Safari's up: PS3 stunner Afrika detailed, dated for Japan

by Randy Nelson { Jun 4th 2008 at 10:30PM }

Is it a game? Is it interactive art? Is it Ludwig's most anticipated PS3 release of 2008? 1UP has shed new light on Afrika, the long-awaited safari-themed title from Rhino Studios.

Digging through the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu, they discovered that the game – now officially slated for August 28 in Japan – will allow players (or, um ... viewers?) to switch between first-person, overhead, and animal-eye-views of the gorgeous African plains. What's more, players will be able to travel on foot or behind the wheel of off-road vehicles while snapping photos.

The prettiness that is Afrika will hopefully hit the US this year, be it as a boxed or PSN release. We expect to hear more on Sony's plans for this unique title at next month's E3 expo.

Tags: afrika, playstation3, ps3, rhino-studios, sony

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Saneless @ Jun 4th 2008 10:38PM

Gonna take a lot to drag me awayyyy from youuuuuu

CM @ Jun 4th 2008 11:29PM

Well played Journey ref!

Chase @ Jun 4th 2008 11:41PM

CM, it's a Toto song. :P

HighFiveJesus @ Jun 5th 2008 2:16AM

there's nothin that a hundred men or more could ever doooooo

FOXHOUND @ Jun 5th 2008 7:15AM

I miss the rains down in... well, you know.

Shimrra @ Jun 4th 2008 10:39PM

$60 dollar coaster wow this is what I always wanted.

Noshino @ Jun 4th 2008 10:44PM

No interaction with the animals? if so, can we wrestle them Ludwig style?

Reuben @ Jun 4th 2008 10:46PM

I couldn't be more apathetic about this title. I suppose I see the point of it, but it certainly seems like an odd choice for a game.

Dadidito @ Jun 4th 2008 10:50PM

Are you kidding me... an interactive screensaver. I thought there would be more to it....

browntown @ Jun 4th 2008 10:52PM

I actually liked pokemon snap, i would love to buy this. It would be sweet if the pics saved to our harddrive and we could copy them to our computers.

Alan @ Jun 4th 2008 10:53PM

So Pokemon Snap sans Pokemon?

mrfong @ Jun 4th 2008 10:56PM

That's what I'm wondering. What exactly is the point (or is there one)? This game might actually be neat if there is a scoring system for pictures a la Pokémon Snap.

mezzanine @ Jun 4th 2008 10:54PM

U CNT SHOOT TEH AMINALS DETS SUM BULLSH!@#TT

FOXHOUND @ Jun 5th 2008 7:19AM

POACHERS UNITE! I want a big'ol, gas-guzzling Land Rover that I can rifle smack rhinos on the ass and blast elephants for their ivory tusks! There's your stunner, folks!

...Or at least a nifty chase sequence where I've got to out run or drive away from some kind of crazed animal stampede.

NATO_Duke @ Jun 5th 2008 11:19AM

That post made me laugh! +1

I think this "game" will be a fun diversion if they really make them look true to life. Besides, I shoot people and stuff in every other game.

ApolloIV @ Jun 4th 2008 10:56PM

As long as I get to take pictures of Ludwig in the wild I'm sold.

&rew @ Jun 4th 2008 10:59PM

Okay, so it is basically a hunting game without the hunting. Treehugger game of the year!

Noshino @ Jun 4th 2008 11:14PM

actually, it would be more of a safari game (like mentioned by Randy)

mr nimblewick @ Jun 4th 2008 11:04PM

Could be like Endless Ocean, which wouldn't be so bad. Just a nice relaxing game.

Noshino @ Jun 4th 2008 11:13PM

that is, until you wake up the lions....right Ludwig?

Wii60Warrior @ Jun 4th 2008 11:14PM

Its fucking AFRICA sony not this afrKa bullshit you're trying to be clever with.

Noshino @ Jun 4th 2008 11:17PM

for some is Africa, for some others is Afrika...because it might not be right on your dictionary does not necessarily mean that it is misspelled

GaryM @ Jun 5th 2008 12:37AM

Technically "Afrika" is the correct spelling.

Maybe if The Getaway and Eight Days let you take pictures of zebras they may not have been cancelled. ;)

Vidikron (FU) @ Jun 5th 2008 1:41AM

Such an idiot.

HighFiveJesus @ Jun 5th 2008 2:21AM

thank you chalky mcgee.

LameDuck @ Jun 4th 2008 11:15PM

I one of you PS3 fanboys told me this would be on of the "Wait until..." games. Would you please rase your hand now so we can commence the public shaming.

Sony, I don't want digital animals on my PS3 unless I can be a tiger and eat a gazelle or something. Want me to buy a screensaver? Give me something with Japanese girls and boobies. I swear to you, you could beat the 360 by 100,000 units if you released this.

BOOB JIGGLE PHYSICS FTW!

Noshino @ Jun 4th 2008 11:18PM

"Give me something with Japanese girls and boobies. I swear to you, you could beat the 360 by 100,000 units if you released this."

Nah, we can't, Itagaki is most likely going to be hired by Microsoft Game Studios...

ill trooper @ Jun 5th 2008 12:05AM

"I one of you PS3 fanboys told me this would be on of the "Wait until..." games."

Link or you're making that up.

Kodros @ Jun 5th 2008 12:12AM

I never said it was a "Wait until..." game but I'm actually interested in this. Don't get me wrong, I love killing, shooting, and sex in my video games but if they get realistic animal behaviors down, then it might be neat to run around the African plains trying to get a cool pictures that you can upload to some online Africa server for others to see.

David @ Jun 5th 2008 8:59AM

I haven't seen this on a wait until... list for a while, but it was certainly on almost all of them shortly after it was announced. Why do people choose to remember so little of the wait until... lists? They aren't thrown around a lot now (though they still flare up), but they were everywhere not too long ago. He isn't lying about this, I'm not going to find a link but it did happen, a lot.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 5th 2008 10:22AM

Lameduck, David...

Those lists haven't been seen in nearly a year. Normally it's the fucking trolls like yourself bringing them up. Most of the people who kept generating the lists have long since gotten tired of banning. So seriously, STFU about the list. It's about as relevant to Joystiq Culture nowadays as Banhammer Monday.

LameDuck @ Jun 5th 2008 10:56AM

Mr. Wong,

You misunderstand me, sir. I do not hate nor love the PS3. I don't not radicly push my love of the Wii or 360. What my problem is, is that I'm sick of the "Wait until..." list of games that will suposably bring about the end for all gaming platforms, excipt the PS3. When I bring up this list or make a post about crossing games off it, I'm being a sarcastic jackass. I think the PS3 and 360 are mostly evenly matched. You can preach to me about "ZE POWA O' DA CELLZ!" all you want and I will be quick to point out that while something may give you 3000% gain in proformance, it will never be fully used if it is hard to program for.

I have no ideal why this makes me a fanboy, but apprently it does if you say so. The only fanboyism you can acuse me of is when it comes to SNES and SNES RPGs. I think that was the best time to be an RPG gamer. After a while, you get tired of " will make the PS3 sell of consoles! IT'S THE OF THE PS3!!!" and "fufufufu njoy ur hloz2.5 playaz wile i has teh powur of da sellz! lololololxbotlolololol". After a while, I just want to call these idiots out.

I don't remember if it was here or another gaming site I visit, but I will try to find that so you can shame him/her too.

LameDuck @ Jun 5th 2008 11:23AM

P.S. I still want a game with Japanese girls and boobies.

EZ @ Jun 4th 2008 11:17PM

Can we run the animals over with the off-road vehicles?

Slaziman @ Jun 4th 2008 11:22PM

Pokemon Snap wasn't really about looking at the environment, it was about taking the correct pictures for maximum points.

And Pokemon > real animals.

Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 5th 2008 2:39AM

Trust me, you DO NOT want to live in a world infested with Pokemon. They are sentient beings with the power to electricute you, hypnotize you, and/or set you on fire. That's even worse than Jurassic Park! We cannot allow these freaks to run loose. We gotta catchem all!

Superstar90 @ Jun 5th 2008 8:42AM

Pokemon > real animals. I would love to leave home at 10 and become a pokemon master.

Chase @ Jun 4th 2008 11:43PM

Well, at least it isn't spelled with a Q.

Matthew @ Jun 4th 2008 11:52PM

I will get this if it has Animal Planet-like voice overs. Or maybe even epic fights like Lion Pride vs. Adult Giraffe.

ill trooper @ Jun 5th 2008 12:02AM

As someone who thought 'Pokemon Snap' sounded cool when it was announced on the N64, bought and played, and loved 'Aquanaut's Holiday' for the PS1, loved the camera aspect of the Gamecube's 'Beyond Good and Evil,' and sat through the abysmal 'Cabela's African Safari' on the 360, I will buy this. I love weird things like this.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 5th 2008 10:26AM

If you think that's bad, I have two import Japanese games where you PLAY as a cameraman for a TV News program as the female reporters try to solve a haunted house mystery. You have to live up dramatic shots, etc. Was a bitch to play in a language I didn't know...

But yeah, I'm still psyched about this game.

SonicRift @ Jun 5th 2008 12:17AM

So... No Poaching? Forget THIS game!

voodoomage @ Jun 5th 2008 12:35AM

It's Sony's version of Pokemon Snap!

voodoomage @ Jun 5th 2008 12:42AM

Opps....guess others have mention Snap also....damn you Humming bird.... a note to advertisers... annoying ads make me want your product less and less...

born2kill @ Jun 5th 2008 1:05AM

Forget Africa, this is the nature game to be waiting for:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25153.html

Vidikron (FU) @ Jun 5th 2008 1:44AM

To really make this a game they need to allow you take control of the animals. Then you could chase down zebras as a lion or run for your life in the reverse situation. Probably not going to happen though.

Noshino @ Jun 5th 2008 2:07AM

either that or give you full control of the human and also interactivity with the animals, that way if I wake up a lion, I will get my ass chased...

SonicRift @ Jun 5th 2008 2:47AM

Noshino... I'm thinking Home integration. But again, I want that lion to chase me home. I wanna trap that Lion in the pantry or something. Other people show off their trophies, I'll be like, "Hey, thats great, you've played a lot of games. I have a lion."