It's Official: No PlayStation 4 unveiling at E3 2012

From IGN.com:


Sony Executive Says No PlayStation 4 at E3 2012 - PS3 News at IGN


Uh Oh. Big news from the Sony Camp today. After initial rumors circled around the industry that both Sony and Microsoft would be unveiling their respective Next-Gen consoles at this year's E3, Sony exec Kaz Hirai has confirmed  that there is no plan to unveil a new console at this year's convention.More information can be read at the link provided above. 

FIFA 12 (XBOX360) Mid-Season Review: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!

FIFA 12-holding its ground better than Arsenal vying for a Champion's League spot!

It's roughly halfway through the season for the top flight European Leagues; Manchester City holds a slight lead on United in the Premiership, and Real Madrid is 5 points clear of Barcelona. In the online world, After grabbing my copy on launch day for the Xbox 360, here's my take after a couple months worth of online matches, career mode blockbuster trades, and virtual pro match successes:




The Good- 
      
Tactical Defending: Arguably, this is the biggest feature that has attributed to a new level of playability to the franchise. There is a bit of a steep learning curve to it if you're just thinking about getting it now, as it is a HUGE leap over the usual "hold b and the left bumper" trick from years past that would result in regaining ball possession effortlessly. Once you get a good grip on the new defensive controls, you realize you've added a whole new level of dynamic to your gameplay. And there's nothing better than the big sigh of relief or the rush you get from making that last-ditch tackle that saves your season, or rather, saves you from relegation or wins you promotion to the next division in the online head-to-head seasons mode.

THE BAD- 
      
The Player Impact Engine=Comedy: This might be one of the neatest new features FIFA has added, and after a few months worth of online matches, I've heard (and also had my fair share) of instances where player collisions resulted in horrific injuries-I once had Wayne Rooney out for an entire season after colliding with Carles Puyol in an ECC match in Career Mode- to some that are just outright hilarious (visit Youtube to view the best fails of the P.I.E). I've also experience instances where two of my players are in such close proximity to one another, they'll topple over one another a few times before they manage to get up, or I'll have Nani running with one good leg, and the totally distorted after hurdling a sliding tackle. Humorous? Indeed, but not so much when you're coming across the field to cover and trample over your teammate, resulting in a goal against and **gasps** relegation >_<. (I speak from experience). All in all, it's a wonderful feature; it adds a whole new level of authenticity, but it could still use a wee bit of polishing.

THE UGLY!- Online Roster Management/ Occasional mental lapses in the A.I: 
       
O.R.M: EA has done an awesome job cracking down on cheaters, bugs, and just managing the overall online experience in head-to-head gameplay over the years (Anyone remember the long pass glitch in fifa 09? FC Barcelona was the prime choice to exploit that glitch). After holding conversations with friends and FIFA 12 opponents alike over the last few months, the common consensus is that it feels like there has been a bit of a regression this year (and we're shocked we haven't seen a patch released for this one) in terms of online roster management. In years past, players had the option of modifying their default roster (in such a way that did not involve transfers with other teams) so as to avoid the repetitive act of adjusting rosters before an online match. While most gamers have grown accustomed to it, there is still a large portion of the community that hasn't fully embraced it. 

The A.I: It's not as bad as it may seem at first, but the fact remains: Occasionally, you want to throw your remote at the television. Trying to send your player on a run off the ball can on occasion be a bit frustrating, as instead of a conscious effort to make a run and try to win the back of the defense, they'll casually jog a la Fernando Torres, and you lose possession. Or, you'll find that one of your defenders is way up the field and leaves a gap in the backline. Adjusting the tactics in the game can help a tad, but there are still some moments where the AI manifests a bit of artificial dyslexia. This goes both ways; If you're leading in a match, it's a plus. If you're down, then you can cue the hair pulling and cable pulling your way out of the match (which, if you do, then you deserve the big fat L in your loss column!!!!!!)


All in all, this game will still have a high replay value until the release of FIFA 13. And as we always see year after year, EA continues to make positive growth to developing and refining the game. As it stands, Press Start Gaming Blog gives FIFA 12 a score of 9/10 for its mid-season report card.

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Hello one and all! I come in peace. Welcome to my new blog! As a hardcore gamer, I'll be posting reviews  of the hottest games and sharing awesome little tidbits I come across the web from the gaming/tech industry. Thanks for following! Got gaming info? Feel free to contact me and share!