QuickJump QuickPeek Special Edition: The TGS 2007 compilation
This article was originally posted on September 25, 2007 at 12:45 p.m.
(Editor’s Note: [deep intake of breath] Whew! Did someone just dump a whole tub of news on us or what? We almost found ourselves drowning with all of the updates, and maybe you might have gotten “lost in translation” somewhere out there too. The trade show has just ended and we’ll give you the 411 on what’s been going on. But wait! What about the boothbabes?)
Thanks for tuning in, and as promised, we finally have our very first special issue for QuickJump QuickPeek! There have indeed been a lot of announcements made during the Tokyo Game Show, and some of you might be so overwhelmed with trying to keep up with all the news. We’re helping you out by compiling all of the biggest revelations that dropped in during the TGS 2007.
Some might argue that this year’s show wasn’t as big as last year’s, but that’s because last year had more build-up for the release of the two new next-gen consoles, the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Some of the major players in this year’s show have some of the third parties like Capcom and Konami taking the spotlight. Square Enix had their fair share of announcements as well.
And because we’re just totally swamped with the news, we’re lifting the hyperlink limit for this edition. Better you get a lot of updates than just a small portion of it. Expect some healthy spammage, people!
Check out the whole TGS 2007 compilation right behind the Full Article link below!
This article was originally posted on September 25, 2007 at 12:45 p.m.
(Editor’s Note: [deep intake of breath] Whew! Did someone just dump a whole tub of news on us or what? We almost found ourselves drowning with all of the updates, and maybe you might have gotten “lost in translation”somewhere out there too. The trade show has just ended and we’ll give you the 411 on what’s been going on. But wait! What about the boothbabes?)
Thanks for tuning in, and as promised, we finally have our very first special issue for QuickJump QuickPeek! There have indeed been a lot of announcements made during the Tokyo Game Show, and some of you might be so overwhelmed with trying to keep up with all the news. We’re helping you out by compiling all of the biggest revelations that dropped in during the TGS 2007.
Some might argue that this year’s show wasn’t as big as last year’s, but that’s because last year had more build-up for the release of the two new next-gen consoles, the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Some of the major players in this year’s show have some of the third parties like Capcom and Konami taking the spotlight. Square Enix had their fair share of announcements as well.
And because we’re just totally swamped with the news, we’re lifting the hyperlink limit for this edition. Better you get a lot of updates than just a small portion of it. Expect some healthy spammage, people!
PSP: Confirmation spammage
The 2007 Tokyo Game Show brings with it a spammage of newly announced titles for the PlayStation Portable. And right off the bat, we’ll tell you now to get it over with: Capcom still hasn’t made any move about a Resident Evil for the PSP. Yeah, we were hoping for that too. But that doesn’t mean that Capcom is shirking from its duty to the portable players.
It was only yesterday – or at least it seemed just like yesterday – that Monster Hunter Portable 2nd was released in North America. Now, Capcom brings some big news for aspiring monster hunters: a new entry in the Monster Hunter Portable series is in the works, currently slated for a 2008 release.
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G appears to be an expansion for the previous installment. In fact, it could even read save files from Portable 2nd. The new game will feature all-new and heavily-upgraded monsters, new locations, and new G-rank quests.
Link: Capcom announces Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G
Meanwhile, Konami’s not letting Capcom have all the fun with announcing sequels. MPO is getting a next installment – and we’re not talking MPO+ here. While the expansion is yet to hit shelves in November, PSP owners will soon get MGS: Portable Ops 2, as blogged by Ashley Wood himself – the concept artist to be involved in the game’s development.
Details are skimpy though, and clues as to the game’s continuation or focus of story was not revealed either. As for Wood, he has worked with Konami Digital and Kojima before, so this probably would be a cakewalk for the Australian illustrator.
Link: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops 2 coming soon
One of the biggest games announced for the PSP though was none other than that of Square Enix’s. It’s been long-rumored about too, but now, they’ve dropped the bomb on the not-so-unsuspecting crowd. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep for the PSP has been revealed.
Previously rumored to have been dubbed “Kingdom Hearts Zero,” the game is to be a prequel to the entire series. It tells the tale of a trio of heroes who seek out a wayward Keyblade master. Those of you who’ve unlocked the hidden FMV found in Kingdom Hearts 2 will finally be able to follow the teaser ending it gave everyone through the end. The game will feature the same traditional controls, game system, and the visual style of its predecessors.
Other portable platforms are getting some Square service too. The Nintendo DS and mobile phone platforms will also get their very own Kingdom Hearts titles. The links below provide more info.
Link: On-the-go Kingdom Hearts games announced
Link: Kingdom Hearts portable games in-depth details
On to the meaty Sony stuff though. Sony indeed has made its presence felt during the TGS. And it goes without mentioning that the PlayStation brand in itself is putting its foot down and proclaiming: “This is just the start, y’know…” And it looks like Sony’s going to have an upwards swing from here on out.
After all, it’s all about constant improvement, right? Taking a quote from Phil Harrison on designing the PSP Slim & Lite: “Constant improvement and innovation in design is what drives us.” And aside from comments on the new version of the PSP handheld, Kaz also took the time to keynote some details on the 1Seg TV Tuner, PSP camera, and GPS add-on.
So, when Sony means “the PlayStation brand” there’s no doubt about “interconnectivity” cropping somewhere around the corner. And of course, you can’t have “interconnectivity” without finding “Remote Play” somewhere in the same sentence. For example, one of a new features revealed for the Remote Play function is that you’ll now be able to turn your PS3 on and off from your PSP.
Other new Remote Play functions will be rolled out sometime in the future via firmware updates, and Sony also revealed that it won’t take long before PSPs will ultimately have the ability to form hubs. Especially with an accompanying announcement of the PlayStation Store being accessible via PC, this whole interconnectivity thing will surely bring the whole PlayStation brand some lasting impact, and of course more hardware sales to boot.
Link: Phil Harrison on PS3’s bright future, innovation behind PSP Slim design
Link: PSP turns PS3 on and off via Remote Play
Although the PSP is slimming up, it’s packing even more of a mighty punch now with some new utility functions and media capabilities! And oh! Has anyone else forgotten that it plays games too? And hey, you might want to read up on the PS3 section below too. QJ.Net’s PS3 Team has a couple of PSP-related news for you guys too. Besides, we’re all one happy family, aren’t we?
– QJ.Net’s PSP Team
PlayStation 3: Let’s get ready to Ruuuuumble!
We’ve got vibration, baby! Yep! It’s finally confirmed! DualShock 3’s one of the earliest and biggest news that we’ve gotten whiff of from the TGS. It’s now been confirmed that a new version of the SIXAXIS will support Rumble features.
The news hit the Internet even prior to the TGS, actually, during a press event from Electronic Arts. The IGN team present at the event first experienced the Rumble-enabled controller while playing a demo of Burnout Paradise. The controller itself reportedly looked just like a standard SIXAXIS but was noticeably heavier and had a “RUMBLE” sticker on the bottom.
Meanwhile, during the TGS itself, Kaz Hirai’s keynote finally made it official: DualShock 3. And what’s cool about it is even already released games can be made compatible with the Rumble features via software update. Sony released a list of games that are confirmed to be compatible, some of which include Heavenly Sword, Resident Evil 5, and Metal Gear Solid 4 (finally Kojima got what he wanted!).
We also later found out that DualShock 3 is actually running on the same technology as its previous successor, DualShock 2. This basically means that the “rumble-ness” of the new SIXAXIS will be the same as that of the PS2’s controller. The battery life of the SIXAXIS Rumble has also been tested to be half of a normal SIXAXIS’ battery life, if the Rumble feature is active.
DualShock 3 will be released in Japan this November; North America and Europe have it scheduled for a Spring 2008 release. You can check the full list of Rumble-compatible games via the second link below.
Link: Rumble-enabled SIXAXIS sighted
Link: Sony announces DualShock 3, list of compatible games
Link: Sony’s DualShock 3 running on DualShock 2 tech
Kazuo Hirai’s keynote speech also clued in a couple of happy news for the PlayStation camp (whether you’re touting a PS3, PS2, PSP, or the whole package). Sony’s planning a lot of things for their PlayStation brand, one of which was already mentioned above: the DualShock 3. Other notes in Kaz’s speech include trying to foster closer bonds between developers.
Kaz announced their acquisition of MotorStorm developers Evolution Studios as well as its subsidiary Bigbig Studios (Pursuit Force). They’re also going to be extending the PlayStation 2’s lifespan for what its worth, and will continue releasing quality titles for the former-gen Sony console. Meanwhile, marketing the PSP will be refocused to letting the consumers know its entertainment and utility possibilities: 1seg Tuner, camera, and GPS add-ons alike.
As mentioned by QJ.Net’s PSP Team (heck, we can’t blame them for getting ahead of us!), yes, the PlayStation Store will indeed be accessible to via PC. Sony showed a Windows laptop sporting a PlayStation Store interface created for PC users. Of course, Hirai couldn’t help but boast virtual shelf numbers during the process: 30 PlayStation 3 games, 300 add-on items, 100 game titles on archive, and a slew of game demos all underline what’s served at the online portal.
Link: Sony shapes PlayStation future
Link: PlayStation Store soon to be accessible over PC
Speaking of the future, PlayStation Home is getting pushed back far into the future too. Well, ok, not that far, but it’s far enough if you’ve been anticipating for it so much. Can’t spring of 2008 get any closer? PlayStation Home would enter another term of development for improvements to its services.
It turns out the the cause of the delay is that PlayStation Home was geared to be launched worldwide and that it had to attract and appeal to customers from every point in the globe… Which is fair enough, if you think about it – and all for the better! Despite prior disappointment, this now officially makes PlayStation Home into PlayStation HomahgawdweloveSony.
Link: PlayStation Home pushed back to 2008
Here’s a whole slew of updates on PS3 titles though. We’ll make it quick, lest the spammage police start hounding us for hogging the QuickPeek limelight.
Interesting bits from Konami take the form of their blockbuster MGS4 title. For one, the trailer we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. It’s over six minutes of FoxHound glory. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’ve missed half of your non-bioengineered life.
You guys might also want to check out Capcom’s very own heart-stopping trailer. Devil May Cry 4 has definitely gone far along the development process from when it was shown in TGS 2006. Check out the trailer for yourself!
Namco Bandai has finally confirmed that Beautiful Katamari, after much confusion, won’t be coming to the PS3 after all. However! Jun Morikawa has indeed confirmed that the Katamari franchise will roll into the PS3! As to what and when, details are yet to be revealed.
Link: It’s here: Metal Gear Solid 4 TGS trailer
Link: Devil May Cry 4 trailer brings the devil
Link: Morikawa confirms new Katamari game for the PS3
What with all of these updates from Sony, this PS3 section hasn’t been much of a QuickPeek but more of a LongStare. Whew! Tired yet? There’s more news coming this week, but at least all these TGS updates are out of the way. All we can do now is wait for them to take fruition.
– QJ.Net’s PS3 Team
Xbox 360: FPS takes a sit back, RPG gets a warm welcome
Fine, Microsoft didn’t make their presence felt that much during the TGS – especially compared to how Sony was just everywhere like white on rice. However the Xbox 360 still got its fair share of updates. The Big MS made its presence felt via third parties and some hard-hitting upcoming titles. Following the release of Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata in Japan, RPGs seem to take the brunt of the action during the TGS.
Square Enix revealed two RPGs: The Last Remnant and Infinite Undiscovery. While both these games have been announced before, they’re finally showing their game face to the public with brand-spanking new trailers. Especially for Infinite Undiscovery – Square and Tri-Ace have been extremely tight-lipped about this project.
Link: Square Enix unveils two giant RPGs at Microsoft pre-TGS 2007 conference
We first learned about Infinite Undiscovery some time during Q3 of 2006 and it is only now that details are beginning to surface. It’s been said that the game is the culmination of ten years’ worth of ideas – ten years, man! – from programmer and story writer Yoshiharu Gotanda of Tales of Phantasia and Star Ocean fame. Infinite Undiscovery involves a case of mistaken identity between the legendary hero of the Resistance Army Sigmunt and the healer flute player Capel.
The other RPG is something that some of us might be more familiar with: The Last Remnant. It’s Square’s game “dedicated to the world.” In the trailer, we get to see a mix of cinematic cutscenes and actual gameplay footage. We’re treated to Rush, the protagonist, and the kidnapping of his sister Irina. A lot of fans are really anticipating the release of this title. Safe to say, we don’t have much to wait any longer. The Last Remnant rolls out Spring of 2008!
Link: Square Enix’s Infinite Undiscovery first trailer video
Link: New trailer for The Last Remnant
A matter about a game’s being multi-disc was raised during the TGS. For example, Infinite Undiscovery is said to require an unspecified number of discs. The upcoming larger-than-life Xbox 360 title’s going to be a little too large for one normal-sized DVD, considering that the game runs for 30 to 40 hours of play, this says a lot about the content that’s going to be packed into those discs.
As if in response to this, Mistwalker has also announced that their Lost Odyssey is to come in 4 DVDs. As it stands, Sakaguchi’s brainchild will be around 40 to 50 hours. It’s also been reported that the game will also come with multiple language options including English and Japanese. Interestingly enough, all versions of the game will have the animations synched to the English version although it seems the UI will be in whatever language the game version is for (Japanese UI for the Japanese version, for example).
Link: Infinite Undiscovery going multi-disc
Link: Lost Odyssey to span four DVDs
You guys might also want to take a shot at the TGS trailer for Devil May Cry 4 as well. It’s just up there with the PS3 section. Meanwhile, we’ve got other things to be mindful of. And if you’d excuse us… we’ve got to finish the fight…
– QJ.Net’s 360 Team
Nintendo Wii: A Nintendo-less TGS? What’s that? Is there such thing?
Nintendo wasn’t able to make it to the TGS floor. Which is weird. And leaves us rather grumpy. Because though it was revealed a few weeks back that Nintendo was totally exempt in the lineup, we couldn’t help but expect some form of surprise. We did sort of get it though!
Being the father of all things mustchio’ed and plumber-y, Shigeru Miyamoto himself had a suprise appearance. He was given the limelight when he was presented the award for being the best retro game creator during the TGS. To think that his Mushroom Kingdom has even beaten the epic fun that Square Enix’s Dragon Quest series has always promised its RPG fans.
It was rather fun too. Before Miyamoto could hightail off the stage with his award, the hosts of the event actually got him to play World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros.! You can watch the classic scene via the link below. It’s right after the 2:45 mark of the video. Wrong controller FTW!
Link: Miyamoto’s Super Mario Bros. wins retro game award at TGS 2007
Capcom’s zombie horde marched its way to the TGS as well. The Umbrella Chronicles was showcased and one of the biggest confirmations here is that it’s going to be using the Wii Zapper as well as have co-op gameplay. (Hmm, Resident Evil or Link’s Crossbow Training? We say both!)
More of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles showed itself in the form of a bloody trailer. Most of the characters you’ve seen in the previous installments of the series are coming back with a vengeance. The big, bad masses of undead flesh are making come-backs too, including everyone’s favorite happy camper, Nemesis. All together now: “Staaaaaarrrssszzz…”
Link: RE The Umbrella Chronicles to use Wii Zapper, to have co-op
Link: More zombie-blasting in the TGS 2007 trailer of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
Travis Touchdown also made his very own touchdown during TGS 2007 with a No More Heroes trailer. Suda51’s action title caught the attention of the crowd with a demo to boot. Combat in this game, as most of us already know, involves lots of swordplay. Being on the Nintendo Wii, you just know some Wiimote waving action is waiting.
Hacking enemies down doesn’t seem to be a chore though, because fighting looks dynamic enough with all the moves you can pull off. Think Viewtiful Joe but using a Wii remote. How could you go wrong with something like that? The game gets released next year, February. That’s enough to keep us content until Force Unleashed hits shelves by the second quarter.
Link: No More Heroes trailer
Link: No More Heroes full demo video
Lots of anticipation’s been built on Sega’s upcoming franchise-mix-match too. Sega’s actually expecting Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games to hit a whopping 4 million units in sales. Sega corporate director Masano Maeda said as much during the TGS. Although he didn’t give a time figure for when their title will hit the 4-mil mark, Maeda says that this four million will be equivalent to 20% of total software sales (meaning other games they’ve sold) for their year ending March.
Pretty ambitious, but hey!, we wouldn’t be surprised if it does hit 4 million. Everyone’s been wanting Sonic to appear in Brawl, so now, the blue hedgehog and Mario appearing side-by-side in Olympic Games is as close as we can get!
Link: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games expected to sell 4 million
See? A Nintendo-less TGS is possible after all. Miyamoto and Mario did make an appearance, and that was cool enough. Meanwhile, you might want to keep sight of this coming week’s QuickPeek because the big N has made a couple of breaking news as well – outside of TGS!
– QJ.Net’s Wii Team
Time to wrap things up!
You guys still alive? These updates sure have a lot of stuff to both look forward to and/or make us want to rip our hair off our scalps. A lot of questions were indeed answered, but these answers have led to even more questions. What’s the real reason why Nintendo had a no-show? What’s the trump card up their sleeve? How soon will Sony deliver their promises to the waiting masses? Will SIXAXIS Rumble eventually phase out the original controller? And for Microsoft, how will Halo 3 be received in Japan? Will the whole slew of RPGs just waiting around the corner make a dent in the Japanese market pie?
The chess pieces are set. The crowd is a-hush (whether in excitement or because they just wet their pants). The year is about to end and it’s as if the ball is in everyone else’s court. Where’s the game getting at? The next couple of months will hold the key. If you’ve been keeping track of release dates – delayed or on track – of games, you might notice how the last two quarters of this year and Spring of 2008 could change the face of the game. Who’s the who, what’s the what? Just keep it right here as we bring you weekly updates!
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