Sony kicks off Gamescom with new IP
Media Molecule new IP unveiled, several brand-new games appear, and some old games get budget priced
Sony came to Gamescom 2012 armed with a few brand-new games for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. All four titles represent new IP for the company, which is interesting after recent insistence that consumers only go for new IP at the beginning of a console cycle.
Tearaway is the new title from Media Molecule for the PlayStation Vita. You control Iota, a paper messenger in a paper world. Iota can interact with objects in the world, but the real draw is Vita-specific features. Users can help Iota by sticking fingers into the gameworld using the Vita's rear touch panel, or take pictures to bring new patterns into the game.
The first new IP for PlayStation 3 is SuperMassive Games's Until Dawn. The game is a PlayStation Move-enabled adult horror title. A group of seven young adults were shown trapped out in the middle of nowhere in a storm, and it's up to you to guide them away from a certain death.
The next PS3 title was Japan Studio's Rain. The game involves an invisible protagonist that can only be seen when they are out in the rain. Players can hide from monsters in the game world by staying out of the rain or away from a puddle. The game is expected to come to PlayStation Network later this year.
Sony also showed off Puppeteer, a platformer taking place on a magical theatre. The stage and the curtain remain stationary, while the game happens on stage. The main character is a boy whose soul is stolen, turning him into a puppet. New heads grant the boy new powers.
Alongside the brand-new games, Sony has announced a new PlayStation 3 budget range for Europe. The new line is called PlayStation 3 Essentials with prices coming in at €19.99. The first titles in the lineup include Uncharted, infamous, and LittleBigPlanet. No release dates for the Essentials titles were given.
The reaction to the entire press conference and the new games has been generally positive for Sony, with some calling the event far better than the company's E3 2012 event. Will those good vibes translate to sales this holiday season?