Tech Blog

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The release of new additions to the Playstation 3 " Greatest Hits " library has to be among my favourite times of the year . Not only do many great , older PS3 games resurface and get released in a shiny new red case , there is always a significant price reduction ( sometimes as high as 50 %). For gamers like me who are a little picky about which games I'm willing to plunk down my hard-earned dough on , it's refreshing and even inviting when you see the value proposition " Greatest Hits " titles have to offer .

Back in late May , Sony announced that six more PS3 titles would be inducted into the " Greatest Hits " library starting on June 16 . According the intel I've read , to be considered as a " Greatest Hit " a PS3 game has to be on the market for at least 11 months and has to have sold a minimum of 500 , 000 copies worldwide .

With the new batch of games out now I thought I'd do a two-part run-down of what's available and some thoughts / impressions I have on the games . For sake of transparency , I've played three of the six games extensively and had some hands-on time with the demos of the remaining three . I'll indicate which is which for each game .

Devil May Cry 4 ( Capcom )

What is it ? Devil May Cry 4 immerses gamers in a gothic supernatural world , where a new protagonist clashes with a familiar hero . As the new leading man , Nero , players will unleash incredible attacks and non-stop combos using a unique new gameplay mechanic , his powerful “ Devil Bringer ” arm . Ths was one of the first supposed * PS3 exclusive * games that eventually jumped ship and was also released on the Xbox 360 . The game was released on February 5 , 2008 .

What do I think of the game ? Aside from Devil May Cry 2 ( PS2 ) which was somewhat of a dud , this franchise has always been pretty solid . I've put in several hours into the Devil May Cry 4 demo for PS3 and thought overall that it was a quality game . The game retains the attributes that fans have liked in previous versions such as the over the top fighting sequences , visually arresting graphics , tons of replayability , and plenty of unrelenting action . Since the game has a long history on Playstation consoles, many people ( GamePro included ) consider this game to control a bit better on the PS3 than the Xbox 360 . You'll have to be a bit patient though as the game takes a whopping 20 + minutes to install ( 5GBs are required ). If you like action games such as Heavenly Sword, God of War, or Dynasty Warriors you should have a blast with this title.

ESRB Rating : " M " for Mature

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue ( Sony Computer Entertainment )

What is it ? Developed by Polyphony Digital , Inc , Gran Turismo 5 Prologue forte is extreme realism in the racing category with its quality of design and physics technology . Players can race , either online or offline , more than 70 realistically detailed vehicles on tracks from around the world . This game is considered by many to be a * demo * of Gran Turismo 5 which should release .. .some day . The game was released on April 15 , 2008 .

What do I think of the game ? I picked up this game last year and to be honest , I have mixed feelings about it . It's certainly breathtaking to look at and the controls are top-notch for a racing sim . While many people do consider this a demo , with six tracks and 70 cars there is certainly enough content to give you plenty to play with . My biggest gripe about the game is simply that I feel this release is milking the series a bit too much . To me it seems the main reason this game was brought out is because Sony knows the Gran Turismo series is a system seller and GT5 was a long way off last April . In fact it's still a long way off a full year later . To put the game into perspective , when Gran Turismo 4 was released it featured more than 50 tracks and more than 700 cars . Even at a reduced price I still think only hardcore racers should apply . For everyone else , wait until GT5 comes out , or consider getting other top-notch PS3 racers such as Burnout Paradise, GRID, or Pure.  If you own an Xbox 360, you might want to consider getting Forza Motorsport 3 which drops this October .

ESRB Rating : “ E ” for Everyone

Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of the Patriots ( Konami )

What is it ? The final chapter in the saga of Solid Snake which sends him around the world in pursuit of his arch nemesis , Liquid Ocelot . In his final mission , Snake must sneak deep into enemy locations in the Middle East , South America , and other corners of the earth to foil Liquid Ocelot plans for total world domination . The game was released on June 12 , 2008 .

What do I think of the game ? Absolutely stellar , in fact this was the game that prompted me to buy a PS3 a little over a year ago . Since the Metal Gear Solid franchise made its debut on the PSone it has been a flagship series for the Playstation brand . MGS4 is no different , offering quite possibly the best graphics on any home console , 20 + hours of entertainment , plus plenty of replay value with the inclusion of many unlockables , hidden weapons and rankings . The game also comes equipped with Metal Gear Online , a full multiplayer game based in the Metal Gear universe and employing the same tactics of stealth , camouflage and grapples . I voted the title as my PS3 Game of the Year on NextGen Player so it pretty much goes without saying that this game gets my highest accolades . My only warnings are that this game is a HDD memory sucker , taking up a 5GBs of space , and the game also contains an absurd amount of cutscenes -- many of which are 15 minutes or longer . If you're the type that enjoys fast transitions between CG cutscenes and gameplay you'll be a little frustrated with this game . I suppose you could skip the movie sequences , but that almost defeats the purpose of playing this story-driven masterpiece .

ESRB Rating : “ M ” for Mature

Stay tuned for the remaining three game impressions tomorrow . Until then , happy gaming !

Message Edited by PaulH on 07-02-2009 11:43 PM

Message Edited by Laura on 08-21-2009 05:04 PM