Another week passes, and another FirstPlay episode is released, it’s hard to believe that we’re already on episode four of the video mag; but for those of you who are unsure for what’s on offer for Episode 004, look no further, a description of the content whilst adding a bit of a review twist is just what the doctor ordered!

HD REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS

This week sees no reviews (!) whatsoever, but there is a healthy portion of previews and a feature on the upcoming PlayStation Move. If you’re eagerly awaiting Gran Turismo 5 or Alpha Protocol then you’ll be satisfied with what this weeks “Reviews” section has to offer. Also worth a mention in this section is the new Medal of Honor trailer.

The PlayStation Move feature is an intriguing one to say the least. The ‘preview’ itself shows some of what you may have already seen at expos whilst adding in some new footage of some of the games lined up to be released with Move functionality. From the outside, it does look very much like the Wii in terms of shape etc., but the added benefit of the PlayStation Eye makes it much more sensitive as well as accurate, and from the sounds of things the controls are intuitive. All we need to know now is whether this ‘motion control’ gimmick is going to take off or not.

Some fantastic looking graphics from GT5.

The previews of Gran Turismo 5 and Alpha Protocol are also very informative for their respective games, in the GT5 preview you’ll get a glimpse of the stunning graphics (which can only be seen in HD to be believed) whilst getting a look at some of the cars and tracks, as well as a mention of the damage system that has been implemented. The Alpha Protocol preview, on the other hand, highlights the multiple-paths gameplay with a combination of fire-fights and stealth. The preview also covers the various systems of advancement in the game, and compares it to that of modern RPGs with more an action perspective.

The Medal of Honor ‘trailer’ should not be dismissed as just a trailer, even though it is. About three minutes long, the trailer shows off the absolutely remarkable graphics and some of the gameplay, of course as it is a trailer not much comment can be made by the producers of FirstPlay but it is nice to see a glimpse of what’s in store in the future.

SCREENSHOTS

This week’s episode is full to the brim with screenshots of upcoming games – six in total. Medal of Honor makes a reappearance here along with SOCOM IV, Hunted: The Demon’s Forge, True Crime, Joe Danger, and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. There has to be something for everyone here. Phew!

The Medal of Honor screenshots set the scene of the game, showing off the guns and incredibly detailed environments (and impressive terrain textures) as well as some fantastic character models. Also featured within some fifteen screenshots provided, we see some evidence of stealth gameplay, camouflage, and of course explosions!

SOCOM IV on the other hand uses more squad based gameplay and will feature PlayStation Move compatibility. Only a few screenshots here, but what you do see makes for some great viewing including explosions, lush environments and what? A girl!?

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a co-op game set in the ruins of New York – cheerful. With a massive twenty-four screenshots available for your viewing pleasure here, you can get a really good feel of what the game is all about. And may I just add now, the environments are breathtaking, and I’m pretty sure this is going to be one to watch when it releases later this year.

Wowwww.... a great change from the usual post-apocalyptic landscapes in Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

Hunted: The Demon’s Forge is a new fantasy adventure devloped by Fallout 3 developers Bethesda. The screenshots include a look at the online gameplay, some lovely caves and dungeons, and some great shots of combat.

A reboot of the original game, True Crime is an open world adventure set in Hong Kong. The screenshots display the ‘flowing’ combat system with shots of guns, melee and more, also included are some pictures of vehicles and showy-offy poses.

Joe Danger is a cartoony daredevil stunt game. The shots include a glance at the level creator mode, and some lovely piccys of cute little motorcyclists going round loops. Expect a review from FirstPlay soon.

NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS

There are four items in this week’s Network Highlights section, each looking at different areas of the PSN as well as some tips on How To Win At Super Street Fighter IV. If you don’t have SSFIV though, don’t feel left out; there’s also a round up of LBP Top Levels, a look at the Best on PSN and a PS minis Round-Up.

First up, LBP Top Levels. Not really much that I can say here except that it gives you a large (and helpful)  insight into some of the best community created levels in the game. Obviously, me telling you them here would render the whole point of buying an episode pointless… and I’d probably be put on FirstPlay’s naughty list for eternity.

Part one of two, How To Win At Super Street Fighter IV offers invaluable tips for the game, with each tips focused on a specific character. Most of the tips will give you some useful button combinations for potential game-winning moves.

In the Best of PSN section, FirstPlay takes a look at everything from the classic games to new and exciting gameplay mechanics. They comment on the hardness of Mega Man 10, the sheer old-skoolness of Revenge of the Wounded Dragons, the unbelievable size (and price) of Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening, the puzzling and camera-joyous Switchball, and the amalgomation of the Final Fantasy series – Dissidia: Final Fantasy.

Dissidia: Final Fantasy, for those who cannot decide which Final Fantasy is the best...

The PlayStation minis Round-Up next, and FirstPlay has five games to offer you here (not to download unfortunately). Fortix a modern retake on a classic game, is the simple territory-catching game that everyone’s played before. Bloons, also a free online game on PC, is the colourful puzzle-shooter type game that is incredibly more-ish. Ice Road Truckers although an amazing TV show leaves a lot to be desired with pretty horrific graphics. Rocket Racing (a recommended game from the FP team) is said to be “like WipEout HD but with one less dimension”. Last off is the unforgettable classic Tetris, which I really shouldn’t have to explain to you!

FEATURED DOWNLOADS

Sadly, no more new content yet again for this week’s Download Section, but with a mammoth amount of screenshots and some really nice previews don’t let the bareness of this section put you off. For those of you that haven’t already done so, this section allows you to download the Official FirstPlay Theme, and an exclusive Just Cause 2 Parachute.

FINAL SUMMARY

Again, the lull in downloadable content is hurting pretty bad, but there is a lot of extra content in the other sections to make up for it. Many subscribers may be kicking themselves at the moment if and only if they bought the subscription for the sole purpose of cheap downloads. I can assure you that in the future, FirstPlay do have a lot more content lined up for download in the future, so sit tight if you’re waiting for some.

Other than that though, another fine week of content with some great screenshots, a good few tips for shopping around, and of course those HD previews. There’s nothing overly special though, so this week’s episode gets an 8/10.

NEXT WEEK

For those of you who just can’t wait for next week’s episode, this section won’t help at all, as the next episode also looks full to the brim with content including a preview of ModNation Racers and a full review of the God of War: Collection.

Episode 005 of FirstPlay will be available to download when the store updates on Wednesday 5th May.

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