PSP Games should not cost that much!

During my lunch-break today, as with most days, I stopped off at my nearby Best Buy to see what was out. As I was browsing through the Videogame section I tried out the MLB 09: The Show for the PSP (btw, fun but what the heck is up with the 2 minute loading time). When I walked back to see how much the game cost, I was shocked to discover that Best Buy was selling the game for 49.99.

I understand that the Canadian dollar isn't as close as it was before but there is absolutely no excuse for a game on the PSP to cost more than 39.99 and even that price is steep. PlayStation 2 games retail for less than the PSP and we know how sucessful that system is and how well it currently sells.
It was not the only game that had a high price point; Resistance: Retribution was 44.99, the DragonBall Movie-Tin was also priced at 49.99. One surprise though was that LocoRoco 2, was only 19.99, compared to the 24.99 it was since its original release.

With the PSP apparently going UMD less with the rumored announcement of the PSP GO! the price of PSP games need to be dropped right now to help boost sales of the current 3000 models on store shelves. Using Best Buy as an Example, they are now storing the units in the open, no longer keeping them behind locked glass, so it looks like they could care less about the unit.

That brings me to another point, specifically the release of Patapon 2. With Patapon 2 being a Download only title, I have some worries about the actual size of the game. From what I've ready from those who have downloaded the review copy that the size is 380 megs (or there abouts). If you are like me and your Memory stick is a 1gig one, you'll have to upgrade. Memory Sticks for Sony Units are not cheap. While an SD card 2 gig is 15.99, a 2 Gig Memory Stick Pro Duo is 24.99. If more games are going to be UMDless, this price needs to drop since we will need to buy larger memory sticks to hold the games. Yes this is a trial run, but I feel it will be a success and I don't want to have to buy an expensive memory unit in order to enjoy my games.

Why I like the PS2 Price Drop.

With Sony's announcement of a price drop for the PS2 from 129.99 to 99.99 (or 109.99 here in Canada), it shows that Sony actually has the right thought process.

Every time Sony sells a PS2, they will be earning a profit. Considering the system nearly a decade old, they probably have an abundance of units still available and would love nothing more than to get more units available. The PS2 already has a slew of quality titles available and each one is extremely affordable. Stores have been for the past 3 months been offering incredible discounts on such titles. Here in Canada, Best Buy was offering a Buy 2 Get 1 Free PS2 offer. If you consider that most titles have an MSRP of 19.99 to 29.99, so for the same price of one 360/PS3 game you are getting two quality games.

Now the reason behind this is strictly to cut into the sales of the Nintendo Wii which retails for about 279.99 depending on where you are. The Wii and the PS2 have a lot of the same features and benefits for users. The Wii offers you Motion control while the PS2 is a DVD player. Yes, the DVD feature is now mute considering you can buy DVD players for 40 dollars, it is still a bonus feature and essentially puts the cost of the gaming portion of the unit at 60 dollars (I will be using the US pricing point for this article).

Both systems have very similar titles. Those of us who play games and follow the industry know that Wii and PS2 games are nearly identical in look and play. In fact, it's often the case with some titles that the PS2 version of a game is ported to the Wii.

The casual aspect of the PS2 is there but will require Sony to push it. Game Series like Buzz, SingStar and EyeToy will need to be marketed strongly to capitalize on this. Sony has already in the past done this but will need to redo this push to let those casual players know that the fun they have with the Wii can also be done with the PS2 sans the motion controlling. Sony can focus on the fact that they have cool spericals such as a Camera, Microphone and other features that can only be found on the PS2 (excluding of course the 360 and PS3).

We Hardcore gamers might not care too much about this because we've already experienced and enjoyed what the PS2 had to offer and have evolved with the growing technology. Again, they have our money so they don't really care about us. They don't have the money of the parent with kids in elementary school who has a kid who loves Hannah Montana will lean towards the PS2 because of the games and the fact that they can watch Hannah Montana on the unit.

Don't forget that Sony has been planning a casual push for a while now. Last month, they announced the Hannah Montana PSP pack and I could see them doing something extremely similar with the PS2. Bundle the unit with the Hannah Montana singing game along with a DVD and a remote and you'll get those kids.

In my life-time, I have purchased 3 PS2 units, two fats and one slim. I no longer have a PS2 and luckily have a PS3 with backwards compatibilty but I could still see myself purchasing another PS2 to have with my other television in my apartment. I could watch DVDs from the comfort of my Bed and even play my older titles. There are still a slew of great titles still available for the PS2 which I missed or own and haven't gotten around to completing such as Resident Evil 4, God of War II, Persona 3 and 4 and Final Fantasy XII.

I love what Sony did with this, but there is one mistake that will hurt Sony monetarily. They did this at least a year too late. This should have been done this time last year when the PS3 was struggling and were forced to drop the price. Yes, this might have hurt sales of the HD system, but it would have been great when the economy was at such a high and people were spending. This would have really put more pressure on Nintendo and the industry as a whole would have benefited. Now a year later, it will take a bit longer before we actually see this force the other companies to play their hands.

It will be interesting to see what both Nintendo and Microsoft do to counter this. Will Nintendo finally drop the price of the Wii to entice gamers? Will they start announcing more flagship titles to keep gamers coming? Will Microsoft try to bring attention to the 360 Arcade and its benefits? This is actually a great thing and I am anxious to see what the companies all do in the lead-up to E3 over these next 60 days.

2nd Leg 2nd Day Preview

Here are my predictions for the 2nd series of matches in the Round of 16.

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FC Porto v Atletico Madrid (First Leg 2:2)

I did not expect the first leg to end the way that it did. I honestly thought Atletico were the better side on paper and should have done well at home. With the edge in Porto's favor, you would assume they will play defensive and absorb pressure, so I do see this having a least a goal, if not more. I think this will end in a draw, but not enough to force extra time.

Prediction: FC Porto 1 Atletico Madrid 1

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FC Barcelona v Lyon (First Leg 1:1)

Lyon lost over the weekend while Barcelona got back into form and helped to keep their lead in Spain. I think had Lyon not given up a late away goal in the first leg, you could give them more of a chance, but that is not the case here. Barcelona are the stronger side and that will show tonight. Expect goals and expect Lyon to put up a fight, but it won't be enough.

Prediction: FC Barcelona 2 Lyon 0

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AS Roma v Arsenal (First Leg 0:1)

The english sides were supposed to have a hard time in this round, but yesterday saw two english sides advance. This will be a tough contest for Arsenal who are a decent side, but playing against another decent side in Roma. Roma will attack, even with their injuries they have the talent to score goals, but the question is, can they stop Arsenal from scoring. I am predicting at least one goal, but for both sides. Roma will win this match, but not advance.

Prediction: AS Roma 2 v Arsenal 1

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Manchester United v Inter Milan (First Leg 0:0)

This is supposed to be the match of the day, which more than likely means it won't be. United are in front of the home crowd and will use that advantage to help them (even though English fans are not as vocal as the rest of Europe). I think that this match will be determined in the first half. If United score early, this could turn into a blow-out, but if they fail to score before the half or give up a goal, it will be interesting to see how Sir Alex Ferguson deals with that pressure. I would love to see an upset here, but I doubt it will happen.

Prediction: Manchester United 1 v Inter Milan 0

The matches are only hours away from kick-off, hopefully we'll have some really entertaining matches and maybe a surprise or two in the mix.

Champions League Preview (2nd Legs)

So it's coming down to crunch time as 16 teams will turn into 8 who will hope for a trip to Roma (unless your AS Roma and you're hoping to play at home at the end of may). So with 7 of the 8 ties still up for grabs, let's see what I think about each of the matches.

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Liverpool v Real Madrid CF (First leg 1:0)

So Liverpool 'stole' victory from Real Madrid two weeks ago in what I thought was one of the bigger surprise results. I honestly thought Madrid, with the home side would be the stronger of the two clubs, but it was Liverpool with all the strength now. Real Madrid need to win this game for so many reasons, but unfortunately, they do not have the coach (Juande Ramos) to take them into the next round. Benitez has his side exactly were they need to be and I expect them to play quite defensive and utilize the counter-attack to their advantage. Real have to play with 3 attacking players (at least) if they want any chance and MUST score in the first half. If they fail to score or give up a goal early on, this match is over. I don't see this being a big score but I do see Liverpool going through

Prediction: Liverpool 0 Real Madrid 0

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FC Bayern Munchen v Sporting Lisbon (First Leg 5:0)

Bayern will advance, will they win will result in how they field their squad. If it's mostly bench players on the field, expect a 0:0 scoreline. If they field regular players (which they won't), expect a 1:0 win for the German side.

Prediction: It doesn't really matter but FC Bayern Munchen 1 v Sporting Lisbon 0

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Panathinaikos v Villareal (First Leg 1:1)

I really like Panathinaikos in this because of the home support they'll have but it doesn't mean I think they'll win. This is a tough one since they went 1-1-1 at home during the group stage. The fan support will mean everything early on. These fans and players know that they just need to disrupt the psyche of the Villareal squad and they will win. Villareal know that one goal, and an early one at that, will kill the crowd. I again expect Villareal to play the offensive with the Greek side absorbing the pressue. Only problem is that Panathinaikos is not Liverpool and they're playing against a decent Spanish squad. While I like Panathinaikos, I don't know if they have the skill to handle the onsault. I want to predict a draw here, but I am leaning towards a 1:1 draw, meaning extra time. If that is the case, Villareal will advance during a penalty shootout

Prediction: Panathinaikos 1 Villareal 1 (Villareal advance in Penalties)

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Juventus v Chelsea FC (First leg 0:1)

Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri has been talking about how he wants the Juventus fans to distrupt Chelsea and act as the 12th man. One problem, Juventus supports are never there when you need them; they have amongst the worst attendences in the Champions League of a major club. Chelsea control the game and with considering how Guus Hiddink plays with Anelka and Drogba upfront, they will try to score. There is no pressure on Chelsea since they know even if they conceed a goal, they're far from out. Juventus would love to take out this London side, but the skills outside of Keeper lean towards Chelsea and in the end, it's the greater sum that always stays alive.

Prediction: Juventus 1 v Chelsea 1

I'll talk about Wednesday matches prior to gameday, in the meantime, enjoy the games on Tuesday.

Champions League Round of 16 Preview Part 2

Yesterday I was really bad at my predictions getting all four matches wrong. I hope that my predictions for today's matches are significantly better.

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Chelsea versus Juventus

This is do or die for Chelsea, anything less than a win will spell doom for the West London side. I expect Juventus to play tight defensively and absorb Chelsea's pressure. I am hoping for goals and I do expect Chelsea to take control of the match. If Juventus can hold off Chelsea from the score-sheet, then you have to give them full control heading back to Turin, but again, I see Chelsea breaking a goal. The one interesting fact will be if Juventus can steal a goal.

Prediction: Chelsea 1 Juventus 0

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Villareal v Panathinaikos

This match-up is very similar to yesterday's Atletico v Porto, two sides people don't follow too extensively but should be an interesting match. Considering how yesterday those two sides drew, you would expect similar results here, but in my eyes I see it differently. Villareal are a better side playing a better league and I think that will equal domination. The only problems is that Panathinaikos knows this as well and will play ultra defensive and hope to leave with a draw. If the Greek side takes chances, then I see this being a high scoring affair, if they don't then expect a single goal.

Prediction: Villareal 1 Panathinaikos 0

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Sporting Lisbon versus Bayern Munchen

Bayern are struggling; since the new year they have not done well domestically so will that result in poor form in Europe. I doubt that will be the case, and Bayern on paper are the better team no questions asked. Sporting know that if they can score and not give up a goal will mean a lot heading to Munich. Realistically though, Bayern know that a single away goal tonight wins them the series. I do not expect Bayern to sit back and relax and they will attack with a lot of power.

Prediction: Sporting Lisbon 1 Bayern Munchen 2

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Real Madrid v Liverpool

This series means a lot to Real Madrid. They have not gotten past this round in a very long time and this match-up is not going to be easy even with questions surrounding Liverpool. I do really like Real Madrid in this match up but I fear another draw between two evenly matched sides. The home field advantage will help Real Madrid in this leg, but they will need to win by two goals to head to Anfield with comfort. Real Madrid can score two goals easily, but can they prevent Liverpool from scoring? The interesting aspect here is how will Liverpool line-up. If they go with a 4-5-1 or a 5-4-1 styled formation, then take a draw, but if they they play 4-4-2, expect a goal fest for both sides.

Prediction: Real Madrid 2 Liverpool 1

Hopefully today i will be a bit better, but thanks to the joys of the sport, I will not be surprised if I go again 0-4.

Champions League Round of 16 Preview

Here is my Part 1 preview and predictions for the first Knockout Round of the Champions League

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Inter Milan versus Manchester United

This is going to be a great match between two of the best sides in Europe including two of the greatest coaches ever with The Special One and Sir Alex. Considering this leg is in Milan, you have to lean more towards Inter not only for that but for the fact that Man United's Nemanja Vidic will be out of this game. Rio Ferdinand is a good player, but he will not be able to plug the middle of the pitch on his own. Thankfully for Edwin Van der Saar whose shutout streak is over, there won't be any pressure on him, but I do expect Zlatan to pester him with shots. This game will have goals and goals will be scored by both sides. The question is will Inter travel to Manchester with a one or two goal lead. They will need a two goal lead to feel comfortable.

My Prediction: Inter Milan 2 Manchester United 1

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Arsenal versus AS Roma

I really like this match-up not only because both are well respected but both sides have a lot to prove here. Arsenal will be lucky to finish in the top 3 in England and even fourth place is currently out of reach. If they want to finally achieve something in terms of quality hardware, this is their best shot outside of the FA Cup. At the same time, AS Roma is in the same situation and would love nothing more than to reach the final in May at home. For this first leg, I expect a hard and gritty contest which will probably end in a goal-less draw. If Arsenal can manage a 2 goal lead, then expect them to advance, but if they give up a goal, then I feel them being a write off in the return leg.

My Prediction: Arsenal 0 AS Roma 0

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Olympique Lyonnais v FC Barcelona

I wonder how the Lyon side felt over the weekend when they saw La Liga leaders lose to the 20th placed team in Spain? I wonder if that sudden confident booster will result in anything. Both sides are attacking squads and Lyon need to score at home and confortably to have any chance of upsetting the Catalan giants. In my opinion even with the minor set-back for Barca, they are the better squad top-to-bottom. This will be another game with goals, but unfortunately for Lyon, those goals will against them.

My Prediction: Lyon 1 FC Barcelona 3

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Atletico Madrid v FC Porto

Both sides must be really glad to have drawn each other since both would be heavy underdogs in any other match-up. Both sides have a lot to prove and considering how even these sides are this is a pick'em game. In this leg I would have to lean towards Atletico for the home support but that doesn't mean that they will run away with this match. Expect yet another tight affair and do not be surprised if at the final whistle nothing has been accomplished. In my eyes though, I do expect at least one goal in the end.

My Prediction: Atletico Madrid 1 FC Porto 0

Part 2 with the rest of the match-ups will be posted tomorrow.

Reviews and Reviewers

I am still new in the Professional reviews scene. I have only been writing reviews for the Canadian Gaming Site Game Focus since last September; during my time there I have written plenty of reviews for numerous games. As a free-lance reviewer, the games I get are usually not exactly Triple A titles. If you head over to my Reviews Blog (Tasty Games), you will see on top of my personal reviews, a list of games I have reviewed for the web-site.

The list is quite extensive, with a bit of everything. For the most part, I most of my reviews for the site have been for Sports games. From what I gathered, outside of the Main Editor of the site, I am the only one with a huge love of sports games, so I was asked to write them. Of all my reviews, the only one I specifically asked to review was Chrono Trigger DS and only because I had never played and completed the two previous editions and wanted the opportunity to do so. I was fair on the review, giving it my highest score at the site, but be sure, I was not giving it props because of nostalgic, in fact, I had to buy the game myself and was not compensated for the review...no money hat here. Other than my Chrono Trigger DS review, the only other game that was posted on the site that would be considered 'Triple A' or 'important' was my review for Guitar Hero World Tour. In both cases, I was not supplied by the publishers a copy of the game so everything came out of my pocket.

Outside of Chrono Trigger, every other review was either specifically asked by the Site's Editor to review or was part of a list of games that were offered and I selected; sometimes I would get the review I wanted, but in other cases I would review a game that I probably would not have paid for. Most of the time, I knew absolutely nothing about the game going into the review, especially recent reviews I did for Cuboid and Soldner-X.

WIn my opinion, when a reviewer is reviewing a game, they should be going into the game with the process of writing the review with little to no knowledge of the game.

I am not saying the Review should know nothing about the subject matter, that would be unfair, but the reviewer's opinion of said game should not be influenced prior to playing the game. With every game I reviewed, I did go online to get some details about the game if I didn't know much about it. For some cases, getting information is easy, other times it is difficult. I would try my hardest to avoid reading other reviews sticking to only searching for plot summaries in order to understand the type of game I am about to play. If a reviewer knows a lot (or a significant amount) about a game, I feel it too strongly influences his score both positively and negatively.

If a reviewer already has an impression on the game, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to give a fair assessment of the game because in both situations they already have an idea what to give the game. For example, if a reviewer already has questions regarding a certain game mechanic and feels it won't work, unless they put the effort into giving it a chance, they will automatically claim that it is something that does not fit the game. The reverse is true, if the reviewer has strong positive feelings towards a game or series, they may also be willing to ignore any faults the game has because they want to give the game a score they personally feel is worthy for it.

Do not get me wrong, this is not always the case, but it definitely separates professional Critics to 'amateurs'. Professionals know how to separate each product and only compare them in the right light. Mostreviewers on majority of gaming sites know how to view a game on it's own. Yes, they will make references to similar games in the genre or if applicable, a previous game of a series. They will take the game at face value and score it accordingly. Amateurs, or 'fanboys' will not look at the grand scheme and only focus on their own love or hate and remark on it accordingly.

Professional reviewers also know when it is time to properly critique a game or product. When an 'amateur' plays a game, they will only play it for a certain amount of time before determining their love or hate of a game. An 'amateur' can essentially make their decision on a game within the first 5-10 minutes of a game when in most cases, these games can last anywhere from 10-100 hours (give or take). In today's society, where value is key, Developers know that in order to appeal to the masses they must do two things: 1) get your attention the moment you start playing and 2) keep that focus for the entire length of the game.

If there is a reviewer who only plays a fraction of a game, then they are not playing the game correctly. If they determine a game is good or bad in that first hour, chances are they haven't even bothered to play the game or they might not even be playing it correctly. In cases like this, their Senior Editor may question if the reviewer has even bothered to play the game and those who read the review might feel the same way. You can always tell the difference between a quick-write up and a detailed review by the omission of details and key facts. We've all seen those types of reviews and gamers are not afraid to post on forums about this.

Because I am labeled as a Freelance Reviewer, chances are, unless the paid staff at the site are too swamped with reviews, I will not be reviewing a triple 'A' title. Yes, it is a bit disappointing to always be stuck with the 'lesser' games, but it's not always the case that those will be bad games. It's quite often that the games people don't know too much about actually end up being some of the more surprisingly good games. Of the reviews I did for Game Focus so far, the game that surprised me the most was Time Hollow, a point and click adventure game. It was a game that was given to me by my Editor which I had no knowledge of. I did go online to get some information, but at the time, details were sparse outside of some tidbits from the Japanese release of the game. I knew nothing of the story, but the time I spent completing the game were quite good. I was fair to the game and gave it the score I felt it strongly deserved and would not be afraid to recommend it to DS owners.

If you are a person looking into getting into the Gaming Press, the first tip I need to give you is to open your gaming palette. Unless you are running your own site, anywhere you review is going to start you with reviewing lesser known games before you'll get the opportunity to review those big titles. Also, do not be afraid to review any game that is offered to you. You need your practice and playing all sorts of games will give you a deeper appreciation of gaming as a whole. If you reject offers, not only will you limit your ability to grow as a writer, but the posibility of your Editor giving you a game you really want will be less likely.

Lastly, if you're under the impression that becoming a reviewer is your key to getting free games, you're in it for the wrong reason. As I stated above, I wrote two reviews for the site on games I paid for out of my pocket and in order to save time, if it was possible, I actually went out and rented the game ahead of time in order to get the review on the site (timing is something I hope to write about on a future blog).