Smart As Gets A Release Date on PlayStation Vita

Smart As is one of the very first Vita games anyone ever saw, long before Sony’s new handheld was released. Unveiled back at Gamescom in 2011, Smart As appeared to be a promising brain-twisting romp, though we’ve seen very little of it since. That is, until now.

Sony has revealed that Smart As, a PlayStation Vita exclusive, finally has a release date. It will be available in North America beginning on October 30th and in Europe a day later, on October 31st. Interestingly, what appeared to be a download-only game isn’t. It’ll be available on the PlayStation Network and in retail stores, and will cost $29.99.

The puzzles in Smart As promise to challenge you in “four key areas”: Logic, Arithmetic, Language and Observation. John Cleese of Monty Python fame voices the game’s commentary. The game will feature extensive online leaderboards so you can compete with your friends, and a day one demo will also be available to give you a taste of the full experience.

Keep an eye on IGN later this month for our full review.

Colin Moriarty is an IGN PlayStation editor. You can follow him on Twitter (@notaxation) and IGN (Moriarty-IGN) and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.

Source : ign[dot]com

Is The Walking Dead FPS Convincing?

As a big fan of The Walking Dead in all its forms, I entered the Gamescom presentation of this survival-FPS with one hope: that the doubt I’ve felt since Activision announced the game last month will be put down for good by a crossbow bolt to the brain. By the close of the session, I’m heartened by some of what I’ve seen and heard, but the doubt still lingers. I wish I could say otherwise, I really do.

The presentation is hosted by developer Terminal Reality’s principal effects artist, Glenn Gamble, which seems an apt name for someone working on an attempt to marry a franchise associated with strong narrative with a genre that often eschews it. The biggest disappointment thrown up by the session is that it’s presented via a series of static screenshots, despite Gamble stating that a playable build exists (and is in fact where the screenshots have come from).

A gameplay video could have done much to reassure me that comments made earlier this year by franchise creator Robert Kirkman (during which he said a straight-up run and gun FPS of The Walking Dead “would be pointless”) need not apply to Terminal Reality’s efforts. However, as the presentation plays out, Gamble raises some interesting concepts that the team are working into The Walking Dead. It suggest the developer agrees that if it’s to make this project work, it needs more meat on its bones than a straight-up, gung-ho shooter can offer.

First, the choice of character: Daryl Dixon, who so far has existed only in The Walking Dead AMC TV series, was introduced to the fiction as something of a loose cannon. His evolution through series one and two has seen him become the show’s rough diamond; the bad boy with a heart who’s not afraid to do what it takes to get the job done and survive in a world that’s gone to hell

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If you watch the show and play the game you’ll get a much deeper and broader sense of his character.

“He’s a survivalist, which is a huge part of the show as well as the game,” posits Gamble. “His evolution of character through season two has let us work with AMC to try, with our story, to plant those seeds of change earlier on. So now, if you watch the show and play the game you’ll get a much deeper and broader sense of his character."

If Daryl is a survivalist then his brother Merle is, frankly, an ass. A highly strung fellow of low moral fibre, Merle will be along for the ride as a companion to the player. This concept of companions, which will take in various other survivor NPCs met along the way, is a second positive factor.

Each survivor NPC has skills that can aid the player and while the NPCs do not appear to join in the zombie killing (all of the screens show only Daryl embarking on missions into towns to gather resources), they contribute to the group and introduce an element of resource management and survival considerations.

In addition to skills, the NPCs also have their own back-stories, as well as pros and cons that must be balanced when considering whether to take them with you: one guy might have a medical background which will be useful when you’re able to source medicinal items, but he’s also an extra mouth to feed, which will necessitate more food to be sourced when Daryl heads into a town.

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I wish we had co-op, but the decision was that since it’s easier to tell a better story with single-player than with multiplayer.

Vehicles, too, have their own attributes to be considered as you try to make your way across state for a currently unknown reason. Some vehicles will offer bountiful passenger space (think along the lines of the RV that belonged to poor old Dale) but will guzzle more gas; a pick-up truck, meanwhile, has plenty of room in the back for equipment and resources, but only limited space for survivors.

Despite the seemingly blatant potential for co-op play presented by the two brother set-up, Gamble reveals, somewhat wistfully, that the team believe a single-player-only experience will serve them better from a narrative standpoint.

“I wish we had co-op, but the decision was that since it’s easier to tell a better story with single-player than with multiplayer, we decided to go with the single-player,” says Gamble. “That’s because story is bullet point number one; bullet point two is survival; bullet point three is the walkers”

Unlike the comics and TV show where it’s the living that can provide the greatest threat, it appears from Gamble’s presentation that it will be the walkers that the player will have to be most wary of. Gamble describes them as being “super environmentally aware”, able to see, hear and even smell the player. So, while sneaking past a lone walker may seem sensible, it leaves one more to add to a potential horde if you’re foolish enough to cause a commotion within earshot of the walking cadaver later on.

Overall, the survival elements, resource management and strong narrative aspects suggested by the presentation cast The Walking Dead in a positive light and do much to encourage hope that maybe wanton zombie slaying will come a distant second to the focus on survival. In-game footage and, ultimately, hands-on time with this survival-FPS will be necessary to ascertain whether Terminal Reality can deliver on the concepts introduced here. Until then, despite wishing it were otherwise, the doubt will continue to gnaw at me.

Stace Harman is a freelance contributor to IGN and is convinced that zombies will one day inherent the Earth. You can follow him on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Star Trek: How to Make a Movie Tie-In That's Good

We've still not seen much of Star Trek. Yes, a new trailer came out at Gamescom, but we still haven't played the game. Normally this would be a bad sign – a signal that the game isn't up to scratch, perhaps; that it's a bit of a rushed job. You know, the sort of thing we've come to expect from movie tie-ins over the years.

But Brian Miller, senior VP of games at Paramount Pictures, says that the new Star Trek game, based on the critically-acclaimed and commercially-successful J.J. Abrams's reboot, is the exact opposite.

"We had a conversation about why movie games don’t work," says Miller. "Most of them aren't very good. And we tried to figure out why that was. Because even though people loved the movies, and you’d think they'd want to play those games because of the characters, most movie tie-ins just don't work.

And after sitting down with creatives from Bad Robot (J.J. Abrams' production studio), they came up with a few reasons.

"One of the biggest reasons was that you don’t give those types of games enough time. By the time you start filming a movie to the time you get ready to have it in theatres, you’re lucky to have 12 months for a developer to really work on a game. That’s not enough time. That’s not enought time to do it right. So by the time Star Trek comes out early 2013, we’ll have been working on the game for around 3 years. So that problem has been solved."

Star Trek is the ideal property out of which to make a co-op title. It centres on one of popular cultures most enduring friendships, right up there with Han and Chewie, Woody and Buzz. At the same time there is a danger that having such an iconic, strongly-defined pair of characters at its core might prove too chafing for players. So many video game characters are, of course, purposefully devoid of personality.

Kirk is headstrong, impulsive. Spock is thoughtful, measured. The game will subtly encourage players to play in character. "For Kirk we have a lot of upgrades and bonuses for doing things that Kirk does," says Miller. "So his shooting ability is much better than Spock’s. But Spock is half-vulcan so he runs a little faster and jumps a little further." He wouldn't be drawn on how else the game would incentivise gameplay that was consistent with the character, but it's clear that it's in no way compulsory. You can still be gun-hoe as Spock or a more strategic Kirk. But the personality of each character is very much embodied in their actions. I briefly saw some pre-Alpha footage of a stealth-based mission, in which Kirk and Spock have to make their way through a series of corridors down which Gorn sentinels are patrolling. If Kirk gets the jump on one the scaly foes, he brutally snaps its neck or slams its face into a nearby surface (a bit like Nathan Drake). But Spock takes them down using a more characteristically restrained Vulcan neck pinch.

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A lot of times these games become a little piece of merchandise – you put it right next to the lunchbox and the t-shirt and hat that you sell.

"When you make a co-op game, the AI is the main thing you have to worry about," says Miller. "If the AI isn’t great and breaks, it ruins the entire experience of the game. So our developer, Digital Extremes, has had that at the top of the list right from the beginning. It is a little bit different depending on who you play as. We have a lot of banter that we’ve recorded where it’s Spock being frustrated with Kirk doing stuff. And Kirk being frustrated with Spock."

But it's more than just gameplay tactics. Depending on which character you play as, you'll experience different things in the game. One of Spock's most famed abilities is the Mind Meld. It even featured in Abrams's recent reboot. I was told that at certain points in the game Spock will be able to fuse his consciousness with various characters in the game, glimpsing their memories. This dreamy cinematic will only be experienced by the player controlling Spock. Kirk will just see Spock engaging in the Mind Meld. If you're playing online with a friend, you'll have to ask them what's going on.

Another one the problems with movie tie-ins that Miller and his team quickly identified was not believing and funding the game properly. "A lot of times these games become a little piece of merchandise – you put it right next to the lunchbox and the t-shirt and hat that you sell. But to do a game right you can’t really think of it like that. We’ve invested heavily to compete with all of the other triple-A level games that are out there. It’s not something that is just a byproduct."

This is demonstrated by the creative talent that Miller is more than happy to boast about. From the special effects team over at ILM sharing assets of the Enterprise – so it's the exact same model in the game as in the latest movie – to writer Bob Orci helping out with the script and Academy Award winning composer Michael Giacchino being consulted on the score. And unlike most tie-in games, it has the voices of the entire cast, giving the game that unparalleled authenticity.

It's all very impressive, but what's more heartening for the Trekkie is that the attention to detail and the fondness for the original show that served Abrams's reboot so well is present in the game, too. One of the things that made Abram's Star Trek reboot so good was it did new things without forgetting its heritage. It was, after all, that strangest and most paradoxical of things: a canonical reboot, linking together both the new and the old.

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It was shocking to us that the Gorn have remained in the public consciousness for so long, and so well.

The choice of enemy is emblematic of this affection. The Gorn has endured in the popular consciousness. It might be down to the ropey effects – it's quite clearly a green rubber suit – but Miller thinks it's something more. "When we sat down, and said ‘Who do you pick as the villain?’ The Gorn were at the top of the list. It was shocking to us that the Gorn have remained in the public consciousness for so long, and so well. And people love that character, as do we. They were in one episode, 45 years ago. And for something to last that long and be that popular, clearly there was something in there."

The Gorn first appeared in the episode Arena. And in the style of Abrams' affectionate reboot, it's a moment in Trek history that will be acknowledged in the game. "That whole episode – Arena – is so imporant because it’s Kirk fighting the Gorn in an arena," says Miller. "It’s a big staged event. And we do have – and I think I’m telling you for the first time and I probably shouldn’t – but we do have a moment where we reference the whole arena fight, where we can throw Kirk back into that mess."

When I asked Miller if fans could expect any more classic Trek moments to be referenced, he smiled and said, "Yes. The only one I’ll hint at is there’s a great moment... I’ll put it this way. If you’re playing a co-op game where you’re set up to work together, it would be a great moment if Kirk and Spock were actually pitted against each other. And there’s a very classic episode we may be making reference to." Miller is alluding to Amok Time, a classic episode from the original series in which Kirk and Spock face-off in a fight to the death on Spock's home planet of Vulcan. 

Miller knows why movie tie-in games tend not to succeed. He also knows what made J.J. Abrams's reboot so good. Hopefully, the extra time the game has been in development, its production values, and its love of the original show will make Star Trek a movie tie-in which isn't just a glorified piece of merchandise but the quality co-op experience it could be.

Daniel is IGN's UK Staff Writer. You can be part of the world's worst cult by following him on IGN and Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Mad Catz Unveils Extravagant Modular Gaming Keyboard

Today at GamesCom in Germany, Mad Catz revealed the S.T.R.I.K.E.7, its new "Professional Gaming Keyboard". While the S7 is presumably targeted at a larger audience than actual career gamers, its profuse feature-set and hefty price tag ($299.99 msrp) are probably excessive for anyone else.

The S7 is one sweet keyboard. On top of LAN party envy, its innovative design promises the kind of over-the-top custom functionality that could finally give you that decisive competitive edge (at least, that's what Mad Catz is banking you'll tell yourself).

Interchangeable rubberized cursor keys and highly adjustable palm rests facilitate maximum comfort and control, and the keyboard's modular components are all removable and reconfigurable. If your keyboard tray's short on space, you can detach the number pad. If you still want to use it, the S7's cable attachments will let you keep it on a different level of the desk (or the left side of the main keyboard).

The S.T.R.I.K.E.7 comes with a few pinky-stretching macro keys, but most of its macro functionality is built into the V.E.N.O.M. display attachment. The S7's touch-capacitive LCD - definitely the keyboard's biggest selling point - supports custom macros, quick-launch for games, apps, and websites, and media controls with program-specific volume options. Inbuilt apps include a clock/timer, a journal for game-specific notes, plus full support for Teamspeak http://www.teamspeak.com/.

As rad as the S7 is, it's hard to recommend any peripheral at this price. For the same chunk of change you could pick up a pretty decent graphics card or five or six brand new games - or, for that matter, a PS3 or Xbox 360. Still, there's no denying the S.T.R.I.K.E.7 would look pretty sweet beside the R.A.T. mouse (approx. $60), which Mad Catz is marketing as the "perfect companion piece" to the new keyboard. And we bet it could type up a mean term paper.

Source : ign[dot]com

How Sony Won Gamescom Before It Even Started

Microsoft should be afraid of Sony. Before the PlayStation publisher’s pre-Gamescom press conference this week, Sony’s foreseeable software future seemed weak. The PlayStation Vita seemed only to have a handful of promising titles for the remainder of 2012 – LittleBigPlanet PS Vita, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, a Call of Duty game we knew next to nothing about, a Persona 4 remake, and a poorly timed Assassin’s Creed tie-in were the PlayStation brand’s best and brightest. But after displaying a strong lineup of exclusive games on both PlayStation platforms, a brilliant new business strategy, and confidence in risky game ideas, Sony’s future couldn’t look better than it does now.

Gamescom will be Sony’s show. This is bad news for Microsoft, who didn’t even bother to show up.

Sony’s Cross Buy announcement undoubtedly earned it a great deal of gamer goodwill. Buying Battle Royale, the new Ratchet & Clank, and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time on PS3 scores you a free Vita copy. This is an incredible move for Sony. These are three of its most popular and promising titles, and you can play them anywhere, any time, for one price. Cross Buy puts PlayStation fans ahead of the curve, and rewards them for purchasing PS3 games they were likely to buy anyway. It looks amazing on the back of the box, it’s something people will tell their friends about, and it makes a Vita worth owning for every single PlayStation fan. That’s just smart marketing.

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Cross Buy puts PlayStation fans ahead of the curve

Until Dawn, Rain, and Puppeteer all represent something astounding about Sony’s initiative toward supporting innovative ideas. Following Papo & Yo, Journey, and many other clever concepts, this trio of games look unlike almost anything you’ve played. Each of them certainly has a niche appeal, but Sony’s willing to risk a limited audience if it means putting exclusive, original games on its platforms. Add in the casual mentions of Beyond: Two Souls and The Last of Us during the conference, and you’re looking at a large stack of Sony-only goods. Oh, and let’s not forget Media Molecule’s cute and creative Tear Away, either.

For the first time since I bought it, I want to play my Vita. A quirky indie game like Sound Shapes reassures me that more great stuff is on the way, and Sony really came out of the corner throwing haymakers. I want Black Ops Declassified because it looks like a true Call of Duty game. Killzone Mercenary is the Sony sequel I want most on the platform I’m aching to play.

Before I came to Gamescom, I played my Xbox more than any other platform. That changes the moment I get back to my living room. All of a sudden, the future of gaming in my life is dominated by a platform I traditionally ignored for my Xbox 360. The level of imagination and accessibility in these original, exclusive games is so much more interesting to me than another Halo game. Make no mistake: I’m thrilled about Halo 4, but it’s the one and only Xbox exclusive I plan to play this fall; the only other two exclusives I can think of in the next few months are Gears of War: Judgment and Fable: The Journey – of those, I only have faith and interest in the former.

Microsoft missed a great opportunity at Gamescom to tell the world about why it should care about Xbox 360, Xbox Live, the fall update, and how it all connects to Windows 8. More importantly, maybe, just maybe, it could have given us a game worth thinking about, investing in emotionally, or getting excited to play with on Surface, Windows Phone, Windows Live, or any other gaming platform it may have on the way. I love my Xbox 360 -- I just want as much a reason to play it as I now have for my PlayStation devices.

Gamescom belongs to Sony, as does my heart. This is a brilliant sign of things to come, and it was all done before the show had even begun.

Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor for IGN's Xbox 360 team. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com