Very good article Sammy, even though I have to respectfully disagree with you in regards to the talking points. I personally thought that Sony did a fantastic job with its conference in regards to its pacing. The speech segments were targeted and brief, and no single game got overplayed - Sony's brick wall moment that was Wonderbook from during last year's conference or Nintendo's terrible presentation of Nintendo Land.

When Jack Tretton came on-stage this year and immediately humbled himself (and PlayStation as a whole division) to those who keep him in the position that he is in, that wasn't only honest, it was intentional. From the start of the conference to the end, it was blatantly obvious that this entire conference's tone was intentional and I'll point out a few key points for better understanding.

For starters, well, I've already mentioned it: Sony made it obvious that it knows that the gamers are what keeps PlayStation going. Secondly (and most importantly), throughout the entire conference we didn't hear Sony telling us how "innovative," "ground-breaking," "revolutionary," "magical," or any other enlightening words overused that are intended to set Sony up on a higher level, like we saw with Microsoft's conference and Xbox One unveil. This creates a disconnect between the company and the consumer; belittling the consumer, instead of the consumer seeing the product and deciding for themselves.

Games, games and more games. The conference was long and there were a lot of games shown off. Very few got in-depth presentations, but that was because of the time limitations. Most of them were third party, but this was another intentional part on Sony too - it shows the faith that developers/publishers have in the PS4; a stark contrast to both Microsoft and Nintendo right now.

Sony could have talked up the new PlayStation Eye, the DualShock 4 controller, PlayStation Move, and all the new casual titles it has on the way. But it didn't. Why? Because it wanted the world to see that it knows that the core gamers already understand that these things will be available on the PS4,and that Sony knows that the only way it will continue to thrive in this dynamic market is to support its core fan base first and foremost; Again, a stark contrast to what both Microsoft and Nintendo are currently doing.

I'm going to sound like a jerk here (and this isn't aimed at your Sammy), but while gamers do indeed want to see nothing but games in these conferences - it's time that gamers start getting involved with this industry, it is time that they start listening to a bit of what these guys talk about on-stage. These console are becoming extremely complex and the install price is quite high - we need to be briefed on these consoles and most importantly, we need an understanding of what the platform holder's desires are within the industry with these consoles that we are investing in.

In all honestly, I love the glitz and glamour of E3, but I also want to start getting keynotes from these platform holders as well, where we get to see these consoles functioning in a much more intimate setting - gamers can go back to playing their video games - and us industry types can get a much better understanding of the consoles, and what possibilities they hold over the next 5-10 years.

It's great to see that you're putting up tough criticism here on a Sony fan site, Sammy! Keep up the fantastic work mate!

I'd much rather have Gran Turismo (PSP) on the Vita, than Gran Turismo 6 on PS4. Just sayin'.

@irken004 I'd think that that is just the PS3 - what games doesn't freeze up the entire system at some point?

@catcher82611 Thanks for that mate!

I've been playing offline without an issue, so far. I guess it's time to head back out of the game to download the patch again and get back at it.

@RetryAgainEric That's what I'm currently doing. I've been held up in a phone call, but I plan to keep updating here to see if it works or not.

I wiped the 1.01 Update and am about to start the game up - I'll keep you guys informed if this keeps me from getting the bug or not. I do know that this will keep my playtime offline for the time being, which isn't an issue for me.

@get2sammyb I've got a preview published already too, if you're interested. You know where to find it.

I just wish I knew how few minutes it was between the conference ending and my preorder secured. It wasn't many, that was for sure. Haha

@get2sammyb @JayArr I know - right? I'm dying to get my hands on it myself! Haha

Transistor is one of my most anticipated titles... Ever!

Sammy, you totally forgot to add Ray's the Dead to this list too. I've played it - it's going to be an amazing title, that I'm stoked to see that it is now a PS4 exclusive.

So what you're saying is - it is a good game?

Yet another reason why Tecmo Koei remains to make money why so many others are losing.

Sony has this next generation of the "gaming" industry sitting right in front of itself for the taking if it plays its cards correctly. Microsoft is clearly wanting to play more of a back-seat role with the Xbox One, much like Apple does with its platforms. Sony has the perfect opportunity to win over the vast majority of the gaming community with the PlayStation 4, which will only be done if it does just as you say Sammy, by showcasing what gamers truly want: games.

Don't be surprised if the Xbox One does win over the mainstream audience and outsells the PlayStation 4 in worldwide install units, because of its non-gaming entertainment offerings. Even if it does, Sony can still retain the gaming community by keeping the games flowing.

It is nice to see corporate figureheads paying respects to their competitors.

@Sanquine If you like indie games, then Ouya is a good investment. At the moment, there isn't too much available on the service, but it will grow. Ouya can be preordered through a variety of retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.), or you can preorder it off of the Ouya site itself.

@Gamer83 I wish I had the time to play games through multiple times, but I don't even have the time to play through the games I already own once, as it is. Haha

Great review Sammy.

I can definitely see how this could be lacking on home consoles, but played on the 3DS with the lights out and a good set of headphones on - especially without the Circle Pad Pro attachment, to limit the controls (like they should be) - Revelations is bloody brilliant!

Umm... I played Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and a whole lot of Ouya this past weekend.

It is such a fantastic handheld to be doing so badly on the market.

I'm a big fan of the classic PSone titles, and Knack and Drive Club are the two titles that I will buy a PS4 for on day one.

I'm still whipping and slashing my way through the towers of Pandora's Tower (Wii) and absolutely loving it. At some point though, I do plan to get through the FUSE demo today, as well.

@Mike Enjoy! Ni No Kuni is fantastic and a pure joy to play.

Can. Not. Wait!

@get2sammyb Yeah, me too! Haha

My predictions: Gran Turismo HD Collection for PS3, PSone titles released on PSN, Gran Turismo (PSP) released on PSN for Vita and glorious reveal trailer for Gran Turismo 6 for the PS4.

I've got to get my hands on this! This game just has my name written all over it!

@Ginkgo Even though I'm in the US, I'm the editor for a site that is based out of Australia. I've learned a few things about Aussies in the past year and that is that they are dang fine journalist (all sectors) and that gaming is an extremely expensive hobby in Australia. I had absolutely no idea just how expensive the hardware cost were there!

Where is the vote button for "All of them"?

@Paranoimia Oh, you know I have a Vita. In fact, I didn't buy my Vita on day one, I paid $60 bucks extra to get it a week early! Haha

But with what I was referring to was from an industry minded perspective - the angle that I typically write/think in. Here on a "PlayStation" fan site that statement does indeed sound off a bit, but when you look at the gaming consumers as a whole - not the gaming 'community' alone - bias and preference takes no precedent. Sales numbers are concrete proof that 3DS is preferred over the the Vita. I'll break this down for you a bit more:

If you look at both the Wii U (current) and the 3DS before its price reduction, the hardcore Nintendo fan base support is a handful of million deep. This gives a rough idea of the loyal Nintendo fans who will purchase anything "Nintendo," regardless of cost. Vita (current) shows us the exact same thing, because it is still priced outside of the mainstream consumers' pocketbooks. When you take away the bias/preference you will see that all three of these consoles are similar in nature and none of the the numbers are supportive a console itself.

The 3DS' price reduction and influx of game releases landed it in the appropriate price range for the mainstream audience to start buying, which continues to grow as word of mouth and market share continually climbs higher. If you remember, the 3DS was getting worse press than the Vita, because the 3DS was thought to be damaging to gamers' eyes.

If there is one thing that the recent trends have taught us, it is that brand loyalty will no longer support a console - these companies have to acquire the mainstream audience, there's simply no way around it. The mobile market is taking an enormous amount of the gaming industry's capital into its sector and pulling the multitude of million of casual gamers right along with it. While hardcore gamers typically think along the lines of, "good riddance," the more money that stays in the dedicated gaming sector, the brighter its future is.

The next decade is going to be interested to watch unfold!

@get2sammyb Yep. Existing owners will indeed (or most likely) sacrifice the cash for it, but I don't see it being a "system seller" either.

For "PlayStation fans" that own both a Vita and a PS3, the ability to take PS3 games on the go is in no way a hindrance. But to anyone who doesn't own a Vita and isn't currently prospecting the purchase of a Vita in the near future, the simple fact that the majority of the titles available for the console are also available on the PS3 is absolutely a hindrance to the console. Why would/should anyone buy an expensive handheld console to take the exact same games you already own with you, when you can purchase a 3DS and get a vast quantity of excellent first and third party exclusive titles for it at a significantly lesser install cost, especially when you factor in the cost of the proprietary memory cards?

I enjoy my Vita just as much as the next guy, but the lack of support - and lacklustre past support - for this console from Sony itself is worrisome, in my opinion. Vita needs first party exclusives to get it selling, not ports of PS3 titles. Either Sony gives people a reason to start buying the handheld, or we are going to see even more third party and Indie support dwindle away for it. There's absolutely too much competition in the gaming industry these days with the mobile industry's recent explosion to let the Vita sit stagnant like it currently is.

@get2sammyb Email notifications for replies on Push Square?! Rock on!

I actually did really enjoy Ragnarok Odyssey. It had its faults, but I felt that it did a lot of things right, especially on the social front (online). Soul Sacrifice's aesthetics are simply too over the top for my personal taste. I'm a big fan of Japanese styled games, but I can only handle so much twisted stuff - eyes covering the entire side of an enemy and flesh covered, well... everything. It's just all a bit too much for me.

I am still rockin' the Guacamelee! though - love me some DrinkBox Studios!

I will ONLY play this game whilst sitting my arse on the toilet!

Personally, I could care less - I've not touched neither Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 or Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. For the PS4, this could indeed dampen its sales in the West.

I disliked the demo quite a bit - this game just isn't for me, I guess.

Microsoft buying out Respawn's upcoming title will indeed pull a lot of sales for the upcoming console if it turns out to be as good as most anyone would expect it to be. This will be a huge plus for Microsoft in the West, but . I won't budge the console in other regions too much, most likely.

Sony needs the PS4 to hit the ground running with Vita still struggling so severely. If Microsoft plays this card, which is genius on its part, it will indeed have a high probability of dampening the PS4's sales in the West. Sony better put every major third party developer on stage at E3!

Wow!

It should, because the hardware that the game is developed for on the PC is quite similar to what is found within the PS4.

I reviewed WRC: FIA World Championship a few month's back and after I figured out that disabling all of the assist and modifying the game's difficulty settings a bit turned it into an actual "rally racing" title that worthy of playing, I still haven't put the flipping game down. Haha

Okay, I lied. I played through BioShock Infinite and a whole bunch of other stuff too, but yeah... still playing WRC 3... and Pandora's Tower on Wii... Guacamelee!, and Fire Emblem Awakening.

@naruball I've played through the entire Dragon Fantasy collection - the original comes with several 'chapters' - and I can tell you that these games are most definitely worth the $10 asking price.

Nope.

Hahahaha!!!

Is it going to be out-of-date by PC standards? Of course it is, but to say that it isn't comparable to the GTX680 is a bit of a stretch.

Great review Greg - love that tagline!

I like review scores - they give biased fanboys something to whine about.

In all seriousness, people need to realise that objective reviews with a score slapped on them would make for a boring read. Sure, the game being reviewed might be a great game, but if it's the seventh entry in the series in half a decade, an objective review can't reflect this; people tire of things, too much of a good thing is actually a reality within the gaming industry.

I'm trying to finish Dead Space 3... trying to finish it...

I absolutely loved the PS3 version of this game.

I got you buddy - I got you. Just a little bit longer Sammy-boy.

I expect the Vita price drop announcement within the conference too, but this is too much for a Vita conference alone.

Sammy, this is a well-written analysis and one that I'm glad to see that you've place your criticism in as well. Very good work mate!

@nathanuc1988 I understand where you're coming from completely, I really do. But, the dedicated gaming industry is moving in such a way that they've got to become profitable to continue growing in a forward direction - whether that's digital downloads or digital streaming - it's the future of gaming, at some point in time.

I think this is a great 'first step' on Sony's end. This upcoming generation will most likely stay relevant for another 6-8 years - giving Internet providers more time to improve their services. But, in my opinion, the following generation thereafter, you will most likely have to have a high-end Internet connection. If you don't, then well... sorry. At some point this industry will have to move forward, even if that alienates a certain demographic.

As for bandwidth issues with Gaikai. I'm not sure, as I haven't used the service, but I'd like to think that for gaming purposes it would buffer far more than your typical Internet movie service.