Uncharted: Golden Abyss PS Vita

Released on 22-Feb-2012

• PS Vita - Best Launch Games for the PlayStation Vita

  
  

  With the release of Sony's PlayStation Vita less than a month away, we're taking a sneak peek at some of the biggest and best games that are lined up for launch. We've never seen a better choice of games for a handheld launch, so choose carefully - or just treat yourself to all of them - when you come in to collect your shiny new Vita!

  

  Uncharted: Golden Abyss

  You can't get a much bigger headline act for your new console than the next outing for everybody's favourite adventurer Nathan Drake. Golden Abyss is an epic journey for our wry hero and it even manages to give the PlayStation 3 a run for its money in the looks department. There's of course a lost city to be investigated and - with the long-overdue inclusion of two analog sticks on the Vita - gaming on the move has never felt so much like playing at home.

  

  ModNation Racers: Road Trip

  Frantic lap-time competition hits the Vita with ModNation Racers, a game that features some of the most fun and furious racing around. What really makes this game special though is the community's devilish creations, all of which are available to download and share with your friends. If you like to let your creativity shine, this is a game that offers much much more than just a quick race around the block.

  

  Everybody's Golf

  As one of the most popular gaming series on the PSP, another outing for Everybody's Golf was a no-brainer on Sony's part. It's already leading the sales charts in Japan and is a must-buy for those who like their sports games to lean more on the side of good arcadey fun than serious simulation. Don't expect a walk in the park though - the game may not aim for realism, but it still offers up acres of challenging gameplay that will keep you competing for months.

  

  WipEout 2048

  The game that sold a million PlayStations and brought gaming into the mainstream is back and looking incredible on the Vita's gorgeous 5 inch screen. As a prequel to the original game, WipEout 2048 looks at the origins of the high-speed anti-gravity racing league and includes ten blisteringly fast original tracks. As well as a beefy game in its own right, the title will also support cross-platform play, allowing Vita and PS3 racers to compete for glory together. This is definitely one to use to show off the horse-power of the Vita to your envious friends.

  

  Unit 13

  It's impossible to even think about releasing a console these days without a hopeful shooter franchise leading the charge. Amazingly, we only got our first look at this beautiful third-person military game when it was announced in November last year. The good news is that it's shaping up very nicely indeed. As with Modern Warfare, the game offers a number of scenarios for players to take on, from dispatching terrorists, to intercepting drug traffickers and gunrunners. You'll be spoilt for choice in the role you take too, with options to be the sniper, technician or soldier on the battlefield, to name just a few.

  
  

  

  Little Deviants

  Little Deviants is very much Sony's answer to the kind of bite-sized portable gaming that's become so popular in recent years. It's also a fantastic showcase for the Vita's extensive features. Plentiful use is made of both the front and rear touchscreens, the Vita's gyroscopic functionality and, yes, even the microphone when you're tasked to make a total fool of yourself in public and sing your way to victory! A real treat for mini-game fans, this will offer up no shortage of chuckles for you and your friends.

  

  Reality Fighters

  Now this is where things get really interesting for Sony's latest box of tricks. Using the Vita's fancy technical magic, Reality Fighters lets player really put themselves in the game while fighting opponents on the backdrop of whatever happens to be in front of the Vita's screen. Once you've captured an image of yourself, you can customise your fighter even further by choosing from 16 different fighting styles that range from break-dancing to ballet. Ridiculous, fun, and ever-so-charming, this is one game that never plays the same twice. The action can be scaled up or down too, so players can fight like ants on the pavement, or as 30-foot monsters on the horizon.

• Jak and Daxter Trilogy confirmed for February 2012 launch

  PlayStation 3 owners will be able to experience the greatest hits of Jak and Daxter with the launch of The Jak and Daxter Trilogy in February 2012.

  The new compilation title includes the first three instalments in the classic platform adventure series on one Blu-ray disc, with each title having received a high-definition facelift and optional 3D visuals.

  Created by Naughty Dog, the award-winning team behind Crash Bandicoot and Uncharted, the Jak series celebrated its tenth anniversary last month and is well known for its imaginative worlds, technical innovations and creative gameplay.

  The 2001 original Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is joined in the collection by its darker sequels Jak II and Jak 3, with extensive PlayStation Trophy support promised for each title.

  More than 100 Trophies are available across the three games, including three prized platinum awards, offering hours of fun for gaming completionists.

  The Jak and Daxter Trilogy has been created by developer Mass Media, with support from the original Jak team at Naughty Dog.

  Published: 26/01/2012

• Get hands on with PlayStation Vita at Gamestation

  Chomping at the bit to get your paws on a PlayStation Vita but haven't been able to make it to one of the Vita Rooms preview events? Don't worry, just head to your nearest Gamestation. Sony is sending a Vita to every store before the launch so that customers (and staff, if they're lucky) can have a go.

  "PlayStation Vita is an amazing piece of technology - but the very best way to make people realise this, is by putting it in their hands. The beauty and clarity of the 5 inch OLED screen, the ergonomic design with the dual analogue joysticks, the interaction of the rear touch panel, all come emphatically to life." said Fergal Gara, Vice President and Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment UK.

  "With our own Vita Rooms and now, with this opportunity for consumers to sample PS Vita in any of GAME or Gamestation's 600 specialist retail stores, the excitement can only continue to build."

  The PlayStation Vita launches on February 22nd. Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Wipeout 2048 and ModNation Racers are among the games that will be released alongside the powerful handheld.

• Try out PlayStation Vita in GAME stores now

  Gamers across the country can try out Sony's eagerly-awaited PlayStation Vita console at their local GAME stores right now.

  A PS Vita unit has been sent out to each of the chain's 600 dedicated shops in the UK, while 150 leading outlets will also be setting up a special interactive display unit showing off the high-tech handheld's capabilities.

  It means fans can get hands-on time with the sleek device, as well as ensuring that GAME's in-store staff will be familiar enough with the machine to answer any questions.

  Fergal Gara, vice president and managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment UK, said: "PlayStation Vita is an amazing piece of technology - but the very best way to make people realise this is by putting it in their hands."

  The successor to the popular PSP, PS Vita features a stunning five-inch OLED screen, front and rear touch panels and dual analogue controls, as well as graphics to rival PlayStation 3 games.

  Launch titles include big-name releases like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, ModNation Racers: Road Trip and WipEout 2048.

  Published: 31/01/2012

• PlayStation Vita Day at GAME

  
  

  As you may know from our Twitter, Facebook and YouTube posts, SONY have been nice enough to let us try out a shiny new PlayStation Vita.

  Well, last Friday SONY rocked up to GAME HQ with cases more of them for us to play with, so that we're ready to help you when the PS Vita goes on sale on 22nd February. While we were having fun, we thought we'd share with you some of our first-hand experiences of this nifty new handheld.

  Double the touchscreens, double the possibilities

  
  

  At the front, a five inch OLED touchscreen. Bright, clear, crisp (the graphics were described as 'lush' by one staff member) and very responsive. Then there's the unique rear touch pad, and that's the real game-changer. You interact with games in ways you've never done so before, and the multi-touch feature means you can use multiple fingers on both pads at the same time.

  In Little Deviants we poked the back of the PS Vita, to physically lift the world that we saw in the game and have our Deviant roll around in response. It felt like we were literally poking into the game itself and it's a refreshingly, immersive experience.

  It's also put to good use in Escape Plan. As well as moving characters and obstacles with the front screen, you can use the rear pad to push objects towards (or away from) you and complete paths. Plus there are some moves that can only be done by 'pinching' both screens at once. Again, it's an incredible experience that needs to be enjoyed first hand!

  Motion - captured!

  
  

  The PS Vita comes armed with inbuilt motion sensors and gyroscopic controls, so the game will move in reaction to the way the PS Vita is being moved. We saw this highlighted in a few different games.

  WipEout 2048 gives you the choice to play it safe and use the buttons and control sticks, or use the motion controls. Choose the latter - you'll tilt the PS Vita in your hands to steer your ship, slingshot around bends and overtake your rivals! Once you get used to it, you won't want to go back to using the control stick!

  In Gravity Rush, after you stumble across a strange cat who (for some reason) grants you the ability to manipulate gravity, a whole realm of possibilities for a whole new type of platforming game are opened up. Specifically, moving your console around in 3D space to aim where your character will shift gravity to.

  Both Little Deviants and Reality Fighters use the motion controls together with the rear camera, superimposing the action onto whatever you're pointing at and following the action around. It's real 360-degree gameplay that became less self-conscious the more we got into the games!

  Two analogue sticks are better than one!

  
  

  Successfully bridging the gap between the PS3 and PSP are the dual analogue sticks, giving a greater freedom - and variety - of control in all manner of games.

  The forthcoming Super Stardust evolves the controls of the PSP version to something more akin to Smash TV (for you old school gamers!). The left stick moves your ship around, and the right stick is used to aim and fire your guns. This may sound simple, but the screen soon fills with tons of enemies and coordination between movement and aiming becomes crucial. On the PSP this was a tricky task; the Vita pulls it off beautifully.

  Then there's the remote control carnage of Motorstorm RC. The steering, using the left stick, is responsive and quiet nippy, as you'd expect from a remote control car, with the cars being able to turn at extreme angles. Using the right analogue stick for acceleration and braking works like a dream as you can determine how much you brake or accelerate by how far you push the stick forward or pull it back.

  ModNation Racers uses the second analogue in two very different ways - if you're lucky enough to be leading the pack you can see who's chasing after you, and by flicking the stick left or right you can bump into other players to knock them away.

  Possibly the most visually appealing title so far shown off is Uncharted: Golden Abyss. PSP players have for a long time wanted to hold drake in their hands whilst on the move. As the Vita packs that second analogue that dream is now a reality as now you can aim and look around like you would on the PS3 versions. It handles like the PS3 version, too!

  All together now...

  
  

  Of all the games we played, there was one that proved to be surprisingly fun, and enjoyably addictive - Frobisher Says. Much like Wario Ware, Frobisher Says is a collection of mini games that use every feature of the PS Vita, whether it's to fan a lady using the motion controls, split clouds using the touch screen or even have your picture taken by the Vita's camera. It may not be at the top of everyone's list, but if you want a party piece to show the Vita's extra features off, look no further than Frobisher.

  Social. Network.

  
  

  One thing that really stood out was how well-designed the PS Vita is for connecting with others, from online chat and 'Parties', to social networking through Facebook and Twitter, and, of course, PlayStation Network.

  Thanks to the Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity of the PS Vita, mobile PSN Messaging from wherever you are is now possible. You also have access to over 300 PS1, PS Minis and PSP Essential games available to download at launch - and if you've already bought it, you can download it again no extra cost. You can even play music and rent movies.

  For more social gaming, there's NEAR. If you're sat in, say, a coffee shop or restaurant that has Wi-Fi then you can turn on to NEAR that will show you all Vita players that are 'NEAR' to you. You'll be able to see what they are playing, and join them for a game. And with Crossplay, you can even play against PS3 players on certain games, with full compatibility.

  There's also the trophies. For some, collecting trophies is an obsession and to know you can collect them on the go is brilliant. Much like the PS3 system, whenever you do something that is deemed worthy, like complete a level, come first in a race, set the fastest lap etc, you'll be awarded a trophy that your friends can see and become jealous of. And by connecting your PS Vita to Facebook, you'll be able to post a status showing off the trophies you have just collected. Your friends now have no escape from your trophy collecting skills!

  With all these social and mobile features, plus the selection of mini-games, movies and music, the PS Vita appears to be the missing link between the PlayStation and modern smartphones.

  Anything else we need to know?

  
  

  The PS Vita is easy to use and to set-up. It comes with all the leads you need to power and charge it, and to connect to a PC to help manage your content. There's even a 'Welcome Park' to guide you through how to use it. It also comes with an Augmented Reality card to get you going with the AR features.

  But the real treat is how you can personalise it. You can have up to 100 applications, and even have different applications running at once. You can move and customise your icons, menus and backgrounds, including taking your own screenshots from within the games you play. It really is your PS Vita, your way.

  Final Thoughts

  
  

  We had a great day enjoying everything the Vita had to offer. There really seems to be something for everyone, from the most casual of gamers to the most devoted PlayStation player, and SONY really seem to understand what modern, mobile gamers want.

  We've got a PS Vita in every GAME store - with a lucky 150 stores having a nifty pod - so why not pop in and try one out yourself!

  Published: 01/02/2012

• PlayStation Vita's 3G model an "investment in the future" - Sony

  Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony Worldwide Studios, has explained that the company made the decision to offer a more expensive 3G model of the PlayStation Vita as well as the standard Wi-Fi model, because it needed to invest in the future of gaming, despite the additional research and expense.

  "3G is our investment in the future," Yoshida told IndustryGamers. "I hope some consumers will believe in that investment of their money for the future. These systems last many years, and we will upgrade firmware, add new features, but it's not easy to update hardware."

  The PS Vita, which launches tonight in the UK, will use 3G for more than just multiplayer gaming. "The main purpose we believe in for having 3G in PS Vita is the social connectivity features we have put at the centre of PS Vita," said Yoshida. "When you open a game, you don't automatically start a game, but you're taken to one page which is constantly updated from publishers as well as your friends doing activities or giving you in-game items. So all that social connectivity is enabled by the 3G."

  The 3G PS Vita model costs £279, while the Wi-Fi-only model costs £229. As always, Gamestation is offering oodles of bundles for the savvy shopper, including games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and FIFA Football, as well as official Sony memory cards.

• Sony details cross-platform play for PS Vita and PS3

  Sony has reminded prospective PlayStation Vita owners of the wide array of cross-compatibility options it provides with the PlayStation 3.

  The advanced handheld, which debuts in the UK this week, will be able to access much of the same content via the PlayStation Store as the PS3 can, including games such as Motorstorm RC, Hustle Kings and Top Darts.

  Owners of both consoles who purchase certain games on one system will be able to re-download it for the other device at no extra cost, while some titles will even let PS Vita and PlayStation 3 owners compete against each other in multiplayer.

  This also applies to downloadable content, so purchasing new characters and costumes in games such as Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 will unlock the features on both PS3 and PS Vita.

  Sony's newest console will arrive to much fanfare on February 22nd, boasting a gorgeous OLED touchscreen, dual analogue controls and unmatched graphics for a portable console.

  Launch titles include Uncharted: Golden Abyss, WipEout 2048, FIFA Football and many more.

  Published: 21/02/2012

• Call of Duty to storm PS Vita this autumn

  Sony has let slip that the PlayStation Vita version of Call of Duty will be marching into stores this year.

  Chatting to GameTrailers, senior vice president for PlayStation brand marketing Guy Longsworth said Activision's blockbuster shooter series will hit PS Vita in autumn, promising it will be an "absolute game-changer".

  Little is known about the PS Vita version of Call of Duty, with no indication yet of whether it will be a conversion of a home console title or an entirely new experience.

  However, a fully-fledged Call of Duty game will likely be a massive boon for the new system, with last year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 shattering all entertainment industry records with its billion-dollar launch in November 2011.

  PS Vita's library is already looking well-stocked in terms of big-name franchises, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss, FIFA Football, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and WipEout 2048 all among the launch titles.

  Meanwhile, new PS Vita entries in the Silent Hill, Bioshock, Assassin's Creed and Street Fighter franchises are all on the way soon.

  Published: 21/02/2012

• Uncharted: Golden Abyss tops charts in PS Vita launch week

  The PlayStation Vita has blitzed the UK sales chart in its much-anticipated first week of release, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss leading the assault.

  Nathan Drake's debut handheld adventure topped the UK all-formats chart following its introduction alongside the snazzy new portable, accounting on its own for 31 per cent of all PS Vita game sales.

  Coming in second in the GfK-ChartTrack rankings was the PS Vita version of FIFA Football, with other Ps Vita titles reaching the top 40 including WipEout 2048, F1 2011 and Ridge Racer.

  Away from PS Vita's success, EA and Starbreeze Studios' revival of the Syndicate franchise on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC claimed a seventh-place start.

  Other top sellers included former number one UFC Undisputed 3, football favourite FIFA 12 and acclaimed platformer Rayman Origins, which saw a massive sales boost thanks to its new PS Vita version.

  Next week, a new batch of games will arrive on the scene to challenge PS Vita's dominance, including EA's SSX reboot and Nintendo's Mario Party 9.

  Published: 27/02/2012

• Uncharted: Golden Abyss - Review

  
  

  

  New frontiers

  Uncharted: Golden Abyss is the newest entry in Sony's Indiana Jones-inspired action adventure series and the first to make the leap from home console to a handheld device - the brand new PlayStation Vita. It may be developed by Bend Studio - maker of the popular PSP Syphon Filter and Resistance games - rather than series creator Naughty Dog, but it successfully manages to translate almost all of the magic from the award-winning games released on PS3 to Sony's exciting new portable.

  Set several years before the original Uncharted, the game sees fortune hunting hero Nathan Drake and mentor Sully attempting to uncover the dark secret of a 400-year-old mystery behind a doomed Spanish expedition to Central America. While the banter between its two returning male leads is just as witty as ever, Golden Abyss doesn't quite deliver the great story and characterisation the series is traditionally known for, which is perhaps understandable given the restrictions its prequel billing places on it. You already know, for example, that new female companion Chase isn't going to figure prominently in Drake's future, and her character feels a bit underdeveloped.

  Thankfully though, the gameplay features all of the slick acrobatic exploration and cover-based shooting Uncharted titles are known for, while introducing some impressive new tricks of its own. It also delivers on the series' trademark visuals, serving up a beautiful adventure on the PlayStation Vita's stunning OLED screen that almost feels PS3 quality. The facial animations might not be as strong, and PS Vita can handle fewer simultaneous on-screen elements, but the graphics set a new benchmark for handheld gaming.

  

  Best of both worlds

  As PS Vita's flagship launch game, there's a lot of pressure on Golden Abyss to deliver, including the burden of needing to prove the value of PS Vita's many different control inputs. Largely the touch and motion based controls are very well implemented, with both combat and puzzling sections benefitting from new ways of playing. You can physically aim with the PS Vita's tilt sensors by moving the console to track targets, zoom in and out using up or down strokes of the system's rear touch pad, and lob grenades by tap-dragging an on-screen icon into densely populated areas. Touch and motion controls also lend themselves well to the lever-pulling, panel-rotating puzzle side of the game, although, on occasion, it feels as if you're being asked to perform overly elaborate actions to achieve what could be accomplished with just a couple of button taps.

  Perhaps most impressive though is the fact that the new control options work perfectly in tandem with more traditional ones, leading to a fluid, highly interactive experience. The PS Vita's responsive dual analogue sticks successfully replicate the sensation of playing with a regular controller, making Golden Abyss one of the most comfortable, natural-feeling action games we've played on a handheld yet, and it doesn't take long before you're sliding into cover using the sticks, switching weapons by tapping the screen, letting off some rounds with the shoulder buttons and throwing grenades with your fingertips.

  

  Handheld treasure

  The PlayStation Vita has a strong, varied software launch line-up, but for action fans looking for a home console quality experience, Golden Abyss is the jewel in the new handheld's crown. The best complement we can pay it is to say that it feels like an authentic Uncharted game, featuring gorgeous environments perfectly designed for platforming, extremely solid cover shooting and engaging puzzles that nicely punctuate the action. Even more impressively, it manages all this while introducing a range of new control options that spice up the traditional formula and make the game more accessible for newcomers. It's an impressive achievement indeed, and one we wholeheartedly recommend.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good

  • Amazing graphics.
    
  • Strong, varied gameplay.
    
  • Largely excellent, multiple control options.

  The Bad

  • Story feels a bit generic.
    
  • Characterisation could be stronger.
    
  • Uncharted isn't as cinematic on a handheld screen.

  Published: 29/02/2012

• PlayStation Vita sales pass 1.2 million worldwide

  Sony's newest handheld console, the PlayStation Vita, has racked up 1.2 million sales worldwide since launch, the gaming giant has revealed.

  The high-tech portable system has exceeded expectations since making its debut in Japan last December, reaching the 1.2 million mark within a few days of its successful debut in the US and Europe.

  Software sales for PS Vita have been equally brisk, passing two million thanks to a robust launch line-up that includes more than 25 titles.

  In the UK, the cinematic action-adventure Uncharted: Golden Abyss and FIFA Football led the charge, topping the UK all-formats chart during PS Vita's launch week.

  Andrew House, president and chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment, said: "PS Vita was designed to deliver the ultimate portable entertainment experience and we couldn't be more thrilled with the reaction we're seeing from consumers and the pace at which PS Vita is selling."

  More than 70 games are currently in development for the console, including new entries in the Resistance, Call of Duty, Bioshock and Assassin's Creed franchises.

  Published: 29/02/2012

• PlayStation Vita & Uncharted Golden Abyss - Review

  
  

  

  Give Them a Big Hand(held)

  Portable gaming has never been richer and more diverse than it is today. Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 only left our Nintendo 3DS cartridge slot this Christmas to make way for each other, and games like Angry Birds may very well be more widely consumed than air and water in some countries. But, however good those games are, it's never been possible to achieve quite the same thrills on the go as those you experience in front of the TV with a PlayStation or Xbox.

  Never been possible, that is, until the launch of PlayStation Vita. Sony's new handheld games console isn't quite as powerful as its under-the-TV cousins, but it's as close as anyone has ever come. The graphics are sumptuously detailed and silky smooth, pumping incredible detail through the huge 5-inch OLED screen, and thanks to console-style controls - two analogue sticks, d-pad, symbol and shoulder buttons - you can play games the way you would at home. Meanwhile, the addition of a super-responsive touch-screen opens the door to smartphone-style experiences while a unique "rear touch" panel lets developers come up with new concepts altogether.

  

  Golden Child

  There's no better example of this than Sony's own Uncharted: Golden Abyss, which offers the best of all possible worlds. The PlayStation 3 series is among the console's most visually spectacular exclusives, but the shrunk-down PS Vita release, which is an entirely new adventure, admirably holds its own in comparison, revealing amazing views of Central American mountain ranges, jungles and lost temples and set-pieces that - while they don't quite rival Uncharted 3 - definitely belong under this banner.

  A prequel to the series, it sees hero Nathan Drake teaming up with new love interest Marisa Chase as the duo seek to solve the mystery of a massacred Spanish expedition 400 years in the past. As usual, you make progress by climbing around ancient ruins in acrobatic fashion - the eye-catching platform gaming is perfectly recreated - and getting in elaborate gun and fist fights with legions of hired goons. The action only lets up for well-acted and amusingly written cut-scenes - and of course to solve various puzzles.

  Remote Controls

  These frequently take advantage of the PS Vita's many control options - including one ingenious puzzle that requires you to find an actual real-world light source to illuminate a particular conundrum using the PS Vita's camera. There are myriad different collectables that utilise touch-screen, camera and rear panel as well, including various charcoal rubbings and unique photo opportunities.

  You use Nathan Drake's ever-present diary to keep a look-out for secrets and treasure and flick through it with the touch-screen, a bit like an eBook. If you're so inclined, you can even use the touch-screen to control platform sequences, drawing lines across glowing stone outcroppings to manoeuvre Drake. It's not as tactile as using the buttons, but it's not bad if you're a more casual player.

  

  There's no multiplayer, but the single-player campaign lasts for many hours and frequently mixes things up with new locations and even some cameos from famous old friends. As usual, you dig very deep by the end of the adventure, uncovering a lost civilisation in the process - at great expense to some of the game's stars - and learn an important lesson about greed and sacrifice.

  Livin' la Vita Loca

  As an advert for PlayStation Vita, Uncharted: Golden Abyss does a fine job, and it's a great game in its own right. It's a console-style experience in many respects, but the PS Vita proves more than a match for it - the system standby button, similar to phones and tablets, freezes the game wherever you are and resumes very gracefully when you return to it, so despite its potentially unwieldy nature it ends up suiting any commute or social situation.

  As for the rest of PlayStation Vita, its only real drawbacks are a too-basic internet browser (similar to PlayStation 3) and high pricing on the PlayStation Store, but on the whole it's a marvellous handheld. It's incredibly light, smaller than you realise but with a big screen, boasts impressive battery life for something this powerful (around four hours of Uncharted on full brightness without a charge), and has all the right controls and games. All in all, it's thoroughly recommended.

  Our rating: 9.0

  What's Good?

  • Amazing console-style graphics.
    
  • Great variety thanks to multiple control methods.
    
  • Continue the amazing Uncharted adventure on the go.

  What's Bad?

  • Some levels are a little too long for a portable experience.
    
  • Not much use of the rear panel so far.
    
  • No multiplayer.
• Unit 13 mobilises for PlayStation Vita this week

  Zipper Interactive's latest tactical shooter Unit 13 is making its debut on the new PlayStation Vita handheld console this week.

  From the acclaimed team behind the SOCOM games, Unit 13 is a third-person military combat experience that sees players touring the world as part of an elite counter-terrorism squad.

  Thanks to the unique features of the PS Vita hardware, the game is able to deliver home console-quality action, with responsive dual analogue movement and aiming, as well as motion and touch-based control options.

  Unit 13 offers up a huge variety of missions that will challenge players to execute different objectives and work together as a team, either on their own or in online multiplayer.

  New missions and challenges will be delivered regularly for the game via Wi-Fi or 3G connections, while global leaderboards allow players to show off their skills.

  PlayStation Vita has proven a big hit among UK gamers since its February debut, with Uncharted: Golden Abyss and FIFA Football proving to be its most popular titles so far.

  Published: 09/03/2012

• Uncharted's Nathan Drake to appear in new Star Trek movie

  Veteran videogame voice actor Nolan North, who has over 200 credits to his name including the role of Nathan Drake in Sony's hugely successful Uncharted series, recently filmed a part for the upcoming Star Trek movie sequel, and it's all thanks to gaming.

  "I just worked on Star Trek 2 with J. J. Abrams," he told Eurogamer. "I met him doing some work on Super 8 and he said 'We're doing Star Trek, you wanna do it?' And I said I'd love to. He's a huge fan of gaming and he was telling me how people just don't understand [the medium] yet, but they're going to catch up. They don't understand how amazing this technology is and it doesn't get the respect it deserves, but if it keeps making the money it makes you're going to see more and more people converted."

  North will next be heard in another of his blockbuster gaming roles, as Desmond Miles in Assassin's Creed III this October. Star Trek fans can look forward to the release of a new action game based on Abrams' popular movie reboot this summer. It's a co-op action game for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC with players controlling Kirk and Spock through a series of missions.
  

• PS Vita - Best Launch Games for the PlayStation Vita

  
  

  With the release of Sony's PlayStation Vita less than a month away, we're taking a sneak peek at some of the biggest and best games that are lined up for launch. We've never seen a better choice of games for a handheld launch, so choose carefully - or just treat yourself to all of them - when you come in to collect your shiny new Vita!

  

  Uncharted: Golden Abyss

  You can't get a much bigger headline act for your new console than the next outing for everybody's favourite adventurer Nathan Drake. Golden Abyss is an epic journey for our wry hero and it even manages to give the PlayStation 3 a run for its money in the looks department. There's of course a lost city to be investigated and - with the long-overdue inclusion of two analog sticks on the Vita - gaming on the move has never felt so much like playing at home.

  

  ModNation Racers: Road Trip

  Frantic lap-time competition hits the Vita with ModNation Racers, a game that features some of the most fun and furious racing around. What really makes this game special though is the community's devilish creations, all of which are available to download and share with your friends. If you like to let your creativity shine, this is a game that offers much much more than just a quick race around the block.

  

  Everybody's Golf

  As one of the most popular gaming series on the PSP, another outing for Everybody's Golf was a no-brainer on Sony's part. It's already leading the sales charts in Japan and is a must-buy for those who like their sports games to lean more on the side of good arcadey fun than serious simulation. Don't expect a walk in the park though - the game may not aim for realism, but it still offers up acres of challenging gameplay that will keep you competing for months.

  

  WipEout 2048

  The game that sold a million PlayStations and brought gaming into the mainstream is back and looking incredible on the Vita's gorgeous 5 inch screen. As a prequel to the original game, WipEout 2048 looks at the origins of the high-speed anti-gravity racing league and includes ten blisteringly fast original tracks. As well as a beefy game in its own right, the title will also support cross-platform play, allowing Vita and PS3 racers to compete for glory together. This is definitely one to use to show off the horse-power of the Vita to your envious friends.

  

  Unit 13

  It's impossible to even think about releasing a console these days without a hopeful shooter franchise leading the charge. Amazingly, we only got our first look at this beautiful third-person military game when it was announced in November last year. The good news is that it's shaping up very nicely indeed. As with Modern Warfare, the game offers a number of scenarios for players to take on, from dispatching terrorists, to intercepting drug traffickers and gunrunners. You'll be spoilt for choice in the role you take too, with options to be the sniper, technician or soldier on the battlefield, to name just a few.

  
  

  

  Little Deviants

  Little Deviants is very much Sony's answer to the kind of bite-sized portable gaming that's become so popular in recent years. It's also a fantastic showcase for the Vita's extensive features. Plentiful use is made of both the front and rear touchscreens, the Vita's gyroscopic functionality and, yes, even the microphone when you're tasked to make a total fool of yourself in public and sing your way to victory! A real treat for mini-game fans, this will offer up no shortage of chuckles for you and your friends.

  

  Reality Fighters

  Now this is where things get really interesting for Sony's latest box of tricks. Using the Vita's fancy technical magic, Reality Fighters lets player really put themselves in the game while fighting opponents on the backdrop of whatever happens to be in front of the Vita's screen. Once you've captured an image of yourself, you can customise your fighter even further by choosing from 16 different fighting styles that range from break-dancing to ballet. Ridiculous, fun, and ever-so-charming, this is one game that never plays the same twice. The action can be scaled up or down too, so players can fight like ants on the pavement, or as 30-foot monsters on the horizon.

  Published: 19/01/2012

• PlayStation Vita and Uncharted Golden Abyss Review

  
  

  

  Give Them a Big Hand(held)

  Portable gaming has never been richer and more diverse than it is today. Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 only left our Nintendo 3DS cartridge slot this Christmas to make way for each other, and games like Angry Birds may very well be more widely consumed than air and water in some countries. But, however good those games are, it's never been possible to achieve quite the same thrills on the go as those you experience in front of the TV with a PlayStation or Xbox.

  Never been possible, that is, until the launch of PlayStation Vita. Sony's new handheld games console isn't quite as powerful as its under-the-TV cousins, but it's as close as anyone has ever come. The graphics are sumptuously detailed and silky smooth, pumping incredible detail through the huge 5-inch OLED screen, and thanks to console-style controls - two analogue sticks, d-pad, symbol and shoulder buttons - you can play games the way you would at home. Meanwhile, the addition of a super-responsive touch-screen opens the door to smartphone-style experiences while a unique "rear touch" panel lets developers come up with new concepts altogether.

  

  Golden Child

  There's no better example of this than Sony's own Uncharted: Golden Abyss, which offers the best of all possible worlds. The PlayStation 3 series is among the console's most visually spectacular exclusives, but the shrunk-down PS Vita release, which is an entirely new adventure, admirably holds its own in comparison, revealing amazing views of Central American mountain ranges, jungles and lost temples and set-pieces that - while they don't quite rival Uncharted 3 - definitely belong under this banner.

  A prequel to the series, it sees hero Nathan Drake teaming up with new love interest Marisa Chase as the duo seek to solve the mystery of a massacred Spanish expedition 400 years in the past. As usual, you make progress by climbing around ancient ruins in acrobatic fashion - the eye-catching platform gaming is perfectly recreated - and getting in elaborate gun and fist fights with legions of hired goons. The action only lets up for well-acted and amusingly written cut-scenes - and of course to solve various puzzles.

  Remote Controls

  These frequently take advantage of the PS Vita's many control options - including one ingenious puzzle that requires you to find an actual real-world light source to illuminate a particular conundrum using the PS Vita's camera. There are myriad different collectables that utilise touch-screen, camera and rear panel as well, including various charcoal rubbings and unique photo opportunities.

  You use Nathan Drake's ever-present diary to keep a look-out for secrets and treasure and flick through it with the touch-screen, a bit like an eBook. If you're so inclined, you can even use the touch-screen to control platform sequences, drawing lines across glowing stone outcroppings to manoeuvre Drake. It's not as tactile as using the buttons, but it's not bad if you're a more casual player.

  

  There's no multiplayer, but the single-player campaign lasts for many hours and frequently mixes things up with new locations and even some cameos from famous old friends. As usual, you dig very deep by the end of the adventure, uncovering a lost civilisation in the process - at great expense to some of the game's stars - and learn an important lesson about greed and sacrifice.

  Livin' la Vita Loca

  As an advert for PlayStation Vita, Uncharted: Golden Abyss does a fine job, and it's a great game in its own right. It's a console-style experience in many respects, but the PS Vita proves more than a match for it - the system standby button, similar to phones and tablets, freezes the game wherever you are and resumes very gracefully when you return to it, so despite its potentially unwieldy nature it ends up suiting any commute or social situation.

  As for the rest of PlayStation Vita, its only real drawbacks are a too-basic internet browser (similar to PlayStation 3) and high pricing on the PlayStation Store, but on the whole it's a marvellous handheld. It's incredibly light, smaller than you realise but with a big screen, boasts impressive battery life for something this powerful (around four hours of Uncharted on full brightness without a charge), and has all the right controls and games. All in all, it's thoroughly recommended.

  GAME's Verdict

  What's Good?

  • Amazing console-style graphics.
    
  • Great variety thanks to multiple control methods.
    
  • Continue the amazing Uncharted adventure on the go.

  What's Bad?

  • Some levels are a little too long for a portable experience.
    
  • Not much use of the rear panel so far.
    
  • No multiplayer.

  Published: 08/03/2012

• Halo 4, Uncharted among the picks for Writers Guild of America award

  They may not have the highest profile in the games industry, but the annual awards handed out by the Writers Guild of America still carries a lot of weight. That's because the WGA is union that represents scriptwriters across all media, including movies and television.

  That comes with its own restrictions though. To be nominated, a writer must be a WGA member which counts out a lot of videogame scripters who have only ever worked in games. Similarly, the publisher must officially put their game forward for an award, meaning many games aren't even considered.

  The 2013 line up for the Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing award is still pretty good time capsule of where big blockbuster gaming is getting words right though. Halo 4 and Assassin's Creed III are both up for the prize, as is the PlayStation Vita exclusive spin-off Assassin's Creed Liberation. The PS Vita gets another nod in the shape of Uncharted: Golden Abyss, which continued the spritely storytelling of the main series in fine style.

  Also up for the award are 007 Legends, for which GoldenEye screenwriter Bruce Feirstein combined multiple Bond movie storylines into one game, and Disney Epic Mickey 2, which had a story helmed by comics scribe Marv Wolfman.

  The WGA ceremony takes place on February 17th.
  

  Published: 17/01/2013

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