Allow me to make a confession; I was never a Star Trek guy. For me it was always too slow paced and plodding, especially once I saw Star Wars. I wanted space battles, not lengthy monologs. Imagine my surprise when I decided to give J.J. Abram’s reimagining of the film franchise a look and really enjoyed myself. Fans of Abram’s Star Trek are the target audience for this new Star Trek game. The developer Digital Extremes is working closely with the filmmaking team from Bad Robot, especially the writing team, who are collaborating with Marianne Krawcyzk, who wrote a little game called God of War. Players are put in the space boots of Kirk or Spock, with a strong emphasis on co-op play, and must work together to accomplish numerous tasks. The demo follows Kirk and Spock, as they reboard the Enterprise while it’s under attack. First the duo must navigate a field of mines to reach their flagship. After succumbing to a trap Kirk is critically injured and as Spock drags him to the Med Bay Kirk provides covering fire. Kirk and Spock continue to work hand in glove as Spock removes deadly parasites from Kirk’s body, while Kirk has to shoot enemies as they attempt to interrupt Spock’s procedure. Based on the information you gathered as you explored the Enterprise this medical sequence can be very easy, assuming you scanned other victims and know what you are facing, or more difficult, if you ran head long into the trap and ignored your fellow crew members. Stark Trek won’t be released until sometime next year, but if Digital Extremes is able to maintain the demo’s high production values, varied gameplay, and asymmetric, interesting co-op this will be one to watch.

Sure, E3 might be all about the hardware and software of the industry but what about showing some love to those peripheral add-ons?  I’m not talking about the molded plastic to fit onto the end of your Wii-mote or Move controller.  No, I’m talking about those extras that make the claim to take your gaming to the next level.  Whether that’s a new level of immersion through the latest and greatest 7.1 headphones or Sony’s sharpshooting extravaganza.

Mad Catz is no stranger to E3 and this year their entry is taking aim at a little genre called the First Person Shooter.  From what I understand First Person Shooters have been slowly, but steadily, gaining in popularity.  Something about the fast pace of the single player campaign and the intense online multiplayer has been giving titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 a slight edge over games that primarily involve the Kinect.  For the life of me I just can’t understand why.  Can someone explain it to me please?

Anyway, Mad Catz is putting their best foot forward and delivering the F.P.S. Pro Gamepad.  Shipping in time for Holiday 2011 the F.P.S. Pro Gamepad is touted as being specifically designed for fans of the First Person Shooter.  Covering both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 these controllers will be available both wired and wireless in 3 different colors: Stealth Black, Army Green and SWAT Blue.  But what makes this controller any different than the Dualshock 3?  What makes it any better?  Mad Catz’s claim to fame this time around is in their “unique rear Combat Buttons” and on-the-fly button mapping.  In addition to the various colors and giant triggers you can expect the following features:

• Ergonomic non-slip grips
• Built-in rechargeable battery
• Immersive backlit analog stick modules with 3 adjustable LED colors: Blue, Purple and Red
• Lag-free 2.4 GHz wireless signal

Take a gander and let us know what your thoughts are.  Will these babys really give you the upper hand when Battlefield 3 releases this year?

E3 is taking a turn for the dark and grisly with the most recent news and screen shots of Konami’s promising addition(s) to the Silent Hill series.  Scheduled for release across multiple platforms during Q4, Silent Hill Downpour places you into the unfortunate shoes of convicted criminal Murphy Pendelton who finds himself wandering the desolate streets of Silent Hill after his prisoner transport bus crashes at the edge of town.  Freedom may very well be on the other side but you’re gonna have to first navigate through the terrors that Silent Hill fans have come to know and love.  Are you up for it?  Can you handle the nightmare like a true gamer or are you gonna go runnin’ of to momma as soon as things turn ugly?

Here’s just a taste of the madness you can expect later this year:

In addition to these beautiful screen shots Konami has also confirmed that PlayStation 3 owners can enter a whole new level of terror when Silent Hill Downpour is released in full 3D.  Add to this an all original track by the band Korn and you’ve got yourself a recipe for what I’m hoping will be the next great thing in survival horror.

Still not feeling a chill down your spine?  Hmm, you’re a tough nut to crack.  How about the additional announcements that Konami will also be releasing the Silent Hill Collection HD for PlayStation 3 owners -  inclusive of Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3 – both completely enhanced with high-definition graphics, all-new voice talent and the added benefit of PlayStation 3 Trophies.

Happy yet?  Excited?  Not yet, you say?

OK, fine then.  If you still crave more maybe this will satiate your need for grisly carnage.  In addition to all that you’ve just read Konami has also revealed that Silent Hill: Book of Memories has been confirmed for the PlayStation Vita and will be the first Silent Hill game from the franchise to include multiplayer.  Linking events from the past and present you’ll be able to work with a friend as you struggle to fight your way out of Silent Hill – hopefully with both mind and body fully intact.

If you’re a fan of survival horror and these announcements don’t float-your-boat or trip-your-trigger then I hate to say it, you’re already dead.

What Sony has been doing since the release of the God of War Collection for the PlayStation 3 has been nothing short of glorious.  It’s giving newer PlayStation owners a taste of what games made this system so great without having to worry about finding that perfect PS3 model to play them on (ahem, 60 gig).  It’s also giving us gamers that have been around since the beginning a wonderful sense of nostalgia and an interest in replaying some of the classics.

Keeping in mind that these games are more than just simple ports from an older system the developers are taking the time and care necessary to breath new life into these timeless classics.  Since this welcoming trend has begun we’ve seen the addition of the Sly Cooper Collection and press announcements for the likes of Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid.

And now, the highly anticipated remastering has finally been confirmed.  The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is set to release on September 27th, 2011 for a mere $39.99.  As these are 2 of the most beloved video games this should be a no-brainer for practically every PlayStation 3 owner.

The PlayStation Blog has confirmed that both games have been re-mastered to support full 1080p HD resolution as well as stereoscopic 3D support.  But it doesn’t end there.  For those that really take gaming seriously and have invested in both the look and sound of videogames you’ll be excited to note that you’ll be able to enjoy this gaming experience in up to 7.1 surround sound.  Last, but certainly not least, Trophies have also been thrown into the mix.  Are you smiling yet?

Although we’re still eagerly awaiting further details on The Last Guardian I’m confident this collection will tide us over for quite some time.  September can’t come fast enough.

Capcom announced during the PlayStation press event earlier this evening some exciting news regarding the upcoming fighting game Street Fighter X Tekken.

First and probably most notably, Street Fighter X Tekken is also coming to the Vita (official name for NGP). Yoshinori Ono, producer, personally presented on behalf of himself and Capcom. After announcing the handheld title he proceeded to pull a Vita out of his pocket and demonstrate the game. An over the shoulder camera angle was used during live television and internet coverage which allowed for the viewer to see the screen and his hands playing the game. Afterward he made a point to mention that it’s already up and running on Vita which he clearly demonstrated moments earlier.

Gameplay looked to take advantage of PS Vita’s touch screen capabilities which may be similar to how Street Fighter is handled on the Nintendo 3DS wherein the more complex moves are available in shortcut form via the touch screen.

In other SF X Tekken news, an exclusive character was revealed specific to Sony platform versions (Vita and PS3). Cole MacGrath, the main character from the inFAMOUS franchise, will be a playable character. Seems like a strange fit but then again there’s a bunch of unique characters in both fighting series and it usually comes down to the balance between all the available characters.

Street Fighter X Tekken is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 3 in 2012 and details will come soon regarding a Vita release window.

Nothing says anticipation like a set of Bioshock Infinite images.  Seeing these makes me want to stop what I’m doing, fire up my PlayStation 3 and indulge in some 2K madness.  Gone are the ocean depths, replaced by majestic heights.  Scheduled to release in 2012, 2K Games and Irrational appear to be on the right path.

The following description of Bioshock Infinite comes directly from the geniuses at 2K Games:

Of course we all knew Activision was gonna be in attendance at this year’s E3.  It’s also become widely known over the past few weeks leading up to E3 that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was scheduled for release this Holiday – no real shocker.  But I’m pleased to report that Activision will also be presenting a few additional titles that I am substantially more excited about than said 800 pound gorilla.

Slated for display, here’s what you can expect to see:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Co-developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games Modern Warfare 3 is set to take us on yet another frantic FPS ride across the globe.  It’s a safe bet that blood, bullets and explosions will be at an at-time high.
• Call of Duty Elite – Built to be integrated into MW3, Elite is poised to grant even more control over the multiplayer experience.  Building upon the already solidly established online features you can expect to see a greater level of social gaming factored in based on the player’s likes, interests and/or affiliations.  Look for additional ways to customize weaponry and push them directly into the game’s menu.
• Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure – Using what has been referred to as the Portal of Power (hearing that term I can’t help but think of the Pinchers of Power from the Goonies) players will be able to bring their toys to life in a newly created universe called Skylands.  Skylander is designed to cross multiple platforms including consoles, handhelds and mobile devices.  Although this idea sounds intriguing I’ll be curious to see how Activision plans to pull it off.
• Prototype 2 – The original Prototype was released in 2009 right alongside the PlayStation 3 exclusive, inFAMOUS.  Both games caught my eye immediately but, when the dust settled, it was inFAMOUS that won the day for me.  Prototype was one of those games that could have been great but a convoluted story and an insane control scheme muddled my overall experience.  This is one game that I have high hopes for and wish Activision all the best for an IP that deserves a second chance.
• Spider-Man: Edge of Time – I bought 2010′s Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions on an impulse, played it and gave it a better than average review here on PSNation.org.  To say that Edge of Time is my most anticipated title from Activision during E3 is an understatement.  The development of cause-and-effect gameplay has most certainly got my attention and I am more than hopeful that the developers at Beenox will take the solid effort they created with Shattered Dimensions and improve upon it to make it this year’s version of Batman Arkham Asylum.  If nothing else, addressing the horrid camera angles from Shattered Dimensions will make me a happy man.
• X-Men Destiny – The X-Men have been around for a long time.  Through comics, movies and various videogame installments it is a story that has been told many times over.  My biggest question is if Destiny will be anything more than a movie tie-in to the recently released X-Men: First Class?  Based on a below-average rating of these type of games (Thor anyone?) I’m crossing my fingers that they are giving it much more attention and, like the Phoenix, it will rise from the ashes to great heights.
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon -  Yet another potential movie tie-in, Dark of the Moon has probably the most potential of breaking that supposed curse.  War for Cybertron was, in my humble opinion, one of last years sleeper hits.  If you haven’t already, pick up a copy and give it a go.  I’m confident that High Moon Studios will deliver the next chapter of the Transformers videogame universe with even more polish.

There would probably be a door fee, but it wouldn’t exceed $10 from what it sounds like, and that would be used to pay the rental fee for the theater.

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Not only do you get a fun single-player experience, Gravity Crash also includes 4-player, Split-Screen multiplayer. If you finish all of the levels included with the game, they’ve also included an incredibly intuitive Level Editor.

All-in-all, this unique game is shaping-up VERY well. We’ll have more coverage soon!

**Note** The video doesn’t show how “clean” and vivid that the graphics really look. I am trying to get some direct feed video and/or screenshots very soon.