Support NeoGAF

[Y2Kev]

I'm updating live, so keep checking back.

Hello all!

I have just returned from DigitalLife in New York City. It was pretty cool-- there were a bunch of games there and FINALLY I got to PLAY PS3 and Wii. My heart nearly exploded all the excitement. Let's go through my day, shall we?

I walked in and immediately made a beeline to the PS3 because I have never seen one in person and I really wanted to see one. Yes, simple motivation but motivation none the less. Sony had the only three PS3s at the show in a square booth with a giant PLAYSTATION 3 red banner along the side.

Anyway, I couldn't get a great shot of that because I'm short and people kept getting in my ****ing way.

So I barreled through and got up close and personal with the PS3. From far away, it isn't translucent. Close up, it still really isn't translucent. As soon as the flash goes off, though, woo-hoo. Dust and ew.

Next, I played Resistance.

This game is THE REAL deal. It was amazing seeing how smooth and fluidly it played when it was up against some of the other titles on the floor. The camera work is done just right so that it is a very cinematic experience. HL2 and FEAR looked incredibly jumpy in comparison. The enemy AI was impressive too. Enemies kept dodging in and out of this house-like structure. I didn't quite understand how to use the weapon selection system...I needed more time with it. The PS3 controller triggers feel awesome...they are kind of like gas pedals. The controller feels cheap, though. It's too light. It was wired as well, so I couldn't pretend gesture with it.

Resistance now has a FULL 1080 sticker on it. Don't know if that means 1080p. It's really just a gorgeously detailed game.

The BRAVIA TVs they have on display are ****ing stunning. Just wow.

They had Warhawk on demo loop. It just takes your breath away...the size and scale of the TV. So clear and vibrant.

There was a bunch of Xbox 360 stuff. I played...well, I looked at...Viva Pinata. I didn't really get it.

http://www.catanzareti.com/images/Kevin/IMG_1408.jpg
http://www.catanzareti.com/images/Kevin/IMG_1409.jpg
http://www.catanzareti.com/images/Kevin/IMG_1410.jpg

Next, I headed to the DS station. I played Portrait of Ruin. That game looks freaking fantastic. MGSO's demostations were like...all dysfunctional. I was extremely disappointed.

NEXT, I played the WII. I was excited to finally get my hands on the controller.

The only game I played was Elebits.

It was really strange to finally get my hands on the Wiimote, which feels extremely solid and well-made. It has a nice weight to it. The nunchuk feels a little light. The rumble felt like a cell phone buzzing. I actually heard an audible buzz. Lol1!

Anyway, the game took ridiculously long to load. I actually took a video to prove I'm not HATIN on Wii: http://www.catanzareti.com/images/Kevin/MVI_1423.AVI. It took over 45 seconds for the game to get rolling.

Once it did get rolling, it was actually a bit of fun. The wiimote felt a little floaty at first and it was very disorienting. I didn't have a clue what I was doing...but soon I got the hang of it. The wiimote is VERY precise, but it can also be difficult to control. The person before me was spazzing out like crazy and the camera was making me dizzy. I was much smoother with the wiimote (of course) and I almost finished the demo. There will be a period of adjustment...but it was awesome.

Madden was also there and I took pics. I'll post them if wanted.

I hit up FFXII next. I started to take pics, but I got yelled at. WTF! Anyway, I took some anyway. **** YOU BOOTH LOSERS!

I am totally stealing that to cosplay! HAH.

Game is amazing of course. Graphics don't look so great on an LCD. Lots of shimmering. Amazing art style and a freaking awesome intro. Battle system is exciting, but I only got to play a few minutes in the very beginning of the game.

Anyway, so yeah.

I also took pictures of the YAKUZA demo station with nobody in front of it for Wario. HAHA yakuza sucks.

Feel free to ask questions and such.

 

[jakster4u]

Where's the movie?

 

[Bad_Boy]

cool writeup, thanks for the pics/vid.

 

[Oldschoolgamer]

Thanks for the info.

45 seconds is a tad bit to long. I guess this is the Wii's crash...

 

[Gantz]

*double post*

 

[Gantz]

I just got back myself. I was kind of underwhelmed. I didn't find the PS3 that impressive at all. Resistance looked like a 4th gen xbox game. I was underwhelmed by the Wii also. None of the Wii games there really caught my attention. Did I mention FFXII looked like ass on an LCD? The highlight of the show was getting to play Castlevania: POR.

Oh yeah Blue Ray is ****ing overrated.

 

[jakster4u]

Did WarHawk look any good on the LCD's?

 

[K_S]

wait, gantz is not impressed by something sony? now i dont know what to believe... :lol

oh and welcome back, hope you wont stay long

 

[Y2Kev]

Did WarHawk look any good on the LCD's?

Warhawk looks zomg on the screen. It's just something about seeing these games on like 60" TVs that amazes me. I dunno, I'm easy to impress.

And spread the love, not the hate! Both blu-ray and HD-DVD looked very nice to me. The 360 + HDDVD thingy were on display as well. They looked nice.

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

That Judge statue manequin is bad ass.

 

[Luckyman]

I just got back myself. I was kind of underwhelmed. I didn't find the PS3 that impressive at all. Resistance looked like a 4th gen xbox game. I was underwhelmed by the Wii also. None of the Wii games there really caught my attention. Did I mention FFXII looked like ass on an LCD? The highlight of the show was getting to play Castlevania: POR.

Oh yeah Blue Ray is ****ing overrated.

Hater?

 

[kenta]

So did you play FFXII or what

 

[Ninja Scooter]

i think that "Full HD 1080" sticker is for the TV, not the game. I saw that same one on a Bravia at Circuit City the other day.

 

[Y2Kev]

So did you play FFXII or what

I did. I can post impressions later. I have my friend over now and we're debating whether or not to go get sushi.

 

[Diablos]

That is so ****ing awesome. I want one. Now.

 

[NinjaFromTheFuture]

I am totally stealing that to cosplay! HAH.

:lol :lol :lol
I thought the same thing when I saw that pic. "I would totally steal that."

 

[jarosh]

awesome thread kev. where's your pic? heh

:lol :lol :lol
I thought the same thing when I saw that pic. "I would totally steal that."

thanks for f*cking up the forum with your name. that was a really stupid idea.

 

[Mrbob]

So you give Wii waggle your seal of approval?

When I can't find a PS3 Nov 17, I'll probably end up buying a Wii on Nov 19. :/ Two new systems in such a short span, hype will be running wild and I'll have to take part in the festivities in some fashion.

 

[Y2Kev]

awesome thread kev. where's your pic? heh



thanks for f*cking up the forum with your name. that was a really stupid idea.

Those are my hands and the back of my head.

My friend went behind the TV to get one of me, but it didn't come out so good. Maybe later still Kev will reveal himself.

So you give Wii waggle your seal of approval?

When I can't find a PS3 Nov 17, I'll probably end up buying a Wii on Nov 19. :/ Two new systems in such a short span, hype will be running wild and I'll have to take part in the festivities in some fashion.

Well, I see some major issues with the Wii still. First, Elebits and a lot of the wii games look like ass. Elebits does not look good. And the control was not easy to learn...despite my picking it up quickly, nobody else in the line did to any real degree and I can only imagine how tough it is going to be with games that use ALL the buttons.

But the Wii offers a new, unique experience and I can appreciate that for what it is.

 

[NinjaFromTheFuture]

thanks for f*cking up the forum with your name. that was a really stupid idea.

Blame whoever allowed usernames with 25 characters. :lol

 

[ethelred]

Those are my hands and the back of my head.

My friend went behind the TV to get one of me, but it didn't come out so good. Maybe later still Kev will reveal himself.

You have a tiny head.

 

[Y2Kev]

You have a tiny head.

Deceptive angle. My mom calls me "Zimbabwe head." I guess people from Zimbabwe have big heads? No idea.

 

[jarosh]

Those are my hands and the back of my head.

My friend went behind the TV to get one of me, but it didn't come out so good.

then you shouldn't have uploaded it... *hint*
i think it came out pretty good though. you're just... young. i thought you were older. but then again i could have just checked your profile.

 

[bud]

Deceptive angle. My mom calls me "Zimbabwe head." I guess people from Zimbabwe have big heads? No idea.

:lol :lol

Thanks for the pics/impressions man

 

[Y2Kev]

then you shouldn't have uploaded it... *hint*
i think it came out pretty good though. you're just... young. i thought you were older. but then again i could have just checked your profile.

You devil you.

I'm 18. You could facebook me if you guys really want to learn all about me.:lol

People always think I'm older because I impress them with my massive

Spoiler

penis

intellect.

 

[Diablos]

You devil you.

I'm 18. You could facebook me if you guys really want to learn all about me.:lol

People always think I'm older because I impress them with my massive

Spoiler

penis

intellect.

bo dude

~~~~~~

 

[John Harker]

HD-DVD > Blu Ray

 

[jarosh]

You devil you.

I'm 18. You could facebook me if you guys really want to learn all about me.:lol

ah well. i wasn't really looking for a pic of you in the first place. i'm not that creepy. i'm just obsessed with going through sequential pics whenever i see links like .../IMG_1436.jpg etc.

Spoiler

penis

uh-oh, what am i gonna find beyond img_1436? i guess i'll better stop now

 

[Y2Kev]

HD-DVD > Blu Ray

I didn't get to extensively view either of them (and they are far apart, so it isn't like they were side by side), but if it is MPEG2 BR movies against the HD-DVD lineup, yes...Blu-Ray would not come out ahead.

ah well. i wasn't really looking for a pic of you in the first place. i'm not that creepy. i'm just obsessed with going through sequential pics whenever i see links like .../IMG_1436.jpg etc.


uh-oh, what am i gonna find beyond img_1436? i guess i'll better stop now

Well you just took the fun out of everyone else looking for it!

KEV'S BIG GAF REVEAL *flash*

 

[PkunkFury]

Is there any reason to go to this in Chicago since the PS3 and Wii will both pretty much have launched by then?

 

[Y2Kev]

Is there any reason to go to this in Chicago since the PS3 and Wii will both pretty much have launched by then?

Probably not. A lot of the games on the floor were either close to release or released. Resistance was just what I really wanted to play and it feels excellent. I really just went to play Wii. There wasn't much of a line, either-- it was more of a mob formation that I pushed myself to the front of. A girl was playing and she was failing miserably at it, then another guy who was RIGHT UP on the TV and the sensor bar was having a panic attack.

Madden was tethered to the station and it just looked so uninteresting to me. I hate Madden and everyone playing it looked like retards. Waving the wiimote above your head? Heh.

I have to admit, playing it in public did bring about this feeling of self consciousness in me...but I was able to use small, centered motions so that I looked at least somewhat normal.

 

[Dahbomb]

Woah that was some sweet stuff. Good thing about the PS3 Triggers and control, though I have sort of gotten used to the "too light" comments on the controller. Resistance looks hawt as always.

It's too bad you only got to play Elebits on the Wii. What else was there? What about games for the 360?

 

[GilloD]

My impressions, no pics:

PS3

The NBA game looked nice, but not nice enough for me to feel like the PS3 was TEH NEXT GEN! Resistance played really well, the setting was interesting. As Kev noted, it was smooth as hell, but there was nothing in teh gameplay that made me feel like, again, OMG I NEED PS3. I do feel like the size of the PS3 has been completely overstated. It's a little bulbous, but not impossibly gigantic or anything.

XBahxTreeSitty/PC

I was really wowed by Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. This game has phenomenal lighting and the limited camera really lets the character models shine. It looks beautiful in motion. Better, it fixes a lot of the "loose" feeling in X-Men Legends Uno and Dos. There were times in that game when it didn't seem to matter who was on screen as long as you were swinging. The combat here is a little more interesting, you get a good solid "whack" on hitting enemies and you can't just kamikaze big groups. My only complaint was that the 4 playable characters (Capt. America, Spiderman, Wolverine and Thor) felt a little "same-y". I'm hoping that as the game goes on and you get special abilities they'll start to shine a little bit.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent, I didn't get hands-on with but it is the BEST looking game on 360. The sweat on Sam was beautiful. Up close some of the textures got a little ugly, but the 3rd person persepctive keeps that from happening too often. Dynamic objectives were interesting and the game looked really smooth. Quick movement seem to evince a bucketload of tearing, but that might just be a product of the not yet final build. One thing that bothered me was the sneaking animations seemed "thin". Espeically the sneak and stab, Sam seemed to be stabbing around the enemies and not into them. It looked incredibly odd. All things fair, I saw more "WTF THAT WAS AWESOME" moments in 25 minutes of gameplay that I have in almost anything else all year.

Rainbow Six: Las Vegas XTREME Again, no hands on time, but this game seemed. Very. Exciting? It could have been the kid playing it, but it seemed like teh XTREME ACTION EDITION of Rainbow Six. Didn't look that great in motion either, but the level he was playing was awfully dark. I moved on pretty quickly.

PSU looked like shit on the TVs they had on the floor, but that seemed like a display issue and not a game issue. The game itself looked like a boatload of fun. Great environments, smooth animations, fun, quick gameplay. I'll have to get more time to play.

PS2

Guitar Hero TWO! ****ing awesome! Nearly every song was playable. The new "stages" are great, the new characters are really cool and everything just looks much more interesting. Gameplay seemed to be a little "smoother", maybe? The "note" layouts were much more interestign and co-op is infinitely better than vs. The problem with GH 1 MP was that one person was usually worlds better than the other resulting in a complete beatdown. Co-op fixes that, especially with independent difficulty settings, bass/guitar combos and THE BEST IDEA EVER: Tandem Star Power. You and your partner have to tilt the guitar at the same time. So fun. There were maybe 8-10 stations and every one of them had a huge line.

The only Wii kiosk I saw was for Madden, which was a bummer. I skipped. I gave NWN2 a spin, but it felt a little like Dungeon Siege meets WoW. Of course, the appeal isn't in the single player, so whatever. I also fiddled with Viva Pinata for a few minutes. The art was beautiful, the frame rate was a little chunky. I don't quite "get" it yet, but whatever.


DS
I am so psyched for Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. I was a little afraid that the "partner" system would end being teh "babysitting" system, but it opens up a lot of really clever tactical possibilities. You don't have to have both players on the screen at the same time (They come and go at the touch of a button) and there are a lot fo situations where having both characters on screen was a bad idea, but done well it really expanded the gameplay. I'm looking forward to having some real time with it.

I think that's everything. By the time I left around 3 today, a lot of 360s were crashing. But that's what happens when you lock them in plastic boxes liek hamsters.

All in all, a pretty good for 4 bucks. And, oh yeah, FF13 looked like FF:OSX edition. Pretty enough, but not for me.

 

[John Harker]

I have to admit, playing it in public did bring about this feeling of self consciousness in me...but I was able to use small, centered motions so that I looked at least somewhat normal.

Mixed bag. In my experience, if you're actually good at the game you're playing, people tend to look at you with a poorly-concealed awe while you deftly maneuver your Wii :lol

 

[Y2Kev]

Woah that was some sweet stuff. Good thing about the PS3 Triggers and control, though I have sort of gotten used to the "too light" comments on the controller. Resistance looks hawt as always.

It's too bad you only got to play Elebits on the Wii. What else was there? What about games for the 360?

There was more in the way of 360 games. Wii was just Elebits (a fun diversion) and Madden (not playing.) PS3 had NBA somethingorother on some huge-ass (I mean like projector huge) screen running at 1080p and it was amazing. Full HD indeed.

360 had:

Viva Pinata: Oh, Rare...
Fusion Frenzy 2: Didn't try.
Splinter Cell: It's not bad. Tearing is outrageous.
NFS: Carbon: This game looks like a piece of shit. I don't know what the hell is going on with it.
Madden: Didn't try.
Flight Simulator X: This was a PC game...it was running at like 3 FPS. I said to my friend, "That looks terrible," and he echoed the sentiment. Don't know what that was. It was like playing Flight Simulator '83 on an Apple 2 or something.
Activision booth: I spat in the general direction of the Activision booth and I kept on walking.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Ugh. This game is so freaking bad.

Anyway, I was hoping for GEARS but it wasn't there. I'll have to wait another month.

FFXII was the show's BIG GAME. It got big game treatment and had people interested in it.

OH OH OH OH OH funniest moment of the show for me.

I was playing FFXII and some guy looked up at the sign I took a picture of and said to his friend, "Look, yo, Final Fantasy 20."

That could be either a rather biting criticism of FF's sequelization (a nonword) or just the dude being a complete retard. I'll go with the latter.

 

[Mrbob]

The concern I have about the PS3 controller is echoed in this thread.

Without rumble inside, I am worried that using it will make me feel like I'm holding something light and cheap. Even the PS2 pad feels lightweight compared to the X360 pad, and a PS3 w/o rumble motors must feel feather light.

 

[Y2Kev]

The concern I have about the PS3 controller is echoed in this thread.

Without rumble inside, I am worried that using it will make me feel like I'm holding something light and cheap. Even the PS2 pad feels lightweight compared to the X360 pad, and a PS3 w/o rumble motors must feel feather light.

I think feather light might be overstating it. To be honest, the Wiimote probably isn't that much heavier, but it is split into two so it feels more balanced. The 360 pad feels the most meaty. The PS3 pad IS nicely built, it just feels as if it weren't.

I'll get over it fast when I'm zipping around the motorstorm track.

 

[GilloD]

WIAT. BETS MOMENST EVAR:

This fat, fat, fat kid ROCKING OUT at Guitar Hero II with his huge man boobs, insulting all of his oponents. Kev, was that you?

And best other moments: Watching people try to play Flight Sim X. Everyone was either stuck on the runway or just completely confused. Except for one father/son team who had clearly trained for the occassion. A few of the kisoks were CHUGGING though and it just looked terrible

 

[Gantz]

wait, gantz is not impressed by something sony? now i dont know what to believe... :lol

oh and welcome back, hope you wont stay long

I wasn't impressed with Wii either.

 

[jarosh]

This fat, fat, fat kid ... Kev, was that you?

no, that was definitely not him. lol

 

[Y2Kev]

no, that was definitely not him. lol

Jarosh, it's okay. Don't lie to him.

I weigh like 600 pounds. One pound for every PS3 dollar rofl rofl

 

[jarosh]

you look almost too thin though

 

[Y2Kev]

you look almost too thin though

I am thin...I think I weigh like 130 pounds...and I'm 5'6.5." (according to my pediatrician...he said this right before he gave me a lolipop). I think that's just a little below average.

I'm a college freshman...I'm sure I will be gaining weight. I do play soccer every morning though for gym. Fun fun and keeps my anti-sally struthers figure in tact.

 

[datruth29]

Whoa, the PS3 and Wii were playable? Oh shit, now I have to go tomorrow!

 

[Y2Kev]

Whoa, the PS3 and Wii were playable? Oh shit, now I have to go tomorrow!

Yeah, easily too. No lines or anything. Just push your way to the front and wait for the idiot playing to be done.

Elebits is running on 3 minute demos, so the turnover on that was cool. The person playing Resistance had OBVIOUSLY NEVER PLAYED A SHOOTER IN HIS LIFE because he was staring at the ground.

I saw some of the game's poorer textures today. :lol I did like that there were some destructible environments! He was staring at this little barricade on the ground...and when the chimera shot at the barricade, it exploded. That was cool.

 

[datruth29]

Yeah, easily too. No lines or anything. Just push your way to the front and wait for the idiot playing to be done.

Elebits is running on 3 minute demos, so the turnover on that was cool. The person playing Resistance had OBVIOUSLY NEVER PLAYED A SHOOTER IN HIS LIFE because he was staring at the ground.

I saw some of the game's poorer textures today. :lol I did like that there were some destructible environments! He was staring at this little barricade on the ground...and when the chimera shot at the barricade, it exploded. That was cool.

Awesome! I went last year and it wasent crowded on Sunday, so I'm hoping its the same this year. I took an awesome picture of pacman though. Waiting for a chance to use it on GAF. And I got a free TiVo!

 

[DyTonic]

Nice man, sounds like fun and Resistance maybe the only good ps3 launch game. Elebits looks wierd so I can see why it was confusing at first.

 

[Wario64]

I also took pictures of the YAKUZA demo station with nobody in front of it for Wario. HAHA yakuza sucks.

:rock

 

[brandonh83]

I played Portrait of Ruin.

bitch

 

[neojubei]

This is from JMSONY04 of the playstation.com forums:

videoes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGoHKgywJk4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY3qkq_vfiI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mDfE0v7kXY