Sports games big on connectivity while entertainment titles bypass ‘sequel’ status with expanded game play

When it comes to the first-party series titles Sony showcased at Gamers Day 2003 in San Francisco Tuesday, two thoughts predominate - connectivity and freshness.

Take the latter for example - Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando and Jak II bear the names of previous releases and yet these two titles have taken the initial premises and expanded them incredibly well.

Going Commando has started with character growth and decided that wasn’t enough - so the developers grew the world as well. Ratchet will go from his initial four hit points to 80 during the course of the game and you will need them as the monsters encountered get tougher and hit harder. Not only is the world 150 percent bigger than the original title, but weapons can be upgraded and there are no longer mini-games throughout the action/adventure - nope, these are mega games, which embrace gladiatorial combat, hovercraft racing and space combat. With spherical worlds and a host of unlockables (known as Easter Eggs - some of which are old-style arcade games), Insomniac has listened to consumers and raised the challenge level of the title.

With combined role-playing elements, this title is slated for release in November 2003.

Jak II has taken a somewhat different track. Noting that the average player of the title is older than 18, Jak has been updated into a grittier title with more adult humor.

That is an example of some of the conversations within the game. And while the game is more story driven, the three-dimensional characters have been fleshed out to express emotions such as jealousy. The game is non-stop action, and less cartoony. For example, Jak, who was imprisoned as the story begins is out to kill the one responsible for putting him in prison.

There is more game play and the designers at Naughty Dog are proud of the fact that there is no repetition on the type of game play. The title is also big on integration in that characters are capable of doing different things quickly and seamlessly. Jak can go from the hover board to full-on battle with the tap of a button.

Controls are simplistic and the new engine driving the game allows for more polygons per character (15,000 per character model as opposed to 4,000 in the original title) to really step up the graphical quality.

Slated for a mid-October release, Jak II will carry the Teen rating.

989 Sports has taken Sony’s stance on enhancing the online community to heart and is pushing forward with a connectivity base that spans all its titles.

While the developers are working back to challenge other titles in terms of game play and graphics (and doing a solid job of both), what will really set this apart is the online support.

Releasing a full month before the competition, NCAA Final Four 2004 will boast online tournament play for up to 64 teams. But the online chat rooms are not exclusive to just college hoops fans. Players can cross-chat with gamers in other sports. And 989 has worked out a deal to put real sports scores across the bottom of game screens to enhance the feeling of real games.

Not only can you play with dial-up or broadband, but the new AI and graphics engine provides for new moves at the touch of a button. The game will also feature 303 Division I teams.

NBA ShootOut 2004, also slated for an October release, will feature 50 of the greatest basketball players of all time, and will feature the all-new headset technology with voice recognition. You can call the plays and see the players adjust onscreen. You can now call for screens, pick and rolls, or even timeouts without having to wade through a host of button contortions.

With the same online support, this title is looking to challenge for the NBA championship of video games.

It is apparent that Sony and its first-party titles will not sit idly by and watch the competition move past. The company and its development teams are progressively pursuing new standards in excellence and compelling game play. From what was shown at Gamers Day 2003, Sony is on the right track.