Sony Hits the Breaks on GT5

The long awaited PS3 racing simulation has been set back for the Japanese market. The game is due for launch in Europe and America this summer, unfortunately for Japan the road to the March release date has been closed. according to online sources, Sony has pushed back the launch date of Gran Turismo 5 due to issues with the production and is rumoured to have cost a staggering £37m to develop.

Polyphony put their blood sweat and tears into GT5, this latest instalment of the racing simulation was set to be one of Sony’s most successful exclusive game of the year. Well with that kind of money it better be, the production cost for Kill Zone 2 and Uncharted 2 was around $20m, for GT5 to cost a massive £37m we certainly hope it meets all our expectations and delivers a mind blowing gaming experience.

Fans have been eagerly waiting ever since Sony showcased the demo back in 2006, however Japanese fans will have to wait longer since Sony took a u-turn for an undisclosed period of time with no new release date. But there could be a lot of reasons for the delay, with all the speculations from industry insiders it could be because the sheer complexity of the game or simply a strategic plan for Sony to sell more consoles.

Well that may be the case for Japan, according to SCEE the launch for PAL regions will still proceed as planed, so you can expect to see a summer release date for Gran Turismo 5 in PAL territories soon. Normally a high profile game that’s been on the waiting list for this long will usually get a global launch, maybe that could be one of the reasons for the delay but we’ll never know until we hear more from Sony.

The Polyphony developed franchise has sold over 53 million titles world wide. Previous titles of Gran Turismo have been very successfully in the Japanese and European markets but failed to achieve to same level of success in the United States, however this time around GT5 is set to hit another milestone for the racing simulation franchise and it will take another attempt to win the American market.

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Metal Gear Solid Movie Put on Hold

According to film producer Michael De Luca, Sony’s long awaited big-screen adaptation of Konami’s legendary stealth-action franchise may not make it to theatres anytime soon. Michael De Luca stated that the work on Sony Pictures Metal Gear Solid Movie has been put on hold, Sony and Konami failed to reach an agreement which could mean the end of the project.

This all started 4 years ago when the Metal Gear Solid Movie was first revealed at the 2006 Electronic Expo, Hideo Kojima was said to be the executive producer alongside Michael De Luca and at one point there were rumours circling around that Christian bale would take the role of Solid Snake, fans were very excited to hear the iconic series making its way to the theatres.

But now Sony and Konami are currently on a standstill with the movie and there won’t be any further development until both parties come to an agreement, the famous film maker said “I got the sense that there may not be enough of a coordinated will at this point”. There was no word from Sony or Konami but this standstill pretty much indicates an indefinite hold.

The transition from video games to movies can be extremely difficult especially when one party start making high demands. Video game companies are very protective of their properties, and on the other hands movie studios require certain rights to market and distribute movies effectively in a global marketplace. These are the things that make it hard to come to an agreement.

De Luca said the problem was mainly because the agendas from both parties were impossible to match, although there hasn’t been any official announcement De Luca statement does however indicate the end of the Metal Gear Solid Movie, well for now atleast. According to IMBD, the movie is slated for 2012 hopefully Sony and Konami can work things out by then and resume the project.

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Heavy Rain Arriving Late February

SCEA has finally shed some light on the release date for Heavy Rain, US consumers will be able to grab a copy on the 23rd February and the European release date will follow up on the same week, It’s expected to arrive on the 24th February for mainland Europe, and 26th February in the UK & Ireland. Sony has been busy running final test and checks as well as demonstrating some fantastic game footage.

Sony was recently showing off the Heavy Rain preview at the Consumer Electronic show in Las Vegas, the title looks very promising, with stunning graphics. Gamers will take the role of four characters each with different story lines which branches out to a wide variety of actions, giving you a unique experience with each character.

The control system is fairly simple, well anyone who plays a lot of RPG games will easily adapt to the controls. You hold R2 to walk and control the direction using the left analog and you can change to a different camera angle using L1. Using the right analog stick allows you to perform various actions, for example – opening a pack of cigarettes or knocking on doors.

There will also be moments where you need to react quickly, for example when the detective has to protect the witness from an abusive boyfriend by connecting a sequence of commands using both buttons and analog sticks. In this particular scenario you can choose to ignore the visit from the boyfriend, however as a result, the detective will see the witness beaten later in the game.

The developers did a fantastic job serving up a 30 frames per second graphics engine. They managed to capture every little detail to a tee, the character motion and facial expressions are flawless not to mention the environmental effects such as rain and day light. Overall the game delivers a new and exciting concept which offers a unique gaming experience, Heavy Rain will most certainly get the year off to a good start.

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Bayonetta Review

At first impression, this game already had me from the moment I saw a sexy female heroine packing serious heat, I mean it’s not everyday you see a badass chick busting caps with her heels. But beside from being a big fan of fast paced action games, I was excited about this title mainly because it was created by Hideki Kamiya, the man behind the successful Devil May Cry series.

What I like about Bayonetta is that despite the sexual element surrounding the main character it has loads of depths, and it feels like a dose of God of War and Devil May Cry considering the combat system along with the battle scenarios. It was very simple to adapt to the controls, “Y Button” to punch, “B Button” to kick, “X Button” for guns and the right trigger for dodging and counter attacks.

During loading screens you’re given lists of combo’s and an opportunity to test them out, I really enjoy this feature because not only does it cut out the wait but it also gives you the chance to get the combo’s warmed up before your next battle, another thing I liked is when you execute your combo’s you can add different variations simple by dodging or by combining other attacks.

I’ve played a lot of fast paced action games and I have to say Bayonetta most certainly has the most polished combat system to date, I honestly didn’t think it would top Devil May Cry but even Dante didn’t feel this fluid during battle. Throughout the game you collect rings which can be used purchase upgrades on weapons and techniques as well as items to help you through the game.

Items can also be infused using your alchemy abilities you can combine items into different lollipops for health, magic, invincibility etc. Although it’s limited it still adds a cool angle to the game, allow you to combine what you need on the go. I was very disappointed to see the Playstation 3 version lacking good graphics the visuals looks cloudy and muddy not to mention the constant pauses during gameplay.

Every other aspect of the game performs just fine and the combat system is unaffected it flows perfectly. I certainly hope they offer a patch for the glitches but if you can be patient during the pauses then you should be fine. The game definitely delivers all-out action but the story wasn’t solid, I was confused as to why I was charging the gates of heaven, I was aware that she wanted to know her past and why the small child called her mummy.

I really couldn’t be bothered with all that, I only wanted to kill more angels with my fits, stiletto gun or torment them with brutal attacks like dropping a giant spike wheel on their heads and stretching them across the rack. Bayonetta will definitely keep you glued to the sofa and filled with excitement through every level. If you love action then it will make a great addition to your collection of action games.


Overall Score: 9/0

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