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National League wins MLB 14: The Show All-Star Game simulation
Tomorrow night plays host to the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and just like EA's annual attempts to predict the results of the Superbowl via its latest Madden entry, Sony has simulated the game within MLB 14: The Show. According to this not-at-all-scientific prognostication, the National League will eventually win the All-Star Game, 5 - 3 over their American League counterparts in extra innings. The Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier and the LA Dodgers' Yasiel Puig lead the NL to victory, with both players each contributing a homerun and two RBIs. For those who prefer their ballplayers a bit less polygonal, the real MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for 8PM ET on July 15. Don't expect the results to mirror Sony's MLB 14: The Show, however. Unlike actual humans, those virtual players don't realize that the All-Star Game is totally inconsequential spectacle. [Image: Sony]
Joystiq Weekly: Nintendo's future, Outlast DLC review, Mother's Day and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Most of us have joked that Nintendo revealing a Pokemon MMO would shut down the world due to how perfectly the series would fit in the genre. That's thankfully still a joke and the economy is safe for now, but Nintendo's talk of further exploring NFC toys presents an equally worrisome possibility: what if they make a Skylanders-style Pokemon game that's more successful than Pokemon Rumble? They'd have to start with a limited portion of the Pokedex at first, sure. But what if the series achieved enough financial success to support 719 different Pokemon-shaped hunks of plastic? It'd be like the trading card boom all over again, except accumulated masses of figurines wouldn't be something we could hide away in a binder. No, they'd claim boxes of space, slowly consuming our garages until we finally discarded the full box of Goldeens that we know we'll never be able to trick someone into trading for. And if those Goldeens aren't properly recycled, they'll just accumulate into an oceanic clump, a mass with lifeless eyes staring down at the sea floor, at a life it will never truly know. Pretty bleak future, huh? Don't worry, there's so much to help block out these worrisome thoughts after the break. We've got financial news from Nintendo, Activision and EA, reviews for Sportsfriends and Outlast's "Whistleblower" DLC, and a feature where the Joystiq Staff's mothers share their perspective on our childhood gaming habits and our current professions. Dive in after the break - just mind the floating graveyard of Goldeens.
PSN Store Update: MLB 14, God of War Collection, Sportsfriends
Good morning, sports friends, and welcome to this week's PSN rundown. Starting on PS4, there's baseball with MLB 14: The Show (eventually) at $60, followed by stickball in PS Plus game Stick it to the Man ($10 regular). Then, get ready for flameball in Bound by Flame ($50, and it hits retail later this week), spaceballs in Titan Attacks ($12 Cross-Buy with PS3 and Vita), and finally some good old-fashioned sportsball in Sportsfriends. The local multiplayer sportsfest is $15 Cross-Buy with PS3, but if you want the Cross-Buy feature you have to buy it on PS3. Moving onto PS3, in addition to Sportsfriends, Bound by Flame ($40) and Titan Attacks, there's Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi for $34 and the All-in DLC pack for F1 Race Stars ($8). Also, Plus members get Pro Evo 2014 as an Instant Game Collection freebie. Oh, and not forgetting Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, and that's confirmed as a PS2 Classic. The sportiness continues on Vita with Football Manager Classic 2014 ($40), and Mahjong Royal Towers & Mahjong World Contest Bundle ($8) - Majohong is a sport, right? Handheld owners can also grab Titan Attacks, God of War Collection ($30) and Broken Sword 5 ($17). In summary: Sports! And some other stuff. [Image: Die Gut Fabrik]
MLB 14: The Show PS4 review: Pretty as a pitcher
This review covers the differences between the PS3 and PS4 versions of MLB 14: The Show. Gameplay remains largely unaltered, so you'll find our original PS3 review after the break. Unlike sports games that transitioned between past console generations, the PS3 and PS4 versions of MLB 14: The Show share all of the same features. The upgrades made to MLB 14 as it enters the next generation are cosmetic, though not insignificant and certainly not unnoticed, such as the game's improved stadiums that house each team. The skyline at Petco Park in San Diego features more buildings in the background, and the four flagpoles just beyond left center field actually have flags now, flapping in the breeze. The PS4 version of MLB 14 is much crisper in its details, thanks to much sharper textures. Hair now stands out on players' heads, and close-ups of their faces show more freckles and blemishes. While players' overall facial structures haven't changed, Sony San Diego wasn't afraid to bring the camera closer to players on PS4 to show off the details, as seen in post-game celebrations, for instance. The camera is also pulled a little tighter to the batter's box by default when hitting, though that may be a bug in the camera options (as the "catcher" and "catcher 3" batting angles look identical). More striking are the diverse character models and animations for the crowd in every ballpark. I spotted spectators walking through a distant hall past right field, beyond a sea of people that appeared to move more independently than on PS3. Even without the same visual fidelity found in the athletes themselves, cut-scenes featuring fans looked more natural and (dare I say) "human." The crowd's booming cheers and hastened quieting sounded a bit more reactive and pulled to the front of the game with its bump in volume.
MLB 14: The Show misses first pitch on PSN for PS4 [Update: Resolved]
MLB 14: The Show was expected to be available on PSN as a day-one digital download for PS4 this morning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern. Those that pre-ordered the game have not been able to download it at all however, as indicated by a 70-page PlayStation Forums support thread. Sony San Diego acknowledged the issue via Twitter, noting it is "aware that some users are unable to download the PS4 game from the PS Store. We're working with the PS Store team to resolve asap." This is the series' first crack at the next-gen console following MLB 14's launch on PS3 and Vita at the beginning of April. "Thanks for your patience, we won't rest until you guys are playing," the developer added in another tweet. We've reached out to Sony for more information on the issue and a timetable for its resolution, and will update as we learn more. [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!] Update: Sony added a note to its launch announcement post on the PlayStation Blog, which reads: "Due to unforeseen technical issues, MLB 14 The Show for PS4 is not currently available for download via the PlayStation Store. All parties are working as quickly as possible to remedy the issue. We'll update this post as soon as a resolution is reached. Thank you for your continued patience." Update #2: In another update, Sony says the "PlayStation Store download issue regarding MLB 14 The Show on PS4 has been resolved. We apologize for any frustration this caused, and thank the community for its patience and understanding." [Image: Sony]
Joystiq Weekly: NPD sales data, Trials: Fusion review, A Realm Reborn tips and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. It seems like there are two brands of Trials riders - those who try the series and bail, seeing it for the inevitable, rage-induced heart attack it is, and those that persevere and conquer every track. We're not sure where we fit just yet - some of Trials Fusion's stages give us flashbacks to Super Meat Boy, and our patience is finite. Still, the triumph in each small victory reminds us that we can get the best of gravity, that we can guide motorbikes over ridiculous terrain with the best of them ... until we reach the next stage and the cycle of emotions renews. We've got plenty of resources for anyone that needs a sanity break from Fusion, though! You can brush up on this month's NPD data, read our verdict on Atlus' baby-making RPG, Conception 2: Children of the Seven Stars, or gain some insight on what's next for GaymerX's future. All that and more is laid out in tidy little bulletpoints for you after the break!
MLB 14: The Show review: Changeup
The term "simulation" is appropriate for MLB 14: The Show, but not just because of its beautiful presentation, a defining trait of the series that's become a benchmark for other sports video games. Rather, MLB 14: The Show earns its simulation stripes by continuing the series' tradition of challenging players with mechanics and statistics that mirror the real sport. While MLB's gameplay has changed little this year, no matter what option players select for pitching, fielding and hitting (we'll get to that later), they will fail or succeed as regularly as athletes do in the big leagues. Yet much like the faithfully-recreated and wildly differing batting stances of hitters in the game, MLB 14: The Show truly makes its mark in the baseball sim series by being one thing: dynamic.
MLB 14: The Show makes the old ball game look new on PlayStation 4
If this MLB 14: The Show trailer looked any more realistic, we'd expect Jose Canseco to author a tell-all book explaining exactly how and when developer SCE San Diego injected steroids into Mark McGwire's butt. [Image: Sony]
GameStop announces MLB 14: The Show trade-up program
Baseball fans eager to get their hands on Sony's MLB 14: The Show prior to its PlayStation 4 debut can start their seasons early thanks to a GameStop trade-up program that allows early adopters to exchange a used PlayStation 3 version of the game for a PS4 edition at launch. Starting next month, PowerUp Rewards members can bring a used PlayStation 3 copy of MLB 14: The Show to any GameStop retail location and trade it for the game's PlayStation 4 edition for just $19.99. GameStop further sweetens the deal with a pre-order incentive, giving PS4 players $20 worth of in-game "stubs" currency. MLB 14: The Show is out now for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita. The PlayStation 4 edition launches May 6. [Image: Sony]
First MLB 14: The Show roster update misses opening day, set for April 8
Those looking to play along with the baseball season using up-to-date rosters this week on PS3 and Vita should take note: The first live roster update for MLB 14: The Show will arrive on April 8, Sony's San Diego Studio noted yesterday on the game's forums. The first roster update for the game traditionally arrives in time for opening day, the first day of Major League Baseball's regular season (which was yesterday). "Please understand that if we could have offered the live roster on April 1st, without jeopardizing other critical responsibilities we would have," the developer wrote. The game launched today on PS3 and Vita, and will arrive on PS4 on May 6. [Image: Sony]
MLB 14, NBA 2K14 team up in PS3 double pack
Hoping to tap the lucrative Venn diagram overlap that includes both basketball and baseball fans is PlayStation Sports Pack Volume 1, a compilation that offers PlayStation 3 owners NBA 2K14 and MLB 14: The Show. This two-game package debuts on April 1, six months after NBA 2K14 first hit store shelves, but the same day that MLB 14: The Show goes on sale. The compilation is priced at $90, and offers players both games in their entirety alongside "6000 STUBS for MLB 14 The Show and 20,000 Virtual Currency for NBA 2K14." If you haven't played either of these games, think of STUBS and Virtual Currency as proprietary points that allow players to pick up additional in-game content. While the package is labeled "Volume 1," it's unknown if this is the first entry in an ongoing promotional series or if somebody at Sony simply thought that addition might make the compilation sound more fancy. We contacted Sony for clarification, but the company is currently only willing to discuss this entry. [Image: Sony]
MLB 14: The Show arriving May 6 on PS4
The PS4 version of MLB 14: The Show will launch on May 6, Sony announced via Twitter today. Sony San Diego's baseball sim will land on the next-gen system just over a month after the PS3 and Vita versions arrive on April 1. MLB 14: The Show marks an introduction in career mode transfer options for the series, as players will be able to bring their created athlete and franchise data to future iterations of MLB: The Show. The baseball game also features an online franchise mode with draft, free agency, trading and scouting systems and community-created challenges. [Image: SCEA]
MLB 14: The Show trailer locks onto your player of choice
Are you a diehard Jimmy Rollins fan who couldn't care less about the rest of the Phillies in the dugout? A new "player lock" feature in MLB 14: The Show fuels your fixation by allowing you to exclusively control one individual for the entire game.
MLB 14: The Show takes the mound April 1, PS4 version arrives in May
Just as everyone's favorite pitchers and catchers report this week ahead of the MLB's spring training sessions, Sony opted to reveal the launch dates for MLB 14: The Show today. The Sony-published baseball game will arrive on PS3 and Vita on April 1 with the PS4 version stepping up to the plate in May. Sony San Diego discussed some of the game's new features in a PlayStation Blog entry, such as cross-platform save compatibility and the guarantee that players will be able to transfer their careers from this year's game to future versions. MLB 14: The Show will also include community-created challenges, an online franchise mode with draft, free agency, trading and scouting support and some as-yet-unannounced improvements to the Road to the Show career mode. Additionally, Sony will implement a universal in-game currency for MLB 14: The Show called "Stubs." Stubs will be earned from general gameplay (similar to experience points) and can also be purchased using real-life dollars. Sony stressed that it is "not designing the system to pressure players into spending money. It will be the same system it's been in years prior, just all rolled together with a new name." Stubs can be used to purchase career mode boosts like training points for players' Road to the Show athletes and increased franchise budgets. [Image: Sony]
MLB 14 The Show on PS4 has far more faces in the virtual crowd
MLB 14: The Show will launch in spring 2014 for PS4, PS3 and Vita, Sony announced. Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera will be featured on the game's cover. Developer Sony San Diego unveiled a teaser trailer that boasts the ways that the game will take advantage of the PS4's graphical upgrades. For instance, MLB 14: The Show designer and community manager Ramone Russell notes that the PS3 only allowed for 42 different character models for fans in the virtual crowd for the game, whereas the PS4 allows for over a thousand. Russell says the game will also be "feature complete" on the next-gen system, and won't lose the series' Road to the Show and franchise modes in its transition to the PS4. Speaking of which, Sony added that starting with MLB 14: The Show, players will be able to carry their save files over to subsequent releases in the series, giving players' Road to the Show athletes and other career mode efforts life beyond the annual game's limited life cycle.
