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Sony Holiday Press Event 2009

sarge-ak47 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:47:55 +0000

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The event was packed with tons of PS3 games

SONY HOLIDAY PRESS EVENT 09: A casual analysis.

Ahsan says:
So then, let’s talk about the Sony holiday press event

April says:
You really don’t care about my well being do you? >. < anyways, What did you think?

Ahsan says:
Where do I begin, I loved the fact that the entire event was held in such an inconspicuous place and just felt like a modern art gallery.

April says:
I know! It looked like an empty building and right on the upper floor was the event. Like some secret organization having a meeting or something!!!

sony makes some nice scarves

Ahsan says:
hahaha true say!!!!!
I loved the ps3 scarves we received.
Check it I got a photo of it

April:
Yeah, I know, We walked in at the same time ;p

Ahsan says:
OMG the hors d’oeuvres

April says:
I ate so much >.< but I`m happy ;p
Loving the scarves <3 I wore mine the moment the event was over.

April was on box number 2..

Ahsan says:
Well I might go ahead and sell mine online. Nah, I`m just kidding
but enough about that, let`s talk about what we saw.

April says:
I`m still dizzy from all the games we saw there! I saw Avatar, Aliens vs Predator, Tekken 6, Assassins Creed II, Heavy Rain, God of war 3, did I get all of them?

Ahsan. says:
You forgot Where the Wild Things Are, Dj Hero, Guitar hero 5, MAG, Mod Nation racers, Army of two, the New Dead to Rights, Need For Speed Shift, another Sonic game, Tony Hawk ride, the new Katamari
In other words A LOT of games. A LOT

April says:

YEAH!

Ahsan says:
Something that I’ll mention right off the bat is what was mysteriously missing from the show floor. Firstly we didn’t get a chance to see Modern Warfare 2.

April says:
And let’s not forget Gran Turismo 5. I honestly thought that would be there or at the very least some video footage.

Ahsan says:
So very true, I had another gripe about not seeing the PSPgo fully playable, I mean the main rep had it, you just had to schedule a personal time with him in order to see it.

April says:
Yeah, it was pretty difficult to see the hand held. There were no displays, so it wasn’t like we could just reach into his pocket and grab the go to test it out >.<
So were there any sports games at the event?

Ahsan says:
Yes Tony Hawk’s Ride was in full display at Activision’s corner.

April says:
I thought I saw you in the distance trying to balance on something, tell me how was the game?

Ahsan says:
Oh Tony Hawk ride was awesome. ThepPeripheral made it as if you were actually balancing on a skateboard, the game even had a casual mode for those of us who can’t steer with proper precision. With a different take on how they used to approach their skateboarding games, I believe this year they may have set themselves apart from the competition. Despite its hefty price tag, the unit was really sturdy and we got to see a real skateboard legend show us the ropes.

Our legendary Skateboarder tries out Tony Hawks Ride, before going underground

April says:
Oh, it’s Jooooosh!!!! = D lols! Speaking about the stuff of legends, who brought the beat down in Tekken 6? which looked gorgeous and seemed to have the largest roster ever seen in Tekken history.

Tekken 6 looked amazing..despite the fact that I kept losing

Ahsan says:
Indeed! The backgrounds were gorgeous and fully animated, tons of stuff was going on. And according to the reps everything in the game is fully unlockable and if there should be any new downloadable content rest assure it will be free.
As for you bringing the pain in Tekken 6, my controller was messing up. It`s not over yet!

April says:
Okay, whatever you say. Was it sort of like how your drums were busted in Band Hero?

Ahsan says:
Whoa there! Ever wonder if it had something to do with your singing? Band Hero was certainly was fun.

April says:
Thank god for Taylor Swift, as long as they keep Hanna Montana away from any music game I`m happy.

Ahsan. says:
Alright changing gears let’s talk about the high points of the show,
run down your top three games of the event.

April says:
That’s easy as pie
my top three have to be:

King of kings?

Assassins Creed II, Just because there’s so much more freedom than in the first one. The inner history nerd in me really is in love<3 with the historical aspect of the game. First the Crusades now the Renaissance how can I not get excited? Throw in Leonardo Da Vinci into the whole shenanigan and I’m ecstatic. Plus he’s an assassin, a darker aspect of history. It was a time where modern ideas were being born and control was being established. So he`s pretty much a ninja like Ryu Hayabusa lol!

the second
has got to be Uncharted 2: Among thieves

I grew up watching movies like Indiana Jones and I played games like Tomb raider. This is pretty much the best of both worlds! I really loved the interaction between the characters. The dialogue really made me laugh. While the jungle scenery was so lush that it made me want to just hop on a plane and find that forest! Explore the land, find treasure and literally become the female Nathan Drake.

My number three without a doubt would be Heavy Rain.

It’s no peaches and cream type of game. But the story line is really mesmerizing. The way it plays even reminds me of Shenmue. Which was one of the best games on the Dreamcast. The interaction like asking questions and looking at objects left me thinking of Ryo Hazuki lol. (Please bring him back!) This also being a story driven game has many puzzles to solve which made the inner Sherlock Holmes in me want to figure out what in the world was happening.

Ahsan says:
Fan boy alert.. I didn’t know Shenmue was so dear to you

Deciphering Heavy Rains controls

April says:
First of all I’m a girl and besides Shenmue was an amazing game. Seeing elements of it in this game really made me smile.

Ahsan says:
But didn’t you find Heavy Rains controls a little archaic? I felt like it was akin to the old tank style controls of resident evil. Also, I wonder how deep this game can actually get since majority of it is spent on story elements and human interactions.. Where is the gameplay at?

April says:
I hate to admit it but the controls were a bit hard to get used to. I wish that it was easier to move the character from one area to another. As for the gameplay, it’s all in the interaction, for example when the character is scared it’s really difficult to choose the decision you want because the predominant emotion of the character at that moment was fear.

Ahsan . says:
Ok, so you mean to tell me that the character interactive moments yielded multiple results? That’s pretty cool.
Moving to your other choice-Assasins creed 2. I did love all the gameplay reveals thanks to the in depth demo we had our hands on.

April says:
>.< AGREED

Ahsan says:
Having factions work for you, looking for good prices on items, and not drowning is a huge plus.

ACII builds upon the original distraction.(MGS4 pictured above)

April says:
Like the courtesans! You can hire a group of woman to distract the guards which will allow you to pass in an area without being detected. No wonder Kojima-san loved this game! LOL it’s like those books you planted to distract the guards in Metal Gear.

Ahsan says:
Ubi was carefully listening to all the feedback from the first game and its clearly evident in the sequel. Heck the lead creative designer who walked us through the demo was kind enough to inform us that they’ve even managed to cut down on the amount of annoying beggars.

April:
To me it’s a perfect example of pivotal game play improved by careful feedback.
Sooooo, how about you? What was your top three??
What games made your list?

Ahsan says:
Top three games of the show are: Aliens vs Predator-Rebellion’s pre alpha build was visceral, vicious and seemed like a true successor to the pc version. For a pre alpha build it had some amazing gamplay elements, like the predator leap that sort of solves first person platform problem.
Next on the list is Uncharted 2 for its jaw dropping locations and excellent presentation. Last up I pick God of War 3 with its impressive visuals and insane battles. I honestly could not believe these games were running on a ps3.

April says:
Yeah? Why?

Ahsan says:
Uncharted 2 in particular takes a tried and true formula and adds some small tweaks that create a more streamlined experience. Uncharted 2 is already lighting up high review scores and having some hands on time with it certainly illustrates why.

what happens next is complimented by buckets of blood and gore

GOW 3 was the most primeval experience, I HAVE EVER SEEN. This game was brutal and I loved every moment of it. Combos were easy to pull of and you had some insane encounters throughout the demo. Remember when David Jaffe was quoted as calling the game a literal painting come to life; he was spot on. The third title in the series is definitely the best.

April says:
This was so sick, it was so brutal and gory yo! I’m so stoked for this game.

Ahsan says:
I know, I just said that lol but same!! March 2010 can’t come soon enough.

April says:
We saw a lot of good games but what about the other side of the puddle? What didn’t deliver?

Ahsan says:
It’s rather sad but I was disappointed with Army of Two and its lack of co op display thus crippling the morality system that has been hyped up. Instead we got a closed combat area showcased to us with a warzone surrounding it.
I found the new Dead to Rights not compelling enough to play but that’s just me, it seemed like the game was out of place. It wasn’t visually interesting nor did the gameplay seem to be an evolution of the series. What about you?

April says:
Weeeeelllllll…….

Ahsan:
Well???

April says:
Avatar was what disappointed. It has so much potential but it just didn’t cut it for me. Graphically, they need to bring up their A game to the plate. What also kinda bugged me was that we weren’t given the opportunity to actually play the game ourselves. It was pretty much like watching a demo on the computer screen.

Ahsan says:
Yea, I mean the game is supposed to utilize a 3D Tv and uses Farcry 2s Dunia engine but it’s far from looking remotely close to Farcry 2. There was tons of geometry but having no hands on really hurt

April says:
* Imitates Randy Jackson* KEEPIN’ IT REAL DAWG!

Dj hero brought out the Urban DJ in all of us.

Ahsan says:
Yea, yea brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr bap bap

April says:
=P

Ahsan says:
Alright so this was our first press event and the kids these days wont read anything till it has some sort of rating or grade on it. So then give a grade to this press event.

April says:
B+ It was amazing but there’s always room for improvement.

Ahsan says:
Indeed, I’m with you on that. B plus some big hitters were missing but for the most part we had some pleasant surprises like a robust build of Assassins Creed 2 and Aliens vs Predator. So stay tuned for our pick of the show and a detailed discussion of what we learned.

Assassin Creed II - We just couldn't get enough of it

April says:
*Hand raises up* I call Assassins Creed 2!! haha called it ;p

Ahsan Khan. says:
VERY WELL.
Till then our loyal readers stay tuned.

Tony Hawk Ride Bonus!

sarge-ak47 — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:17:14 +0000

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People who Pre-ordered Tony Hawk Ride from Gamestop/EB games will now recieve a code for unlockable content on the games launch. The content is open for anyone who pre-ordered in-store or online at http://www.gamestop.com between now and Nov. 17 will receive an exclusive code on release day to unlock the brand new Quiksilver All ’80s All Day Level in the game.

The unlockable level was inspired by a real quicksilver event and promises to drop players in an authentic 80s skater feel complete with a retro wardrobe and 80′s Tony Hawk. Also unlocked will be Legendary skater Christian Hosoi.

Grind Into Tony Hawk: RIDE in November

Brett Caron — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:18:48 +0000

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Get ready for Tony Hawk: RIDE, the newest and freshest skateboarding game we’ve seen in some time. It’s hitting the shelves in November, and will be debuting an innovative controller that is nothing less than a skateboard simulator. It looks like a snowboard, although I wouldn’t recommend taking that simile to any extreme.

So for all you skaters who will be packing away the legit boards in November, you may want to think about swapping them in for these. Except, for RIDE. Not for snowboarding. Ever.

November 17th, get ready.

Cheers.

Game Review: Tony Hawk Proving Grounds

Josh Salem — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 03:31:03 +0000

Posted on andPOP:

Let me start off by making this perfectly clear. To me, the last great boarding game was Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3. Don’t get me wrong, I dig the Tony Hawk series, but once you were able to step off the board in-game, it just seemed to go downhill (no pun intended with Tony Hawk Downhill Jam). For this reason, I was a little weary of reviewing the latest installment of Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground for the Xbox 360.

Set in the streets of Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground is the largest and deepest Hawk title to date. From choosing your brands in custom player creation to reaching for your ideal style of skating, this title has so much in it that once you beat the game you’re not even scratching the surface. A slew of features such as a full featured video editor, your own online customizable skating lounge, seamless online connectivity, Nail the Trick custom combos and even new methods of gaining speed, showing that Proving Ground is a step up from previous titles.

The title puts you, a custom created player wearing your favourite skater brand apparel into the streets of Philly. As a new up and coming star, you try to make a name for yourself by performing tricks and stunts in front of pro boarders who just happen to be in the neighborhood at the time. For the first few hours of the game it feels like an extremely long and in depth tutorial, but after a while the goals turn into more of a competition with feats like winning a demo show, beating down thugs, or getting a shoe sponsor. Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground goes more along the lines of the lifestyle of a professional skateboarder than just a boarder trying to get a certain amount of points. In the end, your final decision would be your reason for skating as you can pick between career (all about the money and style, exposure to the media and looking cool), hardcore (skating for no one but yourself, seeing if you have what it takes to push yourself further than you ever thought possible and knock anyone down in your way), or rigger (you board to build, or build to board, you see a sick gap where others see a shopping cart, you make your line where and when you please). Each style affects how you play and where you head next.

When picking your custom character attributes, some aspects are very detailed such as choosing the specific brand of shades your boarder wears, but other aspects are lacking. The inability to change the height or weight of your boarder severely hinders my ability to create an avatar in my image (I may be short and chubby, but I can skateboard in real life, why can’t I in the game?). As well, with only a few preset faces to choose from and the lack of ability to give your boarder a preset boarding style, you can only go so far with attire. Customizing your own skater lounge is pretty cool. You can unlock new themed pieces like ramps and grind rails as you progress through the game and place them into specific lines to board offline or online with friends in your own custom made skate park. The concept is pretty cool and there is even a camera you can adjust to take your own pictures, but it just doesn’t seem like enough of an attraction to put much effort into making the rad pad of your dreams.

The graphics are beautiful, but not really all that grand compared to Tony Hawk’s Project 8, perhaps more of a slight improvement over the last title. The terrain is detailed and doesn’t feel like rehashed skate spots over and over, and even at high speeds you can see specific advertisements (like Guitar Hero 3 ads) whizzing by as you grind along a pool. The player models are also very detailed in the way of skin defects and facial features. You can easily tell which pro skater is which and with the professional skaters all performing motion capturing for their electronic counterparts, it seems even more realistic (although weird to see how much Tony Hawk really does look like a bird). Presented in 1080p, when you Nail the Trick over pedestrians heads, the animation and fluid motion is just stunning.

As always Tony Hawk has a wide array of music to choose from, not as skater friendly as past games, it does contain none the less, licensed music from a variety of artists. From !!! to Voltera, Foo Fighters to Smashing Pumpkins, Proving Grounds has a perfect mix of underground and mainstream music to match the flow of the game – for some reason it even has a Rolling Stones music video in it! I’m not complaining I’m just not sure why it is there. The yells from pedestrians and thugs are often clever and silly and usually a little smile springs up as you turn your skater around to check them for smack talking. After a while however, it can get a little tiring. The oomphs, ahhs, and bone crunches sound realistic and painful, and in the end give the game a realistic boost against the get-up-after-falling-off-a-building spills.

The controls can seem a bit overwhelming to a newcomer to the Hawk name, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same with a few new additions. A to jump, Y grind, B grab trick, X flip trick, up-down manual, right trigger revert and acid drop – the usual. On top of these normal maneuvers the shoulder buttons perform more tricks like skate checks, carving and slashing the rails. The learning curve of the game starts off pretty easy, but as you advance through more tutorials the number of things you can do while riding on four wheels and a plank of wood becomes extremely intense. Play a little further and test the waters of these new exercises and you’ll overcome the second hump of this learning curve, unlocking a whole new way to play the game.

Once you get into the game, get your bearings, learn some new skills and progress a little, the fun begins. Seamlessly, you can jump into online play mode, wager some cash against online opponents, or just skate around and chat via headset with the other shredders in your town or custom skate lounge which I’ll discuss later on. Unfortunately, some of my favourite multiplayer game modes didn’t make it into the online mode like king of the hill for example. As an extra little bonus, there is a constantly updated leader board to track your high scores and achievements.

The game seems overambitious with all these new additions to the Tony Hawk brand; improving aspects that seemed a little dull while still providing all the goal types from past Hawk titles (via arcade machines placed throughout the game as well as an all new Hawk-Man mini-game). Tony and his pro pals take you across all three cities doing everything from learning the basics, starring in films, showing-up punks, fighting crime, avoiding security, and of course carving pools. Something this Tony Hawk does better than others in the past is taking into account different boarding lifestyles. Although Activision gave us all these new goodies along with some classic favourites, I feel they skimped out on a few essentials; as I said before, the inability to change the physical aspect of your skater really leaves a lot to demand, and the fact that the generic skater style clothing is replaced by brand name specific articles of clothing not only annoys me to a great extent, but actually makes me fear for the future of our skater culture.

Some other aspects that seem to be missing are pro skater stats. When playing 2 player mode and picking pro skaters there are no visible stats and it doesn’t even show if the skaters are more comfortable with goofy or regular stance. As far as I can tell, there doesn’t really seem to be a difference in skater selection other than what they look like. Don’t sell it short though as there are many pro boarders to pick, from Bob Burnquist to Tony Hawk himself.

Finally the most innovative aspect of the game – and perhaps the biggest time spender if you’re into it – is the rigging feature. Now in Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, you have the ability to build any type of ramp or rail anywhere you see fit. Not only can you create jumps to help get you to high out-of-reach bowls, but now you can create your perfect custom line in the centre of Washington D.C., craft new gaps and shape the ideal skating world for you and your buddies using the in game rigging set.

All in all, Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground is nothing to be afraid of, and if you’re a fan of old school Tony Hawk games, this one will not only expand your mind on what you thought you knew about virtual boarding, but will also give you the classics you came to love. Oh, by the way, did I mention that each goal also has multiple levels of difficulty? So if you beat the entire game with mostly amateur ratings you can go back and try to improve your scores to the pro level or higher!

Graphics: 4.0 / 5.0
Gameplay 5.0 / 5.0
Sound 4.5 / 5.0
Replay value 5.0 / 5.0