PlayStation LifeStyle » Josh Fernandes

Cross Game Chat #70 – The Podcast As You Know It Is Ending

Josh Fernandes — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:04:12 +0000

This is going to be the last episode of Cross Game Chat….

…and the start of a new, reinvigorated PSLS podcast! Sorry to get you flustered, but don’t worry. There will still be a PSLS podcast with PMC, Josh, Cameron, and Eric, but the podcast is about to go through a complete overhaul. Everything from the name, to the structure of segments is going to be changed for the better. Also, we plan to become much more involved in the community, so you are sure to hear from us on Facebook, Twitter, and the PSLS forums. Additionally, there won’t be a podcast episode next week as we get all the changes ironed out, but we will be back the first week of February with an all new format to the podcast. Listen to this week’s episode to find out all the details.

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New Silent Hill: Downpour Screens Will Drench You With Fear

Josh Fernandes — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:45:24 +0000

You know how it goes. You’re cruising along, enjoying the scenery, and then you make a wrong turn and end up in Silent Hill and have the town psychoanalyze you. With this town not being very friendly towards tourists, the franchise’s many different protagonists always find it much harder to leave the town than to find it. The next installment of the Silent Hill franchise, Silent Hill: Downpour, follows the story of a prisoner being transported in an armored van who gets stranded in Silent Hill after the van crashes off the side of the road. It turns out this game will have some elements familiar to fans of the series, but some totally new environments.

Check out the screens below and let us know if you are sufficiently creeped out.

Silent Hill: Downpour takes place in an all new area of Silent Hill, specifically the southeastern section of the town. Konami release some screenshots to show off some of the environments of the new section of the town. The screens show off some of the more familiar environments, such as residential sections and deserted city streets. Of course, the fog hangs heavy in Silent Hill and visibility is extremely limited. The screens also show off the exterior of an abandoned mine. So, Silent Hill: Downpour may have the player navigate the claustrophobic corridors of an underground mine. As if Silent Hill environments weren’t horrifying enough. Silent Hill: Downpour may also investigate the original mining disaster that destroyed the town of Silent Hill.

Episode 69 – Is God of War Multiplayer a Horrible Idea?

Josh Fernandes — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:56:53 +0000

Hello, podcast listeners! This week’s feature is inspired by Jonathan Leack’s editorial about multiplayer in the next God of War game. The guys give their opinion on if they think Sony Santa Monica could actually pull off multiplayer, or if it would just be unnessarily shoehorned in like….cough, BioShock 2, cough. Horde mode style muliplayer would fit the atmosphere of the game, but co-op missions have been very popular in recently, even though it’s not Kratos’ style to share the bloodshed. If there was co-op, who would you play as? Listen in to find out.

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We are trying out a new, minimalist format for the article, let us know what you think in the comments below or at crossgamechat@playstationlifestyle.net

Cross Game Chat #68 – 2011: The Year in Review

Josh Fernandes — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:34:06 +0000

2011 is over! You might be a little sad to see it go, but 2012 is sure to be even better (except for the apocalypse). PMC, Cameron, Josh, and Eric ring in the new year by talking about the highs and lows of 2011. With the PSN hack, announcement of the Vita, lack of Move support and more, 2011 has been an eventful year for Sony. The guys also give their new year’s gaming resolutions. Spoiler: they want to play more games.

This Week’s News Topics:

Rumor: Leaked GameStop Document Lists Vita Games, Prices, Dates Read>>
PS Vita Launch Lineup, Prices Revealed Read>>
Homebrew Removes Internet Connection Requirement for Vita File Transfer Read>>
Rumor: Epic Mickey 2 Might Be Heading to PS3 in 2012 Read>>
Sony Online Pass coming to Vita Read>>
Sony Announces New PSP Dual Pack Read>>
Wipeout 2048 for Vita Almost Had a Zombie Mode Read>>

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As always, we want to hear from you. So, leave us a voicemail at 331-222-7757 or send us an email to crossgamechat@playstationlifestyle.net. If you’re feeling awesome, you can even tweet us at PSLifeStyle. Next week’s topic is all about the Move. Is Sorcery enough to revive the Move? Can anything revive the Move?

Cameron’s Manga Recommendation

The Breaker

PMC’s Music Pick

Flipsyde

Eric’s Mini Pick

Flying Hamster

The Worst Games to Play on Christmas Day

Josh Fernandes — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:05:10 +0000

Now, most people are going to have some free time during the holidays, but there are definitely some games that you should avoid during Christmas. Whether it’s because they will consume all your time or because your family just won’t understand, it would be for the best if you keep these games locked up until the 26th.

Skyrim – If you have picked up Skyrim, then you’re not reading this; you are still playing the game and haven’t been seen for weeks! For the rest of you, if you have been thinking about picking up Skyrim, don’t do it. You will spend the next few days mining ore, catching butterflies, and trying to kill one of those damn giants. There is absolutely no Christmas gift that will be able to pry you away from the television screen. New golf clubs? Bah, this thieves guild quest needs completing. New TV? It can wait until after my Daedric armor is upgraded. New car? Ooooo, I think there’s a dragon on the top of this mountain. You will miss out on all that glorious Christmas food, and quality time with your relatives….OK, you might be glad to avoid your relatives.

Nascar: Unleashed - Well actually, it’s a bad idea to play this game no matter what time of year it is. Some really bad games have released for the PS3, such as Naughty Bear and Call of Juarez: The Cartel, but this game could be the worst of them all. Seriously, don’t play this game. If one of your relatives bought you Nascar: Unleashed for Christmas, then they secretly hate you.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations – Unless you reside in the southern hemisphere, people are bound to be wearing hoodies where you live. After a few dozen hours into Assassin’s Creed, you will be suspicious of anyone in a hood. Nothing ruins the holidays more than when little Timmy starts throwing firecrackers and smoke bombs at members of the family. The local authorities also don’t appreciate it when you run along the rooftops of local businesses downtown, and no, trying to avoid the Templars is not a valid excuse for breaking the law.

Dark Souls – Nothing ruins the holiday spirit more than getting body slammed by the same titanite demon ten times in a row…..or getting stabbed in the back by Ornstein….or falling off a cliff….or practically everything else in that game. Your family members probably won’t appreciate the string of profanities that are sure to be heard from your room. Also, If I could design a level to epitomize the exact opposite of Christmas, it would be the tomb of the giants. It’s dark, lonely, and full of monsters that want to eat your face. I imagine that’s where all the naughty kids are sent when Santa has had a bad day.

Condemned 2: Bloodshot – You don’t want your family to see you playing this game. There’s nothing wrong with beating a homeless man to death with a lead pipe, but the older generation just doesn’t understand! Unless you want your next Christmas gift to be therapy sessions, don’t let anyone know how much you enjoy this game. Instead, pick up Cabela’s Big Game Hunter and kill tons of animals like regular people!

Best PSN Game 2011

Josh Fernandes — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:52:58 +0000

LIMBO

Publisher: Playdead

Developer: Playdead

Limbo is less of a game and more of an experience that the developers are sharing with you. It may not be as long as some of the other titles on PSN, but Limbo is able to tug at the player’s emotions in a way that other games could only dream of. Not a single line of dialogue in the entire game, and yet it has some of the best laid out mood and atmosphere of any game. The aesthetics really pulled the player into the world, but it was the pacing of the puzzles that drove gamers to blast through the game in one sitting. Innocent maneuvering of boxes soon turned into a deadly maze of circular saws and bear traps, and precise platforming gave way to races against the clock. With every passing minute in that game the difficulty would gradually increase until the finale, and the player was left wanting more. It’s a shame that it took an extra year for PSN users to experience such a gem.

Runners Up:

Outland
inFamous: Festival of Blood
PAYDAY: The Heist
Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes

Cross Game Chat #67 – Starhawk Talk and Extreeeeeeeeeme Gaming Moments

Josh Fernandes — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:29:09 +0000

Boom! It’s the last podcast of the year and we are going out by talking about some of our most extreme gaming moments. Josh, by far, has the most extreme life out of anyone. Josh also goes into more detail on his Starhawk beta impressions during obsessions portion of the podcast. Once the podcast returns in 2012, the crew will talk about the highs and lows of the PlayStation over the past year. Be sure not to miss it!

This Week’s News Topics:

Bossa Studios: Vita Will “Die a Horrible Premature” Death Read>>
Plants Vs. Zombies coming to PlayStation Vita as a launch title Read>>
Beatshapers Announces StarDrone Extreme for Vita Launch Read>>
Homefront Marketing Mistake Results in $7000 fine Read>>
The Last of Us trailer might be set in Ohio Read>>
The Last of Us not a zombie game Read>>
Sony Launches PlayStation Game Music Service in Japan Read>>
Just Cause 3 in the works, movie too Read>>

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As always, you can email us at crossgamechat@playstationlifestyle.net or send a message to PSLifeStyle via Twitter. Now, you can also leave us a voicemail at 331-222-7757, and make sure to leave your message after the beep. We want to know what you think were the highs and lows of the PlayStation this year. How did the Move stack up? Were there enough games? Were they good games? Lay it all out.

Cameron’s Anime Recommendation

UN-GO

PMC’s Music Pick

deadmau5

Eric’s Pick

Where Is My Heart (PlayStation minis)

Starhawk Beta Impressions

Josh Fernandes — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:11:03 +0000

If you want to experience the beta for yourself, be sure to enter our Starhawk beta giveaway.

The spiritual successor to the fantastic multiplayer game, Warhawk, LightBox Interactive’s Starhawk is now in private beta, so we’ve taken a look at the game to see if it can live up to its predecessor.

Starhawk looks like it is going to be structured much like Warhawk. That great server list system is back, so finding custom tailored games, and creating games with specific weapons, time constraints, and scoring is as easy as ever. The game will also have deathmatch, team deathmatch, zone capture, and capture the flag. For this beta, the only game mode available was capture the flag. There were also only two maps available, but they showed a lot more uniqueness than the maps in Warhawk – where every map was a different variation of an island surrounded by water. In Starhawk, You are still fighting on islands, but now the islands are a space station in orbit, or an industrial complex surrounded by a sea of neon-green industrial waste. In addition, the space station level had a lot of ‘verticality’ to it, with multiple levels and ladders to move around. The industrial level is a lot more laid out and is mostly a large, flat area with a few mountains. The two maps show off what combat is like in two very different types of levels, and hopefully the rest of the maps are just as good.

I Bet It Smells Lovely This Time of Year

Starhawk keeps the same rock, paper, scissors gameplay as its predecessor. Meaning that there is a right tool for the job, and using the wrong weapon will be fatal. A well placed grenade or rocket to a hawk (what used to be called Warhawks in the previous game) will easily destroy it, but taking shots at it with a machine gun will almost always fail. In Starhawk, you will need to be prepared for a fight, and be able to make quick decisions. Luckily, player movement is just as fast as the combat. So, if you feel you are in a situation that you can’t win, you can easily run around a corner or get far enough away to resupply. Strategy is key in this game, and that is only further enforced by the building system.

Proper Counter for Laser: Don't Get Hit By It

New to Starhawk is the building system. At any point in the game a player can order a building to be built within your team’s area of influence, which can also be expanded. You can build optional defense measures like walls, turrets and forcefields, but players will have to build and maintain necessary structures. Unlike in Warhawk, where everything is available to everyone, players will have to build different buildings to gain access to weapons, hawks, and jetpacks. So, taking out an enemies’ weapon supply center can cut off their access to stronger weapons and seriously cripple their ability to fight. Each team is limited to building 32 structures, so it is important to manage resources carefully.

The resource management aspect of Starhawk really enforces the team aspect of the game. Everyone on the team has their own energy bar, and it is important to communicate so if a structure needs to be built, it isn’t just one guy spending all of his energy. The energy bar is filled by killing enemies and destroying respawning energy barrels scattered throughout the level. Energy is depleted when the player dies, builds something, or when the player spawns in a vehicle, hawk, or jetpack. So, if too many people on the team decide to spawn a whole bunch of turrets that get destroyed as fast as they are built, then that will make it hard to deal with the enemy if he destroys necessary structures. Energy has to be spent wisely, and frivolously wasting energy can lead a team to failure.

Most Important Building Material: Green Goo

Warhawk wasn’t a run-and-gun type of game. A single person couldn’t rush out like Rambo and take down a couple dozen guys [Ed- I could]. Teamwork was key, and anyone who rushed into battle too hastily was sure to end up staring at the respawn screen for most of the match. Starhawk builds upon this theme by incorporating the building system. In a way, LightBox Interactive have made the game a lot closer to Fat Princess – a team with dedicated resource gatherers, and who use orchestrated attacks on the enemy will win every time over the team that just runs around trying to kill anything that moves.

Just Cause Movie Being Developed, Third Game in Works

Josh Fernandes — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:35:17 +0000

The Just Cause series has always felt like a blockbuster movie, so it was no surprise when it was announced that Hollywood was going to tackle the Just Cause universe. Now, having a fist fight on the back of a nuclear missile or using jet planes as surf boards might be a little difficult to capture on the silver screen, but the movie is sure to incorporate some of Rico Rodriguez’s daring stunts. New details on that movie have just emerged, as well as a surprise about the video game franchise.

A script is in the works for Just Cause: Scorpion Rising. There is already a movie starring Sean Connery titled Just Cause that was released back in 1995, so that name was taken. The Hollywood Reporter claims that the writer, Bryan Edward Hill, is working on the second draft of the script. Hill is a comic writer who has worked on comics such as Netherworld, and Broken Trinity: Aftermath. The first draft for the movie was written by Michael Ross, who wrote the script for 2006 film Turistas. The Hollywood Reporter also reveals in their article that, “a third game is now in development.” If their report is accurate, then that is a significant reveal to include in the article. Avalanche Studios and Square Enix have yet to confirm if a Just Cause 3 is actually in the works.

Cross Game Chat #66 – Batman: Arkham City Vs. Uncharted 3, Which Is Better?

Josh Fernandes — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:11:29 +0000

The title says it all; we pit Batman: Arkham City against Uncharted 3. Listen as the guys discuss storytelling, combat, scope, and much more. We’ll let you know which game does a better job, and at the end, we will answer the question, “what game would you buy if you only had enough money for one?” Also, Cross Game Chat now has a phone number that you, the listener, can call to leave a voicemail question for us at 331-222-PSLS (7757).

This Week’s News Topics:

Gamestop PS Vita Memory Card Prices Not Official Read>>
Vita to Support Multiple Accounts, With Different Memory Cards Read>>
Rumor: Dead Rising 3 to Have Illegal Immigrant Zombies Read>>
Epic not Working on Vita, Unsure How it Will do it the West Read>>
Jaffe Doesn’t Want Online Pass for Twisted Metal Read>>
Fumito Ueda Still “Hard at Work” on the Last Guardian Read>>
Executive Producer of the Last Guardian Quits to Pursue Facebook Games Read>>

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Next week, we want you to tell us what your most extreme gaming moment was. It could be a midnight launch that was really epic, or maybe you went shopping on Black Friday and got in a fight. If you have any difficult platinum trophies, then that would super extreme! As always, you can email us at crossgamechat@playstationlifestyle.net or PSLifeStyle via Twitter, but now you can call us at 331-222-7757. Click on the button below to be directly connected to our voicemail.

Cameron’s Anime Recommendation

Tales of Innocence

PMC’s Music Pick

Airborne Toxic Event

Eric’s Pick

Sons of Anarchy

Epic’s New Game Truly is Epic, Fortnite Announced

Josh Fernandes — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:37:31 +0000

They may call them the Video Game Awards, but they might as well call them the Video Game Announcements! Although it ruined the surprise, Epic announced a few days ago that they would be revealing a brand new IP at this year’s VGAs. As they put it, this new game will be “radically different” from the the Gears franchise, and they weren’t lying.

With the Gears trilogy now over, everyone has been wondering what Epic’s new franchise would be. Today at the VGAs, Epic showed off a brand new game, titled Fortnite. From the trailer, it looks like it will be a survival, zombie game. Now, that may not sound radically different from Gears, but the visuals are very cartoony.

PlayStation LifeStyle will bring you more details on the game as they are released.

Cross Game Chat #65 – Winners and Losers For November

Josh Fernandes — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:10:41 +0000

It’s the beginning of the end… of the year. This week, we talk about the winners and losers for November, which had some great games like Uncharted 3 and Skyrim. Naturally, everyone on the podcast loved Uncharted 3, so we had to try hard to pick some other games for our winners. Also, believe it or not, someone on the podcast picked Skyrim as the loser for the month… listen in to find out who.

This Week’s News Topics

Fumito Ueda is No Longer With Sony? Read>>
VGA Reveal is Something You Won’t Believe Read>> but is not Sony Smash Brothers Read>>
Work on Final Fantasy Type-0 International is underway Read>>
Square Intimidated by Scope of Final Fantasy VII Read>>
Sony Reveals Pricing on Memory Cards Read>>
Sony Corrects GameStop on 4GB and 8GB Pricing Read>>
Sony Defends Vita Memory Cards Read>>
Vita Games to have Flexible Pricing Read>>

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Next week, we are having a face off between Batman: Arkham City and Uncharted 3. We want the listeners to tell us which game is better, and listen in as the crew pick their side and have an all out brawl to decide which game is their favorite. Be sure to write in to crossgamechat@playstationlifestyle.net or PSLifeStyle via Twitter.

Cameron’s ~~Anime Recommendation~~ Music Pick

Fact

PMC’s ~~Music Pick~~ Anime Recommendation

Yu Yu Hakusho

Cross Game Chat #64 – Games We’re Glad We Didn’t Review

Josh Fernandes — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:18:55 +0000

Today, is a fun podcast. We talk about games that we are glad we didn’t have to review – there are plenty of bad games that we are glad we didn’t review, but there are some AAA games on our list as well. In addition, Square Enix is back in the news again… no, it isn’t good news. Also, John Carmack is ~~complaining about~~ discussing the limits of developing for consoles. On the bright side, there is some great news about the PlayStation Vita and remote play.

This Week’s News Topics

Rumor: Vita Allows You to Play All PS3 Games Anywhere With Remote Play Read>>
Sony: PS4 Releasing Significantly Later Than Competition Would Be “Undesirable” Read>>
Ridge Racer Vita Might Be A Glorified Demo Read>>
Killzone 3 Multiplayer May Be Sold Separately Read>>
Motorstorm RC Announced Read>>
Square Enix Shares Reasons Behind Producing FFXIII-2 Read>>
Carmack Found it Too Hard to Obtain 60 FPS on Consoles Read>>
Suikoden PSP Gets Release Date in Japan Read>>

Unfortunately, our media player still isn’t working, so use the direct download link or get the file from the RSS feed to listen.

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Next week, we will talking about the winners and losers for November. We want to hear what games were on your radar, so be sure to send in an email to crossgamechat@playstationlifestyle.net or PSLifeStyle Via Twitter. We are also looking for any ideas for features. If we don’t get ideas, then Cameron has to come up with the feature and that always ends badly.

Cameron’s Anime Recommendation

D.N. Angel

PMC’s Music Pick

Rise Against

Cross Game Chat #63 – Skyrim Flaws and Food in Video Games

Josh Fernandes — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:24:13 +0000

So, news has gotten out that Rockstar doesn’t want to make a sequel to Bully 2. Listen to hear what the guys think about the revelation, in addition to news about Stuart Black’s new game and SEGA’s annnouncement to revive an old franchise. Since Thanksgiving is coming up, the guys talk about their favorite uses of food in video games. Also listen in for a mini-rant about the flaws in Skyrim.

This Week’s News Topics

Rockstar Shelves Plans for Bully 2Read>>
PSVita’s available in color cases Read>>
SEGA Developing Epic Revival of Beloved IP Read>>
Stuart Black’s New Shooter Announced Read>>
Square Signs Deal for Epic’s Unreal 3 Engine Read>>
Ken Levine not too keen on Bioshock Movie Read>>
Sorcery is Still in Development Read>>

Please note: The podcast player is experiencing some difficulties and may not work. In that case, please use the download links below.

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We are always open to ideas for features so be sure to send an email with your ideas to crossgamechat@playstationlifestyle.net or PSLifeStyle at Twitter.

Cameron’s Recommendation

Until Death Do Us Part

PMC’s Music Pick

Basement Jaxx

Stuart Black’s New Shooter Announced, Set During WWII

Josh Fernandes — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:07:20 +0000

Are you ready to fight some Nazis? Okay, World War II has been the backdrop for a few dozen video games, but now Stuart Black wants to try his hand at fighting Hitler. Formerly of Codemasters, Stuart Black has moved on to working with City Interactive and today, announced his first game with them, Enemy Front.

Enemy Front is set to be a realistic WWII shooter, set on giving gamers a visceral experience. As City Interactive describes the game,

The realistic tale of a hardened soldier dropped behind Nazi lines to engage in dynamic, diversified missions ranging from quick skirmishes, espionage assignments, and sabotage activities.

In particular, some of those missions will involve the Wolf’s Lair and deciphering the Enigma code. The Wolf’s Lair was a command bunker used by the nazis and it was the scene of an assassination attempt on Hitler, as portrayed in the 2008 movie Valkyrie. However, the story also describes the nazis as working on a “super weapon” that will guarantee them victory, so Black is taking some liberties with historical accuracy. Black’s style of gameplay would suggest that he would curb other historical accuracies to custom taylor missions for the game. Also, the game is being built with the CryEngine 3, so there is sure to be plenty of detail in all those explosions and firefights. Enemy Front will release sometime in 2012. Check out the screenshots below, and boy, do those Nazis look good.