Ben-DutkaIn looking down the road at 2008, there are plenty of awesome games on tap. One of them dropped this past week, and the PS3 is going to get a lot more this year!
Yes, 2008 really is the year of the PlayStation 3
Don't get me wrong- there were several top-notch exclusive PS3 titles in 2007, and that includes the likes of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune , Unreal Tournament III , Heavenly Sword , Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction , Warhawk , Folklore , etc. So I'm certainly not complaining about what we got last year. However, in comparison to what's on tap for 2008 ( Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots , Gran Turismo 5 , Killzone 2 , Final Fantasy XIII , Resistance 2 , etc.)…well, there really is no comparison. Plus, with more than a few developers adding their positive thoughts to the mix, it seems more and more likely the PS3 will really come into its own this year. Furthermore, with so many of those developers now having a better grasp of the PS3's architecture, we shouldn't be seeing many more of those inferior 360-to-PS3 ports. Just look at Rainbow Six Vegas 2 ; that will be developed simultaneously on the PS3 and 360. All in all, things are definitely looking rosy for PS3 owners this year.
Now, if only Sony could decide on that new PS3 model, which we should be seeing soon. 120GB? 160GB? Well, whatever; I just want to see the return of backwards compatibility for PS2 software. It's one of the biggest reasons I love my 60GB model.
It's like the bestest news ever!!!
Yep, Twisted Metal is coming to the PS3! Really, the only announcement that would've made me more excited is a Final Fantasy VII remake unveiling (and if that ever happens, my heart might actually stop for a few seconds). I loved the first two installments in the TM franchise – especially the second – and after 989 Studios took it over and ruined TM3 and TM4, the original Sony team came back and produced the awesome Twisted Metal: Black for the PS2. Our buddy David Jaffe helped make that game so good, and it's great to hear the news of a new TM coming from him and Eat Sleep Play. At first, when his new studio announced they would be focusing on smaller, more casual titles, I was about to abandon hope. After all, Twisted Metal is basically a blockbuster title, and I was worried it's something Eat Sleep Play wouldn't want to do. But hey, the fans have been clamoring for this, and Jaffe isn't about to disappoint his fans. He may not be giving us God of War 3 , but TM PS3 is going to rock, and I also can't wait to get my hands on Twisted Metal: Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition for the PS2.
And wouldn't it be all the more amazing if they'd been working on TM PS3 for a while already, and it might actually arrive this year…? Well, that probably won't happen, but I'm not afraid to hope.
Personal gaming update
It's all about Devil May Cry 4 this week, baby. That game kicks serious ass, and after going through the first 10 missions, it's already my favorite DMC. Up until now, the original was my favorite, and while I loved DMC3, it was too difficult for me. I killed myself beating that game and as excellent as it was, too much of that adventure felt like a chore. Of course, it probably wouldn't have if Capcom hadn't screwed up the difficulty settings and I didn't have to UNKNOWINGLY play it on Hard! Anyway, DMC4 not only has the best story of all them (at least, from what I've seen so far), it also has the most "accessibility." Human mode might be a touch too easy, but I could always try Devil Bringer, and I'm having a lot of fun with the game on Human, anyway. This game rules on a whole lot of different levels, and it just keeps getting better. Having Nero and Dante in the same game is working out really well, and I just finished fighting Dante…what a kick-ass battle! I also found out who Gloria really is, but I won't throw in any spoilers for those who haven't had the pleasure of playing this gem yet.
I've also decided my next game is going to be Lost Odyssey for the Xbox 360. RPG is still my favorite genre, and I haven't played one in a looooong time. I really disliked Mass Effect , I think the last new RPG I played was Final Fantasy XII , and I've been craving some role-playing goodness for a while. After reading up on Lost Odyssey , it seems this one will quench my thirst and I can't wait to give it a try. Oh, and I would've picked up Twisted Metal: Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition , but I couldn't find it anywhere when I looked yesterday. 🙁 I'll get it eventually, though.