Gamescom 2014: 'Tearaway Unfolded' headed to PS4 in 2015

An enhanced version of the former PlayStation Vita exclusive, Tearaway, is coming to PlayStation 4.

Sony announced during their Gamescom 2014 press conference that the new Tearaway would be coming to the new console sometime next year. From Polygon:

Tearaway Unfolded is an expanded version of the original game and will feature 1080p, 60fps and new capabilities. Players will use the DualShock 4 controller to interact with the game's world by flicking or poking the touchpad, using the light bar to interact with the world or shaking the controller.

The news comes as a bit of a mixed bag. While it's great to see an update to Tearaway, it also gives another reason for gamers not to even bother with Sony's handheld system. There's already zero first-party development going into it at the moment, and the only thing that's thriving on the system is the indie community.

Still, the update is welcomed and for those that haven't played Tearaway -- well, if you have a Vita, why wouldn't you have it? And if you don't, you'll be treated to a fantastic game. The game has received high praise across the board and features a score of 87 over at Metacritic.

Tearaway is developed by Media Molecule, the same developers who created the LittleBigPlanet franchise, and it is published by Sony.

Photo from Flickr

'Rise of the Tomb Raider' just a timed exclusive to Xbox One?

The biggest reveal at Gamescom was the announcement of Rise of Tomb Raider coming exclusively to the Xbox One during the 2015 holiday season. But is it really going to be real exclusive, or a timed exclusive?

Twinfinite author Garrett Gault discusses why it's going to be the latter. While Titanfall was the exception to the rule, Gault believes that third party companies are foolish not to release their products on multiple platforms. In the same vein to Mass Effect, we will see the sequel to the Tomb Raider reboot on PlayStation 4 in some form.

In many cases we will see the first game in a franchise be exclusive to one platform, only for the success of that first game to lead the third party publisher to expand to as many places as possible to make the most capital they can.  One of the biggest franchises in recent memory that saw a shift similar to this was Mass Effect. The first two entries of the trilogy were Microsoft exclusives (the first debuting only for 360, with the second debuting for Windows and 360), only for the third game to release simultaneously on PS3, 360, and PC, along with a retroactive re-release of the first two games in a collection of the entire series for multiple platforms.

While Square Enix is going a different route with Tomb Raider, it doesn't matter. Eventually whatever money Microsoft paid for exclusivity won't matter once the contract is up.

This can only mean that Microsoft offered them a serious amount of money, but I still think that, whatever contract has been drawn between Microsoft and Square Enix, that contract will eventually expire. When that happens, expect Square Enix to reopen the series to multiple platforms, assuming Rise of the Tomb Raidermaintain’s the quality of the 2013 reboot. 

The article is completely spot on. Square Enix is the same company that throws in a bunch of money to their games, and when their games sell millions of copies they still consider it a failure. There's such a high benchmark that Square Enix places on their games and there's no way, reasonably, that it can reach its goal. Over four million copies and the game is a failure? Really?

In the same token, Square Enix isn't abandoning the Tomb Raider franchise on PlayStation. The reboot roughly sold half a million copies more on PS3 and obviously the franchise's main games have been featured on PlayStaton hardware.

Square Enix, the same guys who said the 4 million plus reboot of the franchise was a failure is going to completely abandon hardware that can give them at least two million more copies through the door? Forget it. Microsoft just ponied up because its their alternate tactic to compete with Sony.

Gamers are now faced with a decision. Either get the Xbox One to get the game immediately, or stick to plucking away at your backlog of video games and play it on your PS4 in about a year.

Photo from Destructoid

'Resident Evil Remastered' to run at 30 FPS on PlayStation 4, Xbox One

The original Resident Evil is getting re-released for what seems to be the 1,000th time, and it will run in 30 frames per second across the board.

PlayStation Lifestyle says that while the game will run in full 1080p HD on the new generation systems (PlayStation 4, Xbox One), it will run at 30 FPS on all the consoles. There's also a slew of technical information on the game and other stuff from the official game website that PSLS highlights.

Along with running at 1080p on PS4 and Xbox One, and 720p on PS3 and Xbox 360, Resident Evil Remastered will run at 30fps on all platforms (PC specs and a price are TBD).

This won't be an exact remake right from the original. Capcom is actually creating this full HD port from the 2002 remake of Resident Evil. So how is this going to work?

Well, the game will be made to hold true to the original playing style, but some things will be tweaked and of course the game will look a lot better than its older versions. Since the game was made for standard tube TVs, players can actually play in the original 4:3 ratio or in the 16:9 widescreen ratio that will scroll around with your character.

Full 5.1 surround support has been added along with an optional control scheme where the player can move in any direction versus the traditional back step method.

Photo H/T: Resident Evil Wiki

Sony sued for 'deceptive marketing' of 'Killzone: Shadow Fall'

Somebody in California is suing Sony for false advertising of their PlayStation 4 title, Killzone: Shadow Fall because the game doesn't run at the native resolution it says it does.

Here's what the lawsuit is over and everything included in it (via Polygon). They accuse Sony of lying about the native 1080p resolution, resulting in false advertisment, fraud, and others. The amount they're going after? $5 million.

The suit, filed by California resident Douglas Ladore in Northern District California court, alleges that Sony advertised Killzone: Shadow Fall would run at native 1080p resolution but "used a technological shortcut that was supposed to provide 'subjectively similar' results."
The lawsuit alleges that "'temporal reprojection' is not the 'native 1080p' that Sony promised" and that Sony has not updated its packaging and marketing to reflect the game's actual resolution. Class allegations in the suit include negligent misrepresentation, false advertisement, unfair competition and fraud in the inducement. The amount sought in the suit exceeds $5,000,000.

The amount that these lawsuits go after are always outrageous, but it doesn't matter -- they normally don't get anywhere near that amount in the end. But the person filing this claim does have a point in technicality.

Using what's called "temporal reprojection" in multiplayer, the game doesn't have native 1080p resolution, instead using lower-resloution frames to create a 1080p image. How big of a difference is there? Like most of this stuff, incredibly little.

Because there's such a finite change between native resolution and "temporal reprojection", it's highly doubtful that the amount even if won would be much, and it'd be better if more people were in on this class action lawsuit than just one guy.

Photo H/T: Amazon

Why is Insomniac Games' 'Sunset Overdrive' exclusive to Xbox One?

Insomniac Games, who’s made their claim to fame with many Sony exclusives such as Ratchet and Clank and Resistance, is creating Sunset Overdrive, which is exclusive to the Xbox One. So why’s the company all of a sudden buddy-buddy with Microsoft when they’ve thrived under the other?

The developer’s CEO, Ted Price, explained to Game Revolution that while they have had many games for PlayStation hardware, they want to put out their games on the most logical place.

The studio his has a great relationship with Sony and has every intention of remaining independent. "We’re still an independent developer," Price added. "Why do I mention that? First, a lot of people assume that we’re part of some larger organization; that’s never been the case. Second, one of the benefits of operating as an independent studio and creating and owning one’s IP is that you can develop for the platforms that make the most sense for the game."

Basically, Price is pointing to SO’’s multiplayer mode. It’s no secret that the Xbox 360 is better than the PS3 in terms of a multiplayer community. Plus, there’s more resources that Insomniac can use, which Price iterates that “Microsoft’s muscle on the platform and Xbox Live fronts has been invaluable in helping us create a unique multiplayer experience.” If any game is going to be based around multiplayer, or it’s at least the key focus, then it will probably be better on Microsoft’s hardware.

Insomniac will try to improve on its open world formula with SO after not receiving much praise for Fuse. It wasn’t a failure, but it was regarded as an Overstrike clone and very dull and generic.

Photo H/T: Insomniac Games

Los Angeles Kings Notebook: Stadium series game vs San Jose Sharks set at Levi's Stadium?

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Puck Daddy on Yahoo! Sports reports that Ticketmaster leaked information revealing that one of the five games between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks will be at the San Francisco 49ers' new home, Levi's Stadium.

When the schedule was released earlier this year, it was analyzed that the game would have a game outdoors and it would be either at the 49ers' home or at AT&T Park. Why Levi's? Capacity.

But the reason the league looks like it's going with Levi's Stadium, which held its first-ever event just Saturday night (a Major League Soccer game between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Seattle Sounders), is right there in the final line: 26,997 more seats. Multiply that by whatever they're charging for admission, and you have a whole lot of sweet, sweet coin.

The game will likely take place on Saturday, February 21st, at 7:00 PM Pacific time, according to the Ticketmaster photo.


Other Kings news

• As the team approaches the salary cap, the Kings were able to re-sign Dwight King with a three-year deal for $5.9 million. They've been able to hold on to the majority of the players from last season and still have roughly $200,000 left in cap space. That's basically it for them signing players this offseason.
• Jarrett Stoll strolled around Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with the Stanley Cup, giving fans a chance to look at the trophy and get pictures from the Kings player.

San Francisco Giants vs Milwaukee Brewers: Series preview

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The San Francisco Giants (61-51) head to the Midwest for a pair of three-game series. First up, it's the Milwaukee Brewers (61-51), who are trying to get a bad month of July out of their system.

Milwaukee won just nine games last month, and didn't open up August in great fashion with losing two out of three to the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend. After having the NL's best record for most of the season, they now cling to a one-game lead over last weekend's foe and will hope to extend it over the course of this week.

On the flipside, San Francisco currently has a 1.5 game deficit against the Los Angeles Dodgers and would like to make up the deficit. The Giants won three out of four against the New York Mets over the weekend, and it could have very well been a sweep if Jake Peavy didn't lose the gas in his no-hitter between both starters through the first six innings.

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That loss featured 10 hits in the final three innings between the clubs. The Mets put up four runs in total in the bottom of the seventh as the inning got away from Peavy and the Giants. SF was able to tack on two runs in the ensuing half inning, but they were unable to mount a comeback.

Outside of Peavy's glitch in that game, the Giants' starting pitchers were strong throughout the first three games of the series against the Mets, and they hope to bring the same stuff against a Milwaukee team that can slug the ball. There is only one team in the MLB that has five players that have reeled in over 50 RBIs, and it's the Brewers: Ryan Braun, Khris Davis, Carlos Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy, and Amaris Ramirez.

The good news? San Francisco will start off the series with their most reliable starter, Tim Lincecum, while Milwaukee will go with rookie Jimmy Nelson who has struggled in his last three starts (0-2, 5.71 ERA). Buster Posey will likely have the night off and be back in action on Wednesday. Plus, there's no Dan Uggla in sight after rejecting the offer to head to Triple-A and was released from the team.

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Even better news? Angel Pagan continues his journey back to the Giants as he will play for the Fresno Grizzlies again tonight. He may not make the trek to Milwaukee, but fingers are crossed that he'll make it against the Kansas City Royals.

Probable starters / TV schedule

• Tuesday: Tim Lincecum (R, 9-7, 4.21) vs Jimmy Nelson (R, 1-2, 4.30)
  First pitch: 8:10 PM ET | TV: CSN Bay Area, FOX Sports Milwaukee
• Wednesday: Ryan Vogelsong (R, 6-8, 3.88) vs Yovani Gallardo (R, 6-5, 3.38)
  First pitch: 8:10 PM ET | TV: CSN Bay Area, FOX Sports Milwaukee
• Thursday: Jake Peavy (R, 0-2, 4.73) vs Wily Peralta (R, 13-6, 3.52)
  First pitch: 2:10 PM ET | TV: CSN Bay Area, FOX Sports Milwaukee, MLB Network