Wanting Raystorm HD

(tags game, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, RayStorm, shmup)

Raystorm. I feel all nostalgic about this shmup because I used to play in the Japanese arcades back during my exchange program. Now it's in HD and on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Wanting.

Well, I could buy it for the PSP but I really don't want to buy Sony points.

I could also play my PS1 version. It's around here somewhere. I'm pretty sure I don't have the PC version.

PS3 Slim reasons

(tags PlayStation 3, hardware)

Yeah well the PS3 Slim was officially announced. I briefly considered it as my first PS3, but have decided not to get it yet. Pros and Cons for me:

Pros:

• 250W consumption instead of 280W or even 380W.
• Smaller
  
• Blu-ray
• Used as a Blu-Ray reference hardware
  
• Interesting exclusive games like Flowery and Uncharted and ... (what? I can't remember)
• Free wireless
• Free multiplayer
  
• User upgradable data storage (takes HDDs and SSDs)
• Interesting integration with my PSPs?
  

Cons:

• Still kinda big. I wished that PS3 Slim meant PS2 Slim size. In yer dreams buddy.
  
• Backward compatibility with PS2. This is not very important but I must list it.
• No more Linux install. This is not very important but I must list it.
• "only" two USB ports. Though I suppose PS3 must support USB hubs.
  

There's a Gundam game + PS3 Slim bundle for the Japan region. I don't know Gundam games but this combo will certainly sell like hotcakes. Also, according to this blog post entitled "10 Reasons Why the PS3 Slim Will Save Sony", in the US, the PS3 needs to sell lots of hardware (at least 9 million more) just to keep up with the Xbox 360 infiltration. It sure doesn't help that the Xbox seems hip to video rental, since Microsoft scored exclusive use of the up and coming mail-order rental service NetFlix.

I feel like this PS3 Slim could finally restart the console wars. And Sony still has Gran Turismo and Final Fantasy series in their pocket. But what do I know, I only own a Xbox 360 so that must make me a poor console fanboi/snob.

The price of cross compatibility

(tags game, hardware, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

I really want to play my Xbox 360 with a decent D-pad controller. Here's something that looks nice, reported by Engadget, called the Cross Fire Adapter for Xbox 360. I don't regularly buy stuff from overseas, so the shipping rates are always a bummer for me.

Eeek.

Flowery

(tags game, PlayStation 3)

Would I buy a PlayStation 3 for a 800 yen game? No. Still I really want to check out Flower (called Flowery in Japan). The review from Gaijin Gamers lingers away from spoilers, but I at least understand that this isn't a traditional game, and it's more than interactive art. I even asked a PS3 owning friend to try it out, but I haven't received a response back.

Oh and the introduction page at us.playstation.com has some developer interviews. Pink hair on that woman. Whoa. If you're a business owner you can write your own ... dress code?

720p Hype: Mirror's Edge

(tags game, Mirror's Edge, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

I learned from the latest Famitsu's ad that Mirror's Edge will be arriving to Japanese shores on 2008-12-11, for both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. I know the Xbox 360 version will be good and will be one I want to purchase, but I want to see this on the PlayStation 3 as well.

But, the US will be getting it on 2008-11-11. Ugh I can't wait.

Ah, the official Japanese site has been up for a week already.

And recently there was another Story Trailer video released. Kinda reminds me of the Animatrix. However the news post linked to downloadable high-definition video trailers, including a 1GB biggie that shows a whole lot more in-game footage. I got it from AOL's Big Download page.

I keep on watching and re-watching these trailers. Sweet. Except that I have some nits to pick. The solar panels are not facing the sun. They are angled for good jumping, I suppose. The ladders are unusable for normal people, only suitable for people who take flying leaps... No mirror image of your persona in a window.

I see the pre-ordering across the ocean comes with a designer carrier bag, for a total of USD 140.00. I would go for that. Of course I would use the bag. What is the sense of buying it without using it? What, it has a rendered woman's face on it? :-)

Missed the window: PlayStation 3 Console

(tags hardware, PlayStation 3)

On 2008-01-09, Sony announced the last shipment of PlayStation 3 with PlayStation 2 backward compatiblity for the Japan market. My default go-to store, seems to have none in stock over the last week I have checked. I don't really want to buy it from another store, because of the store points. Tight leash, huh.

But what would I use it for... Only Linux on a PS3 is interesting to me now. I guess I could get Everyday Shooter.

You need blood: Metal Slug 3, Uncharted

(tags game, grotesque, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

destroy tokyo gave me more insight to Xbox Live Arcade newly ported game Metal Slug 3, with a micro review (summary: thumbs down). I don't know the Metal Slug franchise other than some tentative forays, though that six-in-one compilation on various platforms looks interesting. (Oh wait, I have some Metal Slug games on my Xbox 1, but not yet sampled, grr)

Okay, I've read that you can get "red blood" sprites if you change your console's Language to Japanese, three times already, as Insert Credit, Joystiq and Kotaku all jump on some guy's post in some Internet forum.

So let me get this straight:

In 1995 Japan, you enjoy red blood in Metal Slug 3.

In 2007 Japan, blood is censored on your Uncharted: Drake's Fortune game. According to some random Internet guy, blood is important (but admittedly not essential) for figuring out what direction the bullets are coming from.

Can I say that Uncharted seems to be the first PS3 game I'm interested in? Naughty Dog devs, right? (Jak!) Well, that and Unreal Tournament 3 and Linux, ha. And what with the latest PS3 firmware upgrade that allows you to play any PS1 games on your PSP, I've been simmering the idea of picking up a 60GB model. Very low heat, back burner, though.