If you’ve been following news for the PlayStation Vita, then you’ve probably heard about one of the biggest obstacles to new buyers: the outrageously priced memory cards. These babies were reported to run from $30 (4 GB) to $120 (32 GB), but now Sony claims gamers will be charged in the $20 to $100 range. That’s really not any better if you ask me, especially since I’m doubting we’ll get much use out of the lower end cards. Vita games are being compared to full PlayStation titles in terms of raw power and graphics, and I’m as afraid of the sickly battery life as I am how much memory each game will require.

At least something good has come out of the latest report from Sony: a launch line-up. You can see the entire list on the PlayStation blog, but here are a few that interest me. These titles vary from $10 to $50. Of course, you can snag all first-party games and some accessories and third-party titles with the week-early purchase of the First Edition Vita bundle.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Now that Naughty Dog has announced The Last of Us, it looks like they’re putting the lid on Uncharted. This is probably a strategic move on Sony’s behalf, considering it raises the incentive for fans to buy the Vita and play one more Nathan Drake adventure. Seeing on video how the various motion and button controls work with player preferences rather than against them is what sold me on the handheld.

Escape Plan (PSN only)

This is one of the more unique games in Sony’s Vita line-up. In Escape Plan (by Fun Bits Interactive), players guide Lil and Laarg through an environment laden with traps. The predominantly grey color scheme has indie written all over it, and the premise and humorous style promise something more refreshing than another cog in the giant first-person shooter machine companies are so fond of nowadays.

Army Corps of Hell (Square Enix)

Square Enix’s Army Corps of Hell combines Nintendo’s Pikmin with goblins and giant demons. The dethroned King of Hell commands the mini corps on a mission to reclaim his rightful place in the underworld. Annihilating enemies and looting corpses might make this game sound gruesome, but the idea is pretty charming.

Silent Hill: Book of Memories

I’m still not sure what I think of this one. At its best, Silent Hill is a single-player horror experience, and any hint of co-op (like in Homecoming) waters down the mood. Hello, hear those sirens? Better stay away! Regardless, developer WayForward intends on delivering a collaborative multiplayer game from a top-down, or isometric, perspective. I’ll be playing it because I’m a huge SH nerd, but this sounds like an attempted knock-off of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light to me.

Touch My Katamari

If you can forgive the salacious name, which makes me want to roll my eyes while everyone else giggles unstoppably, then Namco Bandai’s newest Katamari is probably a good thing, even if it fails to impress. I can’t imagine a better game to lure in the more casual crowd. Katamari is simple but addictive fun.

What titles are you looking forward to? Do you plan to buy a Vita, or wait until the price drops (like, by a lot)?

It’s been a busy weekend for me. First, be sure to check out my interview with writer and ex-DC Comics president Paul Levitz on the new Huntress mini. You can find it at Impulse Creations.

Secondly, if you’re a Silent Hill fan, stop by GameZone for my editorial about Konami’s shaky grasp on the series and Vatra Games’ positive direction.

Finally, whether you played Spyro the Dragon on the PlayStation, pocketed him on your GBA or DS, or took to the skies in The Legend of Spyro trilogy, you’ll find something worth reading in my editorial on the history and evolution of Spyro.

Part One
Part Two

Spyro is iconic to different generations of gamers. Love him or loathe him, it’s hard not to admire his everlasting determination to fry the bad guys and keep going no matter what the demographic, design, or gameplay. In an era of blockbuster hit-and-runs, Spyro refuses to hide his horned head in shame and go the way of the bandicoot. As a character that survives the damaging cycle of new developers and new visions, he’s more than worth his weight in gems.

How do you remember the dragon?

Konami has released new details about their planned Vita game, Silent Hill: Book of Memories. Apparently, it will be a top-down co-op multiplayer shooter. That sounds a lot like Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, especially since the raised perspective and co-op are odd decisions for a SH game (just like they were for Tomb Raider).

More curious is what players will be doing: creating a custom character and receiving a book of memories, which they can “rewrite through playing the game’s levels.” I’m not sure what that entails, but included in the game are signature weapons, guns, and monster Pyramid Head. That also reminds me of Guardian of Light, which equipped Lara with a familiar arsenal and forced her into a rematch with some prehistoric enemies.

From screenshots, the game looks pretty glossy. Could a multiplayer Silent Hill be fun if the developers mixed up the gameplay?

Apparently Murphy Pendleton, protagonist of the upcoming Silent Hill: Downpour, is afraid of water. That’s interesting, considering he’s also an escaped convict. Unlike the protagonists of past SH games, Murphy didn’t just do something bad (that’s assuming he’s guilty at all) or have some weird familial or congenital tie to the infamous town. He has a tangible fear, which Silent Hill is going to exploit in addition to manifesting his shame or subconscious desires or pathological imperfections. Cool.

Anyway, the new gameplay video (see bottom) blew my mind. It looks like a lot of fun. My biggest hesitation: the sequences where Murphy is running down a hall and pushing over objects to make barricades and looking behind him—that borrows from Shattered Memories, whose nightmare sequences were dreadfully boring and if anything, frustrating. But Vatra Games seems to be making up for it with mind-bending psychological craziness, which I can get behind.

It also makes use of the old “this can’t be happening” Hollywood pitfall, abused by modern horror, which I don’t like and I prefer the old “let’s not comment on anything odd because I’m a weird protagonist and nothing will make this any better” approach. James Sunderland was good at that.

But I do like that fixed camera angle after Murphy runs up the staircase. I have no idea what’s going on in the rest of the trailer. The “Murphy—run” is creepy, though. I won’t spoil anything else for you. Just watch the video below.

I hate to say it, knowing the series’ more recent track record—but gripes aside, I’m excited for Downpour. Really, really excited. Shoot me in the foot now.

I recommend clicking the video and viewing it in a bigger resolution—the details are easier to see that way.

Bring an umbrella. Fans can expect to get caught in a downpour with Murphy Pendleton this fall.

Konami claims that Downpour, the eighth installment in the Silent Hill series, will deliver an “expansive environment,” comparable with earlier franchise classics and “similarly claustrophobic … where the player is never truly alone.”

Let’s hope Konami and Vatra Games can make good on their promise. For now, I remain skeptical.

[via Spong]

Have a great weekend! Take plenty of health drinks wherever you go.

So what can gamers expect from the rainy game? Reports are popping up all over the web, and I both like—and don’t like—what has hit the press. You can read more in-depth details at the Just Push Start and Silent Hill Memories websites, but below are a few points that struck my eye.

THE GOOD

The game’s events take place in the unexplored southeast region of Silent Hill, so count out visiting series classics like the hospital or elementary school. New locations are definitely a plus, because players won’t know what’s coming. In addition, a subway system will provide easy transport between areas. I’ll miss wandering around the fog in search of extra health items, but it’s an acceptable loss.

The Otherworld will consist of separate locations from the norm. That means you won’t be retreading the same ground anytime sirens warn of a nasty flood.

THE BAD

Quick-time events return for boss battles, of all things. Even James Sunderland understood that bashing ugly gross things with blunt objects is fun.

THE CATCH

Main character Murphy Pendleton isn’t much of a fighter, so most of the time he’ll rely on avoiding tough situations rather than engaging in confrontation. Sound familiar? The humdrum nightmare sequences of Shattered Memories ring a bell. On the other hand, Murphy isn’t completely helpless. He’ll be able to hold one—yep, just one—weapon at a time, and he’ll be grabbing whatever he can salvage from his surroundings. These makeshift weapons will break after some use, so again, combat isn’t everything.

Altering the game’s outcome through various actions isn’t a new concept to the series, but influencing how other characters interact with you is. Seemingly in the vein of Shattered Memories, players will be forced to make several choices that affect character relationships. My only gripe? Too much reliance on other people. Silent Hill is supposed to be about isolation, right?

Side quests will be included, but keeping past Silent Hill secrets like extra weapons in mind, they might work. The new hybrid camera system (combining the old, fixed style with the over-the-shoulder flair of Homecoming), though, is a matter of preference.

What are your thoughts on Downpour? Will you brave the rain, or did you call it quits at the mention of QTEs?

Three new comic book reviews are online at the Impulse Creations forums. Give ‘em a read when you get a minute.

The article covers Batgirl #15, Silent Hill: Past Life #1, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer #38.

A fan's painting of "Misty Day - Remains of the Judgement"

Game writer Tom Waltz teased FearNet about the eighth installment’s historical twist, describing a tie-in, four-issue comic book that’s set in the 1800s and follows an outlaw named Jebediah Foster.

“I’m hoping that gets the fans going crazy and curious because the new game is a modern story and the comic take place in 1867. So we’re hoping people will be wondering, ‘How the hell can that happen?’”

Waltz confirmed that, with the script fully written, voice-acting for the game has begun. He’s also made fans a bold promise: “What I’ll say is, this is going to be a great game, and it’s going back to the core spirit, maybe people would point to Silent Hill 2. It’s character driven, it’s very dramatic, and I think it’s gonna rejuvenate the title.”

The writer assures gamers that the Silent Hill comics, like the games, aren’t throwaways, stating, “These comics they matter to Konami and they matter to the Silent Hill universe … Once ‘Team Silent’ disbanded and it just became Konami’s game but not the original creators’, the speculation was it’s just a franchise they’re milking and no one cares, but the truth is, everyone cares … Everyone on this team is a fan and cares what the fans think.”

What do you think? Are Silent Hill comics worth four bucks a pop? Can this new game, lacking Yamaoka’s or McGlynn’s grace, steer close to the high-esteemed Silent Hill 2?

No official word yet on the comic’s publisher, but I’m betting the company will stick close with their usual, IDW.

A previous Silent Hill comic.

As the most acclaimed of the series, Silent Hill 2, much like protagonist James Sunderland, shoulders a considerable burden. After nine years, do the mannequins and geometric monsters still emerge from the woodwork as viciously as before? Revisiting that “special place” should fill any gaps in memory. I plugged in a PS3 controller and loaded the PC version, companion to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox editions.

What You’ll Like

Turn Left on Nathan Avenue

Restless Dreams blankets players with the town’s looming isolation. The sirens, otherworlds, and even the staple flashlight and radio slowly drop into the player’s lap. Between Sunderland’s impeccable map-keeping abilities and the direct tactic of gameplay, players can navigate Silent Hill without breaking too much of a sweat. Memorable, unique architecture distinguishes key locations, and the heavy atmosphere complements the dreary wallpaper settings. Akira Yamaoka’s outstanding musical score and his fifty-plus sound effects provide each moment a haunting undercurrent.

Of Special Interest

Although James often pines over his late wife, even he enjoys a good puzzle—and so will the player. In addition to the several gameplay modes, selecting the riddle difficulty ensures a manageable experience. Logical and fair, the puzzles occasionally call for pen and paper solutions, but the clues rarely stump for long.

Fighting, split between light and heavy attacks, proves an equally satisfying affair, and James can target different enemies with a quick tap. A little exploration returns a big profit, as the game packs surpluses of ammo and health into its nooks and crannies. Keeping the flashlight shining will attract James’ attention to any noteworthy item, as well.

You Say Mary; I Say Maria

Silent Hill 2 gushes with more than blood: It writes the book on psychological horror. Voice-acting striking a reasonable chord, the dynamic characters interact purposefully with James throughout the gradually developing story, which is topped with a grand reveal. The clever scares, second only to the intelligent psychology manipulating them, lure players deeper into James’ mentality.

Pyramid Head, who has become the series’ go-to icon, triumphs as an unsettling antagonist, goading players onward through paranoia.

“Born from a Wish” places the seductive Maria in the midst of a haunted mansion. The extra scenario offers a less engaging run-around and little incentive other than a deeper look into Maria’s character, which interested players can appreciate.

What You Won’t Like

Look Sharp

Sometimes the game’s eerie perspectives enhance the frightful effect. In many cases, though, the stubborn camera controls inhibit exploration and acts as a nuisance, particularly upon entering rooms. James’ health meter also suffers from poor construction. Except for the unmistakable red health sign that appears when James is about to keel over, the static distortions viewable from the inventory screen give a lazy estimate of his overall status.

Recommendation: Rewarding and gripping, Silent Hill 2 expertly handles its love story bridled with horror. A solid game, players will find themselves venturing through the fog more than once, minor inconveniences doing little to dent the impressive experience. Few will forget the terror waiting among James Sunderland’s memories … unless they can’t bear to remember. 9/10

Review format credited to the Girls Entertainment Network