E3 2012: Quantic Dream Announces Beyond: Two Souls

The follow-up to the twisting drama Heavy Rain doesn't look like it's going to be treading mainstream territory any time soon.  And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Beyond: Two Souls looks to be another gripping, mindbending story from Quantic Dream that explores the connection of life and afterlife.  This psychological thriller follows Jodie Holmes as she grows up with a special connection to the supernatural - granting her powers through a link to some unknown entity.  The player's decisions throughout Jodie's life will ultimately determine her fate and, according to Quantic Dream founder and game creator David Cage, may even answer the eternal questions about death and the afterlife.

Like Heavy Rain, the main draw of Beyond will be its Hollywood-caliber acting and motion capture, pushing the interactive story along to its final chapter.  To this end, Cage hand picked Oscar-nominated actress Ellen Page (Juno, Inception) for the role of Jodie, who, based on the initial video, appears to have fallen into the tortured girl's character extremely well.

While no gameplay elements were shown, the opening video was still a striking example of what Quantic can do.  And, to be honest, in an interactive drama, the gameplay (while important) takes a back seat to the presentation - something this trailer shows is worth watching.

Beyond: Two Souls is a PlayStation 3 exclusive, but currently has no scheduled release window.

DC Universe Online Hits the Free-to-Play Switch!

Depite a slight blip in the start date, DC Universe Online finally goes free-to-play, starting today for the PlayStation 3 and the PC.

As mentioned in the original announcement post, the new freemium DCUO will support three subscription tiers: Free, Premium (spend at least $5), and Legendary ($14.99/mo.)  Each tier will give you access to the game, but the higher tiers have significant advantages, like increased character slots.

Snag the PC version at the DCUO homepage or download the console version at the PlayStation Store via the PS3.  (Remember to pick up the "Fight for the Light" DLC expansion to access your inner willpower for $9.99 or for free for Lengendary members!)

E3 2011: The PlayStation Vita, Bogged Down by AT&T

Image courtesy of Engadget.

Kaz "Ridge Racer" Hirai has finally announced that their next portable, codenamed "NGP," is officially named the PlayStation Vita (Vee-ta.)  With "features alone that are cutting edge," such as dual analog sticks, a multitouch OLED screen, front & rear cameras, and SixAxis motion control, the PSVita is catered for on-the-go entertainment via WiFi and 3G with AT&T.

The PSVita will also feature voice party chat, allowing gamers to chat with their friends from anywhere and across platform, and a 3DS "Street Pass"-like "Near" program for on-the-go social networking and connecting.  Refusing to make the same mistakes as the PSP and the 3DS, the new handheld already has a slew of super top-tier games leading the charge, notably Uncharted: Golden Abyss, LittleBigPlanet, ModNation Racers, Street Fighter x Tekken (featuring inFamous's Cole MacGrath!), and the new action RPG Ruin.

Lastly (and most importantly), the PSVita is due out by the end of this year and is priced extremely competitively: $249 for the WiFi verison, and the $299 for the WiFi/3G AT&T version.

PlayStation Network Revival This Week

As you've probably heard, there's been a big commotion happening at Sony in recent weeks.

Since April 20, the PlayStation Network has fallen prey to severe attack, leaving PS3 owners unable to watch Netflix, to play online, or even, in some cases, to play offline.  User data was compromised, and, amidst all of this, Sony representatives have been uncomfortably silent during most of this process.

However, there finally seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel, and your patience will be rewarded.

According to a press release, the PlayStation Network will begin the restoration process as early as this week.  The network will be slowly rebooted for all PSN users, with the restoration rollout divided by region and by service.  After reboot, the PS3 will undergo a forced software update, and you will be required to change your PSN password.

Also, frustrated gamers will be given a "welcome back" gift: free downloads of select content, 30 free days of PlayStation Plus, and 30 free days of Music Unlimited by Qriocity.

A good gesture, sure, but there has been a lot of bad blood boiling in Sony's direction for a while now.  Some argue that it's unlikely Sony will ever come back to the public's good graces, and I'm not sure I disagree.

NYCC 2010: 'DC Universe Online' Interview with Jim Lee

(c) 2009. Gage Skidmore.Jim Lee, highly venerated artist of Batman: Hush, All Star Batman and Robin, and many other DC, Marvel, and Image properties, was also at the Javits Center for New York Comic Con this past weekend, and he was kind enough to speak with a handful of journalists to discuss the recently-delayed DC Universe Online.

Mr. Lee, Executive Creative Director for the upcoming MMORPG, fielded questions about character creation, art direction, Shotgun Elvis, and more.  Each reporter at the roundtable was given a chance to ask a question, and, while not everyone followed that rule, we had a great discussion about the nature of the game and where it's going, even though most of us were trying to stifle our fanboyism.

Open the Fridge would like to thank Mr. Lee and the people at Sony Online Entertainment for letting us have a chance to sit down, talk with them and, of course, drink the free beer that came with it!

Check out the sizzle trailer here that was discussed shown at the DCUO panel at NYCC and then read on for the interview!

---

What made you want to go from the written word in the comic to actually spearheading something like an MMO?

Jim Lee: I got into comics because I loved comics as a kid; I was very passionate about it. Same thing with games. I always played video games - Pong, at the beginning, Space Invaders - but the one that really got me hooked was Everquest. I just found something in an MMO that was very different then in a "normal" video game experience:  that's community and playing against other people and having that kind of challenge of outwitting, outplaying other real people.  So when this opportunity came up at DC, when I heard they were interested in making an MMO, I said "Well, I have to be involved. This is something that I love playing, and I feel like I can contribute something meaningful." So I guess they wisely let me come in. I think they needed someone to oversee the creative direction of the game, and obviously I knew something about DC Comics so that helped out. So here we are.

Hit the jump for the full interview!

Click to read more ...

PlayStation Move Brings Waggle to the PS3

In an announcement earlier this evening at their GDC press conference, Sony unveiled the final name and design iteration of the motion controller initially revealed at last year's E3.

"The PlayStation Move," according to the Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, "combines highly precise, responsive, intuitive motion control with the true Playstation3 HD gaming experience."

Shown with demos of a sword-and-shield gladiator battle, table tennis, and an augmented reality game, the controller, which was previously known as the "Sphere," "Gem," and "Arc," provides true 1:1 response.

A number of accessories can come with the PlayStation Move, including a smaller, off-hand analog stick controller, aggravatingly called the "PlayStation Move Subcontroller."  The upcoming SOCOM4 for the PS3 will support the PlayStation Move with the Subcontroller.

Criticisms aside regarding their being late to the waggle party, it seems Sony has a fairly solid product.  Going head-to-head with Microsoft's Project Natal in the near future will certainly add more fuel to the console war fire, and we'll be here to revel in every second of it.

The PlayStation Move will be available individually, in a PS3 bundle, and in a Starter Kit.  The kit, which includes the controller, the PlayStation Eye, and a game, will be available for "under $100" (which, of course, is code for $99.99.)

See the full press conference, complete with the announcement and demos, at G4tv.com.