will any time soon. i also started screwin around with that game on facebook AC Project Legacy. pretty cool how it affects your game on your ps3 and shares data. id like to see more of that kind of stuff. purely optional but still fun.

I have infamous 2 and havent played it enough. i plan on getting back to it and going through it a few times. when i turned on infamous 2 tonight i started to try to control cole like he was ezio. climb the wall damn it! oh wait, wrong controls!

i have also been playing through enslaved slowly. the controls in this game kind of piss me off. mostly the combat. not sure if i will finish it.

the past few weeks i have been riding to job sites in the company van with other people and i bring my psp. good way to use the free games they gave me. funny enough one guy says "playstation's garbage" i just kind of laughed and said "let me guess you play 360". of course. wheres your microsoft portable?

4 up, 0 down

LittleBigMidget
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 3:24:21 AM
Reply

Anyone want to get an ass kicking in Mortal Kombat?

My PSN is BoobooJones

0 up, 0 down

Kevin555
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 10:53:28 AM

If you're serious then i will add you...

& make you my little-big-midgit with Sindel.

On MK, has anyone got Scarlet yet? If so how is she to use? Alot of people reckon she is a juggling beast. I may have to get her but $4.99 for a character is abit steep. I hope shes worth it.

3 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 3:26:33 AM
Reply

I'm in a F.E.A.R.-period, the weeks prior to the release of F3 I played F2 a lot, nowadays it's F3 coop play. The campaign is far too short though. We've started playing each part twice just to delay the ending (and find all the statues).

Ordered Singularity yesterday after reading the psxe review. That one missed my radar and it's at a really low price now. The gameplay vids looks really cool too.

2 up, 0 down

Kevin555
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 10:57:03 AM

How is F.E.A.R 3 compared to say the first F.E.A.R on the PC? Which was amazing at the time.

I loved the original but hated F.E.A.R 2 so i am sitting on the fence with this & my arse is starting to ache.

How do you F.E.A.R fans rate this amongst the other games in the series? Is their enough Alma scares you reckon? Because her random jump-out-of-seat moments will be the deal breaker for me.

Last edited by Kevin555 on 6/26/2011 10:58:24 AM

2 up, 0 down

Claire C
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 11:15:35 AM

I 'think' FEAR3's scares have been toned down a bit, and the whole game is more about the multiplayer experience. You might be disappointed Kevin.

4 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 2:08:42 PM

I agree with Claire. I've not played the first, but FEAR2 was scarier. And even that one was not that scary - that's why I played it (and loved it), cause I am such a chicken when it comes to scary stuff.

Also, all the emails and documents that could be found in FEAR2 is gone. That further subtract from the scariness, cause there simply is not that much story and details to dive into any more.

So, FEAR3 is more like an action game with some very, *very* classic horror movie scenery. So classic it could probably easily be called cliches, but the references are so obvious it has to be intentional. it's like walking through 50 years of Hollywood horror/thriller history.

Still, it is definitely an enjoyable game, you just have to take it for what it is.

Last edited by Beamboom on 6/26/2011 2:16:20 PM

1 up, 0 down

Kevin555
Monday, June 27, 2011 @ 8:51:59 AM

@ Claire & Beamboom,

Thanks for the feedback you two, i appreciate it. :)

Pretty gutted that it lacks the scares of the first two games & as you've both said it seems to have catered more for the multiplayer over a meaty campaign. I will give it a rent just to experience the campaign, but that is as far as i will go.

Cheers,

Last edited by Kevin555 on 6/27/2011 8:56:39 AM

0 up, 0 down

___________
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 5:42:26 AM
Reply

so R* is going to release Agent and MP3 within 6 months?
yea, and scooby doo is making my breakfast!
GTA has always had a development limbo anyway, i remember GTAIV being released then hearing nothing for so long, then finally it picks up, then goes dead again, then finally picks up and releases.
no freaking way GTAV is going to be announced and released in the space of say a year!
i dont want another GTA either, simply because i know there going to do a repeat of IV and its going to be a massive disappointment.
i only wish we could go back to the wackiness of san andreas and vice city!

i cant see a action adventure COD game working, but eh there the types of games which end up innovating and shaping what other games of the genre will be doing in future, so im certainly interested in it.

trying to finish allice madness returns, have to say its nothing like i expected.
i like crazy, but its a little too crazy.
i mean you have to be on some serious acid 24/7 to come up with some of the sh*t in that game!
where do these people come up with these ideas........
its really weird how graphically inconsistent it is, i noticed that in the IGN review and thought they were crazy.
but there right, some things look really good, while others make me feel like im playing wanted weapons of fate!
decent game, just needs a little more polish and shine around the edges.

just got my tickets to the EB gaming conference yesterday so freaking excited!
wonder what will be there........
hopefully psv, tomb raider and ME3 are there, there the most im looking forward to playing.
especially since they wont be here till next year.

0 up, 0 down

Teddie9
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 9:08:40 PM

I'm still wondering about playing Alice

0 up, 0 down

___________
Monday, June 27, 2011 @ 8:37:57 AM

if you like crazy give it a try.
its got some really cool level design, but the combats just too simplistic for me got really boring.

0 up, 0 down

Kevin555
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 9:41:35 AM
Reply

I am pumped for another GTA, i am surprised we haven't seen atleast a logo leak yet, or are they using the same font style as GTAIV? Anyway, if this has country & desert settings i will be friggin' stoaked. The wait won't be difficult anyway with Saints Row The Third coming soon, & after seeing that gameplay trailer i am hanging out for it.

PGU: Like you lads love your RPGs, i love my horrors, so i've been playing some good ole' Forbidden Siren 2, anyone remember the Siren horror games back on PS2? Where you could sightjack your enemies & play a mix of characters in different time frames? There was even a PS3 version for the PSN (New Translation/Blood Curse). Anyway, i am silently hoping for Team Silent to give me more of this amazing, under-appreciated series in HD glucose, i know the chances are slim but i'm keeping the thin hope.

I have also been playing Alice: Madness Returns & this game, for me atleast is a keeper. I haven't experienced anything this bizarre since SH3, it doesn't look too flashy but the art style & gothic flavour really reels me in. I may have to try & track down the original Alice on the PC.

I've also had my eyes on Tekken Tag Tournament 2 which is probably my most wanted game right now. Hopefully, come console release we get a few more console exclusive characters (Kunimitsu, Angel & Unknown would be the icing on an already enticing package for fans). Also plan on grabbing Tekken Hybrid when it releases but may hang on to my old TTT PS2 copy in case the HD upgrade removes some modes.

2 up, 0 down

Claire C
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 10:25:44 AM

Doesn't Madness Returns include the original Alice?

3 up, 0 down

Kevin555
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 10:47:39 AM

@Claire,

Yeah that is true, copies of Madness Returns came with a download code to get the original Alice, but i wan't the original Alice with it's cover & all. I hate having games without their booklets or covers.

If i can't find a PC one soon though then atleast i can experience it on PSN/Live.

1 up, 0 down

Claire C
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 11:11:59 AM

Oh, ok. I understand exactly what you mean about wanting a 'complete' game. I've become the same way. =)

3 up, 0 down

Temjin001
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 5:45:08 PM

Does Tekken hybrid have online play?

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 6:05:02 PM

Alice is awesomeness to the core.

1 up, 0 down

Temjin001
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 8:07:26 PM

Good review, btw, on Alice, World.

0 up, 0 down

Kevin555
Monday, June 27, 2011 @ 9:21:21 AM

@Temjin,

I think they're adding an online mode in replace of most ot TTT game modes. This upgrade will most likely be a bare bones TTT with HD looks & online.

@WorldEndsWithMe,

+1 brother

0 up, 0 down

Teddie9
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 12:53:28 PM
Reply

GTA isn't really my thing and I'm not into cod. I'll buy Shadows since I've been anticipating it for a little while - but I'm not a big fan of fear - might rent.

PGU: Working on I2 UGC but I figure I'll give it a rest for something new.

0 up, 0 down

Temjin001
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 1:24:59 PM
Reply

I have no desire to play anything GTA. And even less of desire to play Catherine. I won't be playing either.

No surprises with CoD spin offs. Not really interested unless theyre outstandingly good.

Yep,had a whole bunch of negativity to say this week =p

1 up, 1 down

Danny007
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 3:07:05 PM
Reply

Yup, you're right Ben. Nothing on the horizon. Next new game I'll be getting is Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood, which comes out of July 19th.

0 up, 0 down

Danny007
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 @ 10:32:16 AM

I meant to say Call Of Juarez: The Cartel. Oopps

0 up, 0 down

LegendaryWolfeh
Sunday, June 26, 2011 @ 8:53:53 PM
Reply

Huzzah, lucky lucky, I don't have to work this thursday :) I'll definitely be there again.

1 up, 0 down

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