List Price: $59.99
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I, like many of you, when first heard about this game, inmediately thought "Mash Bros", and so I had my doubts. And honestly speaking, the main reason I pre-ordered the game was the free Vita version...but all my doubts are now put to rest, this is a game that deserves a 5 star rating and well deserved.
For starters, the game comes with a great roster, which includes:
Kratos
Parappa
Fat Princess
Sweet Tooth
Radec
Sly Cooper
Nathan Drake
Heihachi
Dante
Big Daddy
Jak
Ratchet
Nariko
Cole
Evil Cole
Raiden
Sack Boy
Sir Daniel
Spike
Toro
The game comes with different modes that include, Solo Play, Tournament, Versus Match and character customization and extras. Stages are fully active, they come packed with hazards, items and explosions, some of which can really hurt you and your oponents. Each character has 3 stages of "special moves" which can be used, once the special move meter is full. Once full, you simply press the R2 button and the character will engage his/her special move. Each special move stage has its unique set of skills and will vary in power, 3 being the strongest of course.
Graphics:
Very sharp and bright with plenty of interactive arenas. Each stage/arena belongs to each of the characters game locations, for example, a flying cargo plane (Drake), God Of War, etc. Each level has been carefully detailed and playing is not only fun, but there's eye candy and plenty of it. Each character has also been done with great attention to detail, from sack boy to sly cooper to Raiden, all look well done. Explosions and other effects look great and will not disappoint.
Sound:
Again, each stage has sounds from each franchise. I personally like Uncharted's classic orchestra style and God Of War's dramatic score. Character voices are original and their sound effects, from weapons to special moves, sound great; even during heavy battles, you'll be able to hear each effect, music and other stage related sounds with detail and plenty of punch.
Performance:
I was afraid to run into frame rate issues, but thankfully, this isn't the case. Even with a full roster on screen at once, the game perfornmed impecably. There was no lag during online play or choppiness during local and single play. I tested the game with a full roster on a stage with plenty of action, such as background effects and incoming hazards; the game did not skip a beat.
Multiplayer:
Simply put. FUN with NO LAG. Both local and online, the MP section is flawless, connections are easily stablished and maintain a lag free performance. Up to 4 players at once, both off/on line. At first, each fight will seem a bit chaotic, but once you learn the basics, each fight will become more interesting, as you will be thinking of ways to fill up your special move meter or simply finding ways to hurt your oponents with style ;)
Cross Play Multiplayer:
I tested it and have not complaints. I was able to battle against PS Vita/PS3 opponents without any issues. Connections are smooth and easy to stablish. I noticed both systems were in perfect sync, each fighter's move translated into an accurate action on the screen, it was 100% real time action. More about cross play below****
Controls:
Easy to pick up and learn. You'll be given the option to play a "tutorial" the first time (one time only) you start the game and even though the game is extremely easy to play, I recommend playing the tutorial, so you can familiarize yourself with each button. Pulling combos will take some practice, but are easily done once you get the hang of it. I have no complaints about the controls and neither will you.
In conclusion, if you're still on the fence about this game, let me put your mind at ease and tell you that this game delivers, it is FUN to play, specially with other players, the more the better; you will probably spend a lot of time on this game off and online and its replay value is extremely high. A great party game that can acomodate those whom just want a quick, fun fighting game and those whom like more technical fighting, such as combos, etc. No matter what your aproach is, this game is without a doubt, a great start for the series.
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VITA GAME DOWNLOAD:
PS Vita Code: THE FREE VITA GAME CAN ONLY BE LINKED TO ONE PS3 DISC ACCOUNT. THERE'S NOT CODE TO ENTER OR GIVE AWAY.
The game includes a free copy of the Vita version, but it doesn't come with a code nor will it give you one, here's what you do:
Insert disc into your PS3
Navigate to the game menu on your PS3 dashboard.
There you will see 3 disc icons for the game.
Select the second icon for "disc benefits"
You will be taken to the sub menu
Choose the cross buy option.
Once you've done that, you will be taken to the PSN store, where you will add the vita version into your cart. The price will be $0. Check out and it will be on your download list.
Log in to PS Store from your Vita, go to your download list.
You will see the game, plus its online pass.
Download and you're done.
If you don't have a PSN acount, you will need to create one in order to download the Vita game.
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CROSS-PLAY INSTRUCTIONS:
Please do not get confused with cross and remote play. Remote play connects YOUR vita to YOUR PS3 to be able to navigate and play game discs on your PS3 from your Vita (not all discs work). Anyway, Cross Play works by sending friends "game invitations", but there has to be a copy of the game on each system (PS3 & Vita), here's how:
From PS3:
Versus Mode
-Press R2, Invite Friends.
-Select the friend whom is playing on his Vita
-A message will pop up on your friend's Vita showing your gaming invite
-Once he accepts, he will then apear on as player 2.
-You're done! Battle and enjoy.
From PS Vita:
-Versus Mode
-WiFi
-Make sure you're connected to PSN by touching the upper right hand corner, you'll be taken to a sub menu, there you will either see "sign in" (connect if you do) or view invites/invite friends.
-Select "Invite" and your friends list will apear, select him/her
-PS3 player will get an invite message
-Once they accept, you can battle together.
FINAL NOTE ABOUT CROSS PLAY....
I'm sure you want to give this a try right away, with your own Vita, don't worry, it's actually quite simple, create another PSN account for yourself, but remember that you will need another email address....to avoid confusion and headaches when creating another PSN acount, simply add a number to your actual PSN account when creating the extra one...example, your current PSN account is "PLAYER" make the new account "PLAYER2"
Hope this helps.
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I'm a huge fan of Smash, and I admit I was really unsure about this game. After playing the beta I walked away thinking this game was not for me. That was largely because I kept comparing it to Smash. However, I decided to keep playing it, and the more I played the more I realized how much fun could be derived. I had a blast withfriends. The strategy you have to employ here is totally different from Smash Bros., and in some ways the game is deeper too. So I per-ordered! (still waiting on my code from Amazon). I have NO regrets and this game is worth every penny. Added to that, we get two free DLC characters for 2 weeks sometime early next year.
I got this game around 2 PM yesterday and I played it till 5 AM this morning. It is very addictive. I suggest people to give it a chance. Pick one character and focus on that character and ease into it. It's one of those games you have to play for sometime to really appreciate it. It also helps to not compare this game to Smash since this is a totally different beast and it is NOT a clone. IT is true, it was inspired by Smash Bros. and on a superficial level there are similarities on the exterior, but they are worlds apart when you analyze the core.
Furthermore, this game was designed for hardcore fighters who want depth in their games and also for people who just want to pick up and play. Sony and Superbot are definitely going in the right direction with this and I cannot wait to see what they can do with the next installment. Now ... back to my tag team match with my buddies online. :)
Buy PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Now
If you are looking at this game and say to yourself that it is just a smash bros. clone then you are dead wrong. First and most obvious difference between all stars and smash bros is how you kill your opponents. Killing your enemies requires you to use specials, which you build up by attacking your opponents and building your AP meter. This makes the game extremely strategic sometimes, as a level 1 might be a better option than a level 2 depending on the level and how many players you are going against. It also makes defense important because you don't want another player to get his level 3. Another major difference between all stars and smash bros. is its combo system. Each character has unique combos that they can execute and you can also experiment and make your own custom combos. Some characters such as Heihachi and Kratos have their combos from their original games.The Arcade mode is exactly what you expect from a fighting game, you fight your way up a ladder and then at the end you go against the boss. There are cut scenes when you fight your rival as well as some narration at the beginning and the end of the mode.
The online is extremely well down and has the standards for a fighting game; icons, titles, leaderboards, and etc. There is minimal lag in some matches(greatly improved on beta), but most of the games play very well.
In terms of balance there is no overwhelmingly powerful character and SuperBot will patch often to make sure that there aren't any.
Pros:
1.Characters are completely unique from each other.
2.Deep combat system with a lot of hidden depth.
3.Graphics (especially vita) look great and run at 60fps.
4.Deep online mode with minimal lag.
5.Four players at once is a blast especially 2 vs 2
6.Special system is new and fresh.
7.Cool character selection that is growing with dlc(some free!)
Cons
1. Presentation in menus are bland.
2. Some music tracks are great and some are kind of quiet.
3. Some moves are spammable specifically some of kratos' and sly coopers' moves.
Read Best Reviews of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Here
All i can say is that this is a game where you'd want to drag your friends to come play with you and have fun with. Also this game is suitable for all ages, it covers a lot of different genres through the stages, you can literally tell that sony put a lot of effort into this. on the downside the character roster is a bit lacking compared to tekken tag tournament 2, but i can't complain because i heard dlc will be coming for this game. also i don't want to sound like a crash bandicoot fanboy, but where is he? sony is like pulling a megaman right here, and totally abandoning him. OK now back to the game, well you got many to do but you will be diving into the arcade and multiplayer instantly, as for the arcade Its just plain simple arcade to me, multiplayer is fun but my complaint for those two are that sometimes the game screen zoom out to see all 4 players and it sometimes confuses you as to where you are. anyway this game is great, deserves to be a day 1 purchase and is worth the 60 dollar price tag.Want PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Discount?
Ahh yes, PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale (PSABR), Sony's newest multiplayer exclusive. Signature characters from Sony's most iconic franchises unite to duke it out. The idea sounds quite entertaining on paper, and the final product results in nothing the the purest, most delightful beguilement.If you've checked other reviews, commentaries, and previews for PSABR, you may have noticed that they all bring up the same exact subject matter. Chances are you're probably thinking it anyway, so I might as well address the elephant in the room right now Nintendo's own mascot fighter, Super Smash Brothers. If you're a gamer who has not been on a distant planet for the past 13 years, you've probably heard of Super Smash Brothers at some point in your life. Yes, even SuperBot, PSABR's developer, has admitted to drawing some inspiration from the successful Nintendo franchise, among other games; however, the similarities between the two series end at the concept (various characters from each company's franchises fighting one another), and the 2D-style of fighting. Gameplay between the two is completely contradistinctive, to the point that one can consider them polar opposites.
As a mascot fighter, the character roster has a massive impact on the game, and this roster truly does capture the legacy of PlayStation. Huge Sony names of today are present, including Kratos from God of War, Cole MacGrath in his good and evil forms from inFAMOUS, and Ratchet & Clank from their eponymously named series. Past Sony icons of the '90s, like Sir Daniel Fortesque from Medievil and Parappa the Rapper from his self-titled series, both make a triumphant return. Fat Princess, from the highest selling game on PSN for two years straight, joins the battle alongside Jak & Daxter and Sly Cooper from the PS2 era, as well as Heavenly Sword's Nariko from the early days of the PS3. Sackboy, from Europe's critically acclaimed LittleBigPlanet, and Sony's Japanese mascot, Toro the Cat, join forces with American stars, Colonel Radec and Nathan Drake, from Killzone and Uncharted, respectively. The year 2008 marked a historical moment in PlayStation history, because Sony was able to acquire rights to the Bioshock franchise, a former XBox exclusive. That moment is signified here, as Bioshock's Big Daddy is proudly featured in PSABR, and he fits in seamlessly next to PlayStation veterans, Heihachi from Tekken, Spike from Ape Escape, and Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal. Dante from the upcoming DmC: Devil May Cry evens out the roster with Metal Gear Solid's Raiden, both of whom remain true to their flashy sword swinging styles from their respective games. Overall, the 20 characters in this game do a fantastic job of capturing the 17+ year legacy of the PlayStation's history, and fans will be excited to see these iconic characters all unite for the first time.
*NOTE: While the current roster is amazing, I should mention that there ARE a few big-names missing most notably Metal Gear Solid's Solid Snake, Final Fantasy's Cloud Strife (from Final Fantasy VII), and the former PS1 mascots, Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot, from their self-titled franchises. Note that Sony does NOT own these four franchises. SuperBot has stated that they tried everything in their power to obtain these characters, but in the end, the final decision was left to the owners of each franchise (Konami for Snake, Square-Enix for Cloud, and Activision for Crash and Spyro.)
While the roster plays a major part, the gameplay is the most important. After all, what's a game without gameplay? As stated before, this game is completely unique from SSB and other traditional fighters. No health bars, damage meters, or knockouts exist. Instead, you must win by having the most kills via one of three special moves, referred to as "supers." Supers are obtained by building a certain amount of meter, known as "AP." To build AP, you must connect attacks to your opponents. In other words, you MUST attack to have access to a super, and you cannot win without supers. I was skeptical about this mechanic at first, but after trying it, I can confidently say that this method works 100% perfectly. It is simple, because the game revolves around supers, with no exceptions. This method is balanced, because there are no hidden exploits to rig the score. You don't attack, you don't have access to a super, meaning you don't win. This method is also skillful, because it requires meter management, paying attention to your surroundings, and converting attacks to kills. If you use a super without thinking, you will either miss, get hit before your super connects, or use too much meter for a low amount of kills. Most importantly, this method is FUN. Seriously, once you get the hang of it (which doesn't take long at all), you will want to play match after match, knocking everyone around the arena getting kills.
The controls in PSABR are as easy as possible. Everything is done with the press of one button. Each character has different attacks and supers, but they have the exact same controls. No fancy inputs that change between characters, no memorizing of button sequences, and no double/triple button pressing just one button and the analog stick. This fact means you spend less time learning the controls, and more time playing as the many different characters, unlike some of the more technical fighters such as Street Fighter and Marvel vs Capcom. Graphics wise, the game looks beautiful. The opening cinematic is gorgeous. Each character looks true to their established games, and the stages have so much attention to detail. Franchises that didnt get a playable character, like Resistance, LocoRoco, and Buzz! look great in the background and build upon the PlayStation legacy even more. The sound is great as well, with gunshots being distinctive from sword slashes, skateboard bashing, and electrical whipping. The stages have remastered renditions of iconic music, and even the game's menu theme sounds awesome in surround sound.
Although this is a multiplayer game, SuperBot did create a single player mode for PSABR. A traditional arcade mode exists, with hand drawn intros/endings for each character, complete with voice acting. The arcade mode is quite simple, but takes about 30 minutes to get through for each character. At 20 characters, that's 10 hours off the bat. No storyline or cutscenes exist, apart from a brief rivalry scene. A practice mode is available, along with tutorials and challenges for each character. The challenges range from laughingly easy to excruciatingly difficult. A single player VS. mode exists too, where a single player can fight up to three computer controlled opponents at once, at different difficulties. Finally, unlockables are available, from character intros to taunts to costumes, and more goodies. Overall, the single player is great for a fighting game, but may not be enough for those wanting a fully fledged out single player experience. If you are buying PSABR to play alone, you may want to consider looking elsewhere.
Multiplayer on the other hand, is where this game absolutely SHINES and just blows everything else out of the water with a nuclear missile. The local multiplayer has options between team battles and free for alls, for 2 to 4 players, in a timed match, stock limit, or kill limit match. Vita users can play with console users, with absolutely no lag or framerate issues. The online mode is one of the best. I have encountered no lag 95% of the time. Considering no game's online is 100% lag free, I'd say this is as close to 100% as we'll get. Local play and online play can be integrated, and it is so fluid that one cannot tell the difference. For instance, two local players can play with a friend via PSN, and another random online player who is using a Vita! With NO difference in the match! SuperBot deserves a standing ovation for this, because I know this must have been no easy feat to accomplish. The online modes are the same as local modes; however, no option exists to play 1 vs 1 with a random player online, which may deter some people. Don't get me wrong, FFA and team battles are still extremely fun, but for those players who want to show off their skills in 1 vs 1, you are limited to local play only and may be discouraged. Hopefully this gets patched in soon. Still, even without that feature, there are hundreds of hours of replay value in this multiplayer, and isn't a game you'll be putting down anytime soon.
Also, I should mention that buying a new PS3 copy of this game allows one access to a free Vita version of the game as well. Two games for the price of one.
Wow, this review was way longer than I expected. In summary:
+ Ease of controls
+ Unique, addicting gameplay and mechanics
+ Great graphics and sound
+ Great roster and stages
+ Outstanding multiplayer, and multiplayer compatibility
+ Exceptional online play
+ Free Vita copy
Missing some key characters (hopefully fixed via DLC one day)
Average single player mode
No 1 vs 1 online (hopefully fixed via a patch)
May not be as technical for the more hardened fighting game veterans
Overall, I'd say the negatives aren't TOO horrible. The only big one is the no 1 vs 1 online, which can be easily fixed. If it does, I'll update this review accordingly. Overall, this is a fantastic job by SuperBot, which is definitely worth checking out if you are even the slightest fan of PlayStation and want a great multiplayer experience. Well done SuperBot, I look forward to many great things from you in the future.
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