Console War: PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U

Officially, the time is here. All 3 of the next-gen consoles have finally been released. For many months, the console war is at a new time high. If you are planning on getting one of these systems, then you might want to know what makes each so special.

First I want to say, that while others may not like a certain aspect of these consoles, don't let that be the deciding factor. This post is not choosing which is better, but more of the hits and misses of each console to give a general idea of the current state of gaming.

The Wii U came to the scene first and was the latest attempt by Nintendo to get the consumers.

Pros:

• Immediately, what I like about the Wii U is the game pad. The game pad acts as a support for the games and at the same time, is very useful for 2 player games, as each player has a full screen.
• Online support seems to be better. I don't know too much of the online capabilities, but from what I heard, the internet is faster and online seems more smooth compared to the original Wii.

cons:

• The game line up is lacking. There were some good ones at launch, but after all this time, there are not many good games. It suffers from the same problem as the PS Vita.
• The initial setup is long. You have to update the console and can take almost 5 hours to complete. So if you are planning on playing anything on the day you get the console, think again.

Over the months it has been out, the unfortunate thing is the console sales are doing very poorly. But yet the irony is that their handheld division is doing great. It seems as though Nintendo should stick to handheld games. As of now, there is a bundle with the new Super Mario Bros 3D World, to try to get the Mario fans buy the console. We just have to wait and see if this can turn the Wii U around.

The PS4 came out last week and a lot of people have been awaiting for this console. This console claims to be the system that supports the community.

Pros:

• The price is way more affordable than the initial launch of the PS3. Better chances of people are getting the console sooner than later.
• A changeable HDD is possible in case you need to expand storage.
• Share features are also possible. You can share gameplay to a few sites. And also share online features with other account users.
• Blu-ray features stay the same as the PS3.
• Internal Game Capture.
• Upgrade feature with games.

Cons:

• No backwards compatibility is available for previous games. You are stuck with PS4 games.
• Online Fee! Yes you have to now pay for playing online on the PS4. That has to be the most disappointing things about the PS4. We spent the lifetime of the PS3 free, and now Sony is starting to assimilate into Microsoft.
• Day One problems. When the consoles first launched, there were some hardware and software problems. This is only a very small percentage of the users, but it is still out there. Currently Sony is taking the time to fix the problem and is offering refunds if necessary.

The PS4 is one of those consoles where you kind of like it. There are some great benefits, but you are also losing other benefits. If you can accept losing some of the important aspects, I say this is a great console.

The Xbox One just hit the store shelves today. And after knowing that the XB1 and PS4 are similar in terms of tech and hardware. There are some other qualities that make it different from the PS4.

Pros:

• TV integration makes this console like a cable box, allowing you to watch channels.
• External HDD support.
• Kinect 2 is improved and more responsive than its predecessor.
• Improved Controller.
• Internal Game Capture.
• Upgrade feature in games.

Cons:

• No Exchangeable HDD. The HDD can't be replaced which may not seem like a problem now, but with all the games that are going to take up space, you will have no choice but to use external HDDs.
• Subscription is still required for Online support so there is no surprise there.
• The price is higher than that of the PS4, so more buyers may tend to go after the PS4.
• Day One Problems. Even as we speak there have been reports of discs not being read properly. This could be do to the fact that the initial design was to install the game and abandon the disc and just play the game straight from the console.

The Xbox One is in the same predicament as the PS4 and more or less may come to preference.

In the end all consoles share unique goals. Some have great benefits that will improve a gamer's experience, while others may hinder from what worked in the past. These game companies all seem to want to please the consuming market, while at the same time want to try something new. Whether you are going for one or all 3 consoles, the question is which one are you going to buy first?

PS4 & Xbox One, E3 recap

E3 is finally over and we now have some idea of the capabilities of the next-gen systems. However, at this point, which option is better?

Sony's PlayStation 4 was first introduced back in February and only show the games and the controller. Since E3, we got a look at some of the most anticipated games, including "Killzone Shadow Fall" and "Infamous Second Son" along with the system itself.

The concept of the PS4 is to allow for a more social standpoint; gathering more players to a gaming community and offering opportunities to the fans to share their gameplay. The system is going to cost $399 in the U.S. As of now, The only downside to the console is no backwards compatibility. Only PS4 games can be played. Sony seemed to listen to the fans and offered them one of the best gaming consoles of the generation.

Microsoft's Xbox One on the other hand was a complete letdown. The system appeared in May and didn't impress the gamers with the TV functionality. And since E3, The Xbox One kept falling under the weight of the PS4. The system was plagued with numerous limitations and restrictions.

Microsoft has tried to appeal to the gamers during E3 by releasing more games, including the new Call of Duty and Halo. The price of the system is now set for $499 in the U.S. But at that point, the contest was won by the PS4.

As of today, 6/19, Microsoft has announced that the Xbox One will reverse policies and will not require a constant internet connection and used games will function the same as before. So luckily, the Xbox One is now in a competition with the PS4.

While both systems are similar in terms of hardware, and gameplay, for right now the only thing that separates them is the price. The PS4 is now only slightly better with $100 less than the Xbox One. But there is still time for the price to drop before launch, so just keep a look at the consoles and decide which is better.

The Future of Microsoft and Xbox One

Microsoft earlier today has just reveal their next generation console in their event, "Xbox One". The name alone is interesting. It sounds like this new Xbox is the ONE. It's the ultimate console. But will it able to surpass the PS4.

The event itself only lasted for about an hour, on the web. (I watched it through IGN). Really short compared to the PS4, but a good explanation is that we are also close to E3, and didn't want to reveal everything yet.

For those who haven't seen it yet, the event is broken down in the following order...

1. After the pre-show stuff, Don Mattrick delivers a speech to the fans.
2. Afterwards, the announcement of the new name for the Xbox.
3. They talk about the new redesign of the Kinect, and explain the improved functionality.
4. After that, they demonstrated the voice command and showed the public live TV and discussed Skype conversation.
5. Then they discussed the system specs of the Xbox.
6. Then they briefly talked about the redesign of the controller and the d-pad.
7. Finally the new Xbox Live has been discussed, allowing the use of cloud storage, along with the built in DVR for game sharing.
8. After all is said and done, new games have been announced for the upcoming console, which includes the premier trailer of Call of Duty Ghosts.

I got to say, Microsoft has put a lot for a short reveal. I do have to admit, they actually did a better job of revealing the console and Kinect than Sony. But that could be because of the timing. It seems that Microsoft is taking a page from Sony and trying to make the Xbox One more social to the gaming community. But also Microsoft has taken the feedback of gamers from the Xbox 360, and used that to make the Xbox One to function better. And that seems to be the goal of Microsoft, allowing more functionality and more usability.

The are some downsides to the new Xbox. From articles, some of the earlier rumors are true. While the Xbox doesn't need to have a constant internet connection, the Xbox One is not backwards compatible with 360 games, and it does require the connection of the Kinect in order to make the console work. When it comes to the games, I'm not saying that the games are bad, but there wasn't many games that they revealed during the event. The only good one was the last one, Call of Duty Ghosts.

Update: It has been confirmed that the Xbox One can play used games, but requires the user to pay a small fee. When playing a new game the game data will be installed onto the console that corresponds to the account. If you try to play the game on another account, the game will be blocked unless the new user pays a fee. This really will put a damper on the gaming community and places that allow trading and selling of games.

The event in many ways was like the Sony conference, they tell but didn't show. While they shared a lot, there are still questions I'm sure everyone is wondering. I guess to the see and hear everything that both Sony and Microsoft has to offer, we have to wait another 3 weeks for E3.

DmC Vergil's Downfall

I usually don't do blogs on DLC, but since I am a DMC fan and the fact that this DLC is different than most typical DLCs, I think this deserves some recognition.

Vergil's Downfall is the latest DLC for DmC Devil May Cry. However, instead of it being something that adds to the game, this DLC is independent of the main game. This acts like a sequel to the main game and focuses on Vergil. After his defeat to Dante, Vergil heads to the Demon World to gain the power he needs to rule and goes through a fight against his inner self. The missions involve Vergil tackling a different part of something he cared about and his job is to eliminate his attachments.

The DLC offers some potential which I think should not go unnoticed. Vergil plays better than how he was in DMC3, considering this Vergil contains similar moves. Vergil has similar techniques as Dante with the Demon mode and Angel mode. The gameplay can be insane if you combine Yamato and the Summoned Swords in your fights. The ability to upgrade Vergil with actions, life, and Devil Trigger is present and feels rewarding. And the cutscenes are impressive; taking straight from a graphic novel.

At the same time, there are some flaws to consider. The game is only 6 missions, but actually it really should be 5 since the first and last missions are relatively the same. There are no secret missions. There is only two available costumes. And there is technically no Devil Trigger. Vergil has the Doppelganger ability similar to DMC3.

The DLC though the pros and cons are equally weighed, I still think this is a decent DLC for only $9. You get what you paid for. I say with the action that comes packed in the game, it is just enough to make it worth it. I would give this a 5.5 out of 10.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

What do you get when you combine the subtleness of stealth and hack-and-slash? This game! Rising is like combining the gameplay from Devil May Cry with Metal Gear characters. The game is a fast-paced action game created by Konami and developed by Platinum Games.

Originally the game went under the title, Metal Gear Solid: Rising as a stealth game and was intended to be an interquel between the 2nd and 4th game. However development tend to be difficult to incorporate an action character into a stealth game.

Now the game is all action and is now a canon sequel to the Metal Gear series after 4. How different is this game? When it comes to Metal Gear, we think of stealth. Now that stealth barely exists, did the fans like this game?

There are some incredible things that this game offers and hopefully a lot of players would agree:

• Action and Plenty of it- The game contains a lot of sword swinging gameplay, almost like Devil May Cry. When encountering enemies you may be able to pull off insane moves and kill enemies in unique fashion. Raiden is even more hardcore than in MGS4. The game has a combo system that allows you to rack up as many possible hits towards your enemies. After each battle you'll get graded on your performance determining how stylish you were.

• Upgrades- Before the beginning of the chapter, you'll have the option to upgrade Raiden. The upgrades can go anywhere from enhancing your sword to increasing life and fuel cell. You can even change the appearance of Raiden with alternate costumes.

• Blade Mode- An original concept is allowing the player to use their sword and swing it to any degree and being able to slice through anything. This ability also allows you to perform the Zandatsu technique, slicing open the enemies to steal their fuel cell. However, this ability is limited to the amount of fuel you have. Eventually, the fuel can also call out the "Jack-the-Ripper" persona and boost Raiden's power.

• Engaging Story- The story starts out as a simple rescue mission, but expands to greater depths. Raiden gets himself into a political struggle that forces him to save the country from war. Throughout the time, Raiden is still tormented by his past and has an internal conflict of what is he.

• VR Missions are Back- Been quite sometime since we have seen VR missions. Now you can go through 20 missions doing various objectives and competing for the top score. Of course you have to unlock them in the game.

This game has plenty to offer, but there are some minor faults.

• A Short Game- The game at an average is about 4-5 hours. There are not too many chapters and the game feels short. But at least there are not many long cutscenes.

• Characters- The characters in the game are all new. And I wished they could have shown some familiar faces that we knew. With the exception to Sunny near the end of the game, I wanted to see more original characters.

• No PlayStation Move- The Move should have been a good way to play this game, since you could have mimic the sword slashes. That would have been a perfect fit for the game.

The game is amazing especially the final battle, it gets insane. Now there is official word on upcoming DLC that brings more VR missions, costumes, and a sword with Solid Snake's voice. Metal Gear Rising is a unique game and if you want to try something different from how Metal Gear has been, then this game is right for you. Either way, this game is a 9 out of 10.

The Future of Sony and PS4

Sony's press conference took place back on February 20th and there is a lot to say. Right off the bat, representatives announced that the PlayStation 4 will be hitting stores later this year. With that information, the rest of the conference went into depth of how Sony is planning on changing the gaming community.

The conference lasted for over two hours and there was a lot that was covered. To give a basic overview of the conference:

1. The technical specs of the PS4
2. The announcement of the new DualShock 4 controller
3. The features and functions of the new PS4, including Remote Play with the PSVita
4. The new Cloud storage
5. Upcoming and launch-title games with different companies

I admit, I was amazed by what the PS4 can do. I was also impressed by the new controller. It seems as though Sony is now focusing their attention of the consumers needs and wants. I say that was a smart move. It looked as though Sony was compensating for the issues addressed in the PS3, both technologically and social. Their focus was to make the next-gen system a social platform; connecting gamers all around the world, more better than the PS3.

With that said, there were some weak moments in the conference. Sony doesn't go into much detail on some of the features which might leave some questions on how a certain function works. Also the capabilities of the PS4 still might disappoint:

• No backwards compatibility
• PSN downloads cannot be transferred

The games announced were something. I am not going to say that they are bad, but I am not sure if I am interested. They didn't wow me. If we could have saw more gameplay, maybe I might like them. Finally, what really surprised me was that Sony did not show the actual system. For a conference that was explaining the PS4, it would have been nice to see it. But perhaps they are saving it for E3.

Overall, the PS4 seems to be an amazing system and looks like the answer all the Sony fans have been waiting for. Hopefully Sony can shed more light on the PS4 later in the year and finally put an end to some of these questions. I can't wait to see what Sony will bring for the next generation and I can't wait for the PS4.

DmC Devil May Cry

The newest action oriented Hack-and-Slash game, Devil May Cry is back but different. This is not a sequel or a prequel, but a reboot of the entire franchise. The game retells the origin of Dante who this time around is a angel-demon hybrid, in search of destroying Mundus along with the help of a human, Kat, and his twin brother, Vergil. The game has a different feel than the previous games, giving it more of a Gothic tone, but still has the action.

Pros

• Stylish Action- The action is back and continues to be better. The way of performing combos is more natural looking. There are also a variety of combos to pull off and getting a great rank is quite easy.
• Familiar Items- You get the usual stuff from games like red and green orbs. And the items you can buy are all familiar from previous games. The upgrades are done with the use of upgrade points that you accumulate from white orbs. There are not too many surprises from the menu that might get you off guard.
• Training Mode- For the first time, you can practice different weapons and combos and take the time to master the controls.
• Secret Mission Mode- Secret Missions are back, however this time around, you can access them in the main menu without having to go into the specific mission to play them.
• Skins and costumes- You get different unlockable costumes for Dante, and even some that you can buy. Also you can customize the look of the weapons.
• New Angel/Demon Mode- Dante can access two parts of his power. The Demon Mode allows him to use demon weapons along with certain abilities, as too with Angel Mode, but with angelic weapons.

Cons

• No Lock-on- The first thing you are going to notice is there is no lock-on to easily switch targets. This can be frustrating at times trying to attack the right enemy in a group. It is also awkward for players who used to constantly lock-on to enemies in past games.
• Lacking Weapons- The weapons seem lacking since the weapons you get are the two demon and angel weapons, the Rebellion, and three guns. I feel there should have at least incorporated more guns as they are almost the same as DMC4.
• Awkward Devil Trigger- The DT in this game doesn't turn you into a demon, but instead creates a void in time to slow down time while giving you an increase in power. At the same time the enemies are all jolted into the air. This method seemed familiar to Bayonetta's Witch Time, as it does about the same thing. I liked it at first to give some breather room to think, but it gets annoying to have everyone in the air.
• Weak Dialogue- The story was decent to say the least, but the dialogue is kind of bad, almost laughable bad. The whole time, Dante mostly uses one-liners that are not witty like DMC3 Dante, but instead pissing off his enemies. Also it is thrown in with some sex jokes that don't have a purpose.There is also not strong connections amongst the characters to say that you would care about them.

The overall game is good. There are some weak moments, but the action sure makes up for it. Reviewers gave this game a decent score, while fans hammer at the game for being different. You have to keep in mind that this is a reboot and should not be compared to the other games. DmC takes a chance to try something new and players will have to open their mind and see how original the game can be. I say give this game a chance and you might be surprised. I give this game a 7.5 out of 10.

Call of Duty Black Ops II

I have played the latest in the Call of Duty franchise, and I believe this is a great improvement from MW3. Don't get me wrong. I love MW3, but I think we can agree that the game needed more content than being an updated version of MW2. Black Ops II doesn't play it safe, but takes a chance creating one good game.

What you will like from the game

• The campaign is amazing. There are great moments in the game that you wished were in the previous games. It really is engaging taking up multiple roles playing as the good and bad guy.

• Mission Customization. You can customize classes for the campaign creating variety every time you play the game.

• New Zombie Modes. Zombies is taken to the next level. Not only it has the traditional survival mode, but it includes other modes. Grief puts two teams fighting to be the only one alive. And this mode can get chaotic. Tranzit is the buzz for the game. Up to 4 players can explore an entire town with the help of a bus. Also to note as of now there is an upcoming DLC to finally allow us to play as the zombies.

• Multiplayer's Pick-10. Black Ops II breaks the traditional class set up for the new pick-10-system. Players are allotted 10 points to customize classes in any way from having two guns and three perks, to having six perks and a knife.

• Score Streaks. Instead of killstreaks, Black Ops II improved on MW3's idea of pointstreaks. Players will have to earn score points within the game to call in streaks. The way to earn score points can be anything from kills, to objectives. This really gets players more involved in teamwork instead of going Rambo.

• League Play. I haven't much to give a lot of info, but you can actually be part of a league along with other players around the world close to your skill level. In a way this is similar to clans from Elite.

Though this game is an improvement, there's not to say it is faulted by minor problems.

• Poor branching storylines. This is the first COD to have a branching story where your decisions influence the game. Yet I find there is little change to the story based on the decisions and the choices are small. For instance whether or not to shoot someone.

• Strike Force Missions. These are side missions that are supposed to also influence the story by completing various objectives. You get to control everything from the soldiers to the machines. However most of these missions are repetitive and don't seem to really influence the main game.

• This may be minor for me, but I think there should be more game modes for multiplayer. Where is Sabotage? I used to play that a lot. Also I wonder if they are going to add modes from MW3 like Infected.

Aside from all of that, I find this game to be one of the top FPS games opposed to Halo 4. If you have not played this game, I say go for it. It is worth the $60 as you will keep finding excitement and you can expect future DLC. I personally give this game a score of 9 out of 10.

Playstation Sharpshooter

Yes I know it is late to review this, but I have friends who still don't have this accessory and thought would be a good thing to review.

The PS Sharpshooter is a PS Move accessory for shooter games. I have the Sharpshooter for Resistance 3. The purpose is to simulate the feel of a rifle in your hand to make the game more realistic. However there are things to keep in mind if you are planning on buying this accessory.

• You will need to have both the Move and the Navigation controller to use the gun.

• Turning the camera in the game is usually the gun itself. By rotating the gun in a direction, your onscreen character turns to the direction. It may be difficult at first to get used to the feel.

• Keeping the gun up on screen is probably going to be a problem. To situate your character you have to have the gun pointed at the screen at all times so that you don't end up having the character look down. The problem is trying to keep it up gets tiresome after an hour of holding the gun.

• The cost of the gun is around $40 new. However, since it has been years since the Sharpshooter has been out, the price may have dropped slightly.

• Oddly enough, after 2 years of the Sharpshooter, there are still no Sony Playstation branded scopes or sights for the gun. Looking at the gun, it looks like there should be, but Sony has never made one up to this point. Though sights are not necessary, it would make the gun look more war authentic. However, I have seen people buy actual military red-dot sights and screw them to the gun, but I would think the sights are more expensive than the gun itself.

In the end it comes to personal preference. This accessory is not necessary to play games, but depending on the player, it could hinder or improve on the shooting aspect of the game. I recommend borrowing the accessory from a friend or see if you can find one at a cheaper price to test out on your games.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Over the Christmas holiday, I finally got my copy of Tekken Tag Tournament 2. After playing a great amount of time on this game, I have to say, it's an improvement from Tekken 6. The first thing you will notice is how similar the main menu is compared to the last game. But that is only the beginning. There is much more to look at in this game.

Pros of the game

• First off, if you pre-order the game, you would have gotten a bonus stages and characters. Luckily, now with updates, you can have access with all the bonus material.

• Large assortment of characters. There are characters from EVERY Tekken game, making it the most epic roster of Tekken.

• More creative endings. The original Tekken Tag endings were bland. They were relatively short and had no meaning. This game has more developed endings. It makes you feel like these endings have a purpose and seem to relate previous Tekken games. Some endings are developed in many styles. Instead of the standard FMV, there are noir styles, comic book styles, watercolor styles, and much more.

• Since Characters are based on previous games, Their movesets carry over. If you have played Tekken 6 mostly, you will already have a feel to the characters in this game.

• The characters can have multiple customization costumes. As opposed to previous games that only allowed for two character changes per character, this game allows for up to 10 character changes.

• The new Fight Lab gamemode. More or less, this is a training mode for newcomers to the Tekken series. But instead of a simple instruction tutorial, this mode has a story, which I say is kind of entertaining.

• New Combot. Combot from Tekken 4 returns in this game. But instead of mimicking other players, you can customize Combot with moves from other characters. This is a good concept to try out different attacks and combos. You will unlock more moves as you progress in Fight Lab.

Cons of the game

• Online Pass. Unfortunately, this game is plagued by the Online Pass problem. If you bought the game used or renting the game, you will need to buy a pass to play online.

• Character Customization. Though there is character customization, it lacks simplicity. You can buy clothes and items in the menu, but you don't have much of a variety. It turns out to unlock weapons, panels, auras, and cooler costumes, you have to play ghost mode and fight against gold characters. This wouldn't be a problem if you can choose the items you wish to unlock. But you will randomly get items. Also fighting gold characters is also random further decreasing the chances.

• Useless DLC. Though there are no DLC characters or stages, they do have endings and soundtracks from EVERY Tekken game which you can buy. In my opinion, this is a waste. Having soundtracks from other games would be nice to incorporate in stages, but it's not enough to make me buy it. The endings are a blast from the past, but you can watch these endings free on Youtube.

With only minor faults, I find this game to be enjoyable and a great collection for any Tekken fan. Or even for gamers who want to start Tekken. It's easy to pick up and fight. There is a lot of replay value that will keep you coming back for more. Rating this, I would give this game an 8 out of 10.