Electronic Gaming (July)

80 Pages·2006·8.502 MB·English

WWW.1UP.COM
CALL OF DUT Y 3
WAR MAY BE HELL, BUT IT SURE LOOKS AMAZING. FIRST
SCREENS & INFO FOR PS3, XBOX 360, AND Wii INSIDE!
PLUS:
a
••••• HMFAAinnanendlatou alm al3F laoG Onreetapa!risn ySi ooXnlIiaIdIt e4d Preview Guide July 2006ISSUE 205$5.99 U.S. / $7.99 Canad Display Until July 17
contents
issue 205 • july 2006
LETTERS
12 Turns out that some people out there
are more messed up than we are
PRESS START
Your first stop on the way to all the
hottest news, previews, and features
20 REPORT CARD: PS3
Sony’s top dog tells us why the PS3
will dominate (again), and we grade
the system’s debut
24 REPORT CARD: Wii
Innovation or gimmick? The grade
and a chat with Nintendo’s ass-
kicking marketing guru
28 REPORT CARD: XBOX 360
Microsoft comes out swinging. We
score its performance and talk with
General Manager Shane Kim
32 REPORT CARD: EVERYONE ELSE
Xbox, GameCube, PSP, and DS make
the show (sort of). See who passes
and who fails
36 PREVIEW: HALO 3
Master Chief has arrived
38 PREVIEW: FINAL FANTASY XIIIs
Three versions? We explain
40 PREVIEW:METAL GEAR SOLID 4
HideoKojima on why his game will
change the way you think
46 CRASH COURSE
Gizmondo’s wacky history
52 PREVIEW: SUPER SMASH BROS.
More characters than you can shake
a Wii Remote at
54 RUMOR MILL
We let you know what’s gonna
happen—probably
78 COVER STORY:
GAME OVER
CALL OF DUTY 3
But wait! There’s more!
100 SEANBABY’S REST OF THE CRAP
101 CROSSWORD/GRUDGE MATCH
Think you don’t want another WWII game? Think again. We’re
102 FINAL WORD
104 EGM RETRO back from behind enemy lines with exclusive screens and
105 NEXT MONTH
classifi ed information for the PS3, the Xbox 360—even the Wii
106 HSU & CHAN
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA GAME GROUP
EDITORIAL InternRosemary Pinkham HEAD HONCHOS PRODUCTION Southern California and Arizona Advertising Sales Lynn Fortunato
NREIIEPDEMSnnddxreeeEttaeeeeiinvwttnSvcrriooieoainnsuIerrwr/Gg--atwF JaiiitEnvsNneaitsoed --gay ECnL iEt tEduEaahFoddirrldirrti eegito eEitoCtfseorcdo r r Drh GriEiM tBs eaSodrJpreatnrhieytti gr eanonJa“k rn onnSF BMehMi ohfoI nenroaBiyd crteceRei hhT”Drtia tcsaoHeecarnnslio aauhDlraddounisaehnoe CJLSDHDGFoeeheueeOurearnndNenr,wrnl ymadDiTik nkseSeRys ,r,m e Se IKPPSBrnmiaearta,Uaer vtinEtrinvTishi nveocLOh, a k iC,HARnn RoMaln SeSnor,ja rvhbaMiuseanerarmrdottrri, kto oAoG o sM,Cr nheRha,l gaeaAc nyvDlS,ede oeJxytnwtaa aaDnma,l oddrJetde,o,s srnE o rnik, PSNVVJVRVGCoiiiireerOecccceohntyeeeePswuni oYiLpPPPPd orD e rrrre rDCeeeeVdkanErssssidvtceIiiiiSiarddddeSasaKeeee toc Pi nnnnBvnortttteete t oaoosc DfnffCikd id.SMCere e rMainEarclctdertc kuosiaCterl noaa StSrdtircniiti aomhoGgln ty,eD o tRDn niMreea erCsvccaeeoDtla o xaMRrrnc oahicen klaangde rE, v1eUnPt s SAPSVSMTGNReireenAeaocaornngnmrLerrdtiiieci EooohutiP iSrnronc wMr YgartePDaieayls ori mA osrriSnMdiedtce aaecMuc algnteMcoonautstr uianic og oDnogahfun ftigeir eS sAeMerlasrcdal tevM&nosear o r ASgtAnicecsimcrcion atytg.t B MEMSrxiaecselnDhectsrasa n.iel VRAAOMKRLSEAAeacSeLeneHTs,cn,gsgd,,, loAVtiiiKrNiOoooeeuTRYrnnCK, wn, , C aaA ,,WtL C l l.cON RAE AOSScGRDx,e,o ,aae e ,,MeW ull ClceePNdfnATuIassAm,Et,, t n , W,iMDEMa DvdRNixenVaErIEeH,, e n, J,cWcS,aFeMutNCgLYostIe,,,Jirs, v r,CSGiMecNDaA aNRnM,, a,iRTI t,AdM aNeN,a b,OKIV DaT,,l icX,NMn k,Ie YNSU,,, T , MWLEBAJARKPSaearceeerueaouusscngntsrmtcsoorii ct ooaSieu mR ocrnR C tn etHaKuaAoeiatgo i lbagtdRl lEinillSopbivvi eoxssnealleeni aeoanrlM ceanftnAleiiu slase Srct SinltiMnacdvaagloeaelge u nsCesn aro D tgDoWsierir—reedre cnicntDdtoaoeyrtr ot Drro ointohue S1ESASAANALedUaeeudldoeAilnndvaPptexe.oiiinmasoo cerrJnd rrno-t Aa ieioCcmsMMnsk neia-Hsnoaa rCiWgDsvsennhu ltyaaeoeCaievggnsnaefeekgtm l rrSiopT paoopaifaffmmkf iaACgd endKnleniy e eetOC n nOMpotn roeSaefrrneddaarytivnigoiaecntresosr
AArsts Disitraenctt oArr tM Doirneicqtuoer MCoiknev eCrrtuitzo P CCooppyy CEdhiiteofr sS uKsaiiet leOnc hJsay Exum, Andrew Fitch AScocuothunwt eEsxtecutive Brent Martyn CSeonnisour mDierer cAtocrc oouf nCtosnsumer TAidpmleirn iUsbtrbaetilvoeh Adsesistant MVicAeR PKrEeTsIiNdeGnt of Marketing,
10• ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com
■ Rainbow Six Vegas (PS3/XB360) ■ Warhawk (PS3) EDITORIAL
I just got back from the annual videogame trade show...the monstrous, life-draining
Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). I gotta make this quick, because I have about five
minutes of energy left in me before I pass out. So let’s talk about money! On Sony’s
surprise announcement that the PlayStation 3 will cost a hefty $500 or $600 (depending
■ Gears of War (Xbox 360) on which model you get)—I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon and declare the
■ Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) sky’s falling on Sony’s headquarters. Yes, it’s expensive and not what Johnny Gamer
is expecting to pay for a game machine when he walks into his local Best Buy, but I’ve
never known so many Johnny Gamers in my life who are convinced they need a game
system (PS3 in this case) without knowing a single thing about it. (A lot of people out
there are somehow even convinced the PS3 is 20 times more powerful than the Xbox
360.) The PlayStation brand is just that strong. And, keep in mind, by this winter, people
will be seeing Blu-ray DVD players in stores and Blu-ray movies on store shelves. Now,
56 EGGUMID’SE OTOP IWNIHOANTA’ST ENDE XT I(s oahvlaeevsre r( itnvhoae l i dCHeoDan- sDiufV mtDhe)a,r tb Ewultei lclt htbraeot n eaivcwesar Ayreosnsneoesc’ssia potirfoe nBfe lsurar-eryadsy hh oiigguhht --tddheeeffri ens,ie tctioson mw DbiliVln Doe udfto swremiltlha t trh aoidgr ihnti ooHtnD aTl V
O8u0r h bortulyta allnyt ihcoipnaetsetd i mgapmreesssions of more than TtgoVe sna e blroyat t 8ioo9fn fp oDelVkrcsDe. npPtlea tryhheiasrp fysoe rta htrhe),ey m irw eneaernews a HtlhrDeaTat Vda.y llN looofow ak itnshuged ytd oce asnnp, e$gn6ed0t 0ao nmfeea way n hnduo nat dsPreSeed3m oin ns otah bena esdxa tm-e
■ Assassin’s Creed (PS3) machine. Who doesn’t love a two-for-one special?
■ The Darkness (PS3/XB360) I’m not kissing Sony’s ass here or implying that it’s going to win this next-gen
console war. And I know that a lot of you are now notbuying a PS3 until it sees a price
drop. But in the grander scheme of things, the $600 price tag won’t end up being as
huge a deal as everyone’s making it
out to be right now.
And if you want to call me an idiot
and are looking for more ammo, peep
■ BioShock (Xbox 360) Space Ghost interviewing me on
■ Wii Sports (Wii) GameTap. Just go to www.gametap.
com and sign up for the free trial.
After logging on, click on “GameTap
TV” and check out “GameTap E3 2006 ■ By the time you read this,
Wrap-up.” the video of Space Ghost
making a chump out of Shoe
■ Sonic the Hedgehog (PS3/XB360) ■ Heavenly Sword (PS3) —Dan “Shoe” Hsu, Editor-in-Chief should be live on GameTap.
REVIEW CREW
■ Lost Planet (Xbox 360)
■ Red Steel (Wii)
Xbox 360 DS
88 Final Fantasy XI Online 96 New Super Mario Bros.
89 Rockstar Games Presents 97 Big Brain Academy
Table Tennis
Extra Stuff
Multiplatform 98 Reviews Wrap-up
91 X-Men: The Official 99 Reviews Archive
■ Mercenaries (PS3) Game
■ Haze (PS3/XB360) 92 AND 1 Streetball
92 Urban Chaos: Riot
Response
PSP
88
93 Def Jam Fight for NY:
The Takeover
■ Final Fantasy XII (PS2) 94 Lemmings
■ God of War II (PS2) 94 The Legend of Heroes
II: Prophecy of the
Moonlight Witch 96
ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA INC. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
RRPReess Meeaaarrnccahhg aDenrir deJ caEtsvooern nM tFsa rRye ieTdyoe nLngefedlddas CRChohbaieeirfr mtF Fian.n aC n&acl liCaahEl aOOnfficer PSSrcloeoastnti d CSe.en MytsmcCoaurrt h(Eyn (tGearpmries eG Groruopu)p) SMEnoictluehtraipoernils sVe iG zGarorroduu p(p)E)d itorial Director, CECrahircrli osL suM nLaudggqioun ins(P t( rI(noEtddeuirtcnoteri-oti)nn)-Chief, eWEEK) RCaonmdmy uZnaincea t(ioCnosrp)orate SIEn-utm’bl/saCcialr inspuatibdohan e 3Slp0e@3r-ve6icg0em4 -8m704a04g-5.7c7o9m-1174
Marketing Coordinator Mark Moyer Jason Young (Consumer Tech/ Jim McCabe (PC Magazine) IT West Coast
VMDaraenrwekse Hstiana gtAh lGavwraarapayhd ioc Designer E&Mx iCechhcauieetfilv CJe.o VMnitcielelne tPr rOefsfiicdeernt SSmenailol rB Vuiscien ePsrse sGirdoeunpt)s VJGoiachmen e PD rGaervsoiisudopen)n t(sEditorial Director, SPEalcleuontl t O PM’eRcaeDrillamlyn ai(enEl v ((eESndatil teoMsr,-a irGnka-eCmthineieg Gf ,Gr oCrouIOup p)In)sight) SBDeiellns Skioctroh pTme Aecdlhzmneiricnaisl tArantaolyrst ADlal vciso nMteendti ac oInpcy.r iRgehpt r©od 2u0ct0i6on Z, iff
To contact Sales & Advertising, Executive Vice President, Kenneth Beach (Corporate Sales) Aaron Goldberg (Market Experts) Beth Repeta (Human Resources) Nick Kalister modification, or transmission, in
p(mf@Cirleasoztasnifntsfthadaeemca actve daias_ ln.lvlc ayi4oaos1m tnen5e-)a- mm5on4ae i7lt h-u8iss0i n0g0: LA&Gifr cfeSaegeinorcssrriy,en GtBgae aranyrnte odrna Ll eCgoauln sel IJCAMMrianomaa ngrrB sektLheuleooacmtu ik MnSdeegcerra,/ hr nS(bIwGndmaataaceamrrkratlnlz en ( eB Eo(GtCud )(rusiSotisoanutrlepoieasm)sls D&Gi rreocutpo)r, BKMRERvraeiiciecryskrnh ty LitaLn seeHe ,dH lha GdoKrraabrlrmi miag(eMuaegemns eaG rr (( krI(In(nIoeMnttutteeiaepnrrrr)nngknae,ee ttRtti) o)eEnsxaepla eLrrcitcshe)inngsi nagn)d DSCSDMttoaioeernvenppescihhcu tReeoamnnro V)e cVSirkle/au Si( ttC(tmhEoi rvna(cEe llu(nn AlBttau eutMdrisopiaiennrrin,esk cGseees taG i)nmDrgoee uv GeGprl rooPoupuupmbp)l)ei snht,i ng wwZisi hiftsfoh tDrloeiauc vottl iryws iprnMir teoptedhaniirabt ,p i tIbeneyrcdm ..a insys imone afrnosm,
All rights reserved.
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 11
letters
healthy living, pc hating, fantastic worlds, and videogaming
Brain Age: the Subway Redneck rants More fun, less violence
sandwich of games aboutonline racism I was at my uncle’s house the other day,
I have no doubt that Brain Age is turning the I can’t believe that, even in a damn gaming and he had just gotten an Xbox 360 with
clock back on my brain. The “daily tips” the magazine, you have to be politically two games, Top Spin 2 and Call of Duty
game provides are nothing short of fabulous. correct. Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t 2. After beating him in a few rounds of
I can’t wait to brush my teeth in the morning have posted the letter [“Online Racism,” Top Spin, we switched to Call of Duty.
just so I can count the brush strokes. I even EGM #203], but letter of the month? Talk Within the first two minutes, I saw a
started to jog so that my body can catch up about Ass Kissing 101. This guy was disturbing scene: My character was
to my brain. All that I can ask for now is a whining about being insulted by someone killed, and I watched as he clutched his
device to tell me that I have the legs of a 70- who was trash talking him on the Internet. throat and screamed in pain on a “kill
year-old. —PG Mighty Is that a big shock? I’ve been called ■ Nintendo’s Wii: You’d love to play with it, cam.” I got scared and asked my uncle
every name there is, including honky and but will any girls feel the same way? to switch games. I think more people
We’re glad games have tricked you cracker, but I don’t go around crying about spend their money on violent games
into making positive lifestyle changes, it. I don’t pull the race card and expect is just proving their counting skills (1, 2, than on games that help you bond with
PG. Just don’t expect us to get off violins to start playing. Online games are 3, isn’t that inventive?). While Wii doesn’t other people. Counting up the ads in
the couch and jog with you. Our legs full of trash talk, and nothing can be done win style points for the coolest name, I EGM #201, 21 of 49 involved killing and
have shriveled beyond any hope of about that in a free society. I realize your do applaud Nintendo taking a chance. In murder! Videogames are supposed to
rehabilitation. But can you bring us headquarters is in the liberal land of Oz, fact, maybe the cutesy name, along with be fun. Where are the fun platformers
back a Hot Pocket? loony San Francisco, but come on—this is the Wii’s iPod look, might encourage three like Super Mario 64? Even my sister’s
crazy. —Christopher Nelson girls to play with me. “Wii” can have a favorite [series], Sonic the Hedgehog,
party while all the Xbox and PlayStation recently added guns and violence. Game
PC police respond fanboys have fun by themselves. makers should leave violence in real
In response to Matthew Brown’s letter —Andrew Battenburg wars and make games more fun.
inEGM #203, I have to say that racism —Arman Amin
(and ignorance in general) is definitely While Nintendo has certainly made
one of the major negatives you can run some radical challenges to the status Or, maybe game makers should take
into online. In my opinion, this is where quo with Wii, we’re pretty sure that the violence out of real wars and
we gamers need to step up and police none of them will aid in breaking the put it into cute platforming games.
■ Brain Age player says, “Whoa, I totally
our online world. I will not allow anyone legendary Andrew Battenburg dry You know—trap it like Superman in
did some math problems! Am I smart yet?”
playing on my server to attack anyone, spell (1997 to present, and most likely a kryptonite cell, never to harm the
racially or otherwise. Everyone enjoys future). But keep hope alive.... world again.... Ever thought of that? ➤
LETTER OF some friendly trash talk now and then,
but if it gets out of hand or personal, the
THE MONTH offender gets the boot and a negative vote
on Xbox Live. Let’s look out for our fellow
gamers! —Jerry O.
Fantasizing
Wii = chick magnet?
about new worlds
Nintendo has recently released the
Where have all the fantastic worlds
moniker of their latest system, Wii, and
gone? Now that we have game
already there’s a lot of Wii bashing. Yes,
systems capable of creating lush,
the name is a bit funny (the whole system
fantastic environments, we see even
has a few screws loose, actually—it is
less of them. I recently watched
Nintendo), but so are the competitors’
Spirited Away, and after seeing the
names. What exactly is an Xbox? And
amazing places depicted in the
what’s the explanation for the 360 slapped
movie, my heart swelled! Come ■ Violent young man: “Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill...reload...kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill....”
on the end? Round things are fun? Sony
on people, where are the fantastic
worlds? Where are the ghost trains
POST OFFICE Rambling and ranting from our message boards, CONTACT EGM
in the middle of empty forests? The boards.1UP.com (look for EGM’s forums)
modern cities frozen in time? The
E-mail us at:
gigantic castles floating in the air just “E3 2006 was all about...”
[email protected]
waiting to be conquered? Imagine
the possibilities with the systems Or write to:
we have now. I have nothing against MalachyNMB: ...Nintendo’s huge Wii. GunstarHeroes777: ...Paris Hilton’s EGM Letters
realistic games, but I feel Juno 500: ...fanboys drooling. incredible new game, Jewel Jam. 101 2nd Street, 8th Floor
the balance has been Leon: ...innovation (Wii) and imitation San Francisco, CA 94105
SSTrunks01: ...PS3, and Snake shoot-
tipped too much toward (PS3).
ing himself after he found out its price. For subscription help, contact:
the realis—ticIs saiadce .Rodriguez bSahboecsk.e Dr a1m3n: !...those really hot booth iIncgy Mthaet tt:r a..i.lmere f owre Sttuinpge rm Symsealsfh d Burr-os. EW-emba: ihl:t tspu:b//[email protected]
Brawl.
Sweet sermon, brother Phone: [phone]
Truly 101: ...gyros! They’re delicious.
Isaac. We’re sending you JaundiceJuice: ...some people coming
Thanks, Greece.
a game set in the most out of their parents’ basements for the To order back issues:
fantastical land of all. Meat Douglas: ...things I can’t afford. first time in a year. E-mail: [email protected]
12• ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com
letters
➤Epiphany: will go through boot camp or go live in WIN GAME
celebrities not real gamers some third-world country for a year just
In every television series or movie these to understand their character, but when GOODS
days, there’s usually an episode or a scene it comes time to play a game on-screen,
in which someone plays a videogame. they get all wide-eyed and crazy, clicking We’ve hidden movie
Here’s what I don’t understand: An actor buttons and gyrating joysticks in unnatural quotes in this
ways. Why can’t they just play a game for issue—spot one and
a few minutes before the shoot? enter to win!
—Chris Day ■ “I say, that Ebert fellow is a fat cow...” Go to EGM-
QOTM.1UP.com
After a long, difficult day of fine dining, the Colossus, current talking-point title (note the new URL!)
free luxury goods, and tantric sex with for the games-as-art crowd, has a story where you can send
symmetrically perfect mates in top you could tell in three minutes, but the us a message (sub-
physical condition, it’s very difficult to experience is damn moving. ject head: Movie
get in some game time. Trust us— Quote: EGM #205) with the quote,
we know. Blu-ray+ UMD = Betamax? the movie it’s from, and the page
I come from a family that has a history of number you found it on. Include your
Ebert lover sits on fence getting burned in format wars. As a child, I mailing address (no P.O. boxes!) and
Being both a gamer and a film critic, watched movies on a Betamax machine or your full name, and you could be one
it’s hard for me to see EGM suddenly (laugh all you want) a CED video disc player. of three lucky winners this month
bashing Roger Ebert because of his Growing up with scars like that makes one to receive an exciting arrangement
comments about videogames. a little reluctant to hop on a new technology of game prizes picked out just for
I love videogames and have bandwagon. However, your article “Disc you by us!
been playing them for as Jockeying,” about the coming Blu-ray vs.
long as I can remember, but HD-DVD war [EGM #203], has me ready to
I also love films and have plop down my hard earned cash on a format current game I’m playing), and we enjoy
been watching and analyzing right now. And it ain’t the Blu-ray disc you a couple of hours together as I play my
them for as long. What I’m picked as the early front runner. game while she snuggles beside me and
about to say bothers me a I’m willing to put my money down on an watches. This is what a relationship is all
lot: I’ve never been drawn HD-DVD player right now because of this about. Lately she’s has been starting to
into a videogame’s story in line in the story: “With hardware numbers play some games herself. But she doesn’t
the way I’ve been drawn into like that, the PS3 should be able to do play every day, which is great because
a movie’s plot. Through the for the Blu-ray format what the...PSP has she doesn’t cut into my gaming time.
years, I’ve had fun watching done for UMD.” With nearly every major So, I say don’t go out looking for a fellow
movies and playing games. movie studio (except for Columbia/Tri-Star, hardcore-gaming mate; instead, look for
I’ve been anxious for game which is owned by Sony) cutting back on someone who plays games leisurely. More
releases and movie premieres, or eliminating Sony’s UMD format, and importantly, look for someone who will let
but only once have I sat on with Wal-Mart phasing out sales of UMD you play [for] hours on end. That’s what I
my couch and stared at the movies, it seems that Sony has once again call quality time! —Brandon Boulet
screen for hours with my given us another Betamax. Given that
controller in hand: Metal Gear they’re 0-for-2 in shoving video formats Executive summary of this letter:
Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. But I down our throats, I don’t think I’ll be Relationships are all about taking. Find
kind of categorize that as an wasting my family’s money on this one. someone who loves to give. (Oh, and
interactive movie. Forgive me, —Sid McHenry the tantric-sex thing from our earlier
for I have sinned. response would be nice, too.) P
—Oscar Fuentes A controlling man
I have found the key to a great relationship. OOPS!
Wow, Sons of Liberty, huh? My wife and I have been married for three
We’re afraid to hear your years, and we’ve been together for 10. The
In last issue’s Wii cover story, we
taste in movies.... But here’s key to our happiness together is that, sure,
retardedly referred to the Xbox Live
the thing: While games we love each other, but more importantly,
Arcade blockbuster Geometry Wars as
■ Typical cosplay don’t yet tell stories as she loves to watch me play videogames. Gravity Wars. We tossed the offending
fanatic makes her way well as movies (see Sons of When I get home from work, she always writer out our eighth-floor window so
to the Microsoft booth Liberty), art is not confined asks me to turn on the TV and my Xbox, he could battle gravity—for real.
at this year’s E3. to storytelling. Shadow of PS2, or GameCube (depending on the
GAME DESIGN-O-RAMA BONUS GALLERY
Got proof that game design is best left to the pros? Send your Games are culinary art
concept (with art) to [email protected], subject: Design-o-rama
When creating his sugar Lardies: I haven’t checked my
Ghengis Khan Country sculpture for a class in the grades in the class yet, but I
Insulted by the cute, lovable characters star- culinary school he attends in usually do all right.
ing back at him from the TV screen, Ghengis Orlando, Jesse Lardies decided EGM: What are you making
Khan invades Kong Country, laying waste to stick to what he knew: next?
to the happy-go-lucky, Caribbean-themed videogames. He forged this bit Lardies: I’m going to try some
inhabitants. In Ghengis Khan Country, you ofZelda fan art out of nothing 8-bit-inspired block sculpture,
don’t collect bananas—you collect heads on but sugar, water, and dyes. probably from Super Mario Bros.
sticks, all while sowing apocalyptic destruc- EGM: So, Jesse, did you flunk or something classic like that.
tion across the land. —Michael Iantorno the class? EGM: Sweet....
14• ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com
press start
R
A
W
gaming news, previews, barrels of next-gen blabber, and other stuff
W
H E
OF T
>> HAVING TROUBLE WRAPPING YOUR HEAD AROUND THE TV SHOW LOST? WELL, WAIT UNTIL YOU PLAY THE GAME—UBISOFT ANNOUNCED THEY
18• ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com
!
S
D
R
O
Wtahberoe cueat omtfh ege,a wnmeeix nstg ag’wse ,nt woepera eltixisoetnec nuaetnidvd—e bsre heyaaoddn dtwoh saaty
L ate last year, Microsoft
marched onto the battlefield,
pumping its Xbox 360 in the
air. Now it’s time for Sony and
Nintendo to rally their con-
soles for the upcoming war. But before the
controllers clash, we sat down with the high
rollers from each company at May’s annual
Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to find out
their personal strategies for victory.
Of course, no war is without propaganda—
so we’ll let you know who’s fighting with fire
and who’s shooting blanks when we grade
each system’s showing at this year’s E3. Who
will be victorious once the words are spoken
and the games are played? You, maggot! ➤
—Michael Donahoe & Shane Bettenhausen
ARE PLANNING TO DEVELOP AND PUBLISH A GAME BASED ON THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING SHOW. PREPARE TO BE CONFUSED IN 2007.... >>
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 19
pprreessss ssttaarrtt
PLAYING FOR KEEPS
Sony sure of more PlayStation domination
K azuo Hirai, president and convey what you’re doing in the game EGM: What about the penny-
CEO of Sony Computer itself. And now it’s the motion sensor. So if pinchers who want a next-gen
Entertainment America, is all you look at how the controller’s evolved for system now but don’t want to
smiles about the November launch of the PlayStation, this motion-sensing tech- fork out $599, especially when
the PlayStation 3. Why so happy? This nology is really something that’s a natural they can get either a Nintendo
guy firmly believes the PlayStation evolution in terms of the next steps for the Wii or Xbox 360 for cheaper?
brand will dominate for another gen- user to be able to take his movements and KH: What kind of a consumer are we look-
eration. Find out why Hirai thinks the have it accurately track and respond on ing at here?
PlayStation is here to stay.... the screen.
A lot of people have asked me, “Is this EGM: Your average gamer
EGM: The PlayStation 3 is a something that you guys thought of last who might want a PlayStation
powerful system, but graph- week?” The answer is: absolutely not—it’s 3 based on the brand but
ics aren’t everything. Are been in [parent company Sony Computer doesn’t necessarily have the
you worried Nintendo might Entertainment President Ken] Kutaragi’s money to spend.
be striking a chord with the mind for the longest time, and it just fol- KH: But the average gamer who already
casual gamers? lows a natural progression of what you can has a current-generation console? Or
Kazuo Hirai: It seems to me they are bring to controller technology. one who is getting into videogaming for
going after a completely different demo- the first time? If they’re getting into vid-
graphic, perhaps a limited, [younger] EGM: Let’s talk price. The PS3 eogaming for the first time, I would point
demographic...which has kind of been their may be pretty, but it’s going to the PS2 and say it’s $129 bucks. And
niche since the N64—certainly with the to cost a whole lot of pennies. when you decide to upgrade to a PS3 at
GameCube. But the fact that they’re not Is $599 a viable price in the some point in time, the library is going to
pushing technology...they seem to be going long run? be backward compatible, so just get in
in a different direction, certainly, from KH: If you look at what we’ve packed into that way. If you’re talking about compar-
where we’re going and what we’re trying the box, I think it actually is a good value ing feature for feature with an Xbox 360,
to accomplish. proposition. Now, in absolute dollar terms, for example, the PS3 has a wireless,
is it higher than $300? Yes, it is. But I also motion-sensor controller, higher capacity
EGM: But they are actually think that we have a history of making with the 60-gig hard drive, and it can play
going for a larger demo- sure that our consoles have a 10-year Blu-ray movies right out of the box—and
graphic with their simple-to- life cycle. We’ve done it with PS1; you [for the Xbox 360,] you can buy an HD-
use controller. see how vibrant the PS2 displays are out DVD adaptor. If you do the math, I think at
KH: I think that it depends on what kind there, both in terms of first- and third-party the end of the day, feature for feature, if
of software you have as well. What we’ve software support, so we’re well on our way you do an apples to apples, I don’t know
done over the past 12 years is pretty much to making sure that the PS2 has a 10-year that there’s such a price difference.
just add two joysticks to the controller. And life cycle. So, to me, even if you buy it at
I think we can get into the history or the the initial $599-dollar price point, that’s a EGM: Microsoft caught a lot of
concept behind the motion-sensor control- viable console that you’re going to keep for flack for offering two different
ler as well, but that certainly adds another the next 10 years. systems at retail—now you’re
dimension of play for PlayStation 3 users. doing the same thing. What
So, the proof is in the pudding, ultimately. I EGM: But can the PS3 reach gives?
think that [Nintendo has] always wanted to the mass market at a $599 KH: Our strategy basically is a strategy
break out of its niche market, and it’s been price point? Especially look- where the two have different configura-
trying to do that since N64, so again, proof ing at the competition’s lower tions, but at the end of the day, for what
is in the pudding. Only time will tell. But it prices? the console is designed to do—play vid-
didn’t seem to work with the GameCube. KH: I’m not saying that we’re suddenly eogames, watch Blu-ray movies, and also
going to do a price change tomorrow, but if download content from the Internet—it’s
EGM: Hardly any PS3 games you look at the history of how we’ve priced the same. So it’s not like one configuration
use the motion sensor. Is this our products, from 12 years ago, you’ll see doesn’t even have a hard drive, for exam-
some tacked-on feature? our trends. I got the same questions back ple. So I think the strategy is completely
KH: Completely the other way around. We in the day: PS2, $299? That’s not a mass- different there.
wanted to keep it under wraps as long as market product, because the PS1 at the
possible. We limited it to one internal stu- time was at $170, $149 bucks, whatever it EGM: But don’t you think the
dio, the guys over at developer Incognito, was. I mean, how are you going to break different models will confuse
to incorporate into Warhawk. into the mass market? Well, the PS2 is the consumers? One hav-
I talked about the original PlayStation $129 now, and it’s an absolute mass-mar- ing HDMI [High Definition
controller—that’s where history began. ket product. So I think you can look at the Multimedia Interface, used for
We then added the two joysticks, then we trending line, and two years out, three years high-quality digital signals]
added the vibration functionality. Then we out—I’m not going to even make a predic- output, one not, for example?
launched the DualShock 2 with pressure- tion—but there’s no guarantee that it’s KH: I think it comes down to making sure
sensitive buttons, so everything we’ve still going to be at $599 and $499. We may that the consumers can make an educated
done over the past few years was to make have a more expensive version; we may purchase, whether that’s through merchan-
[the controller] more intuitive, make it more have a less expensive configuration. But it dising catalogs or whatever at storefronts,
a part of your body, to more accurately doesn’t stay the same forever. and also working with the store associates ➤
>> THQ IS GIVING XBOX 360 OWNERS ANOTHER REASON TO BREAK OUT THEIR COPIES OF THE OUTFIT —THE COMPANY JUST ANNOUNCED NEW fffj
20• ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com
MULTIPLAYER MAPS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON XBOX LIVE. THE NEW PACK, “COLLATERAL DAMAGE,” COSTS 500 MICROSOFT POINTS....>>
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 21
press start
➤to make sure that they can explain what “You guys aren’t ready? There’s no soft-
the differences are. ware. What we saw on the show floor is
You talk about HDMI, which is a very not looking good.” But I think we delivered
good point, but let’s also be realistic: How on what we said is the promise, and we
many people who even have an HD moni- don’t think that we’re going to deviate
tor today have a TV with an HDMI input? from the promises that we’ve made. You
We want to give the consumers the option take a look at something like Gran Turismo
to say, “This is what I want,” or “[That] is HD—I think a lot of people were blown
what I want.” As opposed to [us] saying, away, despite the fact that that’s more...
“We’re only going to give you the $599 I wouldn’t call it a tech demo, but it’s very
60-gig option, take it or leave it—maybe far from being a complete product.
the HD monitor you bought the other day
doesn’t even have [HDMI input], but we’re EGM: So what happens if HD-
going to give you [HDMI] anyway.” So it’s DVD wins the DVD format war?
just a matter of how you configure your Does Blu-ray go bye-bye?
product differently. KH: Once we commit to a format, that is
Now, we didn’t want to say, “Choose the format that we are going to go with.
a Cell processor one, two, and three.” We So we’ve chosen Blu-ray, and Blu-ray is
didn’t want to get into that [situation], but I the delivery medium for the PlayStation
think the days of saying, “Here’s one con- 3—end of story. I can’t predict the future,
sole; one size fits all,” those days, unfor- but if I look at, with an objective eye,
tunately, I think are going to be past us. feature for feature or—more impor-
Some people want 60 gigs, because they tantly—the capacity between the two,
want to store a lot of stuff; other people Blu-ray, given the fact that if you have
may not, because all they want to do is two layers you can go with 50 gigabytes,
just cache stuff that they’re downloading is just leaps and bounds beyond what
here and there. So that’s an option that we DVD or HD-DVD brings to the table. I think
want to give consumers. HD-DVD happens to be just a marginal
improvement over conventional DVDs.
EGM: Last year, you guys
showed off a ton of pretty tar- EGM: Are you worried about
get videos for PS3 gameplay. Microsoft’s one-year head
Do you think you may have start with the 360?
disappointed some people KH: I have bigger fish to fry, so I’m not
because the games here today too worried about a head start. We’ve
don’t look like those videos? never [launched a system] first, and
KH: I think you guys know better than any we’ve always managed to overtake those
of the other mass-market publications consoles. This is not just rhetoric; we’ve
about how you ramp up software develop- proven it with the PlayStation, and we’re
ment. We are about six months away from doing it with the PlayStation 2. So if they
actual launch, and some of [these games have an X million head start, that’s all
that you see now] will be launch titles— well and good for them. We’re going to
others will not. We’re not going to rush make sure that we overtake that very
software that we don’t think is up to snuff quickly and also make sure that we’re in
to market, just to have a launch lineup. it for the long haul as well. So it is what it
I got the same question with the PS2: is. It’s not too much of a concern for me.
PLAYSTATION 3 DEBRIEFING
Basic Intel: Notable Exclusives: Report Card:
The PlayStation 3 will be available in You’ll have to pony up the cash for a
Strengths: Weaknesses:
two different configurations when it PS3 if you want to play these upcom-
+ More raw power than competitors – High cost
launches on November 17, 2006: ing titles….
+ Blu-ray playback out of the box –Grand Theft Auto IV not PS3 exclusive
+ Free, full-featured online gameplay – No rumble in controller
BASIC DELUXE Devil May Cry 4 + Next-gen EyeToy camera – Most triple-A titles coming in 2007
Price $499 $599 Fatal Inertia + Motion-sensing controller
Final Fantasy XIII
Hard Drive 20GB 60GB
Final Fantasy Versus XIII
Blu-ray Drive Yes Yes Heavenly Sword Overall: Sony’s next-gen behemoth got off to a slightly rocky start at E3. A spotty
HDMI Output No Yes Lair press conference that mixed impressive fare (Final Fantasy XIII,Metal Gear Solid 4)
USB 2.0 Yes Yes Mercenaries 2: World in Flames with disappointing duds (Genji 2,Gran Turismo HD)and quirky oddballs (Afrika,The
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Eye of Judgment) made it clear that Sony will be in for a fight. The system’s wal-
Memory
Stick/SD/ No Yes Ratchet & Clank let-damaging price point ($599 for the full-featured model) created instant backlash,
CompactFlash Resistance: Fall of Man but the feature-rich box justifies its price with technology—the inclusioBn of Blu--ray
Ridge Racer 7 playback, a motion-sensing controller, and a hard drive in every box
Wi-Fi No Yes
Tekken 6 makes this the choice for deep-pocketed gamers wanting a cutting-
Warhawk edge console. Plus, most of the playable PS3 games felt solid—this
Virtua Fighter 5 lineup outclassed the hands-on offerings for Xbox 360 at E3 2005.
➤
>> SEGA’S DIGGING DEEP INTO ITS BACK CATALOG, ANNOUNCING A NEW VERSION OF SEGA RALLY FOR BOTH THE XBOX 360 AND THE PS3.... >>
22• ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com