EA have  unveiled five game-changing innovations that will bring revolutionary changes to FIFA 13 along with the largest and deepest feature set in the history of the franchise.

One of the most noticeable changes in FIFA 13 on consoles and PC is the all-new Attacking Intelligence. This new feature will enable players to analyse space, work harder and smarter to break down defenses, and think two plays ahead. Players now possess the intelligence to create, curve, or alter runs to capitalize on openings as they occur, make runs that pull defenders out of position to open passing channels for teammates, and better position themselves for new attacking opportunities. Along with this feature a new dribbling system has been inplaced. Inspired by the world’s best footballer, Lionel Messi.

Complete Dribbling will allow players dribble touches react realistic, giving players  true 360° mobility with the ball, so it’s easier to be more creative and dangerous in 1v1 opportunities. Players can also change direction quicker, are more explosive accelerating with the ball, and are more effective shielding defenders for longer stretches. FIFA 13 1st Touch Control transforms the way players control the ball, eliminating near-perfect touch for every player on the pitch, and creating variety and uncertainty around ball control. Factors such as defensive pressure, trajectory of the ball, and velocity of the pass now impact a player’s first touch, creating more opportunities for defenders to win back possession.

The second generation of the Player Impact Engine expands physical play from just collisions to off-the-ball battles between players. Defenders push and pull for position, and use their size and strength to win possession or force opponents into poor touches and decisions before the ball arrives. FIFA 13 Tactical Free Kicks provides the tools to create dangerous and unpredictable free kicks utilising the most skillful players on the pitch. Position up to three attacking players over the ball and utilise dummy runs and more passing options to create elaborate free kicks. Opponents can counter by adding or subtracting players to the wall, creeping the wall forward, or sending a bullet man to intercept the pass or block the shot.

FIFA 13 will also feature:
·         Improved Career Mode with major changes developed in response to requests from the most passionate fans of the franchise.
·         New features to enhance the massive EA SPORTS FIFA online offering, including improvements to the wildly popular Head-To-Head Seasons mode
·         Multiple new features and benefits to EA SPORTS Football Club, the live service that is the heartbeat of FIFA
·         Complete authenticity with more than 500 officially licensed clubs.
Additional new modes and features will be announced in the months ahead.

FIFA 13 will be available in stores world-wide this fall for the PS3 with move support, Xbox 360 with Kinect support, PC, Playstation Vita, Wii, PS2, Nintendo 3Ds, PSP,  and all iOS devices.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2  and the Blazblue series overall features a wide variety of rather unusual characters, each with a unique story to tell. With the amount of characters available to choose  from it took me a while to find a character that I could play with the PSP version compared to the console version, this is due to the the gameplay feeling a lot slower and stiff  which doesn’t feel as smooth compared to the console version. I understand however they may have had to tone down the speed due to the hardware capabilities, but it just doesn’t feel right. A very positive aspect is that the characters and the gameplay itself feels very balanced, meaning it was relatively straight forward to battle any character.

Blazblue: Continuum Shift 2 has quite a few different modes including Story, Abyss, Legion 1.5, Multiplayer, Challenges among others. The first thing I decided to try out was the tutorial mode due to not playing the title on a handheld before. The tutorial seemed to start off quite well but the intermediate tutorials became ridiculously confusing to the point of frustration, and in the end I decided to just hope for the best in the matches. This is also due to the unfortunate button names. “D” is X and H is “O” and so on instead of just having simple layouts like X is X. The way the tutorial tries to explain specific moves can get confusing, and overall I thought that the tutorial mode poorly designed for newcomers due to its complicated instructions.

The main story mode is the best feature of the game, being pretty lengthy due to being able to follow a narrative with each individual character. If you’ve never played a BlazBlue title then this mode will be your best option as it introduces the characters very well and  actually helps add some character development. As fighting games go, this isn’t the most serious fighter

on the shelves but it is probably one of the most interesting and cleverly created fighting titles. The characters are all very unique and from time to time throw a threw jokes in there just for good measure. The story mode also features cut scenes where two characters move the narrative along with dialogue. This style of progressio

n will be familiar to those who have played the console versions, but the lack of full cinematic scenes may feel a bit rough for new comers. Even though the story mode is pretty solid, there are quite a few flaws with it. The first main issue I came across is the saving functionality during the story mode. The game claims it saves at specific points, but I continued finding myself re-playing the same scene again because it didn’t save as I had expected. As it’s portable you probably wont tend to be playing it for hours on end, but the issue was frustrating, meaning that it took me a lot longer than I thought to complete certain story’s for characters. Potentially adding to the save issue, you aren’t able to skip the cut scenes, meaning that you’ll need to wait a while before heading back to the fight.

Now, I want to say the gameplay is great, but it isn’t. The controls caused me far too many issues that I care to imagine. The game only allows you to use the d-pad, usually working well in other fighting games such as Street Fighter, but BlazBlue on consoles is much more fast paced and using an analogue is really needed. As they have slowed down the gameplay on the PSP I can see why using the d-pad may of been a better choice but it’s far to irritating. I did however find pulling of combos easy to do and entertaining to watch. The same can’t be said for all combo’s though as a lot of them require techniques, but the button input can be confusing as I mentioned earlier with their labelling.

The design overall is probably some of the best 2D animation and character designs in a fighting game since Street Fighter 3rd Strike. The levels are well designed and very colourful. There’s a lot of detail to appreciate, it’s just a shame the game is let down by its flaws. The voice acting is also hit or miss, with characters ranging from good to just about bearable.

Lastly, one thing that I was even more disappointed about was a feature that could have really added to the overall package. The multiplayer mode is present but only via ad hoc, supporting no online functionality. It’s a real shame since a lot of fighting games online functionality is what draws a lot of people in and the competitiveness opens the game up to a whole new level and adds a lot more depth. This is a large omission for this type of game.

Overall 5.5/10

Blazblue: Continuum Shift 2 is a nice looking PSP fighter, featuring a solid story mode though let down in a number of key areas from controls to the multiplayer. I did enjoy the short bursts I played but a lot of the time I got far too frustrated to continue either it being the controls or the dodgey saving system. Without the online multiplayer the re-play value is limited but there is a lot for singe-player fans of the series or new comers. It’s a shame they decided to cut a lot of corners and left the game with a lot of rough edges. Hopefully future handheld version improve on the flaws.

Not to mention that this is Microsofts last year at CES so maybe the stakes are slightly higher this time since they may want to go out on a bang!

Here at Push-Start, we’re focused on the gaming side of CES 2012, so don’t come expecting to find out the latest on 3D Tv’s and HD Camcorders, instead come to read the content that matters to you, the gamer. You’ll find two articles, one for the Sony Keynote, and one for the Microsoft Keynote. Below, you’ll find the Sony wrap up, head over here for the Microsoft one.

Sony Roundup

Many of Sony’s announcements this year CES were, as expected, technology and entertainment focused. New applications and services were at the forefront, especially in reference to the Playstation Vita. So, without further ado, here’s a roundup of what went down at the Keynote for gamers.

Music Unlimited will be arriving for Playstation Vita on Day One. Music Unlimited for the PS Vita will offer a service that combines a number of aspects from other popular music services such as iTunes (iCloud), Spotify and Last FM. Artist recommendations as well as music that is instantly accessible on all platforms will allow users of the PS Vita to access their music library wherever they go, another plus for the 3G version.

Netflix will also be heading to the Playstation Vita in the US (though we expect it to follow to other territories soon as Netflix has just launched in the UK), with Sony again aiming for a day one release. Details are scarce at the moment, though expect a similar service to that on the iPhone and Android Netflix App. It is unconfirmed whether this will require a WiFi connection, or if it will support 3G connections also, as the mobile app currently does.

The Playstation Certified programme was brought to the forefront again with discussion of the new Sony Tablets including the dual screen Sony Tablet P. The scheme brings playstation content to new Sony devices such as Playstation 1 classics. This was seen last year with the Sony Xperia Play device.And that brings Sony’s announcements to a close. Not a huge pull for gamers, but a few important announcements and precedents show that Sony are open for more ‘Apps’ and services for the PS Vita, especially when it comes to entertainment possibilities, it’s certainly looking like the handheld will have a strong feature set when it launches 22nd February.

Not to feel left out, the Playstation 3 will be getting a new Video Editing application called PlayMemories Studio. This tool will allow you to use your controller to edit together photos and video clips. Other features such as YouTube upload are expected, but have not been announced. Hopefully the application will feature an intuitive interface allowing everyone to get to grips with what generally is seen as a complicated process. This service will also be available on the PS Vita, as well as many other connected Sony devices such as their Android phones, Tablets, HD TV’s and even their Vaio Laptop line.

The Playstation Vita can be pre-ordered from a number of retailers, so be sure to get your order in to get yours when it’s released later next month.

“PlayStation Vita is an incredible device that offers the best possible portable gaming experiences. Its revolutionary mix of features combined with social connectivity, delivers a platform for gamers to play games in a whole new way and to connect with their friends and the world around them” said Jim Ryan, President and CEO, SCEE. “We’re very excited to launch a portable gaming device that goes beyond anything available on the market and is positioned to deliver the uncompromised gaming experiences consumers have been asking for.”

Leveraging PlayStation’s legacy of delivering deep and immersive gaming experiences, the PS Vita system will bring to consumers new ways to play through a unique feature set such as a stunning OLED front touch screen and rear touch pad, dual analog sticks, motion sensors, and dual cameras. With more than 80 games currently in production from first and third party studios including “LittleBigPlanet,” “Wipeout 2048,” “Resistance: Burning Skies^TM,” “Uncharted Golden Abyss^TM,” Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed,” EA Sports’ “FIFA”, Activision’s ‘Call of Duty’,  and many more, the PS Vita is poised to deliver gameplay experiences unmatched by any handheld or mobile device on the market. 

In addition, with both 3G and Wi-Fi support, PS Vita will draw consumers deeper into the gameplay experience and enable them to connect and play with the world around them, including their friends and other PS Vita owners through native PS Vita applications – near, and Party. A variety of social networking and communications services such as Facebook, foursquare, Skype^TM, and Twitter will also be available on PS Vita.

Product Outline

PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Model Crystal Black

PlayStation Vita Wi-Fi Model Crystal Black

 PlayStation Vita Product Specification

Early last month, Sony made the announcement that they were on the lookout for “a few good gamers” to assist in a special assignment to the brand-new ‘Long Live Play’ campaign. Asking PlayStation fans to email pictures of themselves holding a PS3 controller and in 30 words-or-less; describe how they epitomize the ultimate PlayStation gamer. After reaming through the thousands of responses sent, here is the end result.

With the gobsmacking array of cameo appearances from both multi-platform and PS3-exclusive titles, the message of this campaign is simple – PlayStation and its titles would be nothing without the fans. How many video game icons can you pick out?

On the US PlayStation Blog, Sony’s VP of product marketing, Scott Steinberg had this to say:

It is our hope that this film showcases to all gamers the incredible characters and experiences that make PlayStation 3 the ultimate platform for people who love to game. You know that PlayStation has the industry’s best line-up of exclusive software titles, features highly immersive motion-control and 3D gaming, and free access to vast amounts of sports, movies, TV, games and more on PlayStation Network. Now, with your help, we’re spreading the word so the world knows that PlayStation continues to be the top destination for gaming.

Based on internal estimates since its September 27 launch in North America and September 30 worldwide, FIFA 12 has sold-through an estimated 3.2 million units across all consoles worldwide**, making it the biggest launch in the history of sports videogames and the biggest videogame launch of 2011 to date. These are preliminary EA estimates.  EA plans to provide further information regarding sales of FIFA 12 during its earnings call for the second quarter of fiscal year 2012.

“FIFA 12 is a stunning achievement by our team at EA Canada,” said Andrew Wilson, Executive Vice-President of EA SPORTS. “The massive FIFA online community has overwhelmingly connected to the new live services in the game, including EA SPORTS Football Club, and we intend to keep them engaged all season long as FIFA 12 follows the heartbeat of the football season.”

Other notable achievements from the game’s record-breaking launch include:
·         FIFA 12 sell-through is estimated to be up approximately 23 percent over last year’s record-breaking launch.
·         FIFA 12 for iPhone and iPad has already sold 879,000 units, and achieved the Top Grossing App for iPhone on 30 worldwide storefronts.

• October 1, 2011 was the busiest day for online gaming in EA SPORTS history.  Fans registered more than 10 million EA SPORTS game sessions, including almost eight million game sessions of FIFA 12.

·         Almost 350,000 fans engaged in the early web-start for FIFA 12 Ultimate Team via easportsfootball.com, and more than 14 million trades have already occurred within the Ultimate Team mode. For the first time ever, FIFA Ultimate Team is available on disc for fans to enjoy the thrill of building, managing and playing with their ultimate team of football superstars.
·         The launch of FIFA 12 also saw the introduction of EA SPORTS Football Club – the heartbeat of FIFA 12. Millions of fans around the world have already pledged their allegiance to their favourite team through the Support Your Club feature. To date, the clubs with the most supporters*** are:
Manchester United – 241,767 supporters
FC Barcelona – 144,709 supporters
Arsenal – 131,305 supporters
Real Madrid – 126,806 supporters
Liverpool – 118,182 supporters

Chosen “Best Console Game” at Gamescom and winner of the prestigious E3 Game Critics award for “Best Sports Game” at E3 2011, FIFA 12 is the highest rated sports videogame of this console generation with a Metacritic rating of 92 on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and 91 on Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, including perfect scores from leading media outlets like 1UP, USA Today, GamePro and The Guardian. IGN (9.5 out of 10) called FIFA 12 “amazing” and Everyeye.it (9.5 out of 10) wrote, “FIFA 12 is simply the best football simulation ever made.Our review of the title will be online shortly.

The LEGO titles have always been popular both with critics and gamers alike with their drop-in drop-out coop and colourful design as well as their ability to capture the essence and character source material perfectly; not to mention their signature LEGO charm.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 will be launching in the UK on November 18th for the (take a breath). Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PSP, Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and PC.

Also worth noting is that a demo for the title will be included for the PS3 in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Blu-ray Combo Pack!

To get a feel for this new title, why not take a look at this new piece of concept art below, as all as a couple of small screens!

LEGO® Harry Potter™: Years 5-7 continues the saga of the Boy Who Lived in this spell-binding adventure for wizards and Muggles alike. This time, players are transported through the final three books and final four films - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ – to experience Harry’s last years at Hogwarts™ and battle Lord Voldemort™ in the ultimate fight of good vs. evil. The creative LEGO prowess unites with the expansive world of Harry Potter™ once again to deliver an exciting and rewarding gameplay experience. The game features lessons, spell-casting, dueling and much more for players of all ages to enjoy.

Back from his four-day retirement as Sony put it; Smith makes the elaborate return with a brand-new campaign, entitled “Long Live Play”. The new campaign will be rolling out on various websites, TV networks, retailers, and numerous social networking sites.

Vice President of Product Marketing, Scott Steinberg, said:

It’s our way of inviting all gamers to come and join the PlayStation Nation. When we say there’s never been a better time to join, we mean it. With games like Resistance 3, UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception, The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection and more on the horizon, PlayStation is committed to creating a AAA software line-up that real gamers can get excited about.

Steinberg continued by saying:

We are committed to the continued expansion of the types of services and content that have made the PlayStation name synonymous with interactive entertainment and hope that through the “Long Live Play” campaign our dedication to you, the PlayStation fans, truly shines through.

Check out this brand-new TV advertisement, debuting the “Long Live Play” campaign. And it comes as no surprise that Butler is back in top-form. Long Live PlayStation.

The previous campaign that was fronted by Butler was titled “It Only Does Everything”. The PS3 has since sold over 50 million units worldwide.

Source: PlayStation Blog US

The PSP-E1000, revealed at Gamescom 2011, boasts a classy matte Charcoal Black finish, which is the same as the slim PlayStation 3.

Sony stated that the goal with the PSP-E1000 is value for money, and will retail at just €99. However, despite the reasonable price tag, it does not include Wi-Fi.

The PSP-E1000 is however fully compatible with UMD disks and Media Go, allowing access to the full back catalogue of games for the PSP, whether you buy them from your local gaming retailer, or download them from the PlayStation Store.

The PSP-E1000 will be available across all PAL territories.

The unveiling came alongside other announcements, including the PS3 price cut and the new social applications and upcoming games coming to the PlayStation Vita at Gamescom.

One of the most popular and disgusting images of the criminality that overwhelmed the England capital is of 20-year-old Malaysian Student, Ashraf Haziq. In this video posted to Youtube, a group of youths assist Haziq to his feet, after they see him on the floor with a nasty facial injury. Despite this seemingly aspiring portrayal of community spirit, two of the youths immediately start sifting through Haziq’s backpack, before confidently walk off with his PSP.

In response to the mugging, SCEE Marketing Director, Alan Duncan, has reached out to Haziq after seeing a Tumble page, entitled ‘Lets do something nice for Ashraf’.

Duncan said the company would “like to give Ashraf a new PSP and games.”

 If we can find out how to get it to him we’ll replace the PSP,

-SCEE Rep to Gaming Site VG247

Duncan even went as far as requesting to be put in touch with the hospital where Haziq was treated with a broken jaw. His message was received and staff is processing the request.

Sony was also a victims of the London riots, after the Sony distribution centre in the Enfield area of London was set alight by looters. Sony confirmed that an investigation is currently ongoing into the incident.

We at Push-Start would like to personally praise Alan Duncan and the others at Sony for their wonderful act of charity, and hope that the individuals involved in this disgusting crime will be braught to justice.

We also wish Ashraf Haziq a speedy recovery.