On October 30, 2012, the long-awaited Assassin’s Creed III will be released. Ubisoft will also release another game for the PlayStation Vita on October 30 called Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation.

The PlayStation Vita game will be offered in both regular game form and the Chrystal White Vita bundle that will include the game and bonus material.

Liberation features the first and only female assassin, Aveline, who joined the assassins in 1759. According to Joystiq, Aveline is “a woman of conviction” who stands between Spain and their complete control of New Orleans.

Aveline has French and African heritage which is also expressed in her weapons of choice. Aveline uses the usual assassin hidden blade but will also use a sugarcane machete, a poison dart blowpipe, and dueling pistols.

The game takes place only in New Orleans and the surrounding bayou in the eighteenth century. The game begins in 1765 and continues through 1780 with a focus on the impacts of the French and Indian War.

The French and Indian War was fought mainly between Britain and France – and their respective Native American allies – over their North American territories between 1754 and 1763. Although most of the fighting in North America had ended by 1760, after Aveline joins the Brotherhood in the game, the official treaty was not signed until February of 1763. As part of the treaty, Spain, who was the French ally during the war, lost Florida to the British. The French gave the Louisiana territory, which included New Orleans, to Spain as compensation for the loss of Florida.

During the time period of the game players will witness the impacts of the French and Indian War first hand. Many French and German settlers in New Orleans were not happy about their new government nor the individuals that were sent to govern them. Players will most likely witness and participate in such events as the Louisiana Rebellion of 1768 when the first Spanish governor, Antonio de Ulloa, was run out. Other events that will probably be included in the game are the Spanish involvement in the American Revolutionary War (on the side of the rebels) in 1779 and the Battle of Saint Louis in 1780 – the only Revolutionary battle west of the Mississippi.

Although the game is on a handheld system, Ubisoft promises that the game will live up to the reputation of the PlayStation console games. Geoffroy Sardin, Chief Executive of Ubisoft Sales and Marketing stated, “The release of Assassin’s Creed III Liberation will be the series’ most ambitious handheld offering to date.”

The game will have the same incredible visuals – although on a significantly smaller screen – and will allow the player to do all of the same types of actions as previous assassin games. Assassinations, pickpocketing, and tree climbing will all be possible. Players will also be able to swim through the bayou to explore ancient Mayan ruins and will have to avoid dangerous animals in the forest, like in Assassin’s Creed III. Ubisoft has also announced that all of the PlayStation Vita features – the dual touchpads, motion detection, and built-in camera – will be used during the gameplay.

The missions in Liberation will be shorter – to better accommodate the hand-held nature of the game – but will still be similar to those in Assassin’s Creed III. There is also the possibility of overlapping events with Assassin’s Creed III and that Aveline and Connor, the character in Assassin’s Creed III, will meet.

If the user links the PlayStation Vita with the PlayStation and has Assassin’s Creed III, they will receive exclusive in-game content. Other upgrades include extra multiplayer characters, upgrades of ammunition pouches and a tomahawk for Aveline.

Liberation will also have a multiplayer function, like in Assassin’s Creed III and previous AC games.

After the somewhat disappointing array of PlayStation Vita games announced at the E3 conference, many are excited to finally get to use their Vita.

Ubisoft Sofia is responsible for the creation of this game, the same creators of “Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars” that was a hit on the Nintendo 3DS; it comes as no surprise that the game was nominated as the Best Handheld/Mobile Game at the E3 Conference this year. Assassin’s Creed III, the PlayStation console game, was also nominated for several awards: Best of Show, Best Console Game, and Best Action/Adventure Game.

Ultimately, the worries that Assassin’s Creed III will not live up to the previous incarnations are unnecessary. Both games are highly anticipated by old and new fans and will definitely be games that should not be missed.

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Unlike their competitors, Sony wasted no time getting to the most important topic for any gamer during its E3 presentation: games. Unfortunately, not all of the games shown were to everyones liking.

Beyond: Two Souls, developed by Quantic Dreams, the makers of Heavy Rain, was announced at the beginning of the show. Much like Heavy Rain, story and cinematic seem to play a large role in the game and follows the protagonist, Judie Holmes, over the course of her life.

Sony fans itching for some Super Smash Bros. are fortunately in luck; PlayStation All-Star Battle Royale aims to fill that niche. Battles are based around getting points, which players can obtain through defeating others and special moves. Big Daddy from Bioshock was confirmed as a playable character; other 3rd party characters may be included.

Sony also touched on their online service, PlayStation Network (PSN), revealing that over 200 games are due for release on the service within the next 12 months, including titles like The Unfinished Swan PSN and PS1 titles available online are also headed toward the Vita.  Fans can look forward to PS1 classics like Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy 7.

In addition, PlayStation Plus members can also expect to get great deals on content and online games, a smart move that will hopefully get more people to sign up for the service.

A Call of Duty game is in development for the Vita, along with the upcoming Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation (AC). Liberation is the first Assassin’s Creed game to feature a female assassin as the lead, has touch screen capabilities, and was built ground up for the Vita. There are also extras that can be unlocked when the game is linked up to Assassin’s Creed 3 on PlayStation 3. The games will give Vita owners something to look forward to in the coming months.

The latest flagship game in the AC series will have an emphasis on water, with controlling ships on the high seas as an important part of the game. A special and realistic weather system will also be in place in the game. Both Assassin’s Creed games will take place in America during revolutionary times.

Far Cry 3 multiplayer was also shown. The mode will include 4-player co-op and feature missions made specifically for multiplayer. Looking a little rough at this time, the game still has a ways to go in development, but looks to be a fun experience.

Sony, however, went wrong announcing Wonder Book: Book of Spells. Utilizing the PlayStation Move, players can cast spells and embark on quests in a Harry Potter themed world. The game is, however, nothing like the games fans were expecting and is more reminiscent of a point-and-click game meant for children. Many fans voiced their disapproval of the software and the lengthy amount of time devoted to it. 

Toward the end of the conference, a trailer for the new God of War game, subtitled “Ascension,” was shown. Fans of the series will be delighted to know that the game looks to follow its predecessor’s closely in terms of game-play and gore. A multiplayer mode will be included, up to 8 players can join in games of competitive team play where players will battle for control of the map. A release date of March 12, 2013 has been announced.

Sony closed its show with The Last of Us. Created by developer Naughty Dog, responsible for successful franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter and the Uncharted series, the trailer for the game was by far the highlight of Sony’s conference. It features two characters, the ruthless Joel and the young but wise Ellie, trying to survive in a zombie infested post-apocalyptic world. While the concept might seem overdone, Naughty Dog breathes fresh life into the wasteland with fast and action-packed game-play.

While Sony had some high points and some low points, many fans overall were disappointed. Many games they expected to be shown or announced were not touched upon, such as Kingdom Hearts 3. Other than The Last of Us, there were no big surprises, and many hated Wonder Book: Book of Spells. Luckily for Sony, The Last of Us was enough not to alienate fans, but they definitely will not attract any newcomers with the show.

Image Courtesy of  PlayStation.Blog.Europe

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While most fighting games consist of one-on-one matches, health bars and have simple 2D stages for arenas, Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros series does things a bit differently. First appearing on the Nintendo 64 as a slow paced fighting game, its sequels, Melee and Brawl, have increased both the speed of the gameplay and the roster, bringing it from 12 to 35. Up to four characters can duke it out at once, with interactive stages and items, like laser swords and the now iconic sandbag, that can easily change the course of the match. Some do not even consider the series to be a fighting game. Truly, it is one of a kind…

…Until now. Sony recently announced PlayStation All-stars Battle Royale for the PlayStation 3 and Vita, the company’s answer to Nintendo’s acclaimed series. Much like Super Smash Bros, Battle Royale will feature some of Sony’s most well known and console exclusive  characters, including Nathan Drake, Fat Princess, Kratos and PaRappa the Rapper. Big Daddy from Bioshock fame will also appear as a playable character, opening the possibility for other third-party characters to join the mix.

Stages will be more similar to Super Smash Bros than other fighting games. Platforms, conveyor belts and other obstacles will be incorporated, making stages very hectic. Items will also appear on stages, which players can readily use by hitting the R1 button.

Despite all these similarities, though, Sony insists that their game is fundamentally different than Nintendo’s. In the game, players deal out damage to earn power points, which can be saved and then used for devastating super moves. These moves are the only way to defeat other players and earn points, and are thus performing them is the object of the game. The one with the most points at the end of the round is the winner.

Sony’s argument for originality, however, has convinced very few. Many still claim the game is a Super Smash Bros clone and some doubt Sony characters are iconic enough to warrant such a game.

While the way characters are eliminated may be different, pretty much everything else is the same. In the God of War stage shown at E3, Hades is present in the background and occasionally performs an area attack on the stage, similar to Kraid and Arwings in Metroid and Star Fox stages in Super Smash Bros. Super moves themselves are similar to “Final Smash” moves from Super Smash Bros Brawl, which are powerful, character-specific moves that almost ensure the elimination of other players. One difference, though, is that Final Smashes can only be activated by breaking a “Smash Ball” item, which appear and float around stages for a brief amount of time.

At this time, other game modes in PlayStation All-Star Battle Royale, such as a single player mode, have yet to be revealed. However, considering the direction the multiplayer mode is being taken, it is likely that a single-player mode would be reminiscent of the “classic” and “adventure” modes in Super Smash Bros.

In classic mode, players battle against computer controlled characters with mini-games occasionally thrown in, much like in a typical “arcade” mode, while adventure mode focuses more on special stages like mazes where the goal is not to defeat other characters but to reach the end of the stage. Players of Brawl will remember the epic Subspace emissary, an expanded and juiced up version of “adventure” mode complete with its own storyline that takes around a whopping 10 hours to complete.

Although PlayStation All-Star Battle Royale is undeniably and unabashedly a clone of Super Smash Bros, gamers should not automatically turn a blind eye to it. It still will probably be a fun game, and, if nothing else, will tide over hardcore Super Smash Bros players until the next one releases.

PlayStation All-Star Battle Royale is due for launch this fall, just in time for the holidays.

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Sometimes the technology used in a product is so advanced that even its rivals cannot help but be impressed. While in Paris promoting a 3DS-powered visitor’s guide for the Louvre, Nintendo superstar Shigeru Miyamoto could not help but express his praise for the Sony PlayStation Vita’s technological capabilities. Of course, the legendary game designer found another way to criticize the machine.

Miyamoto says he finds the handheld’s software lineup ultimately unsatisfying. “[The Vita is] obviously a very hi-spec machine, and you can do lots of things with it,” he said. “But I don’t really see the combination of software and hardware that really makes a very strong product.”

The Vita was released in Japan last December in Japan and late February for the US, UK and Australia. Despite selling 325,000 units after its release date in Japan and 600,000 in other regions, sales of the handheld have slumped. In Europe both the Wii and PlayStation Portable—the handheld the Vita was supposed to replace—outsell Sony’s new console.  Sales in the United States are more positive. There only the PlayStation3, Xbox 360 and 3DS outsell it, with the Vita slowly catching up to the 3DS in weekly sales.

In Japan, though, the 3DS is trouncing the Vita, outselling it 10:1. This is in spite of a slow start for the Nintendo handheld, which only picked up after a price drop for the 3DS. Miyamoto blames the poor initial sales on a lack of games available at launch.

“When we launched the 3DS hardware we didn’t have Super Mario 3D Land, we didn’t have Mario Kart 7, we didn’t have Kid Icarus: Uprising,” he said. “We were striving to have all of these ready for the launch, but we weren’t able to deliver them at that time. We were kind of hoping that people would, nevertheless, buy into the product, find 3DS hardware promising, but looking back we have to say we realise the key software was missing when we launched the hardware.”

The solution to Sony’s problems, then, is more games with maybe a price drop, and few Vita owners would disagree. Despite a collection of launch title representing a wide range of genres, the trickle of games released has slowly dried up. Gravity Rush is the next big game due for release in the United States and Europe, coming out in mid-June.

Little support from publishers proved to be the bane of the PlayStation Portable. Although its sales were not abysmal, compared to its competition, the DS, they left something to be desired .

So will more games solve the Vita’s problems? At this point Sony may need to more than just that and to drop the Vita’s pricey retail value of $249, in order to see significant changes in sales. It worked for the 3DS, so a change in price may make the Vita victorious.

Image Courtesy of   Ricardo “Eb” Trejo

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Nintendo recently posted a net loss of 43.2bn yen (530 million dollars) for the 2011 fiscal year (which stretches from April 2011 to March 2012), a first for the company. These losses were in spite of their newly released 3DS handheld console dominating the Japanese market, outselling Sony’s PlayStation Vita 10:1. Last year the company reported a net gain of 77.6bn yen (959 million dollars). The companies’ losses this year were not, however, as bad as previous estimates had predicted.

Hardware sales were not able to reach predictions Nintendo announced three months ago, predictions Nintendo had reworked downward from previous estimates. Globally, the Nintendo 3DS sold 13.51 million units, the Wii 9.84 and the DS ‘family’ 5.1, while expectations had had the 3DS at 14 million units, the Wii at 10 and the DS ‘family’ at 5.5. Even though actual hardware sales did not fall too far from what Nintendo had predicted, the results are still disastrous for the company. Software sales, meanwhile, were 36 million for the 3DS, 102.37 million for the Wii, and 60.82 for the DS ‘family.’

Regarding these results, the company stated: “While [Nintendo] did post a loss for the recently completed fiscal year, the continuing momentum of the Nintendo 3DS and the global introduction of the highly-anticipated Wii U home console will drive the company back into profitability in the current year.” In a separate announcement, Nintendo predicted a net profit of $245 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

Nintendo went on to say that by the middle of its current fiscal year (around August 2012), the 3DS will cease to be sold below cost of making one, meaning they will start to see a profit from the handheld. The company also announced that New Super Mario Bros. 2, Animal Crossing and a new Brain Age series title are in the works, with the latter releasing in Japan sometime this summer. These games, along with other upcoming ones, will definitely give Nintendo a boost in software sales and help move consoles.

In addition, Dragon Quest X: Waking of the Five Tribes Online was reported to have a Japanese release date set for August 2. No release date for other regions has been announced yet. The title marks a first for the Dragon Quest franchise: never before has an MMORPG entry in the series been released. A Wii U version will follow, although at this time there is no information on it available.

Dragon Quest X is set to sell for 6,980 yen ($86), and a separate version will also be available that includes a USB flash drive for 8,980 yen ($110). A flash drive is required to play the game.

Although details are scarce, these big games look to get Nintendo out of the red this coming year and hopefully help the company reach its $245 million goal. Stay tuned at Toonari Post for more details.

Image Courtesy of   Barone Firenze / Shutterstock.com

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People often regard individuals who play video games as shut-ins who lack the necessary social skills to achieve success in life.

Jo Garcia is not one of those individuals.

Garcia, recognized by Playboy as their Cyber Girl of 2008, possesses the looks and demeanor to beat back those who question her legitimacy in gaming, as well as enough knowledge of the medium to converse with even the most dedicated players.

“I love all games, but I am a huge fan of Skyrim and Final Fantasy XII-2,” she said proudly.

Garcia has since injected her love of video games into her promotion efforts for Sony’s newest portable system, the PlayStation Vita, due to see release on February 22 of this year.

She has done this by travelling to various Vita Hill Social Clubs throughout the U.S. Her previous stops have taken her to Chicago and New York, and on February 11^th, she appeared at Miami’s Vita Hill Social Club to promote the PlayStation Vita while also spending time with individuals eager to get to know her while also getting to know the Vita’s software lineup.

Garcia expressly believes that the Vita will be a success; she admits to wanting to obtain “everything she can get her hands on” for Sony’s newest portable. In terms of games, she is most excited for Escape Plan and Uncharted.

“I think that Escape Plan is a very good game, and Uncharted: Golden Abyss is pretty sick,” she said. Jo Garcia was not the only Playboy model in attendance at the event. Leola Bell, recognized by the magazine as Miss February of this year, was present through an invitation extended to her by Playboy.

Unlike Garcia, who touts her gaming credentials, Bell is not as familiar with gaming lore.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about video games,” she admitted. “However, I used to play Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog when I was younger.” Despite her unfamiliarity, Bell expressed excitement about the potential latent in Sony’s newest portable. “If I wanted a game system, it would definitely be this one. It looks really cute and well-made, and I can take it with me when I travel,” she said.

The presence of the Playboy models definitely helped in adding spice to the event; Brittany Redmon, a cocktail server and model, cited them as a key reason for attending. “I love Playboy magazine and when I heard that Jo Garcia was going to be there, I definitely wanted to attend, as I am a big fan of hers,” she said.

Danny Pena, a podcaster and host of Gamertag Radio, is also a Garcia fan; the two are in fact good friends and he specifically attended to support her efforts. Alexander Yparraguirre, a graphic designer from Tampa, FL, appreciated the opportunity to test out Garcia’s gaming talents. “I am looking forward to challenging her in Wipeout and seeing just how good of a gamer she is,” he said.

As the PlayStation Vita nears its release date, events like these will prove helpful to ensuring that the system has a successful launch. While there were some individuals at the party who remained unsure of the Vita’s potential, most of the people who had the opportunity to sample it expressed confidence in its success.

“I think that this system is definitely something that I would definitely consider either purchasing for myself or my little brother,” said Redmon.

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Although news surrounding Sony’s PlayStation Vita continues to gain steam pending its upcoming U.S. launch date of February 22, not everyone is familiar with the aesthetics and functions surrounding Sony’s second portable video game system.

To help ease players into the Vita prior to its debut, Sony sponsored Vita Hill Social Clubs in various U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Chicago and New York City. In addition to these locations, a Vita Hill Social Club made its debut in Miami, Fla., near the beaches, where many eager video game players came out at 5:30 p.m. to test out the capabilities present in Sony’s second handheld.

Rey Gutierrez, who works for Sony’s PlayStation Blog, was there to greet eager video gamers gathered outside 749 Washington Avenue. The location served as the club’s grand debut and Gutierrez, along with the other employees, made sure that those who attended had the opportunity to obtain a hands-on experience with Sony’s newest system. This experience included a chance to play some of the Vita’s popular titles, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Gravity Rush, before they see proper release, while also spicing up the environment with free food, drinks and music.

Gian Morena, the store manager for this Social Club, noted that this popular atmosphere would help in creating a positive buzz for Sony’s new system.

“We hope that this place will serve as an excellent place for individuals to come in and try out Sony’s latest device before it releases in stores,” he said.

Morena also noted that the club would remain open even after the Vita’s February release. He also hoped that those present would translate their affirmative experiences into pre-orders, as doing so would allow for the system to ship directly to their home and for the customer to receive a $10 Vita voucher.

As the event progressed and more individuals filed in, Gutierrez expressed surprise at the sheer amount of people that made their presence known.

“I thought that this large presence was overwhelming in a good way,” he said while laughing.

The large amount of attendees made Gutierrez realize that picking Miami for this occasion was the correct choice; he viewed the area as a ‘key city’ due to its general familiarity with the masses. This was the same line of reasoning when it came to choosing other cities for the Vita Social Clubs. Cities like Atlanta and Chicago are places that are instantly familiar to people, which would make it that much easier for the affairs to draw a crowd.

Those who attended had the opportunity to not only experience the Vita and enjoy free food, but also win t-shirts designed by Gutierrez.  Ned Wing, a 23 year old from nearby Miami, greatly enjoyed his time at the Social Club.

“I can’t wait to get the PlayStation Vita,” he said excitedly, “I already have mine preordered.”

Wing played Wipeout, Welcome Park and Reality Fighters at the event. While he was pleased at these games, he admitted to being the most excited for Gravity Rush, which he had not seen yet.

Alexandra Yparraguire, a 24 year old from Tampa, also expressed excitement at the opportunity to sample the Vita’s wares.

“One of my favorite games that I played with the Vita was Reality Fighters,” he said.

Although it is unknown if the Vita will enjoy a successful U.S. launch, especially considering the sales difficulties that it is facing abroad, the opinions of Wing and Yparraguire serve as an indication that U.S. gamers will be more than willing to give the system a fair shot.

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Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced software launch details for the highly anticipated PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) handheld entertainment system, which will boast the biggest and best launch-lineup across the history of PlayStation platforms.

PS Vita will offer the most popular franchises in gaming along with entirely new titles – all built from the ground up to take advantage of PS Vita and the unique ways it enables gamers to play. The PS Vita platform has the full development support of the gaming industry, including SCE Worldwide Studios and all third-party publishers, who are combining to deliver 25 titles on day one.

First-party launch titles will include ‘Escape Plan,’ ‘Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational,’ ‘Little Deviants,’ ‘ModNation Racers: Road Trip,’ ‘Uncharted: Golden Abyss,’ and ‘wipEout 2048.’ Key launch-titles from third-party partners will include ‘EA Sports FIFA Soccer’ (Electronic Arts), ‘Lumines Electronic Symphony’ (Ubisoft), ‘Touch My Katamari’ (Namco Bandai Games America), ‘Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3’ (Capcom Entertainment) and ‘Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition’ (Sega of America).

Pricing for all software will range between $9.99- $49.99 (MSRP). Software titles will be available via PS Vita game-cards at retail stores or digitally via PlayStation Network. In addition, a select number of titles will be available exclusively on PlayStation Network.

“PlayStation Vita is the ultimate portable gaming device, offering all of the interface, controls and social connectivity that gamers have been dreaming about to deliver unsurpassed entertainment and completely new ways to play,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. “PS Vita features the most extensive launch-lineup in PlayStation’s history, and there are more than 100 games in development, ensuring that PS Vita gamers will always have a steady stream of amazing titles at their fingertips.”

The gameplay experience on PS Vita is unmatched by any other mobile device in the market, providing new ways to interact through features such as its 5-inch OLED multi-touch screen and rear touch pad, dual analog sticks, dual cameras, and six-axis motion sensing system.

PS Vita will also interact with the PlayStation 3 (PS3) with compatible titles, offering multi-player gaming across both platforms and cloud-saving so consumers can play a game on one platform and pick up where they left off on the other.

PS Vita will draw consumers deeper into the gameplay experience by providing both 3G/Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi only models, enabling them to connect and play with the world around them, including their friends and other PS Vita owners. A variety of social networking and communications services such as Facebook, Flickr, foursquare, Skype and Twitter will be available on PS Vita.

PS Vita launches at major retailers in the United States and Canada on February 22, 2012. The Wi-Fi model will be available for $249.99 (MSRP), and the 3G/Wi-Fi model will be available in the United States for $299.99 (MSRP). Consumers who pre-order the PS Vita First Edition Bundle will be able to pick up their devices as early as February 15, 2012.

All first-party launch software-titles and a selection of peripherals and third-party games will be available that day to support the release of the pre-sale Bundle. Consumers who purchase PS Vita will also be able to experience Augmented Reality (AR) right out of the box. Included with every PS Vita system are six AR Play cards and one voucher to download a handful of augmented reality mini games via PlayStation Network.

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