In a recent interview conducted by Sci Fi channel with Free Radical’s Rob Yascombe, an interesting little tidbit was released. Yascombe, the writer for Haze, mentioned that the screenplay of Haze was around 120 pages long, and that the actual script was 1000 pages long. This seems like a bit of an overkill for a FPS like Haze… Comparatively, David Hayter has mentioned several times on his IMDB page that the script for MGS4 is “roughly 800 pages”. Is Haze in store for a peculiarly epic plot? Or perhaps Hayter wasn’t including side conversations and those in-game “Whose footprints are these!?” one liners?

At any rate, its something interesting to note. Free Radical’s Haze is due out exclusively for the PS3 on May 20th.

This is something I’ve had bottled up for a long time.

Reviews have become the word of God as of late. The reviewers themselves, Gods of the industry. With each review posted, hundreds of fanboys gather like vultures to fresh giblet of road kill under the high noon sun. They analyze every sentence, every word, every piece of punctuation, leaving no stone unturned. They arm themselves with every pro and con, and then head out to duke it out on their favorite message board. When a game is released and a major publication doesn’t give it the score its supposed to get, World War III erupts. Out of every crevice comes a fanboy, each with his own two cents to add. Message boards turn into warzones, and intelligent conversation into a casualty.

Unfortunately, the publications don’t help the matter either. Its not unusual for a lesser known publication to post a bad review of a good game to get a few more hits. Even the game developers have become more proactive in the situation – now some developers threaten to pull advertising revenue if their games receive negative reviews, tarnishing the bias of reviews(check out some issues GameSpot and EGM have run in to).

Fact of the matter is, however, that reviewers are not Gods, and their reviews are not the gospel. They are simply people, like you and I. Granted, they have played A LOT of games, but so have many of us as well. Their rantings and ravings have no more weight then the dribble of your resident message board troll(well, provided the troll has actually played the game in question, which is not the case most of the time). In fact, with some hardcore genres, like fighters, they have even less bearing – how is a writer that has to review X amount of games a week ever going to have enough time to figure out the ins and outs that make or break the system in games like Marvel VS Capcom 2?

So the next time you read a review, before you waste your time dissecting it line by line and articulating how inaccurate it is about your favorite game, step back. Read the main points, think about the audience the review is written for, and the motive behind it. Ignore the numbers, even. Then remember that its someones opinion. Be an adult, be rational. Reviews are just opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own.

And Smash fans, 9.5 is good, shut the fuck up.

After rumors popped up last Monday that the PS3 may be in store for a new price cut, Sony was quick to shoot it down. However, more reports have been coming in that indicate Sony is doing SOMETHING funky with their PS3 lineup. Major retailers across the country have reportedly been receiving notices from Sony to discontinue selling the 80GB model. BestBuy.com has even removed the 80GB PS3 from their website, listing only the 40GB PS3. Target.com has changed the 80GB PS3 to ‘available in stores only’.

This leads to two situations – either the 80GB bundle is being revamped or its being discontinued altogether. The 80GB bundle with Motorstorm was originally supposed to be a ‘limited time offer’. Also, in both Europe and Japan, the 40GB model is the only model actively produced. Making only one PS3 model would go the long way in simplifying the PS3 lineup, which has confused consumers to no end.

Many have argued that Sony would be stupid to do this, as then there would not be a PS3 with PS2 compatibility(all PS3s can play PS1 games). However, as stated before, the US is the only market where a PS3 with PS2 compatibility is still actively produced. Sony has indicated that the majority of its consumers were least interested in a function that allowed them to play PS2 games. Going by sales numbers of Motorstorm, this may be correct – the 40GB PS3 regularly outsold the 80GB PS3 all throughout the holiday months, perhaps indicating that the majority of the consumers are buying the PS3 for PS3 games or Blu Ray playback, not PS2 games. Additionally, Kotaku reported that Sony is still looking to implement PS2 compatibility in the 40GB PS3 through software emulation, which means that the 40GB could possibly be able to play PS2 games at some point.

Expect to here further news about this later on down the line.

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan updated their career section with an interesting tidbit today – they added what appears to be a screenshot of the latest game coming from Team ICO. The picture shows simply a chain descending into a dark hole, with shadows surrounding area. The text on the website just describes the open positions in the team.

Team ICO announced its currently working on two PS3 titles, although information has been extremely sparse surrounding them. Outside of a rumor released last fall that one of the games would heavily emphasize the use of a hang glider, nothing has been said about either title. Regardless, the two titles are heavily anticipated. Team ICO and Fumito Ueda, the ones behind the PS2 classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, are known for pushing the boundaries of games and art, with captivating environments and innovative gameplay.

Hopefully more will be announced soon. Until then, keep your eye on Sony’s career section.

Sure, we all love playing Guitar Hero. Nothing beats a wild night of staying up ’til dawn, whaling along to “Through the Fire and the Flame” on your plastic Gibson with a few friends and a few beers. Its a fun, innovative game. But now, according to an article posted at ShackNews, Guitar Hero may also be a great tool in aiding physical rehabilitation.

One patient, for example, was told he would never regain full flexibility and rotation of his arm after an injury. However, with regular physical therapy, supplemented with playing Guitar Hero(which relies heavily on the aforementioned flexibility and rotation), the patient made a rapid and astonishing recovery.

Doctors further say that Guitar Hero could be used in physical therapy to include improved abdominal, lower back, and wrist strength, sitting balance, fine motor skills, and general endurance.

Check out the full article at ShackNews.com!

Reportedly, Kaz “Ridge Racer” Hirai, President of Sony Computer Entertainment, addressed recent rumors of a Playstation 3 price cut towards the end of January in the Japanese Bloomberg. As expected, he said that there were no plans for a price cut in any region, Japan, USA or Europe. Kaz insisted that anything reported was just mere speculation.

Of course, the week before E3 2007, when Target released its flier showing a $499 PS3, the price cut was also denied, as was the creation of the $399 40GB model. For the moment, however, Sony has made it clear: No PS3 price cut in the immediate future.

Ryan Payton, the man in charge of localizing the heavily anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4 for us English speaking audiences, has said time after time that Kojima Productions will not release a playable demo of MGS4. Payton insists that the time required to release a demo would be time away from completing the full game. That doesn’t stop fans from praying their will be one.

For a moment, it looked as if the millions of prayers had been answered. In the current issue of the UK gaming magazine Playstation World, they get some hands on time with a MGS4 demo. At the end of their preview, they say “Want more MGS4? Well, you’ll get it very soon. The stage played here will be out on the PSN store in the next month“. PS3 forums across the web have been on fire lately after the editor of PSW, Ian Dean, confirmed to MetalGearSolid4.net that this was indeed not a typo, and that the demo was slated to appear on the Playstation Network in February.

However, earlier today, MaxConsole contacted Konami and spoke with their public relations rep. They maintained that “We do not comment on speculation, I am afraid”, indicating that PSW’s confirmation was nothing more then speculation.

If you like to play the word twisting game, at least they didn’t specifically say there was no demo… Nonetheless, it looks like we are still in the dark on the issue. MGS fans, keep praying!

Several posters at SlickDeals.net are reporting that the PS3 may have yet another price drop towards the end of the month. Many are rumoring that a $299 PS3 will be announced on January 28. SlickDeals.net is a website dedicated to providing consumers with the latest prices in electronics, breaking the news of both of the previous PS3 price drops and the 360 price drop a few weeks early, along with the CheapAssGamer forums.

Though it does seem early for this to occur, Sony did recently announce that the price of manufacturing of the PS3 did drop, from $800 per unit at the launch to $400 currently. This is mainly due to the success of Blu Ray, especially with Warner Bros. going Blu Ray exclusive earlier this month. Now there are also rumors that Paramount found a loophole in their HD DVD exclusivity contract and will be going Blu Ray as well – leaving Universal and Dreamworks as the only remaining HD DVD studios.

Financially, the price cut makes sense, consoles have historically been sold at a loss at the beginning of their lifetime. The only consoles not sold at a loss at launch are the Sega Saturn(sold at the price to manufacture) and the Nintendo Wii(sold at a $100 profit for Nintendo). Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony make most of its money off of game licensing, not the actual console. For every game released, they developer must pay $10,000 worth of licensing fees to Sony(its traditionally been $20,000 for all 3 companies, but this was another cut Sony made to encourage developers recently). They also make a bulk of their profit from peripherals, like memory cards and controllers.

Still, I personally think it may be a bit too early for another price cut.

Updates are available on this story, click here for more.

2007 has been hailed by many as the greatest year for video games so far. Sales numbers further substantiate that claim, with 2007 marking the peak year of sales in the industry, and also setting the record for the most money grossed in 24 hours in any form of media(Halo 3). Blockbuster hits were abundant across all the platforms, from Super Mario Galaxy, Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Crysis, Uncharted, and much, much more. As 2007 draws to an end, many publications have began running the annual Game of the Year awards. EXGN has decided to round up the GOTY winners from over a dozen various, big name publications. Whats the general concensus as to which title truly was the Game of the Year? Read on…

5. Rock Band(PS3/PS2/360) – Harmonix

From the creators of Guitar Hero I and II comes Rock Band! Now you and three friends can get together and form your own complete band, playing lead guitar, bass guitar, drums and a singer. Despite the hefty $169 price and some initial hardware issues, Rock Band went on to become one of the highest ranked games this year, averaging 93.2% according to Game Rankings. With the availablity of downloadable songs and the ingenuity behind its design, Rock Band is sure to keep gamers busy with their virtual bands well into 2008.

What others said:
“… Rock Band is the true evolution of music games. Immersive and just plain addictive experience far greater than the sum of its parts. It’s magic.” Wired.com, Game of the Year winner

4. The Orange Box(PC/PS3/360) – Valve

Combining 3 classic Valve games – Half Life 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 – the Orange Box is not only an excellent deal because of the quantity of content included, but also because of the quality of the content as well. The Orange Box was universally praised by several publications, Portal specifically, and maintains and impressive rating of 96.2$ for both the PC and 360 versions. Even the PS3 version, which suffered some frame rate issues, was still a great pick up if there was no other option. Overall, the Orange Box is well deserving of GOTY crown.

What others said:
“Portal isn’t just the best game of the year, it’s a landmark title for the industry whose influence will run as deep as our desire for change, and gives the best proof yet that games don’t need to be long to be great.” GamerNode.com, Game of the Year Winner
“The game[Portal] is phenomenal in every sense of the word…” Joystiq.com, Game of the Year
“… the only argument we had in choosing the Game of the Year was whether to give it to the five-game Orange Box as a collection or whether Portal earned the trophy all on its own. It’s that good.” GamesRadar.com, Game of the Year

3. Call of Duty 4(PC/PS3/360) – Infinity Ward

After the less then stellar Call of Duty 3(developed by Treyarch Studios), Infinity Ward went back to the drawing board and started fresh. Call of Duty 4 would be the first game in the series to take place in the modern era. This step forward allowed them to breathe a breath of fresh air into the series, updating it with all sorts of new weapons and technology. The 3 different versions for the 3 different platforms all received great reviews, with the 360 version sitting at 94%, and the PS3 and PC versions at 93%. With the superb(if not a bit short) single player, and incredibly varied and in depth multiplayer, its obvious that Call of Duty 4 has raised the bar for first person shooters.

What others said:
“Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty 4 hit on all cylinders, stunning us with gorgeous graphics, pristinely polished gameplay, and a captivating single-player storyline that hit us with such impact as to leave us breathless.” GameSpy.com, Game of the Year
“The top slot went to office favorite Call of Duty 4 for its toe-curling action and deep online mode.” GamePro, Game of the Year
“Not only is Call of Duty 4 winner of Game of the Year, but also stands proudly as game of the generation thus far.” MyGEN.com, Game of the Year

2. Bioshock(360/PC) – 2K Games

If I had a dollar for every time I read a “Bioshock to PS3″ rumor, I would be a billionaire. Seriously, the quality of a game is obvious when fanboy owners of another console drum up as many port rumors as there have been thus far for Bioshock. At one point, GameRankings had this game at the #1 rated game of all time, and today it still holds at a tight 95% for both versions. My personal choice for GOTY, Bioshock revolutionized the way first person shooters should play. From its beautiful graphics, chilling atmosphere, and open ended gameplay, this game is the total package.

What others said:
“Beyond just the superb quality of the package, we all felt there was an experience that transcended basic gameplay. To play BioShock was to experience something that few gamers had ever experienced before. It was this immersive originality that elevated the game above all others.” Destructoid.com, Game of the Year
“A shooter like no other… One of the most beautifully compelling action games, written for a thinking audience.” XPlay, Game of the Year

And finally, the title voted Game of the Year by the most major publications…

1. Super Mario Galaxy(Wii) – Nintendo

Winning by a landslide is Super Mario Galaxy. Mario Galaxy had a lot riding on its shoulders, but it rose to all challenges. It proved that Wii games could use the Wiimote well, and still be challenging and entertaining. It redeemed the Mario name after Mario Sunshine was critically panned for a lack of innovation. Mario Galaxy has bright, pristine graphics that push the Wii to its limits and deep, innovative gameplay that pushes even further. Super Mario Galaxy received rave reviews from all – by GameRankings, its rated as the 2nd best game of all time and then best game of 2007. Obviously, the later rings true, as Super Mario Galaxy earned 9 Game of the Year 2007 titles out of the 22 publications we surveyed. Congrats to Nintendo!

What others said:
“… the best overall package of polish, gameplay, and presentation for what it is–a traditional but highly evolved platformer” GameSpot.com, Game of the Year
“…features more variety then any other game this year.” GameTrailers.com, Game of the Year
“Galaxy surprises and delights at every turn, placing both familiar and new tasks firmly in its own, distinct, masterpiece of a universe. In short, it’s utterly true to Mario’s roots, and yet is fixed firmly on his future, too.” NextGen.com/Edge, Game of the Year
“… we loved every minute. Here’s a game that actually feels at home on the Wii, with a control system that’s absolutely superb… Not only did it catapult Mario into the heavens, it did the same to us.” Yahoo! Games, Game of the Year

Article written by N.Gasse on 01/02/08.
The grand totals came out to: SMG 9 titles, Bioshock 4, Call of Duty 4 3, Orange Box 2, Rock Band 1. Sources include: GameSpot, GamePro, GameTrailers, XPlay, Kotaku, Joystiq, Edge, NextGen, GamesRadar, GameSpy, CVG, GamerNode, SpikeTV, Destructoid, DPad, Yahoo! Games, PALGN, MyGEN, and more.

Not much is known about Quantic Dream’s latest project, entitled Heavy Rain. All the info thats been released on it thus far is a trailer called “The Casting” and a movie poster – neither of which are even necessarily representative of what the game will actually be.

While details on the actual game are fuzzy, Quantic Dream has been more liberal when talking about the technical aspects behind the game. In all of their previous projects, Quantic Dream has aimed at achieving a theatrical experience that could compete at the same level as a Hollywood production. They have always put strong emphasis on using motion capturing technology , which they believe delivers the best sense of realism. Over the years, they went from working with outsourcing studios to developing a specialized in house motion capturing system. With Heavy Rain, they’ve further upgraded their motion capturing system, able to capture even small facial movements.

What this means is that Quantic Dream has moved beyond just needing motion capture actors – they need real actors, people capable of delivering a Hollywood quality performance. Thus, Quantic Dream has been in contact with several A ranked actors, most notably Leonardo Di Caprio. Heavy Rain could very well set the bar for theatrical performances in video games.

As is the case with just about every PS3 exclusive game, many are wondering why QD has chosen to remain with the PS3 exclusively. Outside of the fact that Sony is publishing the game, there are a few other reasons. One of the main factors seems to be that the Cell processor is extremely good at the number crunching mathematics used by the physics system of the game. Guillaume de Fondaumière, co-founder of QD, also mentioned in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz “it’s extremely difficult to create games of the same visual quality on both platforms[360 and PS3]. Even from an economical standpoint, if you really want to give the best shot on both platforms you have to invest far more money than just spending the money on the one platform. Or you have simple ports, which are of less quality”.

As for details in regards of the game itself – its expected to have a noire atmosphere, and will also not have any of the criticized sci-fi elements of Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy. Beyond that, details are slim. Quantic has stated they are working on something playable, so the possibility of demo is there, but they maintain that its up to Sony.

Heavy Rain is due out sometime in 2008, although its doubtful this deadline will be made. Surfer Girl told us that Heavy Rain is “shaping up to be nothing short of astounding”, and from what we know, we are with her. As big fans of both Omikron and Fahrenheit/Indigo, we are heavily anticipating this title, and hopefully we will have some more information soon!