Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Live-Blogging Impressions

Well, we got in Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for the PLAYSTATION 3 today from Capcom, and we figured "What the heck, why not live-blog our play time?" So thats what we are going to do. We are currently on the install procedure, just about 85% complete. Be sure to refresh this post every now and then! Let the live-blogging begin!

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 9:41 EST
Well, the installation is complete, didn't really take that long, only around 15 minutes, much shorter than Devil May Cry 4's installation. Would have been better without any though of course.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 9: 43 EST
Well, first thing I've noticed while entering the main menu are that they feel much smoother than the menu in the multiplayer demo. I'm about to start the new game. We will stick with normal difficulty.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 9: 44 EST
The beginning cutscene is rolling, something about people colonizing to a new world. Some huge beast just rolled through. They are explaining the new alien life form they uncovered with the expansion of the colony. Human kind wanted to energy source (orange bulbs) on the life forms, they were determined to fight. They should of had Don LaFontaine voicing the story.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 9: 50 EST
The cutscene just faded out, the main characters dad was in trouble at the end. I'm finally into the game, we are running out of a building, they just told me what thermal energy was and how to get it. We just depleted a horde of enemies coming out from what look like hives. We are about to move on. So far, since playing the 360 version at a buddy of mines, the PS3 version is a bit slower. Possibly lower frame rate?

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 9: 55 EST
A green eye just popped out of no where and froze all my men, but of course since I'm a main character I have to stand up to it. Well, lets see how this goes.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 10:00 EST
This green eye boss keeps killing me, or maybe I'm just bad at the game. He keeps on trapping me inside this building and freezing me to death. Grr.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 10:08 EST
Finally beat it, it's now showing the cut scene of Wayne of course surviving the green eye's big belly flop. I've experience a bit of red motion blur throughout the game thats been looking pretty good, however I'm surprised that Capcom's port really lacks on the graphics compared to the Xbox 360 version.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 10:09 EST
And so, Lost Planet begins.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 10:12 EST
I just meet Yuri, Luka (who is playable sometime in the game), and Rick. The Green Eye we fought killed Wayne's (main character) father. Of course, Wayne survived it. Luka's about to fix me up some soup, and we are going over plans.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 10:17 EST
I'm finally out in the snow, going to hop in the mech instead of walking. I've noticed a few skips in the games framerate that are really getting annoying. I just killed some four-legged creature that hopped out of the snow. This level I recall from the E3 2006 Xbox Live demo.

Feb. 27, 2008 @ 10:25 EST
Just defeated a horde of creatures in a beat up parking lot. Luckily, I saw them all coming. Went into a warehouse and killed the beast that popped out of the snow earlier. Again, I'm constantly noticing slow downs of the frame-rate.

Feb. 28, 2008 @ 10:27 EST
I've arrived inside a cave, on my way up, I got hit about two times from those armadillo looking creatures. The hit I didn't mind, what I did mind was the freezing that the game would make everytime he got hit. Come on Capcom?

Feb. 28, 2008 @ 10:34 EST
I'm going through the cave, and once again, constant slow downs every time I get hit. It's really getting annoying. I just activated the machine to get my T-ENG up. Continuing on.


Feb. 28, 2008 @ 10:45 EST
Alright, I was fighting this guy who was a bigger version of the armadillo like creatures from before. The game keeps freezing up so much, I tried beating him twice, no luck today, maybe tomorrow.

Summary
Well, my first level impressions are done. All I really need to say and you probably saw this a million times while reading this. Whats with the damn frame rate? Also, looking at some of the online matches, I found 14 Ranked, 10 of them being in Japan, and 2 custom, one of them being Japan. It's sad really.

PlayStation Eye Headtracking: No Gimmicks Needed

At the Game Developers Conference 2008, Sony Computer Entertainment showd off some of that head-tracking technology we saw a while back, which included a pair of glasses. When Sony showed it, all that was needed was the PlayStation Eye camera. Have a look in the video above, perhaps Sony can start implementing this into some PlayStation Eye games.

[PlayStation 3 Head-Tracking — No Gimmicks, No Glasses, Just A Camera (Watch this)]

New Grand Theft Auto IV Previews Arriving Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Thursday February 28, 2008, gaming sites such as Kiziko, GameSpot, IGN, and such will be publishing new previews of Rockstar's upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV.

We do not know what form these previews will be in, but hopefully we will finally see gameplay of this highly anticipated title.

[Kikizo Update: Previews on Thursday]

Warhawk: Armored Personnel Carrier on the Way?

A new vehicle for Incognito & Sony's Warhawk appeared on PS3Forums today. There is no background to wear this image appeared, besides it being called the Armored Personnel Carrier, but it showcases a new vehicle.

Our guess is that it is one of the new vehicles coming in the Operation Broken Mirror downloadable content pack. When we find out more, we will update you.

[Warhawk: Armored Personnel Carrier]

Witches: First Trailer

The first trailer for Revistronic's upcoming Witches title has appeared on their official website. Luckily, GameTrailers had us covered with the video upload. Overall, so far the game looks pretty good, but not a title I'd really be interested in. How about you? Enjoy!

Warhawk & It's Home Features

Yes, here is the last one. Resistance & Uncharted are getting great Home features, and so is Warhawk.

According to the sources, the Home lobby for Warhawk will serve as a "war room" where up to eight players can meet up, then discuss strategy for their upcoming match. Whats so special about this? You'll be able to use a table with a map where players are able to place little army men around the map and plan their strategies.

My thoughts, although Warhawk's features for Home sound great, I usually just fly around killing a bunch of guys anyway.

[How Warhawk Makes Home Really, Really Cool]

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune & It's Home Features

Resistance isn't the only released first party title getting special Home features. Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is getting on the train too. Like Resistance, Uncharted will also allow you to walk it's stages without the threat of being shot.

According to some sources, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune will bring a side-scrolling 2D arcade game to Home, described as a reminiscent of both Contra and Out Of This World.

I expect we will soon see a "How Warhawk Makes Home Really, Really Cool".

[How Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Makes Home Really, Really Cool]

Resistance: Fall of Man & It's Home Features

Insomniac's Resistance: Fall of Man is expected to have a huge presence in Home. The game will provide Home visitors with an interesting room to explore, letting game owners visit unseen areas of the game and view bonus content in the form of intrecepted radio transmissions between the European and United States forces.

These transmissions will show us more of the Resistance series' story. It's said that Home avatars will be able to roam unpopulated levels.

We got to admit, those are some sick plans. We know Home integration is coming for nearly every first party title, but Sony really needs to encourage third-parties.

[How Resistance: Fall of Man Makes Home Really, Really Cool]

Alone In The Dark: Real World Rules Episode 2

The second episode of Real World Rules for Atari & Eden Studios' upcoming Alone In The Dark has surfaced today. The video is a great watch, it shows how you can use flaming chairs to light your way, or using spray to heal yourself, spray into enemies eyes, or combine it with a lighter to make a powerful flamethrower. Enjoy!

Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds: Long Drive Trailer

Sony Computer Entertainment released a new trailer of the fifth installment in the Hot Shots Golf series, Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds. Watch as they long drive to the hole. Enjoy!

Disgaea 3 Announced for US

If Valkyria Chronicles coming to the States wasn't good enough, we have another PLAYSTATION 3 exclusive on it's way to our shores.

Nippon Ichi Software announced today that Disgaea 3 will be hitting the United States in August 2008 and that the game "makes a bold new step towards the next generation console with a whole new cast, story and game system."

No other details were mentioned besides that "plenty is due to arrive in the coming months."

[Disgaea 3 Announced]

Home Open Beta in Japan on March 24, 2008?

JonnyRam from the NeoGAF forums who is considerd a somewhat reliable Japanese news source has revealed that the Home Open Beta will start on March 24, 2008 in Japan.

He posted in the forums saying “Home open beta starts 24 March in Japan. Sorry if old.”

That March 20th countdown could however be the countdown to a worldwide open beta. Who knows? Sony does.

[Home Open Beta Starts 24th March in Japan?]

Dark Sector: “PS3 Version Was Not Running As Well”

Joe Austin, the Producer for Digital Extremes' & D3 Publisher's upcoming Dark Sector, stated today that the PLAYSTATION 3 version of the game was almost canned.

“So, yeah, this is the PS3 version, umm… it looks just as good as the 360 version, which we’re very happy about. Towards the end we started having some serious conversations about what we were gonna do, uh, but we ended up pulling it off, so we’re very proud of that.”

When asked for clarification of what he mean, he replied “It was just not running as well as the 360″. I'm not sure if thats the case now considering they kept saying "was". Be gracious though that the big guys making the game got it running on the better hardware. /sarcasm

[“PS3 Version Was Not Running As Well” - Dark Sector Almost Canned]

Help Name Naruto: PS3 Project

At the official Naruto fan community known as Hokage's Room, Namco Bandai is asking fans to help name the upcoming Naruto: PS3 Project for the PLAYSTATION 3. If your a fan, this is a great way to get involved with your favorite anime. What would be a good name? Naruto: Strike of a Ninja? Nah.

[Help Name the NARUTO PS3 Game!]

Yakuza 3: The Famitsu Review of 37/40

The latest Famitsu review scores are in, and Yakuza: Kenzan! did phenomenal. It scored 9's across the reviewers and one 10 giving it a 37/40. Now we just need to hope this bad boy comes to US. With the recent announcement of Yakuza 2 coming, I wouldn't doubt it.

[This week's Famitsu news]