Culture

Hands-On With PlayStation 4 and More at Tokyo Game Show

Hands-on impressions of Deep Down, Strider Hiryu, Dark Souls II and more from Tokyo Game Show.
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CHIBA, Japan -- PlayStation 4 is the star of the show here at Tokyo Game Show, but some of the most anticipated games are still on current-generation platforms. From last gen to this gen, here's what I played as I walked through the halls of the Makuhari Messe convention center at Japan's annual gaming gala. Above:

Deep Down (PlayStation 4, 2014)

There wasn't a lot of Capcom's Deep Down to see at the Tokyo Game Show, but as a next-generation videogame title (one made in Japan, at that) it only needs to do two things: look pretty and feel familiar enough to lure players in. By those standards, Deep Down is already a success. Deep Down's graphics are the first I've seen on the PlayStation 4 that appear to justify the PlayStation 4's existence. The level of detail in every glimmering object and flickering flame is impressive. If your knight has the misfortune to be lit on fire, watching the blaze spread across his body will be a treat. Ah yes, the game: Deep Down resembles Dark Souls, but its technical advantages weigh combat heavily in favor of the player. In Dark Souls, combat is messy. You swing a sword or axe and whatever's in that range, you hit. In Deep Down, where you hit is important: Stab an orc in the knee and it'll fall to the ground, vulnerable. Poke its weapon and you might break it, reducing the orc's reach. Deep Down even lets you hold the L1 button to aim and make precision strikes. Orcs are large and slow, so once I realized how vulnerable they were, they were no longer a threat. It was still fun to poke them with a spear though, especially as their bodies remained in the dungeon, allowing for continued poking practice.