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Invizimals: The Resistance reaches Europe on October 29
The latest entry in the handheld alternate reality Invizimals series, Invizimals: The Resistance, is now slated to reach EU territories on October 29. Like previous Invizimals games, Invizimals: The Resistance utilizes the Vita's cameras to superimpose various fantastic creatures throughout your local surroundings which can be captured and sent into battle against one another like so many Pokemon. Unlike prior games, however, Invizimals: The Resistance does not rely on special cards to spawn Invizimals, and can instead create the creatures anywhere you happen to point your handheld device. All told, the game boasts 150 Invizimals, including 24 that are utterly new to the series. There is currently no word on a North American release date for Invizimals: The Resistance, though if series history is anything to go by, we'd expect the game to debut in North America either alongside or slightly before it makes its way to European retail shelves. [Image: Sony]
Invizimals gets 'enhanced reality' cartoon show, unlocks Vita content
Sony Europe yesterday announced an Invizimals animated show, and with that announcement hinted at a new PlayStation Vita entry in the series. The TV show, World Screen reports, is set to feature "enhanced reality" mechanics that let viewers unlock content on the Vita.That content could be from a new Invizimals game, or it could be a companion app, a monster running around the screen, or coupons for an Invizimals-themed meal deal for kids. Or it could be all of the above, which would be neat.The last game from Novorama, the team behind the Invizimals PSP games, was 2011's Reality Fighters on the Vita. The Sony-exclusive studio's next game remains unknown, with Novarama CEO David Sánchez telling Gamereactor in June, "Invizimals on PS Vita has not been announced and is not real – yet."The TV show's interactivity with Vita may be nothing to do with any game, but Invizimals, as an augmented reality series, seems a perfect fit for the console. For now, the Invizimals cartoon awaits its pilot and 26 subsequent episodes. Meanwhile, here in the US we're still waiting on a release for the third Invizimals game, Lost Tribes. Although a year's wait is per usual.We've reached out to Novarama for comment on the Vita content.
Report: PlayStation Vita memory 'about ten times' that of PSP [update]
Sony hasn't officially shared the PlayStation Vita's technical specifications, and rumors insist that the amount of memory in the system has been cut since developers originally got on board. Daniel Sánchez-Crespo, CEO of Invizimals developer Novarama, recently provided some calming context to these claims in an interview with Develop, saying that his studio was "unaffected" by any rumored RAM reduction. "It's actually good for developers to work under constraint," he said. "Generally for Vita, we still have a whole lot of headroom in terms of GPU power, CPU power and indeed RAM." According to Sánchez-Crespo, the Vita's quantity of RAM (Random Access Memory) bests that of the PSP by "about ten times." With the first PSP making do with 32MB -- yes, really -- that would put the Vita somewhere in the region of at least 256MB. "Remember, more hardware features means more costs for buying the handheld," Sánchez-Crespo added. "Our main interest is for Sony to sell a lot of [PS Vita] units. Clearly the Sony guys in Japan have a tough job of what to leave in and what to leave out." The Sony-exclusive Novarama is currently working on a few augmented-reality projects, including another Invizimals hunt and Reality Fighters, a camera-enabled fighting game for PlayStation Vita. Update: Develop now reports that one of its Sony Japan sources insists that no cuts have been made to the system's RAM. Of course, whether or not changes have been made to the specification is less relevant when we don't know how much memory there was to begin with. What we want is a number, and Sánchez-Crespo's comparison of Vita to the original PSP has been the best hint thus far, outside of official confirmation.
Invizimals: Shadow Zone will have you swatting at your coffee table again this fall
Augmented reality-based collection-RPG Invizimals never quite picked up the steam in North America that it managed to conjure up in Europe -- probably due to the fact the game came to our shores a full year after it hit PAL territories. Still, that doesn't mean we'll have to go without further iterations of the undetectable monster franchise: PlayStation Blog has announced that Invizimals: Shadow Zone, which dropped in Europe last November, will come stateside this fall. The game throws over 100 more secret beasts into the mix, and adds a co-op component to the original title's monster-capturing mechanic. So, potentially, you could have two people working in tandem to snatch collectible apparitions from the flat surfaces of their homes. We can't tell if that's going to make them look less insane, or exponentially more insane.
PSP-based augmented reality turns school into an adventure worth writing about
Kids at Mansel Primary school used PSPs to escape from the real world and go on fantasy adventures while at school -- as part of an assignment. The "Imaginary Worlds" project used the system with AR software to allow kids to design fantasy landscapes (like the "Tower of Doom") at school by finding art online and matching it with scannable codes that were hidden around the school. The kids then took camera-equipped systems around the school and embarked on virtual "quests" in these self-made locales, finding items to defeat a monster, and writing about the experience afterward. According to a subsequent evaluation, the experimental program was met with enthusiasm, and kids behaved well and cooperated while taking part. The evaluation notes that the kids played Invizimals first as an introduction to the AR tech, which proved to be a "useful hook-in to the project." We think the project is onto something -- not just as a teaching tool, but as a game. We totally want to go have a quest and then chronicle the hardships of said quest.
Invizimals PSP bundle includes 'Vibrant Blue' system and camera
If you haven't picked up a PSP system yet, the upcoming Invizimals Entertainment Pack may be the best bundle offered by Sony so far. Why? Unlike every other bundle , this includes an extra piece of hardware: the ever-elusive PSP camera. The "Vibrant Blue" color ain't too shabby, either. According to retail listings on Gamestop and Amazon, the $199.99 package includes: PSP-3000 system (Vibrant Blue) Invizimals UMD Game Camera 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo Downloadable Movie PSN Voucher -- "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" AC Power Cord AC Adaptor Battery Pack Both retailers have the bundle listed for October 12th release. If you own a PSP Go, you may want to consider picking up this bundle -- as of now, there's no confirmation if Invizimals will even work on the Go system.
EyePet PSP and Invizimals may not support PSP Go in North America
The upcoming camera-enabled launches of EyePet and Invizimals in North America may not be available to PSP Go owners at all. PlayStation.Blog's Sid Shuman accurately admits that the upcoming PSP camera was "designed for pre-Go models only," and the "current camera will only fit onto the larger PSP model." Shuman suggests there are "no workarounds," suggesting he has forgotten about the rarely-seen PSP Go "converter cable," introduced at Tokyo Game Show last year. Whether or not the attachment will ever find a Stateside release is still up in the air. "We don't have any information yet on a peripheral attachment for the Go," a Sony rep told us, neither confirming nor denying the possibility. Of course, should SCEA choose not to ship the cables, there's another solution: importing from Japan.%Gallery-73857%
Visual overload: Sony's E3 PSP lineup
Apart from God of War: Ghost of Sparta and some key third-party games, the PSP's lineup at E3 wasn't exactly exceptional. The surprises for Sony's handheld this year were few and far between -- except, perhaps, EyePet PSP, which continues SCEE's penchant for augmented reality games. Check out all the trailers after the break.
The very serious story of Invizimals
Invizimals was one of the biggest surprises for us at E3. Shown only behind closed doors, we were captivated by its unique camera-based, Pokemon-inspired gameplay. It felt "magical," and we think you'll agree once you see this story trailer. As you can see, these critters are real, only visible through the PSP camera. But what if the energy of these invisible animals could be weaponized? Terrifying, isn't it? As the trailer shows, this is serious, Academy Award-winning stuff. You will not witness truer human drama.
Impressions: Invizimals
While conducting some tests for SCEI, a researcher at Sony's HQ in Japan realized that the PSP Go!Cam could see a visual spectrum far beyond human vision. Scattered throughout the world is a mystical energy that only the PSP camera could detect. Clearly, this is the beginning of something big!However, what if this energy fell into the wrong hands? Couldn't someone harness the energy for the purposes of evil? What if someone were to create a weapon with this mysterious energy?This meta-story sets the stage for Sony's upcoming camera-required PSP game, Invizimals. Those lucky to see the behind-closed-doors demonstration at E3 were charmed by its high-tech devilry and innovative concept that many have been quick to call "Pokemon ... on crack."%Gallery-64979%
