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Sony shows off its PlayStation 3 prospects

Sony shows off its PlayStation 3 prospects

David Rudden
3 min read
Sony had quite a few first-party titles for its next-generation PlayStation 3 console on the show floor, most of which, thankfully, did not require the same mind-numbing wait necessary for Nintendo's Wii lineup.

Perhaps the biggest showcase for the PS3 was Warhawk--the only one of the seven Sony titles that incorporated the controller's newly announced motion sensitivity. That aspect of gameplay has been covered to a great degree already, so I'll touch on the visuals. Simply put, this game is as much the poster child for the PS3 graphical output as it is for the system's control method. In particular, the cloud cover and ocean beckoned to move your ship in a little closer. Right now, at only 30 percent completion, the game looked and played like an all-star, with only the lack of weaponry keeping the title down--something that will likely be remedied in the final version. Warhawk certainly eats the only other current next-gen flyer's lunch--Blazing Angels never really had a shot there--and Microsoft certainly has its work cut out if it wants to revitalize the Crimson Skies franchise.

The other first-party title that's sure to be a blockbuster--hopefully of the launch-day variety--is Resistance: Fall of Man. The game is being developed by Incognito, the company behind Ratchet and Clank, and we got to try it out with the company's president and CEO, Ted Price. The game certainly highlights the same run-'n'-gun sensibilities as the aforementioned franchise, with unique weaponry and vehicles, while taking it to a much darker place. Taking place in an alternate 1950's, the game substitutes the relative peace of the era with a Halo-esque alien invasion. That's not all this game borrows from Microsoft's hit: the amazing-looking environment's smart opponent AI and the promised, expansive online mode all seem like they've been pulled from Bungie's playbook. The game does offer some unique thrills--Price talked up the game's Hero Moments, which are events that allow you to save a teammate from certain death, at the cost of missing a pretty sweet-looking fatality. We got to see one in action as a face-hugger alien made lunch of a soldier, and we have to agree--the choice isn't that easy. This game has potential to knock the Halo franchise off its lofty perch, provided it beats Halo 3 to store shelves.

Sony showed off a few more PS3 titles that weren't quite as developed or as interesting, for that matter. Of the two hack 'n' slashers, the cinematic, action-packed Heavenly Sword looked far more intruiging than Genji 2, which is a sequel to a game that didn't wow many PS2 owners. Eye of Judgment looked unique--a card-based combat game that uses a camera to capture your movements on a specialized board, but the visuals and concept were too early to judge at this point. Singstar is a karaoke game that uses Sony's PS3 music download services, so the game's success will likely hinge on how well that service is received. Gran Turismo HD played similarly to Gran Turismo 4 but looked stunning at 1080p resolution and 60-frames-per-second animation. F1 06 looked equally amazing, just with slimmer cars--we're gonna go out on a limb here and predict that this game comes out this year.