United Front Gaming

Konami Announces MGS HD Collection's Vita Launch Date!

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/18/12

Konami announced yesterday that the launch date for Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for the PS Vita is June 12. Fans will now be able to play Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in HD…on the go!

Not only are gamers getting an upgraded (graphically) version of these titles, they are also getting the ability to transfer saved data from the PS3 collection. Basically, you can start your game at home, transfer the save, and continue playing where you left off on the Vita.

Of course, that would mean that you’d have to own both copies; one for each console. Not a stretch if you’re a big enough fan to re-buy these titles in the first place. Another cool feature is that the games will take full advantage of the Vita’s touch-screen and rear touchpad. Using just their fingers, gamers can zoom in on cut-scenes, peek around corners, interrogate enemies and more!

Be sure to check back as we continue to cover this awesome collection!

New Pre-Order Incentive for Kingdom Hearts 3D (Dream Drop Distance)!

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/11/12

Square Enix announced a new pre-order incentive for their upcoming Kingdom Hearts 3DS title. Those who pre-order the game will receive a set of three augmented reality (AR) cards while supplies last. Using the viewing stand card will allow the AR cards to display some of the rare Dream Easters in 3D. Nice!

One wild AR card will randomly unlock one of the rare Dream Eaters: Ursa Circus, Sudo Neku or Meowjesty. The second AR card unlocks R&R Seal Dream Eater and the last unlocks a 360° viewing stand. I assume that more cards will be sold later; there’s no point to have rare cards if they’re the only ones available. That said, I doubt Kingdom Heart fans will need another reason to pre-order this game.

Kingdom Hearts 3D (Dream Drop Distance) will be released in North America on July 31st for the Nintendo 3DS. Be sure to check back as we continue to cover this title!

Nintendo Announces Price Drop On DSi!

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 05/10/12

Nintendo announced a price cut for their DSi and DSi XL handhelds today. Effective on May 20th, the suggested retail price for the DSi and DSi XL will be $99.99 and $129.99 respectively. You know what that means, more competition for the PS Vita!

As random as it may seem, Nintendo knows what it’s doing. Think about it. They released strong selling titles for their 3DS when the Vita dropped in Japan, successfully hurting that systems launch. Now they are dropping prices of their older, yet still popular DSi units. Throw in new Pokemon titles and…well there you go. Nintendo wants to compete!

I hope both systems does well (being an equal opportunity gamer). Will we see a price drop from Sony? I sure hope so; those Vita’s are so shiny!

New Color Option for the 3DS!

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 04/30/12

Nintendo has announced a new color for their 3DS handheld system. Dropping the same day as Mario Tennis Open, gamers will be able to snatch up the Midnight Purple 3DS!

Midnight Purple is the fifth 3DS color, joining Cosmo Black, Aqua Blue, Flame Red and Pearl Pink. I have a red colored 3DS, although I dig the new color; it gives the 3DS a royal flavor. Plus there aren’t many purple handhelds floating around. The new color will be available on May 20th. I wonder if Nintendo will offer a combo pack featuring Mario Tennis Open? There is a rumor that they are going to raise the price of the handheld in September, so this would be a good time to pick one up. A bundle with a brand new game could push people over the fence and into a purchase!

A Brief History Handheld Gaming!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00

Written By: Kenneth Seward Jr.
Date: 04/25/12

Handhelds have come a long way over the years. Older gamers can appreciate the Vita’s and DS’s of today because we know of their handheld roots. Newer gamers might not be aware of this history; a shame really. As a person who grew up on Tiger Handhelds, Game and Watch, Game Gear and Gameboy, I feel like newer gamers are missing out. I mean, how can you be a well-rounded gamer without knowing gaming history?

Not to fret young ones, a video game historian has put together a nice video showcasing the classic handheld systems. Patrick Scott Patterson, Scott for short, is a well-known video game personality (he was one of the first to be include in a line of video game trading cards) with aspirations of becoming a leading source for gaming history and information. He took it upon himself to put together this cool video; to which I applaud him for. I mean, multiple franchises are reaching their 20-something year anniversaries and a large portion of the gaming community is unaware. It’s high time we started taking a look back at our history and recognize how far we’ve come as mainstream entertainment!

Ok…ok…enough with the rant; time for the video:

UFG Salutes Scott for his contributions to the gaming community! If you want to know more about him, check out his site here.

FIFA Soccer Vita

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:00

Reviewed by: Bryant Crawley
System: PS Vita
Rated: E
Players: 1-4 (Online and Offline)
Cost: $49.99
Release Date: 02/14/2012
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts

Well, after all the waiting the PS Vita is finally here. I will say this, it is amazing and simply put…I love it! I could go on for hours about the features, graphics and ease of use but I won’t as this is a review for FIFA Soccer. Some said you could never get a football game as good as FIFA 12 in your hands. Those people are now kicking themselves. This game is sumptuously beautiful to look at, perfectly playable, feature endless fun online and it’s on the move. This is certainly one of the strongest software titles available at launch for the Vita!

The controls are perfectly pulled from the console version. The two new analog sticks make this game so easy to play and it feels just right. Anyone who has played this before will be able to jump right into the action. The front touch screen allows you to pass to players on screen and whilst this is an ok feature, I think it blocks the action as you finger gets in the way of what’s happening on screen. The back screen has been used to choose where you want to shoot during play and penalties. This is a really cool feature and with a little practice you will be scoring screamers from the edge of the box. Using just the buttons and sticks is the best choice in my opinion, but the new Vita only features give you another way to play the game. They are also better for novice players who are new to the FIFA series.

The touch screen controls should be used during the free kicks and penalties in my view, as it’s nice to disguise the direction of the ball. You swipe the direction you want the ball to go; with a simple flick you can make the ball curl. The rear rectangle represents the goal while the placement of the kick depends on where you touch the screen. Beware, as the amount of time you press determines the shot strength. I have big hands and found during play my fingers kept hitting the rear touch screen which made me shoot, but turning this off solved the issue.

All of the single player options have been ported over to the Vita version. The meat of the single player options is the “be a pro” mode, where you create the looks and attributes of a player and begin on an epic quest to be the best. There is also the career mode where you’re a manager in charge of your team’s fortunes. You can choose to either be an on the field manager where you play in the games or use this mode as a football simulation and take charge of the line ups, transfers and running of the club. Also, since this mode is 15 seasons, it’s not something you will finish easily. There are all the usual tournaments for each country to take part in and a training mode for all your free kick, penalty tweaking.

Whilst the online mode on the Vita is very fun to play the depth offered by the consoles is not matched. You have online leaderboards and can participate in custom leagues made by your friend or other people. The sheer level of the online season is not seen but we will forgive EA as this is a fast flowing fun game. The good thing about online play is that there is no lag. The AI is also pretty darn smart and if you’re not careful it will make you look silly. The commentary isn’t all bad, as they actually are in sync with what’s happening on screen (they even say some interesting things from time to time). Of course most of it is boring; everything can’t be perfect now can it.

So much of this game is good; it’s a shame to say anything bad. Sadly there are some parts, such as the Tactical Defending System, Precision Dribbling and the Player Impact Engine, of the FIFA 12 innovations that aren’t present. It’s a bit annoying to be tapping the buttons for defending to push the guy off the ball. It’s as if the game play is from FIFA 11 but the options, menus and polish are FIFA 12. That is not a bad thing as the gameplay here is smooth and fast. The player models rub with great accuracy and the tackling is spot on with the button presses. Even the referees are not as strict as they use to be, I hate referees anyways. The usual fast flowing action has been ported over perfectly as the runs you make and the crosses you initiate feel and look right. The headers and spectacular goals are all here and the slow motion is also a sight to see.

Overall this is the best way to play FIFA not in front of the TV. FIFA Soccer is not a copy of FIFA 12, it’s more of a hybrid of 11 and 12. Still, it plays so well. The modes are pretty much similar to FIFA 12 and the menus show a welcome continuity. The football is fast, smooth and direct. You can take a back seat and manage or get your feet dirty. The graphics show just how powerful the VITA is and the rear and front touch controls add a new dimension to this game. The rear touch screen works well, especially for penalties and free kicks. I would highly recommend this as it’s a thrill ride of a game. This will be in your Vita catalogue for a long time…at least until the next installment

Gameplay:10
A perfect transition from console to handheld, to steal a phrase from another game; “Flawless Victory!”

Graphics: 9
Very detailed, especially for a handheld game!

Sound: 6
Majority of the commentary is boring and stale; a real shame.

What’s New: 8
The ways the touch controls are implemented make this a very unique experience for the user.

Replay Value: 9
Everything is carried over to the Vita plus online play makes this game a lot of bang for your buck!

Final Score:

8.4

FIFA Soccer Vita

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:00

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:00

Reviewed by: Bryant Crawley
System: PS Vita
Genre: Sports
Rated: E
Players: 1-4
Cost: $39.99
Release Date: 02/14/2012
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Clap Hanz

With its colorful graphics, a good collection of characters, a ton of collectibles and the fact that a lot of golf knowledge isn’t needed, Hot Shots Golf easily stole my heart! Surprisingly, this series also frustrated me quite a bit. With Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, the series makes its first appearance on the PS Vita. And while it keeps what’s been great in the other iterations, it also keeps their frustrating elements.

When I first starting playing, there were only a couple of players to pick from, along with default clubs and balls. Like in past games, you have to play through challenges to unlock new stuff like better clubs and balls and clothes for your player. Before I ventured into the Challenge mode, though, I decided to try Practice first to see if the game play has changed. I was particularly interested in how the front and back touch screens would be used. So, I went into training and picked my player and the shot gauge I wanted to use (only one was available) and was then ready to hit the course. Now, with a name like “training,” I figured that it would teach me the ins and outs of Hot Shots. I was way off. Training plays out like a normal mode, but it doesn’t keep stats and you have an unlimited amount of redos. I never got “trained” on anything. Not wanting to waste any more time, I decided to try Challenge mode.

Challenge mode puts you against AI opponents in a competition for first place. There are different difficulties of courses that can be unlocked with beginner being (obviously) the one to start with. This course was pretty simple, featuring only a few hazards and light wind. Of course, the opponents were pretty bad, so that helped me a good bit. Unfortunately, the one thing that always hurt me in the past also took its toll in this game: the putting. I never figured it out before, and I never managed to get my head wrapped around it in World Invitational. I am pretty good at it when I’m really close to the hole, when there is no wind or on a hilly green. But if you throw all those factors in at the same time, I am totally clueless. Like the past games, a grid covers the green when you are putting. For those that know how to read it I’m sure putting is pretty simple, but since I have no idea what I’m looking at, long puts on a hilly green are impossible for me. This is where a proper Training mode would have been helpful. It should actually train players to properly play the game and include a putting green for new players and/or the “putter-challenged” can figure it out!

As I progressed through the beginner’s course and made my way to the harder ones, I soon figured out that the putting would be a distant second thought. In the other courses, there are more hazards and the wind plays a bigger part. This is where my other big problem with the game comes in. The wind meter at the top right of the screen never shows how fast the wind is blowing (except while putting). It only shows what direction. I don’t know why it doesn’t show the speed, but I can only guess that in real life the players have to guest how fast it is blowing. Hot Shots must be trying to include those “real life” elements. That is fine, but I’m not outside playing the game and I’m pretty sure I can’t feel how fast the wind is blowing on the screen. I did figure out that if I press down on the d-pad, my character drops a handful of grass that gives you an idea of how fast the wind is blowing. After learning that trick, I found that I actually started to better compensate for the wind. But for those that are new to golfing and just want to play for fun, the wind meter not showing how fast it is blowing might be problematic.

At the end of each challenge course, you are given a different kind of star depending on how well you did. The frustrating thing with this is that, if you come in any place besides first, you don’t unlock anything or move on to a new course. I found myself starting over a good amount until I was able to come in first. While this did annoy me, it also made me a better player in the long run…except in putting.

The controls are just how I remembered them. The x-button hits the ball, square changes the shot type, triangle and circle zoom in and out the camera, and the bumpers change clubs. As mentioned earlier there are different shot meters to unlock, but for the most part they all use the “hit the x-button three times” method. The game does use the front and rear touch screens, but only for different views of the course. You can use the front touch screen to move your player into a different position, too.

Besides the two modes I talked about, there is also Stroke mode in single player. There are multiplayer options available for use with ad-hoc or WiFi. There is also a daily tournament you can participate in if you feel up to it. Now, I thought I could invite my friends to play with me using WiFi but I was wrong. That can only happen via ad-hoc, which makes no sense to me. I really wanted to play with my friend who lives a good distance away. The only thing we were able to do is meet in a lobby and chat.

In all, I can honestly say that I am addicted to Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational. It still has a lot of collectibles, offers a good challenge, and overall a fun experience. The only things that irked me are minor problems that can be overlooked, but also can be frustrating to deal with at the same time. Don’t let those problems turn you off from playing this game, because you will be missing out on a fun experience.

Gameplay: 7
It’s the exact same game you remember playing on the PS2, PS3, and PSP. Good and Bad.

Graphics: 8
A very good looking game, that scales well to the Vita.

Sound: 6
The sights and sounds are still in the Vita version, again good and bad!

What’s New: 5
Besides the touch controls (which can be ignored), this is the same game you’ve grown to know and love (or hate).

Replay Value:7
Still a lot of stuff to unlock and online play makes this title a keeper long term.

Final Score:

6.6

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:00

MLB 12: The Show

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:00:00

Reviewed by: Bryant Crawley
System: PS Vita
Genre: Sports
Rated: E
Players: 1-4 (Online and Offline)
Cost: $39.99
Release Date: 03/06/2012
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SCE San Diego Studio

Sony’s MLB: The Show series has consistently remained one of the best sport simulation games around. The latest entry in the storied baseball game franchise is no different, as MLB: The Show 12 pulls farther ahead of its competition, widening the chasm separating it from the others. Fans of the series already know what to expect. With that being said, if you haven’t liked the games so far (or simply don’t care for baseball), then don’t expect this game to change your mind!

Previous portable entries in the franchise on the PSP have always been solid, but have lacked the piazza of the bigger, console entries. With the PS Vita finally bringing Sony’s handhelds into the same ballpark as their consoles, you’d expect an entry on par with the home console installment entirely. And while that expectation is reasonable, for whatever reason, the handheld version of MLB: The Show once again feels scaled back and compromised. These very noticeable cutbacks, while excusable on the PSP perhaps, remain baffling in their absence on the much more powerful PS Vita.

The most notable of these cutbacks is the absence of this year’s new mode, Diamond Dynasty. Conspicuous by its absence entirely, the Vita version however, does have the Franchise and Road to the Show modes however (both of which are in their full featured glory). Considering that the Diamond Dynasty mode is one of the additions that makes this year’s MLB so easy to recommend, even to players who own last year’s entry, the attractiveness of the PS Vita title is considerably lessened. Making your own team, complete with custom players, really added an entirely new layer of fun and replayability to the PS3 game. What makes things worse is that there doesn’t seem to be a real reason why the mode is absent. Heck, an AR enhanced mode, which involved players scanning baseball cards into the game and unlocking special players, would have been a great Vita specific feature that would have made it easy for a solid recommendation.

As much as I am complaining about the missing features the Vita version still has a lot going for it. This makes it a good purchase for the dedicated fan, especially if said fan wanted both the PS3 and PS Vita versions of the game. The marquee feature with which Sony is promoting the game is the ability to save your PS3 game on the cloud and then continue it anywhere on the PS Vita. This is a genuinely interesting feature. Unfortunately it is unlikely to be used by many, given that the odds that someone being such a baseball fan that they’d buy a PS Vita and two copies of MLB 12: The Show (one for each system) are incredibly low, if not outright zero.

Other Vita specific features, however, are much likelier to be experienced by everybody. For instance, The Show gets touchscreen controls while pitching; the player just taps where they want the ball to go and then pitch. It’s very snappy and an actual improvement over the dual analog setup. Coupled with the fact that the Vita version also retains the PS3 version’s new pulse pitching controls, the game feels snappier to play and control than ever on a portable.

What else is there of note? The game looks great, and has the series authenticity that is at this point on par with the rest of the franchise. The commentary feels a bit more repetitive than the PS3 version, although I’m not sure if that’s just my imagination. One big knock against the game is its criminally long loading times, which are inexcusable for a handheld game. More so when you consider that past portable renditions of MLB games, which ran off UMDs, probably had shorter loading times than the PS Vita game, which runs off a cartridge!

MLB 12: The Show on the PS Vita feels a bit like a wasted opportunity. Given the capabilities of the handheld, the game feels confusingly compromised and scaled back, almost as if it were a PSP game that was switched to the Vita at the last minute. And yet, the game features great controls and is full featured in what it does have. If you take it for what it is, you’ll manage to enjoy it- a game capable of delivering excellent baseball experiences on the go, particularly if you own the PS3 version of the game too. However, it’s a bit hard to not look at what the game could have been. For now, MLB 12: The Show gets good marks, simply because it is at least as good as the past PSP games. However, next year’s edition better deliver on the potential of the Vita or the handheld side of the series will be weak; an unnecessary mark against an otherwise great franchise!

Gameplay: 9
Even in handheld form, the gameplay shines thru!

Graphics: 8
A beautiful transition from PS3 to Vita!

Sound: 5
One of the pieces missing from its PS3 brother, this version seems kind of empty and hollow. The sound effects that we’ve grown to love seem to be missing here.

What’s New: 5
Nothing new except touch baseball!

Replay Value: 9
Even though there’s no Diamond Dynasty Mode, You still will get your money’s worth due to a full Road to the Show mode as well as Dynasty Mode!

Final Score:

7.2