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Blu-ray makes good on its promise... lots of storage! [Update 1]
We heard about a supposed graphical boost for Resistance: Fall of Man late last week and the boost is very true. In fact, the game is taking up about 22GB of space on the PS3's Blu-ray disc. That's 7 whole GB's more than an HD-DVD disc, which isn't even being used as a standard format for games yet. Just a side-by-side, the Xbox 360's games top off around 8GB. Further, most PC titles only go up to 7GB. So why the insane jump in size? Is it necessary? Some space could be filler, difficult programming or what-have-you (we all know our computers aren't as "full" as they say they are). The grand total may be lowered a little, possibly to 20GB. Just a shot in the dark, though.So what's the deal with the game now? Aside from the high-res graphics and orchestral music boost, Sony and Insomniac Games are boasting a few other key selling points. Namely: tilt-function will let you rifle butt aliens with a quick jab o' your controller online support exceeding Xbox Live launch titles (that's not really a valid claim until it's tested, guys...) 40 player online games some sort of ranking system It is definitely looking good! But looks only go so far. How will it play? We've only a few months until we find out.[Thanks to VJ as well from his comment and link on the previous Resistance: FoM article!][Update: fixed interpretation of online experience, changed HD-DVD comparison to single layer]
Will Resistance: FoM justify the PS3 pricetag? [update 1]
Insomniac Games, the guys behind the Ratchet and Clank series, were in the Big Apple showing off the latest build of their upcoming PS3 launch title, Resistance: Fall of Man. Kotaku had a Gawker cameraman on the scene to grab some video, and MTV News' Stephen Totilo managed the impossible. He extracted some positive press about the PS3 (Sony must be furious at Insomniac, this goes against their entire pre-launch strategy). Turns out that Blu-ray drive that every armchair analyst is convinced is a giant wooden equine built to penetrate our consumer-weary walls and then attack with an army of HD movies may actually be useful for gaming afterall. The game currently takes up 22GB! That's seven whole gee-bees more than a single layer HD-DVD disc that the Xbox 360 won't (?) be using for gaming. The Dual Shake functionality that was supposedly tacked on at the last minute ... well, it looks like it was still tacked on; nevertheless, it holds some serious promise. Ninety days before this thing has to be on store shelves the developers have still not activated the functionality on the controller, but they have added in some clever gameplay currently triggered with a button press. Shake off a melee attack by shaking the controller, or introduce the end of your rifle to their face with a quick jab of your right hand. Sure, you won't feel the vibration when that blow connects, but it's something. But there's also multiplayer. How will Sony's secretive service compare to the superlative Xbox Live? R: FoM will feature: "40-player online matches at launch; 60 levels of player progression while playing online; two-player offline co-op." 60 levels of player progression ... sounds like another popular online game. According to MTV News, Insomniac even promised "better, deeper support than any Xbox Live title." Has the PS3 buzz finally begun? We've been increasingly anxious that someone at Sony didn't get the memo that their latest and greatest was launching in a few scant months. [Update: Insomniac's Ryan Schneider called MTV News to clarify what exactly is on those 22GBs. "While the music and vocals in Resistance take up only about 1 Gigabyte of disc space, graphics, level data and programming code occupy most of the remaining 21."] Watch - New Resistance: Fall of Man video Read - MTV News on Resistance: Fall of Man
Resistance is futile, you will be exposed to marketing
Have you heard of the game Resistance: Fall of Man? If not, you most certainly will. Posted at the NeoGAF forum, people have been buzzing about the new marketing plan Sony is initiating. To quote: "Sony Computer Entertainment America will support Resistance: Fall of Man with a blockbuster multimillion dollar marketing campaign. This will include aggressive national television, print, online and viral advertising campaigns, full promotional support, dedicated point-of-purchase displays and merchandising support, broad-based public relations support, an immersive and interactive website and feature coverage in the Official PlayStation Magazine/Underground DVD." Wow! That's a lot of advertising for one game, even though it was speculated this game would get a lot of press.If you're interested in multiplayer bouts, James Stevenson, a new addition to Insomniac Games has posted a blog about his adventures with the 40 player online mode, also summed up at the forum. Check it out, get excited, whatever. Does anyone think this game will prove worthy competition to the much anticipated Gears of War? That's a tough call and probably a good battle to watch upon both releases.
PS3 impressions: Resistance Fall of Man
What is this Resistance: Fall of Man? It's not fun. We want Killzone back. Where's that game?We asked a Resistance developer what made his game unique. He stared at us blankly for a moment, fumbling for an answer, and then he told us that we would have to figure that out for ourselves. Not a good sign.What we figured out were a number of winding hallways, stretching through an abandoned medical facility. Every few feet alien creatures would appear. Sometimes they attacked, and sometimes they just stood around. Either way, we filled them with hot lead and continued on. Rinse. And repeat.Resistance is a derivative FPS. It's got no backbone. But with no Killzone in sight, Resistance looks to be one of the few -- if not the only -- option shooters fans will have on their shiny $600 (you're not really gonna buy the "core" system, are you?) unit come launch day.
