Zumba Fitness for Connect

Excersize program, the fitness party, latin and international rhythms.  Grew in Miami, all about the party, have fun and move, 60,000 locations, 7.5 million people take a Zumba class every week.  They’ve sold millions of DVDS and this is the next thing.  Men, women, kids, parents all play together.

The demo – This is a combination of dance and excersize so everyone has fun with 30 tracks and routines.  There’s new interactive Zumba content running with Connect. Connect tracks 6 points on Samantha’s body and will critique her motions.

There can be up to 4 players in a turn based competition.  For the Wii there is a belt to track your hips where all your movement originates.  You can learn the steps training, set a workout calendar, intermediate and hard also.  Genuine motion capture “a little bit like a dancing iPod commercial” in color and look and feel.

There’s a party meter and more stuff begins to happen when you build the party meter.  I see more stuff on the screen but it doesn’t lok like it really affects game play.  Working closely with Microsoft and are excited to be a launch title for Connect in November.

Lots of hip rolling.  Merengue to reggae to calypso, a lot of rich styles and it’s not my thing with all the dancing.  I bet Tina would love this.  Sarah would probably not be amused.  The music is fun.  I think that someone who has taken a Zumba class would be pretty pleased to dance along with this.  I’d prefer splattering enemy brains out the side of their heads from the bushes 500m away, but for a Zumba fan this would be fun.

There’s a strong connection here for Backayard.

My routine was much more like dancing than working out.  But it was fun and I did start sweating within 2 minutes.

There will be DLC – use Live to connect to Zumba.com and Facebook to build community.  Zumba is the dancing so it could be fun with someone else- Zumba Attack with something like a dance battle and there is a turn based mode where up to four people can play against each other.

Paintball – Greg Hastings

$39 on 9/14

Can play with him, all about furthering paintball, the gameisbuilt on authenticity, 360, PS3, Wii.  All the gear, all the guns, 100 pros, 62 fields based on 12 real locations.  Rated E10+, not that many E10+ FPS out there.  It’s a violent tournament, just with paint not bullets.  Up to 20 player multi-player on 360 and –s3, up to 8 player on Wii.

Lots of running and diving into bunker, then change stance so you can pop up and down, then change stance so you can pop left and right.  You can switch hands with the gun so you can get a better angle.

There are also team aspects to game play.  You can command your guys or leave them alone.

Three types of paintball – speed ball with inflatable bunkers that people hide behind in arenas.  Woods ball is a massive outdoor field.  Rec ball is a mix of the two played on any course.  This is the first game with wood and rec play modes.

Will be DLC.

Babysitting mama

No blood but there is diaper changing without poo or urine.  This brings baby sitting to a whole new level.  Uses a plush doll that you jam the wiimote into it’s back.  Basically you can hold the doll and do stuff with it and the wiimote sense it.

The baby laughs or cries through the Wiimote.  This is Cooking Mama for baby sitters.  There are 6 different babies and about 60 different activities.  Some are baby care, some are baby mini games.  Fun, not a baby simulator because there are some silly things.  It’s apparently a lot of fun for six to nine year olds.  Little girls will be happy they got a new doll and a new game.

Ten story arcs, November release data scheduled.

It was sort of fun, kind of like holding a real baby but not because it isn’t fragile.

Swords

Wii motion plus support $29.99 T rated for families

Brutal action scenes without gore.  It is, you guessed it, a sword fighting game.  One to one sword fighting movements, seven different angles of attack with 8 different fighters.  Unlock swords and get new powers. Plus four mini games that are basically like mini games.  One includes hordes of zombies coming at you over and over again.  Multiplayer so there is 2 player split screen.

Monster Tale for DS,

estimated March 2011 ship

Puzzle game play on the bottom screen, exploration on the top.  The bottom screen is a pet raising Tamogotchi game and the top is a platformer.  You wake up in a monster world that has been taken over by bad kids.  Elie meets Chomp and they need to save the monster world from the bad kids.  Explore and earn new abilities.  Definitely kid safe.  Would appeal to those who want to explore, learn, solve puzzles, and use new things.  Also involves training Chomp – give him cookies and he becomes one thing, give him apples and he becomes something else.  Interaction between the “two screens” and the evolution of Chomp creates depth in the game.

Title: Heavy Rain
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America
Format: PS3 BluRay Disc
HD Format: 720p
ESRB Rating: M
Players: 1

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

In a city somewhere on the US east coast (at times it reminds me of NYC, other times of Boston), young boys are kidnapped, only to be found three days later, drowned in rain water, with an origami figure on their chests. Such shenanigans have been going on for over a year. Twelve boys have been taken. Creepy clowns and kooky carousels abound. What can a father do to keep his son safe? Or as the mysterious killer says, “How far would you go to save your son?”

Such is the premise of Quantic Dream’s newest PS3 title, Heavy Rain. There is some history here as this is the krackerjack developer that brought us Indigo Prophecy roughly five years ago. So we’re talking about a development house with a strong reputation for high production values and compelling story lines. In those respects, Heavy Rain does not disappoint. Playing this game is like stepping into a movie where you can pick what happens. It’s sort of like a choose your own adventure for PS3.

The story is complex and it sucked me in. It was like I started to play and thought it was boring and then all of a sudden it was four hours later and time for bed. The emotion of the game comes along and sweeps you away. Which is a good thing, but it’s important to understand that this game is not for everyone. If you’re looking for a thrill-a-minute romp then look elsewhere. If you are looking for a deep dark emotional and frightening story, then this is it.

This is a psychological crime thriller that has its moments where it is simply beautiful and purely gripping. You play as four separate characters: Ethan Mars, an architect whose sone has been kidnapped; Scott Shelby, a private investigator; Jayden Norman, and FBI Agent, and some really hot chick who ends up being more important than you think she’ll be named Madison Paige. The only thing you’ll remember about this last woman is that when playing as her you get to soap up your breasts in the shower, take a tinkle in the toidy, and strip for a pimp. These are mature themes that will definitely grab your attention. The four story-lines intertwine and play off of each other which is very cool.

The game starts in a sort of happy and almost mundane level. You’re Ethan Mars and you work from home. The fun includes getting dressed, brushing your teeth, and walking down stairs. It’s really a tutorial level just to learn how to control the game. The highlight of the first level is setting the table. I’m not kidding. And, for some odd reason, you are using your mother-in-law’s china to set the table for your 8 year old’s birthday party. Who in their right mind would do that? So these plates are being used at a kiddie party but if you set the table too fast your wife freaks out.

Then next level involves the family going to the mall. This is where I have to be critical of the game, very critical. In order to keep the story on track, you are forced to navigate through a finite set of choices in a heavily scripted sequence. And bang, your son gets hit by a car and dies.

The screen fades to black. The world is bleak, sad, miserable. You, Ethan, are miserable. The world is gray. It’s two years later and no one wants to talk to you, especially your son Shaun. Your wife left you. Apparently you are too stupid to take care of yourself or anyone. And frustration creeps in when you realize that the character is a moron. One son has died and this guy can’t even watch his other son when he plays. And then I realized that this is not an open world. This is not freedom of choice. This is very far from something like Grand Theft Auto. The game is on rails with the illusion of being open. It seems to me that forcing me to do some things and giving me 2 choices for something mundane is not an “interactive story”. This is very much like a graphical Zork, an old-style text game that presented you with some choices and was written as a bunch of if-then statements. Same thing but with more graphics. I also want to know why everyone has called this game beautiful when it is a paltry 720p. What is the point of the PS3 being 1080p if first party titles can’t even be high def?

As you play through the game it gets better. It gets better in terms of controls and choices along with the story roping you in emotionally and psychologically. Choices start to matter. During a liquor store robbery I tried to sneak up behind the felon but I couldn’t so I had to reason with him. Some things in this game outright pissed me off. For example, while you are playing the FBI agent, a suspect pulls a gun on the local cop who is your partner. You have the suspect dead to rights. I warned him three times to drop the weapon and then I shot him. That is how I would handle the situation. If I had to repeat the level 100 times I would do that 100 times. No way I would warn someone to put his gun down and then let him continue to point it at my partner. And then Heavy Rain tells me I’ve done it wrong. Very frustrating.

Yet I kept getting sucked back in. The story is that good. I have to hand it to writer, director, and studio head David Cage at Quantic Dream. Frustrated as I was, I needed to find out who the origami killer was. I really did. I kept playing until the end and I enjoyed it.

Heavy Rain is a solid game of this genre.  It is an emotional roller coaster, not a thrill a minute romp.

Full-Scale Sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3 – Features New Game System and Original Story by Hideo Kojima

El Segundo, Calif. – June 2, 2009 – Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., announced the launch of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, on the PSP (PlayStationPortable) system. Developed by legendary Hideo Kojima – the mastermind behind the most successful video game tactical-espionage series of all time – this latest PSP installment picks up where Metal Gear Solid3 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system leaves off as players take control of the famed Naked Snake. Taking place in 1974, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker features original game design, story and scenario by Hideo Kojima. Scheduled to launch in 2010, the game takes the series in an exciting new direction with its incredible visuals and its unique new game system designed specifically with the PSP in mind. Additionally, download and hardware bundle will be available.

“With Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Kojima Productions has once again pushed the limits of the PSP system, by creating a groundbreaking sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3,” said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker lets players take the action and excitement of a console game to the PSP system.”

Mother Base, AI Weapons, and Multi-Player Elements Revealed as
METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER Heads to PSP this May

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., has confirmed that its forthcoming METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER title for PSP (PlayStation Portable) will be available on UMD format on May 25th, 2010. The next official chapter in the story of Naked Snake (a.k.a. Big Boss), METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER is a stunning stealth-action title, set shortly after the events of METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER, and drops the user into a 70s Cold War scenario. As interest continues to grow in this stunning new title from series creator Hideo Kojima, he and his Tokyo-based Kojima Productions team have also revealed several key new elements to be found in the game.

The first major reveal is the Mother Base offshore plant, which acts as a hub for items and personnel collected within the game. During the course of METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER, users can recruit felled adversaries and transport them to the Mother Base sea rig by using the Fulton Recovery System. Recruited soldiers each have unique attributes that allow them to support Snake and other characters in a variety of ways. By gathering more staff, players will be able to expand Mother Base and gain access to new functions. Mother Base also acts as a development area for Snake, where collated information can be used to create and also upgrade all-new armaments .

METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER also introduces new AI Weapons – giant unmanned behemoths that Snake must overcome to complete his mission. These include hover, airborne, and tank-style vehicles. Each AI Weapon can speak and even sing during battle using VOCALOID technology, hinting at a surprising level of intelligence.

Finally, Kojima Productions has also confirmed the PSP game will boast extensive multi-player elements, allowing four-player co-operative missions, and a stunning three-against-three battle royale, wherein six players can form teams and engage in huge linked battles via the Sony handheld’s Ad Hoc capabilities. Further details will be released shortly, with Kojima Productions looking to the ever-popular METAL GEAR ONLINE for inspiration.

METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER adds a wealth of new elements to the popular stealth series, with players giving CPR to felled colleagues, battling huge boss adversaries and enjoying another twisting plot that will surprise and thrill in equal measure. The story continues in May…

Patapon
Sony Computer Entertainment
PSP
Single player
“E” for Everyone
Rating: 8 out of 10.

When Sony first showed me Patapon in December, I didn’t know what to make of it. Firstly, it’s rhythmic, and I love rhythmic games. It’s a side scroller, not a plus in my book. But it is cute, very cute. If you’re not a lover of cute, then maybe you’ll find the art interesting – it was designed by the popular French graphic artist, Rolito and the 2D art involves catchy abstract shapes, and colorful environments.
The principle of game play is that you have to lead the Patapons through a series of epic battles against opposing armies and gigantic monsters. You control the Patapons by pushing buttons that make drumbeats and send commands like march, attack, and defend. There are six different drumbeats that are combinations of X, O, box, and triangle. For example, circle, circle, box, circle might mean charge. You have to push the buttons in time to the background music, which is also in time to the action. If you chain a bunch of commands together, then you unlock a special mode where your attacks do more damage.

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