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Beyond Good and Evil HD Port Coming to XBL and PSN in 2011

Dave Ernst — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:36:30 +0000

Ever since Ubisoft announced Beyond Good and Evil 2 back in 2008, gamers have been dying to see what comes next for the franchise. After nearly two years and little information, gamers have been left in anticipation. Rumors spread like wildfire claiming the sequel to Beyond Good and Evil was canceled.

Things may be looking up for Good and Evil fans. Ubisoft has announced an HD port incoming to the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network sometime in 2011. Along with graphics in crisp 1080p, level textures and character models have been improved.

The original Beyond Good and Evil was released in 2003 and was somewhat overlooked. Since then the game has become a cult hit and this HD update is guaranteed to be sell well, given the accessibility on current gen platforms. Maybe Ubisoft is testing the water to see if enough people out there care enough about the series for the sequel. Keep your fingers and your toes crossed.

Source

It’s Official: Sony PS3 will be limited to 720p in 3D

Brandon Fenty — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:26:31 +0000

There’s no question: 3D causes a performance dip in gaming. The system has to render twice as many frames per second just to get the 3D effect; that takes a lot of power that could go to something else, like better textures or higher resolution. Ever since E3, gamers have been debating as to whether the trade off is worth it.

Sony is doing their best to maintain quality in their 3D lineup but that in no way excludes them from the performance loss. While the console is capable of 1080p 3D, Sony has decided to prohibit it in their guidelines to developers. Sony’s Simon Benson explained during a 3D demo at the Develop Conference this week that the decision was made because 3D wouldn’t allow for a smooth 60-frames-per-second at the higher resolution.

Sony covered this decision by saying that only trained graphics engineers would even be able to notice the difference in 3D. The average consumer, according to Sony, won’t see a difference. It’s dangerous to underestimate your audience, and I’m worried that’s what Sony is doing here. We will have to see what the response is when 3D actually launches on the console.

[Source: 1Up]

RipTen Video Review: Metro 2033

Dave Oshry — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:51:28 +0000

Hello Comrade!! Welcome to Ripten review of Metro 2033. In Soviet Russia, game plays you . . . but here in US of A, we play game. So here goes.

First off, some backstory. Metro 2033 was based on a book (which you will never read) of the same name written by Dmitry Glukhovsky. It follows the trials and tribulations of a man named Artyom, living in the Metro stations of post-apocalyptic Moscow. These stations are the only safe haven for survivors from the nuclear winter that now exists on the surface. However, the Metro tunnels are filled with mutants, and the surface is crawling with Demons, so no one is truly safe in what is left of a desolate world. It will be up to you, Artyom, to find some peace in a world where there is anything but.

Please to watch video review, my friends!

but I warn you . . . my Russian accent may be the scariest part of this game.

So as you can see, here at Ripten, not only are we into our games, we are damn near demented.

As I said in the video, while Metro 2033 is a great FPS, it is really for a small audience. Console gamers should skip this game and quite frankly anyone who’s PC can’t run this game at close to full settings is probably wasting their time. Metro 2033 was developed alongside Nvidia to showcase their PhysX and 3D Vision technology, and they did not disappoint. I can honestly say, without a doubt, that this game has the best visuals of any PC game on the market right now. The game takes you from scene to scene basically only using plot points in order to show off just what the game can achieve visually. If you are interested in the difference Nvidia PhysX makes in Metro, check out this comparison video.

While Metro 2033 is indeed a great FPS, it is not without flaws. The story drags at times and much of it is left unexplained. Also, some of the weapons are truly uninspired and quite lifeless. The game also suffers from FarCry or what I like to call, “WTF I SHOT THAT GUY 17 TIMES WHY ISN’T HE FKNG DED!?” syndrome. However, barring those few complaints my only real gripe is that such a small audience will truly be able to appreciate this game. If you ask me, Metro 2033 gets a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Nintendo Wii 2 with Blu-Ray and 1080p Support Coming in 2010?

Chad Lakkis — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:08:23 +0000

Fresh from the rumor department comes a supposed Wii 2 console leak being reported by Maxconsole.net. The leak apparently originates on/from the French gaming site Logic-sunrise.com, however I dug into the site a bit myself with Google Translate and couldn’t find any trace of the information Maxconsole claimed to be getting from them. It could be that it wasn’t posted on the French site itself although that wouldn’t make much sense.

All in all, the rumored “leak” states that Nintendo is working on a Wii sequel with the following:

The Wii2 system will feature a Blu-Ray drive with a secondary aim of stopping piracy.
1080P and lower resolutions will be supported, for blu-ray movies and games.
The release date is scheduled for third quarter of 2010.
The release will be worldwide and on the same day for all countries.
A scheme will be available in which it is possible to trade in the original Wii for a cheaper price on the new Wii 2.

Update: Assuming this is true, you can add the probability of Netflix coming to the next generation Wii as well.

A next gen Nintendo console? I’m not even sure I would know what to do with myself. At this point, things are far from confirmed, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if this, or something close to it, turned out to be true. Nintendo, while making a killing in the casual market, could have competition from Microsoft’s Project Natal at some point and this type of advancement could have Nintendo gobbling up more of the market like Yoshi on an all night eating spree.

PS3 Underdelivers Again – FarCry 2 Gimped?

Dan Landis — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:45:29 +0000

After all this hullabaloo about how the PlayStation 3 is the only “true” HD console, here comes the release of FarCry 2 to slap Sony’s PR in the balls. In addition to people complaining about the messed-up widescreen and mandatory 3.5GB install, the PS3 version falls short of its Xbox 360 counterpart by only supporting 720p while the 360 version supports full 1080p.

I noticed this myself by looking at the back of the case for the game, a photo of which I’ve conveniently provided for you:

Obviously, it’s just the developer’s fault for being lazy and stupid and not because the PS3 isn’t living up to what it was promised to be — the only true HD console. After all, we know for a fact that developers love putting out gimped versions of the games they’ve worked so hard to create, simply to prove a point or because Microsoft paid them to.

I’m sure the PS3 version, despite these differences, plays just as well as the 360 version and will no doubt be an enjoyable experience for those of you without options. If you had a choice, however, go with the 360 or PC edition just to be safe. Word.

UPDATE: Some articles about FarCry 2’s resolution have been brought to my attention, but upon reviewing them, I do not believe they present new information that directly contradicts my statements. The articles mentioning the native resolution of the game, on PS3 and 360, as being 720p are only talking about the native resolution, and I made no mention of native resolutions. It is irrelevant.

Yes, both consoles run the game at 720p native resolution. The 360 can upscale it to 1080p, but the PS3 does not do so naturally, and the box implys that it does not do it at all. While it may be possible to “trick” your PS3 into outputting in 1080p, the game itself does not readily support it. Many PS3 games that I have seen clearly show that they support 1080p, either natively or upscaled, on the back of the box — FarCry 2 is not one of them.

I find it odd that if the PS3 could support 1080p on all games that it is not mentioned on the game’s case. Requiring customers to resort to some backdoor trick to achieve what is supposed to be built in to the console and that other games (on both 360 and PS3) more clearly support — it’s ridiculous.

I explicitly said that the game likely plays just as well. Sony has clearly done its job convincing their fanbase that the PS3 is obviously superior, which leaves me wondering they wouldn’t help advertise that on the games themselves.

UPDATE 2: It is also worth noting that in a recent IGN Insider head-to-head comparison of the game, the reviewer had the following to say regarding the differences:

“The only real differences are the PS3′s occasional framerate hitches and the dropping of some sound effects during hectic gunfights. These issues don’t really hurt the experience in any major way, but will be a minor irritation for some. If you’re at all interested in shooters, Far Cry 2 is an experience you will enjoy on any console. If you have the luxury of choice, the 360 version runs just a little bit more smoothly.”

OVERALL:
1st = PC
2nd = 360
3rd = PS3

Translation: gimped?

DMC4 is 720p on PS3 & Xbox 360 Despite Blog’s “Press Release”

Patrick Steen — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:19:02 +0000

A certain Gaming Blog got a tad worked up over a supposed Capcom Press Release, which states that the console versions of Devil May Cry 4 run at a sub-HD resolution. This press release was fake.

The press release reads thus:

PC version will supports DX9 and DX10 versions.The PC version support higher resolution (In order to maintain stability in the game at 60 FPS, XBOX360, PS3 supports only 1024 * 640 resolution).

Apart form the questionable English, which could be explained by being a poor translation, the “press release” is wrong. Both console demos of DMC4 have been confirmed by Beyond3d’s pixel counters to run natively at 720p. That is, 1280 by 720 pixels.

Although the blogger asks for confirmation from the retail game and not the demo, his fears should be put to rest. In my experience there has yet to be a game that has reduced its resolution from the demo to the full retail release release.

Furthermore, games are designed with a particular resolution in mind and a decision to lower the resolution would not be made at the last minute.

Need more evidence? Each console demo runs at a very strong 60 frames per second at 720p. There is no need for the resolution of the game to be lowered. Moreover, the development of both the demo and the full retail game were finished simultaneously, which would make a difference in native resolution all the more absurd.

As Nicolas Parson’s would say, we’ll give the blogger the benefit of the doubt and presume he was actively misled, rather than attempting to mislead others himself. One things for sure, he can calm the hell down:

NICE GOING, Sony and M$! Making consoles that can’t handle stable 60FPS at 1080p. I HATE YOU ALL *smashes head into wall*

Both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions of Devil May Cry 4 run natively at 720p and at 60fps.

Credit: Quaz of Beyond3d

PS3 1.8 Firmware Update Available 5/24: Full 1080P Upscalling, Remote Play, and more…

Chad Lakkis — Thu, 24 May 2007 00:14:46 +0000

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) just announced the availability of the latest version of the PS3 firmware, Version 1.80.

This is a significant upgrade as the system will now have the ability to upscale PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games, as well as DVD movies up to full 1080p HD resolution.

So bust out those PS1 and PS2 games, dust off the ol’ DVD collection and get ready for a dramatic enhancement in picture quality PS3 owners. A feature like this is normally reserved for the upper echelon of DVD players, and now thanks to the 1.8 Firmware upgrade … its all yours. Shove that in the face of those happy little Wii owners!

Version 1.80 also allows for Remote Play on your PSP across the internet, essentially allowing you to access your PS3 from anywhere in the world with running water, sunlight, and a broadband connection. Throw in enhanced home networking capabilities that now allow you to stream rich media to your PS3 and wallah, the price tag doesn’t look so bad after all, now does it.

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