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Thursday, Feb 1, 2007

Here are my impressions of my PS3, which I purchased on Januray 12th, 2007. I hope you enjoy reading them, and maybe even learn something about the system.

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I'm very happy with the system, and all that it can do, from having a sweet new way to show off my digital photos (that one slideshow efect with the pictures being "thrown" onto the screen is very cool) to being able to participate in 40-man Team Deathmatch games in Resistance. 

Speaking of Resistance, currently, that is the only game I own for the system, not because of a lack of funds to buy other games, but because there isn't too much out just yet that I want. Starting with Virtua Fighter 5 in slightly more than two weeks, it seems like there is a must-have game coming out every 5 days. I really enjoy Resistance, not just offline as most of my playtime with PSP and PS2 has been, but also online. I can honestly say that it is one of the best FPS I have played yet (although Half Life still keeps #1). The campaign was really fun, and one of the few FPS campaigns that I have actually played through more than once. I've beaten it by myself once, almost done again. I've beaten co-op too, which was very fun. I've unlocked all of the weapons in the campaign, I enjoy pretty much all of them minus the "splitter", since I can't really get used to how it is used. The "backlash" grenade is a really cool addition, too. More games need to do grenades other than the standard frags. I also just recently unlocked the first "behind-the-scenes" video which was a very cool look into how the game was made and what Insomniac wanted it to be since it's inception. I agree with them that it is just pure fun. 

I've also downloaded plenty of demos. I have Motorstorm, GTHD, Formula 1, Genji, Blast Factor, Cash Carnage Chaos, Gripshift, Lemmings, and Go Sudoku. 

Motorstorm is great, I'm having so much fun with that, and can't wait for the final game. Just like Resistance, I feel that it is one of the few games in a while that I can call "Just Pure Fun". Smacking motorcyclists off of their bikes and going under another car in first-person mode are very good for laughs and adrenaline-pumping scenes. 

GTHD is also very fun. Normally I don't like racing sims, and I didn't really like GT3 much either. But something must have happened in my own tastes or the development of the series that made me like this. It's very realistic, both in graphics and car control. Somehow or another, I managed to get the #31 ranking with the Toyota Rally Car going on the reverse course, which is pretty good for not playing a racing simulator since GT3 back in the early days of PS2. 

Formula 1 was also very good. I like the rain effects and the reflections are very good. The only thing that I can't understand about the game is that it looks plain awful when showing the footage of other players finishing the race. The sounds effects are also very well done, some of the best that I've heard in games (although Resistance still beats it out). It's a very fun game, and I hope to pick up the full version when it arrives. 

As for Genji, I was actually dissapointed. I enjoyed the original one, and was hoping that this one would be an improved version of it. For the most part, it is actually improved, with better combat, a cooler Kamui mode, the ability to change characters and weapons in-game, and great visuals. It's just that the camera has to be one of the worst that I've experienced since back when the press was bashing the PS2, and claiming that the Dreamcast would out-sell it. I'm glad that I didn't buy this game. 

Blast Factor was very cool, and is a great blend of classic arcade-style gameplay and the new abilities of the PS3. The demo was extremely short (I can now beat it in about a minute and a half) but at the same time very fun, and I often return to it just for short bursts before I turn off the system. 

Cash Carnage Chaos (or whatever it is called at this point in time) was very humorous, and the game itself is relatively well-designed. I'm not really a big fan of the soundtrack though, and the fact that next to motorstorm, it seems to have the loudest initial volume out of any game I've experienced (but unlike motorstorm, there isn't really much that warrants me keeping it at the initial volume). It was good for a demo, but I doubt I'll buy the full game at $10.  

Gripshift is a very strange game. At first glance, it appears to be a racing game, but it's more of a puzzle/platformer game. You are put into floating levels that have numerous sharp turns, pitfalls, fans, loops, ramps, speed boosts, and other assorted hazards. Each level has three goals, which, while only completion is necessary, the other two give you extra points towards your score, which is displayed online. The game itself is one of the best looking downloadable games, and easily holds its own among some full games on the PS2 (and yes, in some cases, looks even better than them). The demo was one of the most generous in that it was about 10 levels or so long. I'll probably give the full game a try sometime. 

I've never been a big fan of the Lemmings series, and this one isn't much different. It takes the same Lemmings gameplay, adds some inhancements, and puts them into a game world that has a great cartoony look, and a slightly annoying soundtrack (in my opinion). If you enjoy the Lemmings series, then this one is a must-buy, especially since it is one of the cheapest full-games in the Playstation Store. 

Go Sudoku is a very well-designed Sudoku videogame, especially when compared to all those other Sudoku games. The game itself looks very crisp, with great visuals in the background and a very mellow/slow/soft techno soundtrack that adds to the feel. The game itself is very addicting just like the Sudoku that you can find in newspapers and magazines. The twist with this version is that you are somewhat "timed", where a timer is counting up, and your ultimate goal is to solve the puzzle in a certain timeframe (usually four minutes). While you don't get any penalties or game-overs for surpassing that time, the better your time is, the higher rank you get for that puzzle. Another way of changing up the gameplay is "lives", which you start out with about 4 of them. Everytime that you place the wrong number in that spot, you lose a life, and when you lose all of your lives, each following mistake adds a good amount of seconds onto your time. There is also multiplayer, but I haven't had the chance to try that out. 

There are some slight flaws to the system as a whole, but most of those have been corrected via firmware updates. The only thing that I wish is that the next month passes fast, so that there are more games available, and I can get to see how well all the features work with them. And also, the in-system keyboard isn't exactly all that good, considering the fact that a much better on-screen keyboard could be implemented easily. It isn't too much of a big deal, since I can use a USB keyboard, but I don't always want to have that keyboard sitting on the ground. 

As for the Sixaxis, just like how I felt with the Dualshock, this controller is very well-designed. It takes the basic dualshock design, and adds in motion-sensing (which is a very nice touch, especially in Resistance) some triggers (which was one of the few complaints that I had with the dualshock) and makes the analog sticks, face buttons, and d-pad more sensitive, alowing for better controlability. It also has the PS-Button, which when held down, gives you the option to quit the game, turn off the controller, or turn off the system. It also shows how much bettery life you have left in that controller which is a great touch. 

The online scheme is a great improvement. While I could deal with the PS2's online, it was very disconnected, and not too great for community options. The PSN is a great design. I finally don't have to register an account for every game, and I actually have a friends list that I can see from my system, regardless of if I am in the same game thast they are. The community features such a friend messages, voice chat, and comments only further take this online scheme to the next level, and provide for better and easier communication with friends. There is a good selection of icons, which range from characters from Sony's games, to random faces, to skulls, and symbols for classic games. 

The network itself is very stable. Unlike the PS2's online, it is a rarity that I have found any incidence of lag, even with 40 players in a map on Resistance. It is extremely smooth, and much easier to use. I also have the system hooked up to a wireless connection, so no more need to be stuck in my basement right next to the computer. 

As I stated earlier, the PS3 is a very cool system that has a ton of features to offer, some of which I still haven't had the time to explore given the fun of the rest of the system. I'm extremely happy with the system, despite its price tag, and look forward to seeing what this system's potential can show off in the coming days, months, and years.

Posted by Xanog1, 3:25pm
4 Comments | Post a Comment

Comments

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I'm really enjoying my PS3. Resistance is awsome, I've almost beaten it. Downloading demos is awsome, unfortunately it seems only sony is putting out demos, I hope some third parties start puting out some demos. I can't wait for motorstorm, I've played that demo so much it's disturbing
Posted Feb 1, 2007 4:02 pm PT
Wow, the way you make it sound, PS3 is really good. I will probably pick one up here soon, I have the cash. I'd rather get a Wii first though.
Posted Feb 2, 2007 10:38 am PT
As long as you have faith in it I won't feel bad once I get the money for it.
Posted Feb 6, 2007 8:52 am PT
Always a joy to read your blogs Xanog1. Keep it up.

P.S. What happened to the union? The PS3 newsletter union.
Posted Feb 13, 2007 6:19 pm PT
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  • Xanog1
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