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TGS videos attack! Pick your poison... or wine... whichever
A gameplay video of Coded Arms Assault is now available for your viewing pleasure. It looks all right. It doesn't seem like too much of a separation from standard FPS titles, but it's worth a look if you're an FPS junkie. There's also a gorgeous Ridge Racer 7 gameply video. It looks better than all right. Mostly awesome. Just look at that gorgeous car go around that gorgeous track... and rear-end that other car. It's pretty sweet. Also, a Ninja Gaiden Sigma trailer is up and running. If you guys were right, those who've played Ninja Gaiden Black won't see too much new here. But then again, maybe so. Let us know. Here's a gameplay video of Lair also. What can we say? Dragons, flying, destruction... it's something special, to be sure. Lastly, there's a gameplay video of Devil May Cry 4. Besides the fact the person playing it has no idea what he's doing (sorry, but it's true, unless the controls have changed completely), the game looks astoundingly good. Bias? Sure. But it does. If you mention the cape/sword clipping, that's true, but that in no way should detract from your enjoyment of the game. Anyway, we'll keep you informed of other game videos and other stuff as we get our news from the Joystiq staff that had the honor of being there.
TGS 06: PSP Fanboy gives away prizes
We've been avoiding sleep to give you the best coverage of the Tokyo Game Show possible. There's so much to go through that it may seem a bit daunting to read all the news that's pouring in. Well, don't give up! Here's a nice incentive that should provide enough motivation for you to keep it locked to the Fanboy.Post a comment in any story with "TGS 06" in the title and you'll be entered to receive one of TWO PSP gear pouches from SFBags. These bags range from $29 to $39 and let you carry your PSP, UMDs and accessories in one convenient bag. Tokyo Game Show continues all weekend long, so make sure you're always checking in.Contest ends 9/26/06. Limit 1 comment/entry per post. No purchase necessary. Open to US residents only. Thanks, SFBags!
TGS: Blogging Ken Kutaragi's PS3 keynote [update 1]
It's hot and humid outside the room in which Sony's Ken Kutaragi will deliver the most anticipated keynote address of Tokyo Games Show. The journalists who are queuing up are sure to be tired and cranky by the time they get into the show, ensuring, perhaps, a properly sceptical reception for the tsu-hype-nami to follow.After a raucous round of DS PictoChat, the keynote starts at 10:11am. Introducing Ken Kutaragi, CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment, reading from his latest work, "PS3 Creating Next Generation of Computer Entertainment."Sony asks us to refrain from taking pictures of demo stuff. Fine, we'll oblige, but we won't like it. 'Cause you wouldn't want to show off the product you want everyone to buy in a couple months. Instead, we'll provide some additional color commentary, courtesy the press and attendees hanging out in the DS PictoChat chatroom.
TGS 06: Sony Conference [Updated]
Getting ready for Tokyo Game Show where Sony's press conference is about to begin. They will obviously speak a great deal on PlayStation 3, but will they mention anything about the PSP? Keep refreshing this page throughout the hour to see updates as they happen.9:45PM EST Ken Kutaragi says the internet has gotten much, much faster now. WOW! Thanks!!!9:58PM EST PlayStation 3 will feature downloadable PlayStation games, akin to PSP's ability to download PS1 games. Also, Turbografx and Genesis games will be available for download, a la Wii.10:10PM EST Sony officially has worst press conference ever. Afrika is the only "game" shown.Internet, please start flaming Sony. GO! Just in case it wasn't obvious, that was it. One hour of absolutely nothing. It's going to be hard to be a Sony fanboy after this...
Bleach trailer: ass kicking at its finest
Whether or not you're a fan of the anime Bleach, it's hard to argue with a good round of ass kickery. One of the first things we thought of when the WiiVolution was first introduced, way back in the long ago time of 2005, was a fighting game. What better use for the controller than beating down your best good friends?Bleach looks to do just that. This new trailer is equal parts gameplay footage and hot Wiimote-swinging action. Check it out after the jump.
White Knight Story for PS3 sounds huge -- literally
Imagine a giant turtle carrying an entire town on its back. No, this isn't a rip from Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" novels (the giant turtle carried the whole world, if memory recalls correctly), this is an example the scale being delivered in Level 5's new RPG, White Knight Story. You'll remember that Level 5 was in charge of Dragon Quest VIII and the soon-to-be-stateside-after-a-ton-of-delays Rogue Galaxy, so you've got to expect quality from these guys.WKS is the tale of a boy who can transform into a 7 meter tall knight thanks to an ancient artifact. Enough of that! Let's get technical. This game is about scale. Texture limitations prevented a title of such, er, magnitude to come into existence on previous consoles. Now, however, we can show such small details on large objects that it's entirely possible! In fact, Level 5 has to make its own capture studio for this game since it is using an incredibly complex animation blending studio.The battles themselves stray from the typical JRPG and almost sound like a single-player MMO experience, with a palette of skills to set up for each character. You can only control one character in battle at a time like in the ill-received Magna Carta and use only the skills you've equipped. It sounds further along in development than expected and we'll get more details as it's unveiled over the next couple of days. Awesome!
The official Japanese launch titles for the PS3
In this list, we're only naming the absolutely confirmed and set in stone titles to be released side-by-side with the Japanese release of the Playstation 3. Japanese titles only, so don't be afraid, we'll still get our Resistance upon American release. Here we go. Mahjong Fight Club (retailing at 5229 yen... we guess that's approximately $54.99 US) Genji 2 (still the tentative title) Gundam: Target in Sight Ridge Racer 7 Sega Golf Club Not the largest list in the world, but we've got a fair spread of genre to look forward to. There's golfing! There's swordplay! There are big robots! There's racing! There's... Mahjong? If only Armored Core 4 made the list, we'd have a double dose of robot annihilation.
Metal Gear Solid 4 in late 2007, hopefully -- new trailer for now
According to a Famitsu report, Hideo Kojima estimates that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will need at least another year's worth of development time before it's finished. While Kojima had previously promised to deliver in 2007, he's narrowed that window to late 2007 -- at the earliest. For now, Konami is offering a new trailer, which is currently premiering at Tokyo Game Show.The new trailer -- partially captured in bootleg form from the show floor here & here -- is allegedly 100% gameplay, although Konami has tweaked the camera perspective for clarity. At just 6 minutes, it's significantly shorter than the E3 presentation, but reveals new gameplay elements, including stealth items (e.g. an oil drum), the Octocam suit, and a shift from stealth-orientated missions to player's choice gameplay (i.e. you have a goal and are free to decide how to achieve it).[Thanks, nijah]
Microsoft TGS briefing video now available
If there is one completely memorable moment for us in the Microsoft TGS press briefing, it was seeing DOAX2 announced as a "sports" title. That ... is hilarious. Xbox.com has posted two videos of the Microsoft TGS briefing. One is the entire briefing, full of Japanese goodness, and the other is only Peter Moore's remarks. The whole conference clocks in at just under an hour. There are no trailers or anything we typically associate with press briefings so, if you don't speak Japanese, we'd suggest you stick with the Peter More video.The conference does a good job of emphasizing all things Japanese -- complete with Peter Moore humbling himself to Pac-Man creator, Toru Iwatani. Of course, Blue Dragon gets its fair share -- Sakaguchi-san talks it up for quite a while near the end. Perhaps the most bizarre bit is Microsoft's marketing slogan for Japan: "Do! Do! Do!" Let's hope that didn't come from the same marketing team that did all those "playtests" of the original Xbox control.We'll go ahead and say that things look better than they have in the past for MS in Japan. As usual, it's the games stupid, and Microsoft showed up with more actual Japanese titles than ever before. Will it help? Who knows, but they're definitely heading in the right direction.[Via Major Nelson]360 at the Tokyo Game Show:Today's Marketplace content, 9/21DOAX2 video makes us feel naughtyLost Odyssey intro videoVideo of Trusty BellSee Blue Dragon gameplay (finally)
TGS: Today's Marketplace content, 9/21 [update 1]
Another day, another batch of content. TGS rolls on, and Microsoft gives us more to drool over. Now, without further ado, today's content:Vista Game MontageFusion Frenzy 2 trailer (Weren't we just talking about this?)Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom trailerTeam Fortress 2 trailerTable Tennis trailer (Japan only)TGS ThemeWe haven't had a chance to watch any of these, but we'll give you the skinny once we do. If anybody spots one of these trailers floating around the interweb, send us a tip and we'll post it.360 at the Tokyo Game Show:DOAX2 video makes us feel naughtyLost Odyssey intro videoVideo of Trusty BellSee Blue Dragon gameplay (finally)And the mystery XBLA game is ...Update: We've realized there will be a lot of content in the next few weeks. Changed headline to reflect the date that the content went up.
TGS: DOAX2 video makes us feel naughty
The TGS video madness continues with this clip of Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. We all know DOAX2 is about watching digital hotties in swimsuits, but this is just south of ridiculous. Just when you thought Itagaki and friends couldn't get any raunchier (remember the E3 video?), they go and make this. Let's just say this: the video is technically safe for work, but don't let anyone catch you watching it. Before checking out the video, we would be remiss if we didn't note a few things. One, it looks like the hair physics have improved since DOA4. Two, the game should hit the States on November 15th (before Japan actually). Our Japanese is rusty, but we're guessing that the date mentioned for Europe was "coming soon" -- can anyone translate? Click onward if you dare; you have been warned.
Video of Xbox 360 HD DVD player in action
We've already got the info on the Japanese prices and 1080p support (whether it's really necessary/useful or not), but how about we see the thing in action. Microsoft gave a live demo of the HD DVD drive at the Tokyo Game Show and the guys from Xboxyde were there to see it. The cam video isn't HD, only 960x540, but you can get a good look at the much-ballyhooed special interactive features of the Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift HD DVD coming soon, as well as the Xbox 360's ability to bring the guide up as the movie continues to play in the background. Even if you're not thinking of getting the HD DVD add-on, who could miss a moment of the glory that is Fast and the Furious 3? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
TGS: Lost Odyssey intro video
Yet more cinematic RPG goodness from the Tokyo Game Show, this time from the other Mistwalker game, Lost Odyssey. Lost Odyssey is a game about a man who has lived for over a thousand years. If this intro video is any indication, he apparently lived that long by kicking ass. Check out the video after the break. Be sure and watch the very end when the intro snaps right into real time play. Very slick.
TGS: Blue Dragon = Dragon Quest + Chrono Trigger + Grandia
Wired's Game|Life blog has posted an early, albeit vague, impression of Hironobu Sakaguchi's pair of upcoming Xbox 360 RPGs, Blue Dragon & Lost Odyssey. During today's media briefing in Shibuya, Japan, Sakaguchi took the stage and demoed (read: picked up controller and played) his studio's new projects. While Game|Life doesn't provide many specifics, its post does draw some big comparisons, describing Blue Dragon as a fusion of Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, with "maybe" a dose of Grandia. Game|Life notes that enemies are on-screen (i.e. no random battles) and that the Job Change system (from Final Fantasy V) is featured in Blue Dragon. Game|Life's description of Lost Odyssey is even more provocative, as it declares the game to look like a "much more dramatic" Final Fantasy. We're sure that Microsoft has its fingers crossed that this impression will stick -- and spread. We'll hit you with our own from the show floor in the coming days. In the meantime, see for yourself: Blue Dragon Lost Odyssey
Downloads spotted at Tokyo Game Show
If you're lucky enough to be going to Tokyo Game Show, you'll see that Sony's offering tons of game demos at their PlayStation Spot kiosks. There are eleven in all including Monster Hunter Portable 2nd, Homestar Portable, Ridge Racers 2, Bounty Hounds, LocoRoco, Exit, and more. According to Famitsu, you will need firmware 2.81 to run these demos. Hopefully these TGS demos will eventually make their way to the internet so that all of us can enjoy them. Who doesn't love game demos? [Update 1: Actually, some of these demos should appear online because some of them will be saved to your Memory Stick. Previously, Spot downloads will be erased from memory once the system was turned off. Notable game demos that will be saved on the disk include Bounty Hounds and Exit.] [Thanks, steve! Via MaxConsole]
TGS: See Blue Dragon gameplay (finally) [update 2]
Xboxyde has scored actual in game footage of the would be killer app for Microsoft in Japan, Blue Dragon. Split into two parts, the video shows off the game's graphics and combat system. For the RPG buffs out there, it's worth noting that battles are not random and that enemies can be seen before the player decides to engage them (or not). Beyond that, the game is very nice to look at. We know that a lot of readers will disagree on this point, but these graphics are solid and polished beyond belief. The gameplay, on the other hand, looks fairly standard. There are big chests with items in them, turn-based battles, summoning techniques, and a boss battle (complete with craptastic rawk music). Granted, the quality of the video makes it difficult to pick apart the intricacies of the combat, but it all looks pretty traditional. Then again, it also looks an awful lot like Dragon Quest -- a game so popular in Japan it's practically a national holiday when a new sequel is released. Will bundling Blue Dragon with a core system be enough to entice Japanese buyers? Only time will tell.Update: It looks like Xboxyde's servers are getting beaten up by the demand for this video. See the embedded YouTube video after the break.Update 2: Fixed some weird formatting.
Today's TGS Marketplace content
The first batch of Marketplace content has (mostly) gone live. For your downloading pleasure, the following is now available.DOA X2 E3 Trailer (Japan)Project Sylpheed Trailer (Japan)Tenchu Senran TrailerHalf-Life 2 - Episode 2 TrailerTGS Picture PackTenchu Senran Demo (Japan)There are also map packs available for BFMEII, though one of them -- Aragorn's Journey -- is supposed to be free, it's not working correctly right now. Don't download it or you will be charged. The other pack -- Northern Badlands -- is not supposed to be free so, you can grab it for 350 MS Points if you want. Also, as of this writing, the Half-Life 2 - Episode 2 trailer doesn't seem to be up. We're not really sure if this counts as TGS content, but several XBLA games have been updated to take advantage of the Vision camera.360 at the Tokyo Game Show:HD-DVD for $170, $250 Core w/ Blue Dragon1080p for 360!
TGS: HD-DVD for $170, $250 Core w/ Blue Dragon
More 360 news out of Tokyo, Microsoft has announced that the HD-DVD drive for the 360 will launch November 17th at a price of ¥19,800 ($170). This pretty much confirms the oft speculated $200 price when the device ships stateside -- then again, Microsoft is rather fond of giving the Japanese insane price cuts.Speaking of price cuts, Microsoft also announced that they will be releasing a new core system bundle in Japan this holiday. Priced at ¥28,900 (~$250), the new core comes with a copy of Blue Dragon. That's right, for half the price of the low end PS3, the Japanese can get a copy of Hironobu Sakaguchi's latest. Futile or not, Microsoft is going to war in Japan. Stay tuned for more TGS goodness.360 at the Tokyo Game Show:1080p for the 360!
TGS: 1080p for 360! [update 1]
Joystiq has some rather astounding news from the Tokyo Game Show today. A software update later this year -- we would guess the scheduled fall update -- will add full 1080p capability to your Xbox 360. Still no word of an HDMI cable, though. Right now this is only via component or VGA. Still, Microsoft is promising immediate upscaling of all existing games and DVD movies. Huh, it looks like the 360 is capable of "True" high definition after all. The question is: can it play games in 4D? Stay tuned to X360F and Joystiq for more breaking TGS info.Update: Changed confusing image.
Xbox 360 fall update adds 1080p output, HD DVD add-on hits Japan for $170 US
Even though we expected the Tokyo Game Show to be the coming out party for the Playstation 3, Microsoft just couldn't let them get all the limelight and Engadget has all the details. First, the Xbox 360 HD DVD external drive finally has a pricetag and launch date -- in Japan. ¥19,800 (about $170 US) and November 17 are the magic numbers, now the question is will the US be rounding up to $199 (or £199)? We'll have to wait to find out for sure but with X06 kicking off on the 27th, there's no way we'll be waiting too long. The other big news of the night is that the fall dashboard update will add 1080p output via analog to games and movies. If you have a TV (or projector) that takes 1,920x1,080 input via component or VGA you'll be able to select it in the dashboard and move on. Does this mean HD DVDs will play in full 1080p via component? AACS would seem to answer a big no to that question, but until more details are released we can't say for sure. Future games will have the option to render natively at 1080p (DigDug HD?) while current games will be upscaled. Looks like Sony isn't the only one supporting "the true definition of HD".Update:Word from Microsoft's press conference in Japan pegs the price at ¥20,790 ($180~ US) and a launch on November 22. This conflicts with previous info straight from Microsoft so we'll keep waiting to get all this straightened out and some local info.
