News Blurbs submitted by the HSM team

Avatar Kinect

Is Microsoft nudging into Sony Home territory? With the questions swirling around “Avatar Kinect” from this week’s CES, WinRumors reports that it’s a software update “delivered via XBox Live that will allow Kinect owners to interact with each other using their avatars. The avatars will have a separate area, much like Nintendo’s Mii channel, that will allow for users to control them using Kinect and interact to watch content or play games.”

We don’t normally report on non-Sony news at HSM, but it does beg the question: is it possible that we will see, in the future, new methods of avatar interaction in Home specifically tied to the PlayStation Move? Considering that Home’s basic infrastructure has been around since 2005, true freedom-of-movement avatar interaction at the immersive level of Home probably won’t be a reality until the PS4. It is interesting to consider, however, how Sony will further attempt to integrate the Move into Home.

A Mini Gem

One of  2010’s best (and most overlooked) mini-games for the PSN is a platformer filled with  jumping, uncertainty, and radical injustices: Monsters (probably) Stole my Princess. The game puts you in the shoes of the accusatory Duke, who spends his days climbing platforms while beating the crap out of his underlings whom he’s positive have stolen his soul mate. Only sweeping accusations and devastating style can save her from the fate she will (possibly) face now!

Take control of the  aristocratic demon known only as “The Duke” in an upwards-scrolling platformer where chasing down giant fleeing monsters is the business at hand. Build combos to unleash a variety of  finishing moves on the (most likely) guilty monsters – and impress your adoring fans. Available  from the PSN store, the game comes with a full story mode, six unique stages,  animated cut-scenes and an impressive soundtrack. With twenty-four levels of monster-pounding justice, this is (probably) the best deal ever at under five dollars.

  
Minus for Plus
(A review of the PS Plus “members only” club)

Sony’s premium PSN membership, PlayStation Plus, has proven itself with access to a steady stream of high-profile titles and game betas. More or less, Plus is a  “Games of the Month” club that automatically delivers PSN content to your system that you may have otherwise overlooked. 

Recently, one Plus venture has turned into a minus, with its latest Playstation Home offering.  Sony Europe just launched a PlayStation Plus-exclusive lounge inside Home, and it may just be the quietest place in the (virtual) world. Perfect for the person who likes Home, but just wishes it didn’t have so many people in it.

Once you get past the doorman in the marble foyer, you’ll be able to explore  the PlayStation Plus Private Members Club in peace — and ponder about how awesome it is to have a place to go where you can get away from all the people who meant to launch the PlayStation Store. There’s a bar, and “alcoves” for conversation, although you will be hard-pressed to find anyone to chat with. There is even an exclusive card game, optimistically designed for two to four players.

This PlayStation Plus members club serves mainly as a tease to Home users who do not subscribe to the service. It also seems like Plus subscribers are not embracing their new exclusive hang out, as the space is virtually empty at all hours. This isn’t much of a surprise, as the space has little to offer compared to all the enteraining games and spaces and items both public and private available to all Home users. For Plus subscribers, this offering is a bit of a ho-hum.

The concept of a members-only space is not exactly new to Home — witness Sodium’s VIP area, for instance, behind Scorpio’s Bar. And, like Scorpio’s, it is rarely used. The problem, in both cases, is that there just isn’t anything cool as a draw to lure people in and keep them there. This could be easily fixed by offering an exclusive dance floor, and/or a selection of different mini-games. Being a member to something exclusive is only as valuable as what that something has to offer. And, hopefully, Sony will expand on what the space has to offer, as the idea of a “cool” public space almost entirely free of trolls and harassers — similar to the old SingStar VIP Room, albeit more restrictive — is an excellent idea indeed.

Why buy when you can rent?
(An editorial about renting video games versus buying them)

 
The ability to rent video games from home without leaving the house has always been a true dream of mine. Not only does renting video games online keep you busy, but it can be very satisfying knowing you can rent as many titles as you want at any time and generally receive them within a day or two.

 
Convenience is truly a luxury worth having these days. People are looking for ways to save time and effort. Everything today has to be fast and easy. Online video game rental companies provide that, and much more.

First of all, and most importantly, they deliver the game right to your front door. No more wasting your gas going to your favorite rental store, only to find out that the game you wanted is no longer available and won’t be available until you make that drive again. With fuel prices the way they are, who wants to spend all that money driving to a video store when you can easily accomplish the same task on your home computer?

 
Second of all, it’s simply a lot cheaper. The average video store charges from four to six dollars per video game rental. That could get expensive, especially if you’re renting numerous titles per week. Most of the well known game rental clubs like GameFly, Gottaplay, Intelliflix and RentZero only charge $12.95 to $19.95 per month for unlimited video game rentals. So, let’s say you rent two titles per week at the local video store. That equal around $30 per month compared to $12 to $13 per month with the online alternative. This is a large cumulative savings.

 
The greatest part: have you ever purchased a video game and just hated it? You can’t just return the game, you’re stuck or you have to exchange it for in-store credit. So you just have to suck it up and move on to the next game, which might not live up to your standards. Or you did purchase a great game at full retail price, only to find it deeply discounted months later? Renting video games online gives you the chance to test the game first before you purchase. The companies will even allow you to purchase the games at discount rates (for much less then current retail prices) and just keep the game if you enjoy it that much.

And, if we’re honest, how many of you have massive game libraries full of titles you just don’t play any more? Sure, you hold on to them for sentimental value, and the thought that if it gets really rainy outside you might fire up the oldies again, but really: you haven’t played most of the games in your libary in years, and it’s just chewing up space in your closet.

Seriously: renting makes a lot of sense these days. And I’m not just talking about the housing market.

 
You can keep the games as long at you like when you rent; just pay the monthly fee. Play and then return. Want to play six to seven games a month or more?  Just pay the monthly fee and be done with it.  Renting video games is kind to your wallet; compared to the average buying pattern of a typical gamer, the service subscription pays for itself. As an added plus, you don’t even have to pay for postage. That’s a deal that I can get used to.

The harsh reality of this industry is that more and more profits are coming from fewer and fewer titles. And this is because a lot of game titles today, to a generation that’s spent ten, twenty or even thirty years gaming, just aren’t very interesting. So if you’ve ever looked at your epic-pwnage game library and grimaced at the thought of how much money you’ve spent on titles that were fun in their day, but you just don’t play any more…break the habit. Try renting.

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3 Responses to “News Blurbs — Avatar Kinect, PS Plus, and Your Gaming Dollar”

1. CaptSAMiller says:

   January 6, 2011 at 9:05 am

   You’re articles are interesting and informative and I look forward to reading more of them!

   Reply
2. Olivia says:

   January 8, 2011 at 2:20 am

   I agree…Your articles are interesting and informative and I look forward to reading more of them! I would add that your incites are right on target! Plus you are a very good guy!

   Reply
   • NorseGamer says:

     January 8, 2011 at 5:06 am

     Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! ::cue avatar “shy” emote::

     Man, I’m running out of bribe money here…

     Reply