The Energon Pub

MTV.com- In an article written on the MTV Multiplayer blog, the Playstation Portable game philosophy is lightly debated and the success of the TRANSFORMERS game franchise is mentioned.

-Round 1-
Port of console games for handhelds Vs. Big franchises with new unique experiences

To read the short blog you can click here. Some highlights are shared below.

'When I recently spoke with John Koller, head of hardware marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America, he specifically cited “Transformers” and “Iron Man” as proof that a new PSP development model, one anchored on franchises, was working.

But there’s a problem…

Those games are only half of the “winning” equation he’s talking about. “Transformers” and “Iron Man” are ports of console games. “Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core,” however, is something wholly unique but rooted in a giant franchise. So, can franchise alone carry a game? If it’s big enough, Sony argues.

The NPD Group told MTV Multiplayer that the PSP version of “Transformers” sold 442,000 copies, while “Iron Man” pushed 242,000 copies. In Sony’s eyes, those are both extremely successful PSP games…even if they use a “failed model.”'

'Koller has told me several times to expect big franchise games to be announced 2009. Those should start being announced soon. But will the inevitable “Transformers 2″ and “Iron Man 2″ follow the same formula?'

So it would appear the questions we TRANSFORMERS fans should be asking SONY are:

-Should we expect unique games based on the very big TRANSFORMERS franchise for the PSP (perhaps similar to the Transformers Animated game for the Nintendo DS)?
-Or can we only expect ports of existing console games for the TRANSFORMERS franchise, like the movie game?

What say you Sony? Which will it be? I am sure you can imagine which one the game playing TRANSFORMERS fan would like.

It would nice to have a G1 game.

Mirage22 wrote:It would nice to have a G1 game.

I'd rather have an RiD game

A G1 game would be great as would another Beast Wars game but right now we just have to hope that the TF2 game will be a hell of a lot better than first one cause that thing was the worst PSP game ive ever played. Actually i think it was one of the worst games ive ever played in my life.

Mirage22 wrote:It would nice to have a G1 game.

Yeah me too. In fact, it could be a series, with perhaps first game having a set number characters (like all the ones in Season 1) and then each new game would new characters.


I really don't understand why more game companies don't make games (ports or originals) for the PSP, but I guess it goes back to the "chicken/egg" thing of not many people have PSPs (compared to DS owners) so developers are discouraged from developing games for it while people won't buy the PSP because there aren't that games for it.


I know, I myself have used my DS more in the past and bought more games for my DS, but with that said, lately I have played PSP more after purchasing PS1 classics (I downloaded Wild Arms, Syphon Filter, and MedEvil).

I really think these PS1 classics (especially if Square Enix puts Xenosaga on there) will keep my PSP from gathering dust, since there are no disc games I'm interested in, with the exception of Star Ocean: First Departure (and that's only mild interest at best, since I am not too big of a fan of Second Story and Till the End of Time).

Baseball Tonight wrote:I really think these PS1 classics (especially if Square Enix puts Xenosaga on there) will keep my PSP from gathering dust, since there are no disc games I'm interested in, with the exception of Star Ocean: First Departure (and that's only mild interest at best, since I am not too big of a fan of Second Story and Till the End of Time).

You're thinking of Xenogears. Xenosaga was for PS2, and was made by Namco, though both series were made by the same guy, for different companies.

PSone Classics are awesome. I'm totally getting Castlevania: Symphony of the Night next chance I get. Though I'd wish they'd hurry up and release a Final Fantasy game.

original sin wrote:

Mirage22 wrote:It would nice to have a G1 game.

I'd rather have an RiD game

No Transtech! This would be an awesome opportunity to give us Transtech. Just make it a game that is aimed at teenagers and continue the story of Beast Machines as Transtech.

Shadowman wrote:You're thinking of Xenogears. Xenosaga was for PS2, and was made by Namco, though both series were made by the same guy, for different companies.

You're right. My apologies. I was, of course, refering to Xenogears.

The reason I have the word "Xenosaga" on my mind is because that's one of games I'm currently playing.

Shadowman wrote:PSone Classics are awesome. I'm totally getting Castlevania: Symphony of the Night next chance I get.

Yeah, I'd be totally downloading that, since it's one of my all-time favorite games, but doesn't the psp Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles have that as an unlockable?

Shadowman wrote:Though I'd wish they'd hurry up and release a Final Fantasy game.

If Square Enix FF 7 and FF 8 on the Playstation Store, I'd download them the minute they get released. However, I really, really hope that Square Enix doesn't go the "Chrono Trigger" route with them and rerelease them for a current console and charge a full game price for them (well FF 7 most likely).

Baseball Tonight wrote:

Shadowman wrote:PSone Classics are awesome. I'm totally getting Castlevania: Symphony of the Night next chance I get.

Yeah, I'd be totally downloading that, since it's one of my all-time favorite games, but doesn't the psp Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles have that as an unlockable?

Actually, yeah. It also has better voice acting (The guy from Prince of Persia as Alucard? Hell yes!) a slightly changed script, and a handful of new weapons. Maria's gameplay was completely overhauled, and she ended up more being more like her appearance in Rondo of Blood.

But still, I'd like to try the original.

Baseball Tonight wrote:

Shadowman wrote:Though I'd wish they'd hurry up and release a Final Fantasy game.

If Square Enix FF 7 and FF 8 on the Playstation Store, I'd download them the minute they get released. However, I really, really hope that Square Enix doesn't go the "Chrono Trigger" route with them and rerelease them for a current console and charge a full game price for them (well FF 7 most likely).

I actually have a working copy of FF7, but my PS1 doesn't work anymore, and I no longer have a PS2. Hindsight 20/20, really.

But I'd buy FF7 and 8 in a second. The only problem was that since those games took up three or more discs, how big would the filesize be?

Shadowman wrote:I actually have a working copy of FF7, but my PS1 doesn't work anymore, and I no longer have a PS2. Hindsight 20/20, really.

My Playstation broke down as well.

Shadowman wrote:But I'd buy FF7 and 8 in a second. The only problem was that since those games took up three or more discs, how big would the filesize be?

Oh yeah, I hadn't thought about that. Yeah, it'd be pretty big. If my memory sticks were full, Id think about just deleting games and then download them again later from the Playstation Store (if I wanted to play them again), but knowing me, I'd probably want to go out and buy another memory stick.

You know, it's funny, I'd always thought the 1GB memory stick that came with me psp (got the silver psp Daxter bundle) would suffice all my gaming needs, at least for a long time. Since game saves don't take up much space, never thought I would run out of space for awhile. Sure, I put some music and videos on there, but it was no biggie to delete them if I needed space, since it was so easy to transfer the content from my PC to the memory stick.


Anyway, with Playstation Store and game downloads, I'm sure Sony (and SanDisk) saw a rise in memory sticks sold.

But back on the topic about PSP TF games...from two weeks ago...

The PSP movie game was okay, at best. The gameplay was solid, and driving and flying weren't too bad. But the fighting was kind of repetitive. Oh, and, of course, it has maybe three hours of gameplay.

How's the psp version compare with the DS TF movie games?

I picked up Autobots version for about $15, and despite some problems (like bad targeting system, fog/popup), a few buggy issues that would end missions prematurely, and (I must admit) repetitive combat, I was totally addicted to it and had tons of fun with it.

I liked surprisingly good voice acting (Peter Cullen actually sounds like Optimus Prime!), somewhat opened ended city, and the ability to scan and transform into many different vehicles (instead of just one vehicle transform).