I Don't Have The Heart To Tell Them1.9.2008

*sigh* Sony. I have discussed already how the PSP is moving away from its portable state. Well maybe someone over at Sony read what I wrote (doubt it) because at CES just a few ays ago Sony announced a whole bunch of quite portable peripherals for their PSP. One of them being... a full keyboard. OK. Now hold on. A full keyboard? Are that many people struggling to type things on their PSP? I certainly was not aware of this problem. So now my portable gaming console has a freakin keyboard attached... ok.

They also announced GPS. I can actually see how this could come in handy. I know people who keep their PSP's in their cars and have little stands built for them on the dash board for convenient movie watching. So having GPS for those 12 people out there is probably really nice.

The biggest announcement is that Skype is coming to the PSP. Ok. I have a HUGE issue with this. Not because I have anything against Skype or Skyping or one device that does a whole bunch of stuff (i do have an iphone after all). But the PlayStation brand is so powerful, and means so much to games that the gaming part deserves to be in the forefront. Make games for the PSP, don't just tack on new features to an existing platform.

If Sony wanted to make a GPS device that has wifi and a full keyboard that is also a phone, then I'm all for that. Hell add a camera! And pitch it to the correct people. But when you are still pitching it as a gaming system it still has to be able to do that thing best. Gamers don't care about all that extra stuff. They care about VIDEO GAMES. I know that sounds crazy.

I love my DS. And never once in the 2 years that I've owned it ever thought, "Man, I wish I could watch a movie or know my exact location while making a phone call on this machine." Sony needs to really learn who their target market is and tune their products to them. I swear, right now, if the melting baby comes back to sell me a Skype enabled PSP, I will not purchase a single Sony product for the rest of my life.

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Looking Ahead and Freezing Over1.8.2008

Its January 8th. There's been no Big Daddy Show yet this week, and there won't be. Not until my Computer decides to cooperate... or I get a new one. Either way, I'm looking ahead. To the future. To infinity... and possibly even beyond.

I'm looking ahead to the games that are coming out this year, and I'm not going to lie readers, I am not impressed. Sure, there is some gold there. But Nothing that makes me drool. Assassins Creed, Mass Effect, BioShock. Those games made me drool. Yes those were the three biggest games of the year. But the year also contained things that made me want. I wanted Halo, and Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, and Ace Attorney III, and Contra 4, and Mario Galaxy, Orange Box... I had games that made me drool and games that made me want oh so bad.

I don't see too many things on that level just yet. One could argue Metal Gear Solid 4. That will probably be one of the biggest games of the year... But Sony's install base is so low, I cant help but think the success of this game can only be so much... unless Sony drops the price again just before/as this game is released. I don't have a PS3, and though as more games are released Maybe I'll get one soon.

That brings us to Haze. Another PS3 exclusive. Free Radical (the guys that brought you time splitters) have cooked up something spectacular, from the looks of it. But this frequently delayed game neeeds to get a big marketing push as most people I talk too don't know boo about this game. I think it will be a sleeper it for the people who have PS3's before MGS comes out. I have this game preordered at GameStop... i don't even own the system its on.

Everything else is multi platform, GTA, Star Wars Force Unleashed, Devil May Cry. I guess a lot of people are looking foreward to GTA4. I just really don't care. At all. I played through some of GTA 2, 3 and Vice City. But I never really got into them. They're not for me. I'd rather jump on a goomba than beat a hooker with a baseball bat.

I guess I'm excited for Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. But i'm looking forward to christmas... and i see Little Big Planet, and Maybe Mario Kart. Though Nintendo releasing Maro Kart and Super Smash in the same year may actually end the world. Espically if it comes in a year that also contains Duke Nukem Forever AND Too Human, two games that have been in development for 10+ year... well break out the long johns call that chill you feel, thats hell freezing over.

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