The thing about Grand Theft Auto is that it’s etched in my mind. I don’t know why, but everything about that game seemed to impress me. The missions were a high point for me. The approach they took with advancement through the game was great, “Drive around, and if you hear a phone ringing, go do a mission”, and it worked. I didn’t have to worry about completing a mission before I could do something: I was free.

Looking back, I can’t really see why I loved Grand Theft Auto so much. The series only began to break boundries with the birth of GTA III and before that we had top-down sandbox games with ugly looking graphics. Freedom played a big part in my love for GTA. I love to goof around in games and this is one of the few games that allow me to.

Even though it was awkward, the top-down view is something I fondly remember.

Long, winding roads and fast cars allowed me to run free at my hearts desire, and for this reason alone I spent well over 100 real hours playing the game. But the controversial nature of the game really took me by storm. I fondly remember barricading myself along with a few hundred civilians into an enclosed car park and whipping out my flamethrower. That is something you can’t enjoy anymore. Every since Rockstar did away with the top-down view, causing fiery havoc with a flamethrower is never any fun.

This alone represented the mischief the game conveyed, the “I can’t do this in real life, but what the heck, it’s just a game” feeling you would get when a twinge of guilt would escape into your stomach and the fact I was too young to play the game anyway. But luckily I didn’t become emotionally troubled and I remain as sane as I was when I first clapped eyes on the PS1.

Then of course the first iteration paved the way for future games. GTA 2 was good, but nothing remarkable. GTA III not only dragged Grand Theft Auto, but the entire games industry into 3D technology and games like San Andreas and Vice City still remain some of the greatest games to ever grace our consoles. And it all stemmed from that measly little sandbox game that I was stuck like glue to.

If you want to reminice in GTA glory, or haven’t played the game yet (there’s clearly something wrong with you!), then you’re in luck, because Rockstar are giving away GTA and GTA 2 as part of their Rockstar Classics programme. Click here to download some GTA goodness!

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Nvidia’s Foray Into Android

According to Jen-Hsun Huang, the CEO over at Nvidia, the company wants to push his patent chips onto smartphones and tablets to further power up the small devices. Says Huang regarding its foray into the Android market: “This is going to be the best way to enjoy games in the future. We felt that there’s an opportunity for someone to make an open ecosystem more enjoyable.”

Even though the company has faced off against AMD for quite some time, it’s still not down and out in the graphics war. AMD reaches a large market of gamers who seek to get the latest console, but Nvidia still has its grasp on the majority market: other users who don’t really buy new consoles and prefer their tablet and smartphone. It’s still just as huge a market as what AMD is hitting, if not larger.

Shelling Out for Handhelds

One other reason that Sony’s exclusion of Nvidia can only mean good for the company is that now it gets to focus on the nickel and dime market. Currently, gamers need to shell out a small fortune to get the latest handheld, and it still costs a pretty penny to get a new game for it every so often. With the Android market, Nvidia is in a position to profit when consumers enjoy seeing the small price tag on devices with the promises of games $5 and under further luring them in.

While it’s still early to say exactly how either Nvidia or AMD will benefit from Sony’s decision, we’re looking forward to seeing the development.

The post What the PS4 Means For Nvidia appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

I have this thing for simulators. I love to hunt out the most obscure Eastern European simulators such as Woodcutter Simulator or Street Cleaning Simulator. I don’t enjoy playing them, though. I suppose I just like to play the dregs in order to fully realise how lucky we actually are to have really good games. But once in awhile a simulator comes along that is genuinely really good. Euro Truck Simulator 2 is one of those games.

The good thing about simulator games is that they’re very self explanatory. About 80% of the game is accurately explained in the title alone. You drive a truck around Europe. It’s the main element of the game but there are other elements as well. You can buy more trucks and hire workers in order to grow your business, for example. And it’s really, really good.

To get the most out of this game you will need some type of stick or wheel. Driving with just your plain old keyboard will lead to issues because you can’t get the same precision that ETS2 allows. When you have a driving peripheral, though, the options are endless. ETS2 features quite an extensive settings page and you can tweak everything to suit your best setup.

When you’re not out on the wide open road, though, you’ll be managing your business. You can take out loans to buy your own truck and take on your own orders, which are a lot more lucrative than working for someone else. You can buy higher capacity garages and more trucks, hire drivers to work in these trucks and just generally grow your business. But it’s important not to spend too much time off the road because you discover truck dealers and recruitment agencies along the way and these can be very useful.

Ignoring all the technical aspects, though, Euro Truck Simulator 2 is just fun. There’s nothing better than taking off on an order and driving the open road. And who knows what you might be delivering; my last drive saw me transport cement from London to a German quarry. Delightful. The length of journeys are varying but I find most to be around the 30 minute mark. You can exit the game and it’ll save where you were and you can continue, which is a nice feature if you’re called away suddenly.

There are lots of factors to keep you busy during these drives, though. You need to manage fatigue and you’ll have to pull over into a truck stop and sleep if you begin to get tired or if you’re running low on fuel you’ll need to refill.

Where Euro Truck Simulator shines, however, is in the little things. One of my favourites is the ability to add your own radio stations to the game. All you need to do is get the stream link to the radio station you want and add it in and it’ll play while you drive. Again, it’s another layer that adds to the overall experience of the game.

Something I noticed to be detrimental to the experience is the repetition of the roads. You’ll notice a lot of the same layouts and roads after you play for a while and it’d be nice to see a little more variation. I think this is an issue that the mod community may be able to address but it would’ve been nice for it to have shipped with more roads.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 excels in every way possible. From being generally a good, realistic simulator the superb graphics that are usually non-existent in simulator games. It’s a relaxing, soothing game that provides a realistic simulation, which is what you want if you buy this game.

If you’re thinking on buying this game, we recommend the lovely folks over at GamersGate. You can find the game’s page by clicking this lovely link here!

The post Review | Euro Truck Simulator 2 appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

Stranded in the woods. While cross-country skiing deep in the woods, I fall and break my leg. I try to ski back, but can’t. #ifihadglass I’d tell Glass to video my location, record a voice message for help, call 911, and send the video and voice message to my social networks.

Secret Service. I’m a secret service agent protecting the president during his visit to Jerusalem’s Western Wall. #ifihadglass I would scan the crowd and ask Google to search the faces to find the people with records in global terrorist and criminal databases. I’d tell Google to display those records and take action.

Surgeon. I’m a heart surgeon at a teaching hospital. #ifihadglass I’d tell Glass to take a video of a particularly difficult aorta surgery, annotate it with graphics and verbal commentary, and post the result on the students’ social media sites to review before the next class session.

Professor. I’m a professor about to start the first meeting of a class of 40 executives. #ifihadglass I would look at each person in the room, ask Glass to take their photos, tell Google to display information about their companies and their LinkedIn profiles. Then I’d link all of it to my grading sheet.

Entrepreneur. I’m CEO of an enterprise software company attending an investment conference. #ifihadglass I’d scan the room and ask Google to show me which people are venture capitalists who’ve invested in companies in my space. Before introducing myself, I’d ask Google to show me their LinkedIn profiles.

We all want Google to succeed, though it’s hard not to admit that the device kind of feels like it’s invading your privacy. A double-standard to be sure, but while I’d love the ability to scan people, I don’t want just anybody scanning my face out of the blue.

Anyway, these are just some examples of ways you can use the new technology; now the only trick is to successfully apply for a pair and hand them $1,500 for the privilege.

The post How to Use Google Glass appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

Anyway, our co-editor already covered his thoughts and feelings on the PS4 event, but we’d like to take the time to piece together on the full details of what the announcement did cover.

PS4 Announcement Details

A brief look at things covered in the announcement:

• DualShock 4
• Release window
• Social integration
• Blizzard’s entry
• Backwards compatibility
• Remote play
• Games
• Online store

DualShock 4: First and foremost, there were pictures available of the controller prototype that look very similar to what we’ve been seeing. On that note, it’s safe to say we’re going to have a DualShock 4 that comes with touch input, a media share button and a sensory bar that changes colors as it determines movement and location.

Release window: As expected, Sony did mention that the PS4 would release in Holiday 2013. My bet still rests with November, but it can also either be October or December. Vague, but it’s more accurate than the people who kept claiming that 2016 would be the date based on some quote about the support shelf life of the PS3. Sillies.

Social integration: “Everyone else is doing it, so why can’t we?” Everybody’s getting into Facebook integration, and unless I missed something, it seems like it’s compulsory to get an account in order to get anything done, and that’s something I’m really against. This is especially true seeing as how I’m trying to remove my accounts from Facebook integration at the moment, so the last thing I personally want is to have something new come out touting its Facebook interactivity with it.

Blizzard’s entry: We all knew Diablo III was coming, but it’s not doing it for me either. I understand the benefit for those who preferred previous games on the consoles, but if I personally want to get back into playing Diablo, I’m just gonna reinstall it on my computer and hop on my Inferno character.

Backwards Compatibility: As our co-editor mentioned, this is a luxury for a console, but I don’t really know if I necessarily agree with that. I mean, most companies wouldn’t dream of releasing a console in this day and age without backwards compatibility, and Nintendo especially has this one down pat. The hardware necessary to work disc-based backwards compatibility for the PS3 might be somewhat expensive, but I’d like to see something where we could somehow verify our disc purchases and be able to get those games to stream for free.

Remote Play: It’s working for Nintendo, so Sony hopped on board with remote play between the PS4 and the Vita. In particular, Chief Executive David Perry over at Gaikai stated he hopes that every game will one day be playable on the Vita. Here’s hoping.

Games: I’m looking forward to the games, for the most part, but I don’t feel like they have the innovation that I would have preferred for launching a next generation console. They’re definitely more aesthetically pleasing, and they’re likely to have some new technology in it, but it just feels like the same old thing with a fresh coat of paint on it.

Online Store: Downloadable games can play right from the start, though there was no mention on the PlayStation Plus system or whether the PSN would continue to be free.

Specs: These do look good; we’re talking an X86 CPU, 8 GB RAM, GDDR 5 system memory, etc.

Things Not Covered at the PS4 Announcement

Where’s the console? I almost feel like they haven’t even made the thing and just made an event based on the things they’d like to see happen for the console. Did Peter Molyneux create this event?

The price wasn’t covered either, but this was to be expected. We suspect it’s something they’ll cover for E3.

So that’s the thick of it, as thin as it actually was. What do you think of Sony’s anticipated announcement?

The post What the PS4 Announcement Actually Covered appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

The Good

Power

8GB of RAM. As a lot of developers have mentioned in the immediate aftermath, that’s  number is like a key to a large chest of goodies. And if that’s what developers are saying I can only imagine what the results will be. I mean, the PS3 knew a thing or two about power with its cell processor. The issue was that it made it very hard to develop for and very few developers actually unleashed the full power of the PS3 and what it could accomplish. But we’re likely not to have that issue again this time around. Which brings me to the next point …

Developer Friendly

The architecture of the PlayStation 4 is much more developer friendly. This means it’ll be easier to design games and we’ll be seeing more consistent higher quality games. This generation we were used to seeing the odd glimmer of gold from the PS3, which usually came in the form of Uncharted, but this time around games of that technical quality should become standard. And if they do then that can only mean good things.

Game Lineup

The main issue with the PlayStation 3 launch lineup were the games. But if the games detailed today are going to be launch titles, even some of them, then I predict a good launch for the PS4. It wouldn’t be a PlayStation announcement without my beloved Killzone and the fourth iteration, Shadowfall, debuted at the conference in full force with a live demo. It’s the same series, nothing wildly different. But from a technical standpoint? Woah. The graphics blew me away and the cutscenes had me absorbed. Definitely one to watch.

But that wasn’t all from first party title developers. Sucker Punch are treating us to a new InFamous, which is always a welcome release so let’s hope that’s as good, if not better, than the first two. Media Molecule are releasing a game. Do I need to say anything more than that? It’s incorporating the PlayStation Move in a way I don’t think we’ve seen before and it looks very innovative.

Apart from that, Diablo III is making its console debut and Bungie’s new game is coming to PlayStation. So the games that’ll be paying the PS4 a visit look very promising and I’m genuinely excited for them.

The Bad

No price

I most definitely didn’t expect this and I doubt Sony have even finalised numbers but it would’ve been nice to know how much the PS4 will likely set me back. Alas, it didn’t even get a mention. I suppose it’s kind of worrying considering how much the PS3 launched at, and while we all look on excitedly at all the cool features, we need to remember that every one of these ups the price. So let’s hope we get a price soon.

No actual PS4 unveiling

We heard all about the software and specifications within the PlayStation 4 but we didn’t see the actual PS4. We caught a glimpse at the simply delightful new DualShock 4 but as for seeing the box itself? Nope. I’ve heard a couple of people throwing around the ludicrous conspiracy theory that the PS4 will be download only because they never mentioned discs and actually showing the PlayStation 4 with its disc slot would have put that to rest. Okay, that’s just an excuse to see the console but I’ll stick with it.

So, they’re the good and the bad. I genuinely think the good dominates the bad and that Sony made a stellar announcement tonight. There was nothing that could be described as a disappointment or a let down. What was expected to be there was there along with some nice surprises and Sony stuck a nice balance of giving us a nice amount of information but managing to keep us wanting more in anticipation for E3.

The post The Good and Bad of the PS4 Announcement appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

The First DualShock Controller

Everybody remembers the first controller that went with PlayStation nearly 20 years ago, the basic barebones controller that barely had more input than a Super Nintendo controller. As games came out to advance somewhat, the need for more precise control also grew, which brought us the DualShock controller that sported dual joysticks for absolute precision. Of course, we weren’t totally convinced at that point; it looked like the original controller with a couple of Nintendo joysticks plugged on the bottom, so why would be bother spending the cash to get something that probably offered little benefit?

Little did we know that it was a winning formula.

The Second DualShock Controller

Later came the PlayStation 2 with a more refined controller that wasn’t as slippery and still offered the same design but with a new shade of black coating it instead of the dull grey from the days of old. This was before the days of Halo and Call of Duty, so we still weren’t totally sure why we needed a second joystick, but it was still a familiar feel at this point. Whereas Nintendo kept radically changing its controllers with each new console, Sony was giving us something familiar to work with, even if we weren’t really fully sure we appreciated it yet.

The Third DualShock Controller

As we all know, the first DualShock to come to the PlayStation 3 was rather disappointing since it lacked some essential features, but that was quickly remedied by the changes Sony made to what we know as the current controller now.

The Future

Why a retrospective on the DualShock controller? By now, you’ve likely seen the supposedly leaked photos of what may be the upcoming PlayStation 4 controller, subtly yet radically changed by implementing features like a 3.5-mm audio jack, a speaker for voice control and a touchscreen or pad for touch input. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t really be down for something that looks like a Frankenstein version of an old friend. I’m not saying I’m against the features that have been rumored to come out, but I think I’d like it better if we were essentially using a Vita as a controller instead.

We’re expecting to hear an update on this one way or another day at the Sony conference, so stay tuned for up to date information on the PlayStation 4!

The post PlayStation DualShock Controller: A Look Back appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

Killzone 4

Guerrilla Games know how to make a first person shooter. And this needs to be part of the PS4 launch lineup. Granted, it’s a love it or hate it series, but most people love it and this will be a console shifter. It’s exactly the type of game Sony needs. When you’re buying a new console, you’re taking a risk. So taking a risk with hardware means people don’t want to take a risk with software as well, so it makes sense to include a game from a series that has been consistently good and steady. Killzone is a well-established PlayStation shooter and a fourth edition is sure to give gamers some security when buying their PS4.

Killzone 4 is also a game that people are expecting. KZ3 left a major cliffhanger and, two years on, we’ve yet to hear a peep about a follow-up. So that leaves me to think that this’ll be at the forefront of shelves come PlayStation 4 launch day.

Uncharted 4

Ah, Uncharted. A series that knows a thing or two about shifting consoles. I fondly remember when Drake’s Fortune burst onto the scene. After a couple of sketchy previews, nobody expecting this so called Tomb Raider rip off to go anywhere exciting. But it was a simply wonderful new IP that showed the PS3 had credibility and that Sony could produce some excellent new games. And Naughty Dog didn’t stop there. We’re now three games into the main series and, while ND are busy working on The Last Of Us, one can hope for Uncharted 4 to appear as part of the PS4 Launch Lineup.

Maybe the if the rumours that us Europeans will see the PS4 later than everyone else is true then Uncharted 4 might launch along with the PS4 in Europe. And if it does, I’d be willing to bet a lot of money that it’ll be simply explosive. These Uncharted games know how to push a console to its limits so I think this could be the first genuine test on the power of the PS4. Who knows. All I know is I want an Uncharted game as part of the PS4 launch lineup. And I want it bad …

LittleBigPlanet 3

If Sony follow by their usual pattern then the PS4 will be a powerhouse in terms of specs. And while that initially sounds absolutely fine, I’d be worried that the PS4 launch lineup would be crowded with glorified tech demos with little substance that are only there to show off the PS4’s power. So let’s mix it up. Let’s have a LittleBigPlanet game at launch. A substantially better, bigger iteration into the series. Sackboy on steroids, so to speak.

We could have more detailed levels, much more creations tools and maybe even some completely new features. The possibilities for this series are endless and when you combine it with the PlayStation 4? Man, there won’t be anything holding this game back. So let’s see a LBP game alongside the PS4.

They’re the games I think we should be seeing as part of the PS4 launch lineup in regards to first party titles. No doubt we’ll likely see some new IPs crop up but let’s keep some room for old favourites. They’re tried and tested and will provide some familiarity to the PlayStation 4. All will be revealed later today, though, so let’s just wait patiently.

The post Three First Party PS4 Launch Lineup Titles We Need appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

Rumors of Google Retail Store Opening

Alright, so this thought does come from a source—apparently, it’s “extremely reliable”—speaking with 9to5Google about how the multinational company looks to open up a few brick-and-mortars as early as the holiday season this year. A few years ago, this probably would’ve seemed ludicrous, but Google’s been doing far more than just improving (read: tampering with) its search engine; with releases like the Nexus 7 tablet and the netbook-killer Chromebook, there are plenty of products that are just dying for the opportunity to be sold in a Google-only club. A retail version of Google Play, anyone?

Could a Google Retail Store Really Happen?

Just because a company has a few products doesn’t make it a good candidate for opening a retail shop, but Google might have the right idea here. The only pressing concern is the company’s habit of failing miserably in the first few years of its new campaigns. After a hard failure, however, it tends to build a new product with its failure as the foundation, creating a product that gains popularity feverishly.

Personally, I’d be interested in seeing a Google retail store open, and I’d only have to hope that it wouldn’t fail too much before it had the chance to gain traction.

The post Google Retail Store: It Should Happen appeared first on Mouse Eats Cat.

For the interest of organisation, I’ve referred to smartphones and smartphone games with the “mobile” label and dedicated gaming machines like the Vita as “handheld”.

I bought a PSPgo. I know, I know. I bought into the whole digital-only hype. I bought into the delusion that this little handheld console was going to change the way we play games. And it didn’t. It completely flopped if you don’t somehow remember. And the flop brought with it wild speculation that the premium handheld market was dying. It was around this time we saw the emergence of smartphones and with them bite sized games.

And suddenly that was the hip new ideology in regards to handheld gaming. Phones were getting better, more people began buying smartphones and developers began making games for them. But why on Earth that made people think that dedicated handhelds would die is beyond me. There’s one major issue that was, and still is, holding the humble mobile phone back from being the go-to gaming device on the move: the games aren’t as good … and they can’t be.

We’re literally seeing these bite sized games like Angry Birds and Temple Run, They’re essentially all repetition but when you’re sitting in a waiting room, you’re going to play them. They don’t last very long and their price makes them come across as disposable – not a good sign for any game. Games need to feel premium to be premium and iOS and Android games just can’t be taken seriously as potential leaders within the mobile gaming market.

I don’t think mobile games are bad. I love playing games on my iPhone and I do so daily. I still play Doodle Jump at least once a day. Let’s look at Doodle Jump for a moment. The premise of the game is to position your martian on platforms as he constantly jumps up. You move him by rotating your phone and if you miss the platform you fall to oblivion and the game ends. The higher you get the higher the score. It’s absolutely addicting and I’ve never gotten bored with it, but this is one of the flagship mobile games but can it be considered as a flagship handheld game? No, of course not. It lacks story, impressive visuals, characters etc.

Mobile games are good but they’re just not good enough to banish upmarket handhelds like the Vita or 3DS. Playing a Uncharted or Mario is a completely separate experience. They have story, character and life. There’s more commitment involved. And there’s most definitely a lot more accomplishment to experience. It’s something these bite sized games can’t compete with.

They’re two separate markets. Smaller, mobile games are cheaper. Larger, handheld games are more expensive. That’s not to say that we haven’t seen these larger franchises on iOS or Android. I have Need for Speed and FIFA on my iPhone. But space is hard to come by. Most apps are only a couple dozen megabytes at most and these huge games just take up too much precious space on these devices that already act as MP3 players, e-readers, video players etc … and I don’t think phones have the staying power to act as a mobile and gaming hybrid. Just ask the N-Gage.

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