On the first of April, the whole world gathered together to trick their workmates, friends and family with pranks and jokes. We even suspected Sony had joined in on the April Fool’s shenanigans when they released Firmware 3.21 which removed the Other OS option. Unfortunately for those seven people that went through the process of installing Linux on their PS3, Sony wasn’t trying to fool anyone; it really was the end of Other OS.
With Other OS gone, what were we supposed to do with our PS3s now? Well, we could play the new GTA IV DLC and the other three PS3 games that came out in April: Nier, AfterBurner: Climax and FIFA World Cup 2010. Of course, there were other games such as Iron Man 2 (but we can forget that one exists), Super Street Fighter IV (although it’s arguably not worth mentioning as it’s simply an upgraded version) and finally the God of War Collection, which had already released over 5 months before in the US, so we’ll forget about that too, eh?
In non-PS3 territory, Splinter Cell: Conviction snuck out of the shadows onto PC and Xbox. It’s as if Sam Fisher infiltrated the games industry, destroyed the opposition, released his own game and then he probably went home and cried over his daughter some more; April was his month and he pulled it off very well. The only thing he couldn’t fight off was the Infected horde (well, some of it) as a bite-sized chunk of Zombie in the form of The Passing DLC for Left 4 Dead 2 managed to sneak through.
As we approached the middle of April, the majority of Europe managed to close down because of a bit of ash in the sky (we probably confused it with snow). Millions of people were stuck at… home as the ash cloud prevented air travel. This meant those people that go on cheap holidays in April couldn’t, so they had to stay here instead, where it was somewhat colder and they wouldn’t get as much of a tan.
Speaking of getting a tan, in April the weather managed to climb above 20°C, unless you were in Scotland, where it still managed to remain below zero and where it rained down enough water to keep the whole of America’s thirst quenched for about 7 years. In order to quench America’s other thirst for having things before anyone else, the iPad was released before the UK or anywhere else even knew a release date. This was another of the US’s ‘Supersize’ deals as they came to realise that it was, essentially, a giant iPod touch with 3G… but it did look pretty.
Alex somehow managed to get his hands (and feet, possibly) on the iPad and wrote an extensive review, which can be summed up with his own words: “it’s little more than a high definition version of the iPod Touch” in other words, it’s a giant iPod touch with 3G, but it looks pretty. Moving away from technology now and onto movies: Kick-Ass was released in April and (I think it’s been long enough since someone made this joke) it kicked ass.
Overall, April was a boring month if you didn’t like stealth games, movies based on graphic novels, ash clouds from Iceland (like this guy) or spending lots of money to import a giant iPod touch (I should stop calling it that, it looks pretty cool). If you didn’t like any of these things and liked the Other OS feature on your PS3, I honestly don’t know how you got through April. Unless you were too busy anticipating May; if you were, I have some good news, you can relive it all if you come back tomorrow. Please do, we promise it’s a better month than April.
bunimomike
The iPad is a lovely device. It’s also the epitome of procrastination and the desire to give the illusion of looking constructive.
Weather-wise, April was bloody lovely! Games took a back-seat in my world (not literally. That would look sad, with two titles buckled safely in the rear seats as I enjoyed the outdoors).
colossalblue
when I bought my PS3 I put it in the back seat and put a seatbelt around it…
I didn’t want it in the boot subject to some idiot rear-ending me (oo-er). Is that sad?
solidsteven
YES.*runs and hides from CB*
bunimomike
No, definitely not. In a decent speed crash the relative inertia of said PS3 (say, 45mph) would do some shocking damage to the back of one’s noggin’ if you planted the front of your car firmly into a playground (for example :-p).
Sure, you’d be locked up for god knows how long but your PS3 would be okay.
gazzagb
I remember April being boiling, but fairly boring games-wise as May had a great line up.
The iPad is still a waste of money IMO, much prefer my iTouch.
TSBonyman
I refused to update my firmware for the month in protest at the OtherOs removal but eventually gave in and updated one of my ps3s. But while i was offline i got to thinking what else could i be doing with my ps3, i read a TSA folding@home article and decided to join the team and i’m still folding 10 months later!
Burgess_101
i Hate iceland kept me entertained for the whole month with a bit of splinter cell on my pc thrown in for good measure
Rocket_345
Ah April. The month of Mock Exams, Heat and my Birthday. Unfortuanately i had my birthday then went back to school the next day to find out we would be sitting mock exams for a month meaning everything i had i couldn’t play due to revision.
jacklum
“Super Street Fighter IV – although it’s arguably not worth mentioning as it’s simply an upgraded version”
Wait, so a port of a 2006 arcade game (Afterburner Climax) and an overpriced cash-in sports title (FIFA World Cup 2010) are worth mentioning, but SSFIV is “argubaly not worth mentioning”. I’m confused.