PlayStation Move: The Complete Report

Motion controls are definitely being seen as the next big thing to embrace videogaming this decade. Driven by the success of Nintendo’s Wii, both Sony and Microsoft are now attempting to steal away some of the Big N’s dedicated fan base with their own attempts at motion control. While Microsoft are pursuing a controller less system of body and movement tracking, Sony are playing the head to head game with Nintendo, featuring a wand-style controller design, along with head tracking and more advanced movement in conjunction with using their PS Eye camera.

At GDC10, Sony revealed a near finished version of what they are now calling the PlayStation Move, previously known by the codenames of Gem, or more recently PlayStation Arc, and originally referred to as simply, the ‘PlayStation Motion Controller’. Two individual parts making up a complete set of controls for the device was shown, one recognising various movements and actual screen positioning, and the other used as a secondary option for games also requiring more traditional controls in addition to motion recognition. Both serve as Sony’s higher end tech approach to Nintendo’s Wii Remote and Nunchuck.

Sony first showed off the ‘Move’ at E3 2009, in which audiences were presented with a device not too dissimilar from the Wii Remote, but featuring a more curved ergonomic shape, and a round glowing ball on the end. On first impressions the Move looks much like a highly modified Microphone controller for use with Singstar, but with the glowing Ping Pong ball attached. However the device is flatter on the underside, and features an array of buttons found on the Dual Shock 3 and Sixaxis controllers. The controller also features the full rumbling capabilities of the Dual Shock 3, and vastly superior motion handling compared to the Sixaxis.


On the underside of the Move, near the end, you have one analogue trigger, whilst on the front you have the main ‘Move’ button, surrounded by the ‘square’ and ‘cross’ buttons on one side, and ‘triangle’ and ‘circle’ on the other. Below this sits the iconic ‘home’ button with the familiar ‘PS’ logo on it. Further down sees a Sony logo placed above the small and familiar, square-shaped red light, used to indicate power and connection of the controller with the PS3. The Move itself is fully wireless, featuring a built in battery just like the standard Official PS3 controllers, and is charged by using the same USB cable as those. The port for this sits underneath the bottom of the Move controller directly, just where on the Wii Remote the Nunchuck would plug into.

Using different sphere colours for each controller, up to four Move controllers can be tracked at once with the PlayStation Eye. At the GDC Sony showed off demos for the PlayStation Move using one Move motion controller, as well as some which used two motion controllers, where the user hold one in each hand. Initially, Sony has stated that all launch titles for the device would be playable with just a single Move controller, with additional options for use with multiple motion controllers. This is being done to minimize the cost for the user, to make it more appealing for the casual gamer, and to allow a faster uptake of the device, otherwise hindered by an additional expense of buying several controllers.

The other part of the Move experience is the Sub-Controller, which looks very similar to the Move itself, having almost the same rounded, ergonomically designed shape, but featuring a slight downwards curve on the underside at the front. The Sub-Controller is essentially Sony’s Nunchuck companion to the main Move device, and is used to facilitate the duties usually carried out by the Dual Shock 3 controller.


Around the font, and at the top of the controller, sits a single Dual Shock 3 style analogue stick. Below this sits the ‘cross’ and ‘circle’ buttons, whilst a traditional d-pad is situated directly below these. Just down from this is the ‘home’ button, marked again by the ‘PS’ wording printed on top. Like with the Move controller the ’Sub’ also features a printed Sony logo at the bottom, along with the power and sync light. Lastly, on the underside of the unit, situated at the front, you’ll find both an L1 button, and L2 analogue trigger. Unlike the Move controller the Sub has no rumble or motion handling capabilities. It is unclear whether this is the case due to either a lack of software using these features, or simply, that the controller just lacks these abilities outright.

These two separate parts, and the use of the PS Eye make up the complete overall motion experience that is PlayStation Move. In many ways usage of this system should be almost identical o that of Nintendo’s Wii. Certainly judging by the early reports from GDC 10, this seems to be the case, although one single element sticks out from Ninty’s system, and also borrows a chunk right out of Natal. This is the Move’s ability for accurate body and face recognition features in addition to the standard motion controls available.

By using the PS Eye camera’s ability to track head movements in combination with the sensors inside the Move, and through the ball on the end, allows the system to track basic body movements in a 3D space, much like how Natal does. However the Move and the PS Eye system in combination can operate within just 1 or 2 frames of additional lag, meaning that at best only around 66ms of lag will be present on the console side of things. Most decent HDTV’s will add around 15 to 38ms of lag on top of that, which in total is on roughly on par with what games like Halo 3 are providing, minus additional lag via the TV. In worst case scenarios total lag is likely to be around 150ms including HDTV lag, in a fully optimised title. This however is still much better than the kind of lag most Natal titles are having to deal with, but sadly, there was nothing software-wise remotely finished enough at GDC to make any solid technical statements to back these up, other than the raw factual data about how the Move operates.


So the Move can handle at least basic body recognition, and is extremely accurate with very little control lag. But how does it do this, and why does it have the potential to work so well?

Well, we’ll start off by explaining how the actual Move wand works itself. The glowing ball on the end of the controller glows in a range of colours using the built-in RGB LEDs, these colours serve as a marker of sorts in which the PS Eye can track along in its image plane. The rounded shape of the ball, and the size of the light, allows the PS3 to determine the distance of the controller from the PS Eye via the light’s image size, enabling the controller’s position to be tracked in three dimensions, with a great deal of accuracy. This sphere-based calculation method, allows the controller to operate with minimal processing lag compared to other ways of image processing via the camera. Which is why there is expected to be slightly more lag when using the PS Eye to help track body movements, even though is likely to be no more than around 2 or 3 fames at most.

In addition to this, the Move also features a range of internal sensors to also help with movement and position tracking, especially in situations in which the device is hidden from the PS Eye camera. A pair of inertial sensors inside the controller, along with a three-axis linear accelerometer, and a three-axis angular rate sensor, are used to track rotation and overall motion of the device. In addition to this, an internal magnetometer is used for calibrating the controller against the Earth’s magnetic field to aid in correcting cumulative errors, or drift, if you will, in the inertial sensors. All these sensors can be used to track the position of the controller when obscured from the camera, such as when held behind the player’s back, or behind another player in the same room. Meaning that the Move isn’t completely reliant on the PS Eye in order to function correctly at all times.

In terms of the level of precision this system provides, Eye Toy creator Richard Marks stated that “the sphere's position along the camera's image plane can be resolved at a really sub-pixel level”, which in terms of accuracy, allows for some pin-point adjustments and subtleties not available to either Natal or the Wii Remote with Motion Plus enabled. This means that one-to-one recognition will be available as standard, and will be easier to achieve than on Nintendo’s Wii Remote and Motion Plus. Also, that this kind of accuracy should be available when talking about the full body tracking made possible by using the PS Eye.


More information was forthcoming at Sony's GDC press conference, with David Coombes, and Anton Mikhailov showcasing a number of technical demonstrations, many of which showed audiences the Move's pinpoint precision and low latency. Along with these, they also discussed how the Move supports full body tracking, showing a demo of an on-screen puppet being controller by the use of the Move and PS Eye, not unlike similar demos for Natal.

Like I mentioned earlier, body tracking is made possible by the combined use of the Move and the PS Eye’s head tracking abilities. According to the GDC presentation, the PS3 will also be able to detect faces, identifying individuals through face contour and feature detection. It will also be able to recognize gender, age, smiles and when eyes open and close, in addition to tracking movement. All of this is also done with minimal processing lag, hopefully allowing maximum responsiveness on the users end.

Coombes explained during the presentation, that all the calculations to do with the image processing are done by the Cell CPU, which is perfectly suited to the high levels of floating point calculations needed for such a task. Apparently the raw data taken from the Move and PS Eye can be processed in “under a frame” in optimum circumstances to around one to two fames in most others. The amount of memory usage for the whole process is also only around 1-2MB of system memory, which Mikhailov described as being truly “insignificant”.

Essentially what this means, is that the Move when used with the camera, can not only handle direct one-to-one motion tracking, but also what amounts to augmented reality applications too, all with extremely high levels of accuracy, without too much impact on user control or fluidity. Of course it will be down to the software, and developers to make sure everything is implemented and optimised in a way in which to take advantage of these advanced features. If they do so, the Move could well be an impressive solution to handling some of the controller less type games so integral to the Natal experience, whilst also providing a platform for ‘core’ gamers to enjoy the benefits of motion control.

Unfortunately, Sony failed to show off any unique, or particularly polished software at their GDC press conference. Most of the titles simply featured merely serviceable levels of motion control, with noticeable lag being present, or in some cases a complete lack of on-to-one motion handling at all. Some of the Sports titles displayed seemed to rely more on gesture-based systems than the high end tracking available with Move.


However Sony did manage to demonstrate two or three games, which used the Move in the precise ways shown in their technical demos. The first of these was the newly revealed SOCOM 4, which used the Move in combination with the Sub-Controller exactly like Resident Evil 4, or Metroid Prime 3 on the Wii. The Move device handled all the aiming and shooting, while the Sub-Controller was used for moving your character around amongst other things. Sony showed a demo of SOCOM 4 in action, using the two-controller set-up. The difference being that the pointer precision was far more accurate than on Nintendo’s console, and the motion detection seemed to have a greater range of sensitivity; The second was another in-house Sony product, titled Motion Fighters, a boxing game showing off the full body tracking capable by the Move, and lastly, camera-enabled real time 3D interaction in Move Party. For each of these demos the Move was shown to be incredibly accurate, with regards to response time and tracking. However the software had a number of glitches, and Move support was obviously very early, leading to problems with lag and calibration issues.

So far, what has been revealed, shows off a tantalizing potential for Sony's Move device, producing a one-fits-all controller which could well become the new standard in motion-based gaming. However despite this, Sony had very little in the way of real polished software, certainly nothing screaming out as essential as to buying the Move, plus, as of now, there are still far too many questions left unanswered. We still don’t know if the Sub-Controller has any motion capabilities, and nothing concrete was revealed on the pricing structure, or if any solid bundles featuring the PS3 and the complete Move package would be available at launch.

Sony did confirm that they were looking into providing something along these lines, though obviously subject to change at the moment.

- A basic starter kit, which includes a PlayStation Move controller, along with a PlayStation Eye and a demo disc, for no more than $100. This seems to be the basic entry package.

- A pack which includes a PlayStation 3 console, DualShock 3, PlayStation Eye, and PlayStation Move motion controller.

- Lastly, a bundle with a PlayStation Move controller with selected games.

Other than the rough $100 entry package, no other specific pricing details were revealed, and disappointingly there was no mention of a complete package with a Sub-Controller, leading me to believe that you may well have to buy it separately. On top of the above options, you can expect to be able to buy extra Move controllers, and Sub-Controllers separately. Though again, no pricing details were announced at this time.

It is believed that Sony will be making a full unveiling of the PlayStation Move, along with pricing and more polished software at this year’s E3 expo. There we shall be able to see if they’re on target to deliver some of the initial promises of actually having the most accurate, and most responsive motion control system this generation. We shall also will be able to see how the Move stacks up against Microsoft’s Natal, and to see which one provides the user with a greater range of motion controlled gaming experiences.

You can expect a fully featured tech article at IQGamer later on in the year, along with a full hands-on with both Controllers. Until then, we’ll be sure to fill you in on any details passing our way.

Capcom Shows Off Super Street Fighter IV At GDC

The odd and rather eccentric cast of characters in the forthcoming Super Street Fighter IV is about to get a whole lot weirder, as today at the GDC, Capcom unveiled yet another wacky addition to the line up of pugilists. Along with revealing a new character, they also showed off a brand new trailer for the game, featuring footage of new stages, new moves and of course, Hakan, the somewhat oily new addition to the established cast.

Hailing from Turkey, with a ruby-red skin complex, hulking great biceps, and a mean streak to boot, comes Hakan, the latest in a long line of grapple-based Street Fighters. This latest addition to the SF roster is bizarrely, a Turkish oil wrestler, a character who loves nothing more than to lube himself up with the slimy liquid, before using it to quickly slide around evading capture, whilst squeezing the seven shades out of anyone who stands in his way. Pretty odd you might think, but is that any different from the Rufus, whose size and sheer BMI does little to slow him down, making him a deadly contender to come up against.

It’s no surprise then, to hear that Yoshinori Ono went out deliberately looking for such a strange style of fighting when given the task of creating another new Street Fighting addition. His team whilst working on finishing the game actually spent time searching around on the Internet in order to come up with ideas for this latest creation, settling for an interesting and rather amusing fighting style. What’s more peculiar, is that Oil Wrestling is a recognised martial art common place in Turkey, and has been the inspiration for many over-the-top fight scenes in various action movies over the years – The Transporter easily coming to mind.


If you still think that the potential for such a character was a little off the wall, then wait until you see him battle it out in the game. Hakan is primarily a grapple-based fighter, but that doesn’t mean to say that he’s slow, or lacking in stamina. This guy can not only move but has the ability to use his oiliness (what a word eh?) to escape from throws and holds, even using one of his Ultra’s purely for defensive purposes. His range of moves is also completely affected by just how oily he is, with players being able to add more oil to his body by pulling off a Dragon Punch style motion in combination with any of the kick buttons. Unique? Bloody awesome I’d say.

In terms of moves, Hakan has a total of four Specials available, one Super, and Two Ultras, one of which is completely different to any other we’ve seen before. His basic Specials consists of mainly throws, the first being the Oil Rocket (performed via a full 360 degree stick movement plus a punch button), which then sees Hakan grabbing his foe in a bear hug, before squeezing ever tighter until they slip out of his clutches; following up is the Oil Dive, in which Hakan will grab his opponent before using them as a sledge across the ground; and finally we have the Oil Slide, a move which is used to knock opponents on to the ground by seeing Hakan slide across the floor, after which he can perform a body slam by the player hitting a punch button at the end of the slide. With this particular move, how oily you are determines the speed and force of movement, creating more damage the faster you connect.


His Super move, the Flying Oil Spin, sees him running towards his opponent at close range, before finishing up with a brutal, heavy-hitting combination attack, looking like an extension of several of his Special moves, just vastly powered up.

Moving on to Ultra’s, Hakan has one Ultra primarily for offence, and one used for totally for defensive purposes, something usually found in SNK’s King Of Fighters series with regular Special moves. The Oil Coaster, for example is designed for maximum damage, and is done in the same outrageously OTT approach as all his other moves. When performing it, the opponent is grabbed, thrown in the air, and then slid around Hakan’s body almost like a heavy-handed towel rub - because too much oil is never good for the skin; While his second Ultra, the Oil Combination Hold, sees him fall flat on his back, waiting for an unsuspecting opponent to jump in for the kill. When they do, they find themselves slipping and falling straight on his stomach, before bouncing off onto the ground. Afterwards Hakan, gets up and jumps right on them, proceeding to squeeze as hard as he can, before shooting them out through between his legs, and across the screen.


So far this has to be the funniest off-the-wall character to grace the Street Fighter world, it’s a brilliant choice, packed with tons of personality and a completely different style, in which I can see plenty of high level players adopting. Also, as an alternative to Rufus and Zangief, Hakan features plenty of potential, and will no doubt teach those dime-a-dozen Ryu and Ken players a thing or two. So forget trying to spam everyone with those fireballs.

Super Street Fighter IV is being released on the 30th, April 2010 for both PS3 and Xbox 360 systems. The game will feature ten more characters new to SFIV, including some completely new faces, along with new backgrounds, an expanded online mode, a more robust replay feature, plus a return of those car-smashing and barrel-breaking bonus games first sighted in Street Fighter II.

Expect to see loads more coverage of Super Street Fighter IV at IQGamer, every step of the way.

Download the full HQ 720 Trailer right here.

Review: Mega Man 10 (Wii)

Mega Man 10 is a throwback to the 8bit games of old, built around the constant repetition of learning enemy attack patterns and level layouts, merciless in its difficulty, and utterly unforgiving to anyone devoid of such prior experience. It harks back to the days where the term ‘hardcore’ referred to as many gamers as today’s mainstream generation, and in which steep learning curves, and the desire to be the best at the game was everything. In short, it could be described as the perfect title to describe what it means to be a ‘hardcore’ gamer, whilst also showing how far removed today’s games have become.

Available for a pretty reasonable £7 on PSN, XBL and Wii Ware, Mega Man 10 is a brand new, rip-roaring, blast from the past platform shooter, based on the same highly-loved design blueprint so finely crafted in the NES classic, Mega Man 2. It follows on from last years 8bit inspired Mega Man 9, continuing in the same style as that title, whilst providing additional extras to extend replay value and keep an air of freshness about the proceedings. It’s also bloody hard, so much so, that many gamers of today just won’t be prepared to face what awaits them. At least there’s an Easy Mode, which although is no cakewalk, provides a reasonable challenge in which to enjoy the game without wanting to throw your controller at the TV screen.


Going through Mega Man 2 for the first time, after opening up the packaging with all the wonderment in the world, as you did when you were still only knee high, was an extremely exciting, and often infuriating experience, despite the fact that most games back then required quick reactions and exemplary gaming skills to play properly. It was a tough trial and error type of gaming, something that coming from the likes of Super Mario Bros, I was completely unused to, but in which I learned to persevere and gain precious enjoyment from.

Fast forward some twenty years or so, and I can barely make it through the first stage of that very same game without dying dozens of times, or without screaming out at how unfair the god damn game is. A little strange then that only a few years after going back to Mega Man 2, that I was blasting my way though most of Ikaruga on the GameCube relishing the challenge. I guess that my opinion of shumps differs radically to what a good platform shooter should consist of, or maybe I’ve just been made a little too soft by the games of today. So when it came to actually buying Mega Man 10 for review, I was somewhat apprehensive as to whether I could garner any enjoyment at all from the game. It turns out my fears were misplaced, as although incredibly tough at times, MM 10 is a vastly enjoyable ride, full of satisfaction when you finally blast your way past ‘that’ initially impossible to beat stage.

Right off the bat you can tell that the level designs and methods of creating a tough, but fair challenge are straight out of Mega Man 2, the most popular title in the series. You are yet again presented with a choice of eight Robot Masters to defeat. Selecting each one takes you to the game’s one of eight selectable levels, after which you are faced with some predetermined end stages. All of these last levels are incredibly tough, much tougher than any of the ones before, requiring both skill and patience to persevere, and maybe a bit of luck too. After finishing a level you are given the option to buy extra lives and other upgrades at a post-level shop, along with the ability to save your progress, including any lives or power ups that you’ve bought. This does make the game a bit easier, and at least means that you don’t have to start over when you lose all your lives, just from the begging of the next level you choose to do.

Like in Mega Man 2, our main hero, Mega Man, is equipped with only his trusty triple shot arm-mounted Mega Buster, and his cool robot dog companion, Rush. Rush has special abilities to help you, such as transforming into the springboard-like Rush Coil mode, and later, the aerial based, Rush Jet mode, available after clearing four stages of the game. There’s no slide option from the likes of Mega Man 3, or the ability to charge up his Mega Buster shots as found in Mega Man 4 either. It’s strictly back to the basics, which tightly held together the highly rated second game. It also means that you have to rely more on raw skill than fancy abilities to get through the game, increasing challenge, but also keeping things straightforward.


However, after beating each of the individual stage bosses, the Robot Masters, you do actually unlock a new weapon, which can help you defeat the boss of another stage. Which stage of course, is a mystery, and it’s only after playing through a variety of stages first, can you see which new weapon works best against which boss. At first I didn’t use any of these powered up additions, instead resorting solely using my Mega Buster, making the task at hand much more difficult. Although, after trying out one of these upgrades I found some of the later bosses much easier to take down, and the overall battles far more rewarding to play through. This is something that Mega Man 10 thoroughly gives you credit for, skill, strategy and extremely quick reflexes, perfectly representing the majority of games from the 8bit era.

For those of you who miss the extra depth afforded by the additional moves Mega Man 3&4 provided, Capcom have included Proto Man as an additional character to play as right off the bat. Playing as this alternative hero adds much replay value to the title, allowing you to go through the entire game again in what seems like a fresh experience, with a greater amount of strategy and challenge.

Proto Man, for those who aren’t versed in Mega Man lore, is actually Mega Man’s brother, created by Dr Light, and first appearing in Mega Man 3 as Break Man, one of the stage bosses found in that title. Proto Man, like Mega Man in the later games in the series, has the ability to both slide along the ground, and use charging shots from his arm-cannon. He also carries along with him a shield, which protects against small shots and certain projectiles, whilst using individual items to simulate Mega Man’s Rush Coil and Jet Rush. In order to keep the game’s difficulty balanced, Proto Man can only fire two shots at one time, instead of three, and is receptive to twice as much damage as Mega Man, at the same time being knocked back twice as far when hit.

In addition to the two fully playable characters, Mega Man 10 also has a few modes to keep you occupied after completing the main game. These consist of a Time Attack Mode, in which players work their way through any unlocked stages, posting their times to an online leader board, and a Challenge Mode, containing 88 different challenges ranging from defeating end bosses without getting hit, to finishing a stage in a certain time. Most of these are unlocked as you play through the game on Normal difficulty, but the ones which are not, can still be unlocked by finishing the game on any of the three, Easy, Normal or Hard Difficulty levels. Suffice to say, the Challenge Mode will certainly provide hardcore gamers with a reason to keep playing Mega Man 10, especially when doing so increases your overall rating at the end. Again it all goes back to having something to show off to the online community, or simply to prove that you’ve still got what it takes.


Visually, you know what to expect from Mega Man 10. The game is done in the same 8bit inspired design as with Mega Man 9, accurately resembling the look and style of the classic NES instalments, right down to the sprite limitations and limited screen movement. There’s also the option of switching on Legacy Mode too, which basically adds sprite flicker to areas of the screen with various overlapping graphics. The style is definitely basic, but charming all the same, and is most representative of the Mega Man character as a whole.

Personally, I would have preferred to see a sequel developed with 16bit graphics and sensibilities in mind, rather than another 8bit instalment. However after giving the game a chance, I have to say that that the NES style does no harm, and only helps enhance that nostalgic feeling when playing through the game.

Another cool touch, this time outside of the actual game itself, is that Capcom have seen fit to create brand new artwork for the title, a parody of the god-awful package art donning those original NES classics, acknowledging the many failed attempts at Americanising the design of the character through much of the late eighties and early nineties. You might have noticed this odd looking piece of artwork used right at the beginning of the review, and is cause for much hilarity at IQGamer, especially as it hardly represents the game or it’s characters accurately in anyway. Good times, and great to see Capcom is having as much fun indulging with it's history, as we are remembering all those horrid cases from yesteryear.

One thing I wasn’t initially so pleased about though, is the resolution Mega Man 10 is rendered in.

Sadly the Wii version of MM 10 doesn’t display in 240p, instead being displayed in either upscalled 480i/p modes, resulting in either a mildly pixelated image, or a slightly blurry one. The 480i mode at least has flicker reduction to prevent the usual interlacing flicker from becoming too noticeable, though 240p would have provided a sharper more stable option, whilst being authentic to how the game would have originally looked. Despite this, the game still looks great for what it is, and I didn’t find the resolution issues a hindrance to my enjoyment of the title, instead being drawn in to the look and feel of what was in offer.


Along with the authentic 8bit graphics, you also have NES inspired theme tunes, sound effects and music. Much of the music is incredibly catchy, and perfectly suits the tone of the game. At many points during the game the high tempo beats, and eclectic electronica, served only to heighten the tension felt whilst trying to blast my way through to the end. It’s particularly nice to have such an effort made to producing these kinds of sounds. Although basic and repetitive at times, there creation is an art form long since lost with the advent of CD-based midi soundtracks.

Overall Mega Man 10 is an awesome retro-styled return for the titular blue hero, packed full of challenging and addicting gameplay that will certainly separate the unsuspecting casual player from the hardcore. It’s a throwback to the pure unrelenting simplicity of the past, and one which works so well today, as it has done some twenty years before. Sure, you could argue that some of the ways the game creates its infuriating challenge is decidedly cheap – for example when the game respawns downed enemies because you’ve moved the screen forwards a little, only for you to return and realise you have to kill them all again – but that’s just part of the limitations of the old NES hardware, and part of the charm in playing a brand new 8bit instalment of a much loved franchise.

My time with Mega Man 10 has been an exciting, fun, and frustrating one, a solid learning experience towards honing back in that skill and determination needed in conquering such a title. At the same time reaffirming what it takes to be a hardcore gamer, and reminding us all that sometimes simple games can be more involving than the latest 40 hour blockbuster. It certainly won’t be to everyone’s tastes, and I’d recommend anyone new to the franchise to download the demo on PSN and XBL first, as the challenge and impact is pretty intense straight on in. However I do feel that most should be able to enjoy the moderate challenge on Easy Mode, and will quickly get used to the cheap, rinse and repeat nature of the game.


As a sequel to Mega Man 9, and the entire legacy cast down by the NES series as a whole, Mega Man 10 is a complete success. It’s perhaps only held back by being yet another sequel based on the design left by Mega Man 2, a title whose blueprint is in danger of becoming slightly worn out. But still, it’s a highly fun, challenging experience, in which fans of the franchise, and aging hardcore gamers won’t want to miss. And for those waiting for a true 16bit Super NES style sequel? I’d say, show your support by purchasing Mega Man 10, as Capcom are currently mulling over taking these retro updates in such a direction.

VERDICT: 8/10

Feature: Hands-On Nintendo DSi XL

Perhaps I should’ve known better, but after launching the DSi I didn’t expect Nintendo to be releasing another version of their ultra successful NDS range of handhelds so soon. Counting up the various revisions brings the current total up to four, including the latest DSi XL, and exceeding variations available for both the original GameBoy and the GameBoy Advance. Whilst most of these updates have resulted in a smaller, more compact edition being released, with the DSi XL Nintendo have gone down the opposite route and given us the biggest DS yet.

Surely people aren’t going to fall for yet another version of the same thing, especially one which is simply larger than all the others, and features a small amount of built in software?


Well judging by sales of the new console in Japan, and by the pre-order numbers here in the UK, it looks like Nintendo have another hit on their hands, albeit a much smaller one that with the DS lite. At the same time with the XL, Nintendo don’t seem to be aiming the system at everyone - how many times have you heard grandma, or one of your aunties talk about using ‘that’ touch screen handheld at home; “I’ve just finished the Professor Layton game” or “that new brain game is what I’m going to be after next” along with “never thought I’d be into this, but it’s really quite fun” type scenarios - these are the kinds of people that Nintendo are pushing the system towards, ones that spend more time playing their DS’s at home rather than taking them out anywhere.

With that idea in mind, Nintendo have made the DSi XL the largest version of the DS yet, with what they are calling 93% bigger screens, though the logic isn’t quite so sound, but more on that later. Also, they’ve seen fit to include two bite-size pieces of software to keep the masses entertained for a little while after they first turn on the system. For Europe we’ve been given Dr. Kawashima’s: Little Bit of Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function, along with the enhanced DSi Browser, all of which come pre-installed on the machine. Again, showcasing the intended target audience outside regular gamers, and younger folk.


Nintendo’s DSi XL is available in two different colours here in the UK, with the options being a two-toned Dark Brown system, or a red one, referred to as Wine Red. The red XL lacks the two-tone coloured appearance of the brown but does feature the dual glossy top, shiny matte sides and bottom surfaces.

The overall look of both XL’s is immediately much sleeker than with the previous DSi models, featuring a stylish, glossy and smooth reflective finish on top, with shiny matte finish around the screen and on the undersides of both systems. However the Dark Brown model features a two-toned appearance, using a slightly lighter colour for the matte finish around the sides and underneath. This choice is slightly odd, but in my opinion makes the Dark Brown version appear more like a premium product, looking rather stylish, though some people at work strongly disagree, thinking it looks cheap as a result.

The XL measures 161 x 91.4 x 21.2 mm, and weighs 314 grams, compared to the DS Lite's 218g and the original DS's 300g, so it’s sizably weightier in addition to being a noticeably larger handheld.

The screens measure 4.2 inches diagonally across (3.36" x 2.52"), whilst the DSi's screens are 3.25 inches, and the DS Lite's screens are 3 inches respectively, making the XL screen size 93% larger than DS Lite's. However this official measurement uses an eschewed but legitimate method when working out the increased screen size, as the XL’s screen isn’t nearly twice as large as the DS Lite’ s, but instead being more like 50% physically bigger, which is exactly as it looks on the life-size comparison picture on the XL’s packaging, and when both machines are side by side.


The resolution of the XL’s screen is exactly the same as the ones found in all three of the other DS’s, a mere 256×192, which unfortunately due to the much larger screen size, creates a noticeably blockier look to games running on the XL when compared to the DSi or DS Lite. Effectively the pixel size is larger and more noticeable than before, giving off a screen-door effect to everything that is being displayed. What this means is that although things are larger and sometimes easier to see, they aren’t always as sharp or as clear. However this isn’t likely to be a problem for older audiences who mostly play titles such as Brain Training, or the Professor Layton style investigative type games, in which text is easier to read and the overall sense of scale increased, making it a more comfortable affair for longer sessions.

At least the screens are still native resolution, as having a higher resolution would require upscaling of all DS software, and the effect of this would be much worse than what we are seeing with the XL. To be honest, the DSi also suffered from the same problem due to having a larger screen also, however the issue was far subtler compared to what we are seeing here, and in the end most people won’t notice, or really care all that much. For pure clarity and sharpness though, nothing beats the good old DS lite.

In terms of d-pad, face buttons, and placement, the DSi XL features the same sturdier buttons and pad found on the DSi, feeling more plasticky than the ones used on the Lite, although they do seem slightly looser and more responsive than before, which is a nice improvement and makes playing the likes of Mario Kart easier, whilst not quite reaching the DS Lite level of comfort. All the buttons and d-pad sizes are exactly the same as with the DSi and DS Lite, although the DSi style power button has been given a smooth and shiny finish, which feels good when you press down on it.

The only complaint that comes to my mind with the current design, is that given the much larger size of the XL, the buttons feel so small in comparison to the rest of the system and would have benefited from being just a tad bigger. Doing this would have made the system even bigger, and I’m not sure that anybody would want that.

Despite a few issues and improvements, the DSi XL feels pretty comfortable to hold, and the larger screen size makes playing certain games a lot more fun, even with the blockier look, which I have to say has the opposite effect some games. The XL doesn’t feel like it weights too much, and given its size is perfect to rest on the edge of a sofa whilst playing if it becomes too heavy. I can see this being perfect for casual gamers who want something larger and easier to use at home, whilst still having their DSi or DS Lite for when out and about.


Like all the other DS’s that have gone before, the DSi XL features a stylus that slots into the unit itself, which is 4mm longer than the stylus on the DSi; so pretty much the same overall, in addition to a much chunkier, 129.3mm-long pen-shaped stylus, which can be tied onto the back of the XL if need be.

The DSi XL also comes with the same AC adaptor that changed the standard DSi, the first time that any of the NDS models have shared the same charger. Also Nintendo claims that the battery life in a fully-charged DSi XL with out last the DSi on both the lowest and the highest brightness settings. You can expect around 13-17 hours of playtime on the lowest brightness setting, compared to 9-14 on the DSi, and around 4-5 hours on the highest setting, one hour more than the DSi.

Overall, the DSi XL is a very nice addition to the NDS family of systems, weighing the same amount as the original DS, whilst looking considerably sleeker, packing more built-in features, and at the same time, increasing usability for anyone having trouble before due to the more compact nature of the handheld. There are some negatives though; mainly the blockier looking picture you get with the bigger screen, which looses some clarity in the process, and the fact that having the pen stylus attached to the back of the system feels a little awkward. However these concerns aren’t likely to be felt by most, who arguably just want something larger and easier to hold for prolonged sessions around the house. In which case the DSi XL succeeds.


For those looking to upgrade from an old DS Lite, that has maybe seen a little too much use, then I would probably recommend picking up the DSi instead, seeing as that particular system has similar screen quality to the Lite, whilst being compact enough to easily take with you on short notice journeys. The DSi XL on the other hand, represents a good investment for those looking to have two DS systems, one for extended home use, and one for travelling and outdoors, but not as a replacement for a standard DS system.

Either way it seems that Nintendo have once again caught the public’s imagination via another incremental upgrade to a now aging five year old handheld. Though I’d argue the point that maybe it’s time for them to be taking the next step, showing off a true successor to the NDS at some point later this year, one which has full backwards compatibility with the current systems, whilst bringing in a new style of gameplay and much better graphics. It’s not like they can get way with ‘another’ revision of the existing DS’s, especially since they have practically covered all bases.

Review: Heavy Rain (PS3)

There are a few games out there that aspire to becoming art, trying out new things in the aim of being seen as ‘different’ or ‘serious’, whilst at the same time there are games which are developed and made solely for our entertainment, as games, different due to the sheer imagination and creative brilliance of the team behind it, pushing boundaries in order to deliver something unique and fulfilling to gamers everywhere. These are the ones also considered by many to have entered the world of art, rather than just the confines of being innovative videogames.

Heavy Rain for me at least, is one that belongs in the former. A game which cries out to be recognised as more than just a videogame, as an interactive tale, a computer generated drama going beyond the shackles and conventions of the modern day videogame, a title which so desperately wants to be seen as some else, but in which by trying too hard, may perhaps not be seen as neither. Certainly whilst you could argue that all games are a form of art – they all have designs, inspirations, and are trying to tell us something, or make us react to them in some way – Heavy Rain definitely seems like it’s deliberately trying to step into those realms, rather than achieve this kind of status simply through original game design and a individualistic look.

Saying that, the game takes it’s blueprint firmly from those old early nineties laserdisc games, such as Dragon’s Lair or Space ace, along with a whole host of Mega CD FMV games, basically boiling down to a series of interactive cut-scenes and some set-pieces. There are parts in which you can walk around freely in the scene, examining and picking up various objects whilst looking for clues to find the killer, or to simply make progress by moving on the story. The ideas here are not wholly original, taking inspiration from newer games in the same genre. But where Heavy Rain does decide to do something different is to attempt to create a tightly directed narrative, whilst allowing the player to change fundamental parts of how it all plays out - or at least that is what your are meant to be able to do, being a tad too restrictive through the whole endeavour.


The game centres around four characters whose individual stories are all connected in some way to each other through the murder case surrounding the origami killer. You’ve got Ethan Mars, an architect constantly troubled by the death of one of his sons, now in turmoil due to losing a second to the origami killer; Scott Shelby, a private detective looking into the murder personally for the victims of the killer; Norman Jayden, an FBI profiler and relapsing drug addict; and finally Madison Paige, a photojournalist suffering from insomnia. Each of the characters stories may cross each other at some point in the game, depending on what you do and what the game wants you to know, whilst at least one of those is left almost completely redundant at the end of the experience.

Most of these characters are written with every cliché in the book, taken from various detective thrillers, horrors, and a few generic Hollywood cop movies. It’s hard to talk about why one of the characters is so much more interesting than the rest without breaking any spoilers on the story, suffice to say, that they make up the most interesting and sometimes involving parts of the game, though not the most exhilarating. Having said that, the story and overall narrative of the game does try – and occasionally succeeds – into drawing you in, making you actively question each of the characters motivations, their desires, and just how they fit into the piece of the puzzle that is Heavy Rain. At one point I thought that one of the main character’s plotline might be integral into how the endgame would eventually play out, a gelling factor into combining all four stories cohesively together. I however was very wrong, and it’s this character that in my opinion get the short end of the stick, especially when so much of what they do helps form the partially immersive experience the game provides on a few occasions, without it stumbling along the way.


This immersive experience is almost exclusively provided by the memorable musical score in conjunction with the unique controls the game presents you with. Heavy Rain effectively plays like an interactive movie, moving players through the game scene by scene, each time presenting choices for them to make, along with two distinct plays styles. The first has you walking around your environment interacting with various objects, talking to people, and picking up clues to further progress the story; the second sees you taking challenges and fights using the QTE style on screen prompts system found in games such as Shenmue and God Of War. However the system found in Heavy Rain is far more advanced, expanded upon with multiple button presses and use of the right analogue stick.

On screen prompts tell you which of the four face buttons or four shoulder buttons and triggers to press, in addition to moving or rolling around the right analogue stick, varying the speed and complexity at which these movements occur. Sometimes you will find yourself holding down all manner of combinations, whilst at the same frantically pushing down on another button struggling to complete the QTE, whilst feeling the sense of frustration shown by the character on screen.


These moments are utterly brilliant, and serve to completely connect you into the game world, and provide an almost tangible link between your actions and your characters. It’s cleaver stuff indeed, even though the game tends to re-use and repeat the same types of encounters all the way through diluting its impact the further on you go. However when you are presented something new, which uses this same system, it works to regain your attention sucking you back in, such as having the icons on screen shake and become semi transparent when your character is stressed or under pressure on screen, making the choice that much harder for you, or when using the method of making you button presses and holds more difficult to do when tackling a completely new obstacles which stand in your way.

Even with these revitalising moments there are still issues with the control scheme, and how the game uses it; far too often does it try out the same tricks but in a different skin. In addition with sections in which the player is free to move around and select which objects he or she wishes to interact with, the game almost always actively controls what it wants you to do, and in what order to do it. It’s only in the last third of the game does the experience fee up a little, making you decide which things to look at or investigate, the outcome being different if you miss out something, or choose not to do it. At the same time even in these scenarios, objects that you have interacted with in one scene are often ignored completely in another, leaving you with an illusion of choice and realism, whilst at other times the game will direct you to look at particular items without giving off a reaction when you eventually do. These items can be looked at over and over, but not once did the character I was controlling react to their presence. It seems that items used in this manner are simply to help the player in guessing who the origami killer is, and eventually influence their choices later on in the game.


Outside the QTE’s, the game will often present you with a number of choices in the form of options with regards to either speech or an action on screen. It also allows you to select and hear your characters thoughts, though this is largely superficial and only on one or two occasions did selecting my thoughts change what dialogue options that were available. In fact the choices you make during the first half of the game have virtually no impact outside the scene they are selected, minus a few cosmetic or superficial changes and dialogue inclusions. It’s not until the latter parts of the game – around the last third – that your choices begin to seriously impact the game’s conclusion, and start to branch off the story in different directions; characters can die for example; parts of the story may never come to light, and the killer might never be revealed. Quite why the game couldn’t have allowed for noticeable choices to be made whilst working to the different conclusions is beyond me. There was many times in which things could have played out differently without needing lots of new scenes or characters, which then arrive and end up going nowhere.

In the end, the much vaunted feature of choices and freedom amounted to very little until the end of the game, in which case the stage had been set and the journey had largely been directed tightly up to this point. This is done mainly to set up the narrative for the obligatory plot twist, which when it hits, has all the subtlety and refinement of a Steven Segal detective flick. The thing that I’m getting at, is that sometimes it’s the not the end that is all that important, but how you get there and what you do along the way.


This is perhaps the biggest issue I have with Heavy Rain, for a game so dependant on story and cinematics to succeed, it fails to put together an intriguing and concisely delivered narrative to the player, leaving many questions unanswered, and numerous gaping plot holes left wide open. Plenty of potentially interested leads and side stories are left on the sidelines, simply used to justify the twist near the end of the game and steer the narrative in one particular direction. At the same time the game becomes a cliché of various thrillers made in the last fifteen years of so, borrowing heavily from at least three films in particular - which ones I won’t say as that would certainly spoil the story.

Heavy Rain goes from presenting us with a fairly grounded thriller, to a Hollywood b-movie fantasy, taking away from what we believed to be a much more serious affair, which certainly, if director David Cage wanted us to cry, and feel with the characters, that’s not the approach needed for the player to fully believe what’s going on. At least near the end, the game actually allows you to make some real and meaningful choices, some of which will have one or more of the main characters die, the failure to reveal who is the origami killer, and of course to either save or not save your son. Other more subtle outcomes are present, such as what happens to one of the secondary characters if you choose to save her, or not.


Voice acting and dialogue throughout most of Heavy Rain is surprisingly poor for a game with such high production values, and for one which strongly aspires to be something else, a movie or, as Mr Cage would put it, an interactive drama. In scenes in which the player has no control, the voice acting ranges from very good to laughably bad, heading down the depth to Shemue-esque levels of cheese and ridiculousness. At other times the dialogue in combination with the characters, story and gameplay sequences can combine together to form a truly compelling experience. I found that the gameplay kept on sucking me back in despite the problems with the clichéd script and wooden acting.

Another area holding up the game in terms of believability and connection with the player is the game’s beautiful visuals. Heavy Rain is easily one of the best-looking games this generation, creating a lovingly crafted stylised realism through the use of art design and technology. It’s not as polished or as technically proficient as say, Uncharted 2, Crysis, or even Killzone 2, but it does feature some intricately crafted modelling work for both the characters and environments, finished off with superbly detailed textures, dynamic shadows which cast themselves from the characters onto the environments, and some trademark bloom via the use of HDR effects. It’s really quite stunning to behold, sometimes let down by occasional screen tearing, with a few bouts of slowdown, and some texture pop in when the game zooms in on various items.

Animation and motion capture work is also exemplary. Movements are incredibly realistic, and at times frightfully faithful to how you’d expect these characters to move and tussle in real life. The illusion is only broken when certain walking or running animations are repeated, or when two sets of motion capture work aren’t blended as well as they should have been.

You will also notice that the game’s collision detection occasionally falters; at one point my character was supposed to be cleaning out another’s lacerated wounds on their arm, but instead they appeared to be touching the bed sheets, whilst the other character was still reacting as if I was touching them. When these things happen they are not only laugh out loud funny, but also in turn only harm the stellar work the game does to draw you in to the experience.


It’s hard not to be critical when talking about the experience Heavy Rain provides. On one hand it’s a game which attempts to redefine the boundaries of creating an emotional connection between the player and the virtual world, through a compelling veil of choices and plot points, with a uniquely successful control system. On the other hand, it also takes so much inspiration from tired and tested movie formulas, that it becomes a simple cliché of what has been done before, at the same time trying to be cleaver and push the user into a thrill ride that doesn’t always make sense, stretching believability to the point of making the game seem like a cheap Saturday Night DTV spectacular.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my time with Quantic Dream’s interactive drama, as there were various points which had me utterly hooked, compelling me to play on, and gripping me in a way only a few games have ever done. The controls for me, stood out as a way of really immersing you in a world in which, although a little too disjointed, had the desired effect of creating tension, panic, and the sense of struggling against potential failure. I would argue that the story, voice acting, and delivery is far from the most involving I’ve seen in a game, and the central question that Heavy Rain asks of you: “How far would you go to save someone you love”, becomes at times something more like “How far will it actually let me go”, reflecting the smoke and mirrors method of delivering choices to the player for most of the game.

Most of the game’s issues seem to be the same as with those of Fahrenheit, a title which starts off relatively grounded, before descending into the realms of stupidity with paranormal activity and bizarre hallucinations, and whilst Heavy Rain doesn’t go that far down that road, it does try to turn an interesting little thriller into a Hollywood blockbuster.


Despite all these criticisms, David Cage’s stab at creating a compelling interactive movie is well worth a go, if only to sample the potential for something which at times is so involving and quite unique. It may not be to everyone’s taste, with some people being absolutely captivated by the overdone story filled with plot holes and unexplained situations; or with some like me, who feel that the heavy handed direction and lack of freedom – until the end, along with the mundane voice acting, ultimately subdues a potentially ground breaking experience.

I’m all for developers trying out new things, taking risks and attempting to find other ways of interacting with the user, even if in some cases they don’t turn out as you’d expect them to be. That’s why Heavy Rain deserves at least one solid play through, because although it does fail in many ways both as a film and as a game, it does at least try very hard to make the two work together, whilst providing scope for the player to tell their own story.


Heavy Rain may not live up to all the hype, but it will certainly be remembered for trying to at least bring something new to the table, even if the end result is what could be described as flawed genius, let down by a sense of a self serving nature, perhaps attempting to create a work deliberately recognised as an art piece, rather than just a game, which through it’s unique design and original way of thinking, transcends being referred to as just a videogame, and into something more along the lines of a contemporary art form.

VERDICT: 7/10

EA Sports Digitises Modern Consumer

Last week IQGamer brought to you an editorial surrounding the hotly debated issue of preowned software and the issues it presented to the videogames industry. At the forefront of this debate was EA, who with their new Project Ten Dollar scheme were effectively trying to reduced sales of second-hand games, whilst finding ways to expand the shelf life of new titles and increase their return on the sales made at the till.


The main counterpoint against preowned software sales of new releases, was an increase in the amount of DLC that all EA games would be receiving, featuring sizable chunks of enhancements to new titles, that when activated, would provide gamers a few more hours of fun after they finish the main game, or something that would simply complement it. At the same time questions were raised about how this course of action would affected the trade in market for older games, especially last years annually updated sports titles. Surely by EA having exclusive DLC for those titles would harm their resale down the line and devalue them even further a year on down the line?

Well yesterday, at the Morgan Stanley Technology conference in San Francisco, EA Sports president Peter Moore addressed at least one of these concerns in addition to outlining future plans by the company. He first talked about how successful the uptake has been towards the recent DLC additions with some of this year’s key sports franchises, sighting Madden 10 as a prime example.

"I think we need to move much quicker, in particular with Madden, through a digital world," Moore stated. "You're going to see more announcements there how we digitise our Madden consumer."

Moore also stated that whilst discontinuing the PS2 of Madden has hurt overall sales of the title, it has helped to grow sales of its Xbox 360 and PS3 versions at a faster rate than seen before. Effectively, he was presenting the notion that many people would upgrade to newer hardware specifically to get their sports fix, if it became unavailable on their currently owned consoles.

In addition he stated that the digital plans seen in other key EA releases could also become part of Madden and other sports titles as well, referring directly to their very own Project Ten Dollar without going so far as to giving it an actual name.

"What we're starting to do now is actually start to see growth on next-gen platforms, and perhaps more importantly you're going to see digital subscriptions, digital microtransactions; all those things that we seem to be able to drive hard against all our franchises, against the Madden consumer."

He then went on to add:

"What you should be looking for from me is 'How do I get an extra $4 or $5 dollars?', which is high margin digital revenue from that install base rather than continue to sell more packaged goods," he said.

Afterwards Moore finally addressed the issue of how its (EA) plans for DLC in new sports titles would affect the retail market, and how they understand the importance of the ability to still have a large percentage of people trading in older sports titles for the latest instalment. They also addressed how they hoped to keep a current sports release active for longer with the consumer, discouraging them from trading in the title straight away after they appear bored or to lose interest in the title. This was particularly important, as in last week’s debate and retail spat against ‘Project Ten Dollar’, various concerns were raised as to how this would affect the already struggling retail business, and the value given to any software the consumer wanted to trade in.


In a interview with gamesindustry.biz, Chips managing director Don McCabe voiced his concerns on the issue surrounding not only the second-hand market, but particulary the resale of old sports titles:

"The person you're pissing off the most is the consumer," McCabe told GamesIndustry.biz. "This affects [them] directly - they pay the same amount of money and yet the resale value is much reduced. From a retailer's point of view, they'll just readjust [the price] bearing in mind you have to buy the voucher."

"They are effectively what I call a franchise software house in that they upgrade their titles; FIFA, Madden all of these are effectively the same title upgraded each year. And people trade in last year's for this year's. You go anywhere and you'll always find second hand copies of FIFA 07, 08, 09 - it's one of the ones we get the most of."

Peter Moore seemed to at least recognise these concerns, and that he and EA were looking to still find away making it attractive to trade in older sports titles for the latest instalment year on year, respecting that a huge amount of sales come from people replacing last year’s one (sports title) with this year’s latest, whilst also growing the revenue made from the latest sports releases through DLC.

"It keeps the disc in the drive longer, it stalls trading the game in, it allows me to be able to take further advantage of that consumer over a longer period of time," he said. "Even if we do get second sales, we see that as an opportunity to drive digital margins."

"Sports games, because their seasonality runs out, are always something tempting to trade in. We've got to be able to build business models around allowing that consumer to trade it in and then monetize them," he added

"We're certainly going to do a lot of that this year."


Ultimately it seems like EA’s sports division have some weighty plans for digital content to be at the forefront of all of their titles, and whilst they do recognise the importance of trading ir certain titles to get a hold of the latest releases, they also want to fully maximise not only sales of the initial game disc, but also post retail through the route of downloadable content, keeping gamers from trading in their titles for longer. Perhaps at the same time, EA will at least for now, let all major features be fully accessible in their sports titles without the use of download codes. Certainly, in order for a worthwhile trade price to be around when a new instalment arrives, they do need to do something which doesn’t completely alienate those customers, whilst at the same time taking advantage of them after they have the game.

As time goes on we expect to see more similar announcements by other publishers, especially if EA’s solution actually works, and does provide a more stable retail platform for new software sales. What we have here is only the beginning of perhaps a market in which preowned and new sales are balanced out accordingly, with margins being more controlled and DLC expanding the revenue stream allowing publishers a little more room to breath in today’s hostile gaming climate.