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2009: The PS3 games to look out for

2008-11-05T14:17:00.001Z

Has 2008 been a great year for Sony? Yes and No, some people have already said why Sony havent had the best of years and i have to agree with them, but theres one thing i didnt do, buy an Xbox 360!

Anyway, was 2008 the year of PS3? No. Will 2009 be the year of PS3? Possibly. The following games are the ones to look out for and could make Sony leader of 2009. Please note these are PS3 only games, some of them may not make 2009 (some of them aren’t even announced but could be announced soon) but maybe, just maybe.

In no particular order.

Infamous
Killzone 2
God of War 3
Ratchet and Clank
The agency (also on PC)
Gran Turismo 5 (see here)
Yakuza 3
Trico
Uncharted 2
Jak 4
Heavy Rain
White Knight Chronicles
Final Fantasy XIII Versus
Demon’s Soul
MAG
Wardevil
Twisted Metal

What games are you looking forwards to?

Islamic Leader Attacks Sony - and not like you think

2008-10-24T21:21:00.001+01:00

How can you not love him? (assuming that isn't YOUR wall he just smashed through)

As many of you may have already heard (or heard and then fist clenched your pre-order receipt in utter fury) the release of LittleBigPlanet on PS3 has been delayed worldwide due to it containing references to the Qur’an, the central religious text of Islam.

The official word about the incident from Sony is as follows: “During the review process prior to the release of LittleBigPlanet, it has been brought to our attention that one of the background music tracks licensed from a record label for use in the game contains two expressions that can be found in the Qur’an. We have taken immediate action to rectify this and we sincerely apologise for any offence that this may have caused.”

Head scratching, knee-jerk reaction? We certainly thought so, and it seems that we’re not alone. We recently received a phone call from Mr Keysar Trad from the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, and he was similarly mystified as to Sony’s decision to go into LBP meltdown...

During the brief conversation Mr Trad related the following: “My son is doing Islamic studies over in Lebanon, he is a gamer, and he was very upset that the lines were being taken out. He said “why are we Muslims always overreacting?” He thought that it was perfectly OK, these lines could be taken from anywhere – from a heavy metal song, from the Bible even.”

“The game [LittleBigPlanet] is not promoting any kind of religion, it takes more than four words to quote from the Qu’ran – these are concepts not exclusive to Islam, or any religion for that matter. It comes from a genuine fear of not just offending Muslims, but people in general. That being said though, it does Sony some good – the game has gotten a lot of publicity as a result.”

“But I understand Sony’s concern, because there are some extreme groups out there that misinterpret these things and take it the wrong way.”

For the benefit of our international readers, Mr Trad himself has become a highly controversial figure in Australia due to many of his activities, comments and views on matters relating to Islam. Most of his media notoriety relates to his former role as an interpreter and spokesperson for Sheik Taj El-Din Hilaly.
For example, following the comments made by Hilaly in October 2006 which said that if a woman is raped it is usually her own fault, Trad defended Sheik insisting that the comment was taken out of context or misunderstood. Apparently Hilaly was talking about adultery, not rape

As it stands, we couldn’t agree more with Mr Trad’s sentiments regarding LittleBigPlanet.

GTA IV Trophies To Be Released Monday 10/27

2008-10-24T21:20:00.001+01:00

If you are on Rockstar Games’ mailing list, you should’ve received the information that the much awaited trophies for Grand Theft Auto IV are coming out on Monday, October 27. The trophies won’t be retroactive though, meaning it won’t just unlock the trophies by loading your save file. Well have fun starting over!

Will you start over just for the sake of trophies?

You this link to download all your preferred nes games

2008-08-28T17:08:00.000+01:00

Click here!!!!!

How To Run: PS3 Filer v0.0.3 with NES Emulation

2008-08-28T17:04:00.001+01:00

I had a video of the NES Emulator on the site a couple days ago and we thought we were doing a disservice to all of our daily readers if we did not show you how to run/install the PS3 Filer v0.0.3 with NES Emulation onto your Playstation 3.

Installation:

Unzip the ps3filer.zip archive

Copy NES ROMs to the AVCHD directory

Copy the AVCHD directory to the root of a USB/Flash drive

Go to the device in the XMB video menu and launch “AVCHD”

Download all files here!!!!!

The New Lara Croft is Ridiculously Sexy

2008-08-13T17:18:00.000+01:00

Attention nerds: Boobies.

Now that I have your attention, hit the jump to for some titillating pictures of the new face of real-life iconic adventurer Lara Croft.

Ok, now that we’re safely off the main page, take a gander at Alison Carroll, a 23 year-old gymnast and the new face of the Tomb Raider franchise.

Eidos is reinventing Lara Croft with a little more realism (in some places, anyway) by making her a more lithe, graceful gymnast type to match her personality as an adventuresome archeologist, so Carroll fits the bill.

“Tomb Raider: Underworld depicts Lara as we have never seen her before with movements and skills reminiscent of a highly skilled gymnast. Sharing Lara’s strength and grace, Alison is an experienced competitive gymnast who has performed and competed across the globe. Her more than 12 years of gymnastics training align perfectly with the game’s enhanced movement set.”

Plus, she has the “essential characteristics…” giggity!

“Featuring the essential characteristics at the core of Lara Croft’s personality — brawn, brains and beauty — Alison Carroll particularly compliments this iteration of Ms. Croft.”

I can just see the meeting where they wrote that press release:

PR Writer 1: Hey… um… what are the essential characteristics of Lara Croft?

PR Writer 2: Dur. Boobies man. Everyone knows that.

PR 1: No, I mean beyond that. We can’t just come out and say “ZOMG BOOBIES!!1!”

PR 2: Why not?

PR 1: … Good question.

PR 2: Ok, well lets see. She kicks ass, solves puzzles and is every nerd’s wet dream.

PR 1: So… brawn, brains and beauty?

PR 2: Perfect. Now let’s head down to that photo shoot. Bring your camera phone.

In addition to being completely and utterly sexy, Carroll is flexible, personable, has eyes you could lose yourself in, and to top it all off, a British accent. Check the video interview, but be wary, you may fall in love enough to actually buy the game.

DO WANT.

The new Lara is part of the marketing for Tomb Raider: Underworld, due out November of this year.

Sony’s Leipzig Lineup Detailed

2008-08-13T17:17:00.000+01:00

Sony are the only console giant to have an official showing at this years Leipzig Games Conference and with promises of blockbuster announcements and possible new game revelations, what games do we actually know will be on show from the 20th-24th of this month?

The good news first. Heavy Rain will be on show with no curtains to hide the presentation from public eyes, so we’ll get to see much more than the already revealed screenshots and behind the scenes footage.

It’s looking less likely that Eat Sleep Play will reveal their new PS3 game at the conference, since previous evidence looks to suggest an internal development showing. However, there should be a healthy list of titles on show, including the following:

- MotorStorm Pacific Rift
- LittleBigPlanet
- Resistance 2
- Free Realms
- The Agency
- DC Universe Online (announced at E3)
- Infamous
- PlayStation Home
- Killzone 2 (single player and multiplayer hands-on)
- Heavy Rain

Not too shabby, but we certainly hope for more new exclusive game announcements.

PS3 Homebrew Via Blu-Ray Disc Java BD-J

2008-07-21T18:11:00.001+01:00

The same technology that brings us Dragon's Lair for the PS3 is being used to demonstrate homebrew on the PS3. Blu-Ray Disc Java allows java games to be incorporated in movie files. The video above shows silenoz using BD-J to run Blaster Bunny on the XMB.

If you would like to test it, at your own risk:

Download Blaster Bunny BD-J Zip File Here.
Unzip onto a flash memory stick.
Insert memory stick into PS3.
Go to video menu and display the contents of the memory stick.
Click on AVCHD to launch Blaster Bunny.
After it launches, go to the Bonus Menu, and click on Game to start.

Top 10 Games of E3

2008-07-19T10:23:00.000+01:00

E3 has come and gone, and as usual it was full of exciting games we will see in the next few years. 411 columnist Drew Robbins shares his opinion on what he thought were the best games at the show, from Resistance 2 to the new Prince of Persia!

Hello, and welcome to the 10th Hour with DREW ROBBINS!!? Doesn't that just excite you? No Derek this week, he is on vacation and he actually tried to get to a computer but he couldn't, so it looks like I have to save the day again. This one won't be as good as my last 10th Hour (which is a tough feat, that crap won a Pulitzer), as I'm a little rushed today. I have to write this, then my own column as well (I'll be leaving for vacation fairly soon, so I'm writing it early) and then I have to write my column again. So…3 articles in one day? I think I can handle it. Lets hit some tangents.

- I was playing Diablo II, but my computer had to be restored and…*poof*…no more Diablo II. I'll come back to it, eventually….I promise!

- E3 is on its last day, and boy does it ever need to be a good finale. I've learned a lot from this E3. Microsoft will throw money at anything to get their way, Square will switch companies every 6 Final Fantasy games, (remember how they went to Sony after 6? 6 games later and we could be seeing another switch up), that woman at Nintendo's press conference was weird (seriously, what the heck?), Konami doesn't seem to understand that "3D Versus Action game" does in fact mean that it's a fighting game, Pikmin 3 exists (in other words, there is a god), and that…seriously, what was UP with that Nintendo woman? She certainly wasn't Reggie and I for one, was not pleased by that fact.

- This is why they call him the Regginator.

There was some feedback to last week's column, so lets take a look at it!

Snake211 Tells us why the PS3 is awesome and we are all stupid if we think otherwise!

Why buy PS3? Try its upcoming exclusives like Little Big Planet, Killzone 2, Resistance, Infamous and Final Fantasy XIII and Versus which will be AAA caliber.
Please, the 360 is nothing without Halo 3. The PS3 has a stable of heavy hitters that doesn't require them to hold on to one title like MGS4. Your argument has been demolished, kid.

Haha…FF13 exclusive, that was sooooooo last week. As for whether or not its AAA caliber, I don't think so honestly. AAA games should be something that mixes things up, does something new. Final Fantasy hasn't done anything new since Final Fantasy 6 when it reached its peak. Infamous, I will say, has great potential, and so does Little Big Planet.

Josh "Pervert" Rumsey (its an inside joke…don't ask) thinks RE4 isn't the best one yet..I'm stunned.

I will just go on record saying RE0-CV are much better than 4. Don't get me wrong 4 was amazing but the feeling you get playing those other games is just amazing. Walking around with a pistol with no ammo, in danger, no healing items, and a hunter around the corner nothing better than that! also anyone who complains about the controls must be a retard or something I feel nothing is wrong with them, just takes practice. So yeah Chris Redfield for hero of the year next year, and maybe sherry burkin will be coming back! I can't wait for RE 5 by the way it's going to be awesome!

I can never get past the controls of the old Resident Evil games, I guess that makes me a retard. Practice…we're talking ‘bout practice? RE5 does look awesome, and anyone who disagrees should earn a visit from the new chainsaw guy.

JC has faith in Sonic Unleashed, let us join in prayer. (SEGA had BETTER not screw this up)

I'm excited to see more of Sonic Unleashed! But whats really got me going is what Ninendo have to offer!

Oh and I prefer the Windwaker style Zelda games too... your not the only one!

A good Sonic game would mean more to me than any game possible. As for Wind Waker graphics…you sir, are a smart man.

Toddo predicts what Sony is going to announce..

Sony's console moving announcement? God of War 3 with a November release date. Thats my guess.... (read: wet dream)
I'm waiting for a reason to buy/rent a PS3... that will do it.
From xbox: Finally it was announced that there will be a playable Demo for download of Too Human. I've been waiting for this game with baited breath, but recent videos of gameplay have me questioning it. Hopefully it will live up to expectations. No comments from Snake about how it will bomb please... I don't care that you hate the 360.

Wishful thinking on God of War 3, looks like that won't be until late 2009. Looks like they are banking on Resistance 2 (again) to sell their consoles for the holiday season. I'm personally more excited for Infamous and Little Big Planet…but I don't know how many people bought their PS3s for that.

jmfos likes Pikmin 2 a lot, join the club! (We can't afford jackets!)

My son and I can't wait for a new pikmin game. Pikmin 2 is the greatest bonding time with my son.

My friend and I played Pikmin 2 a lot, I'm glad to see that it bonds families together.

Marky Mark likes Dead Rising..but he doesn't know that!

I really liked that zombie game on the PS3.. Ya know, where you have to survive in a mall?

I think you are thinking of Dead Rising on the 360…which by the way, no longer is it exclusive. WOOHOO, Dead Rising Wii, bring it on Capcom!

I'm not posting any more comments…most of them were either console wars bull crap (and I restricted myself to ONE of those, Snake211 is just so much fun to poke fun at), or discussing anime (ugghhh…), or talking about why Resident Evil 4 isn't a good Resident Evil game (you're right…it's a great Resident Evil game). My opinion? If you like good gameplay and a good environment, play Resident Evil 4. But if you don't enjoy gameplay but you really like those environments, then play the others. Balance is very important, and the original Resident Evil games don't have much of it.

This week on the 10th Hour, since I can think of little else, we're going to count down the top ten games I saw at E3. I haven't seen everything E3 has to offer, but I've seen quite a bit. I have my Gamespot feed running in the background just in case. You never know, something big could happen…yeah I doubt it to.

The rules are simple, it has to be a game (duh), I have to have seen it, and it needed to have gameplay shown. I'm not putting God of War 3 for having a minute long pre-rendered scene revealing a game we already knew Sony was making. Also, I haven't seen anything about Left 4 Dead…so that probably won't be on the list. And sadly, no Pikmin 3…but man did that announcement make my day.

Top Ten Games I Saw at E3

10) Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty - Insomniac is obviously Sony's go-to team for the PS3, and they aren't letting them down. Besides Resistance 2, we are getting a DLC sequel to last year's Ratchet and Clank game. My first thought was…DLC? Insomniac wanted to make a fun, lower-budget, Ratchet and Clank game that only lasted a few hours. I'm pretty sure they said the game was going to cost $15, and that price for four hours of Ratchet and Clank actually seems pretty fair. They showed some gameplay for it and claimed that it has more platforming and more puzzles…that sounds pretty good to me. It feels a little weird putting a downloadable game on my list of best games I saw at E3, but a new Ratchet and Clank game always gets me excited. I'm a big fan of platformers, and Ratchet was one of the three main platforming franchises on the PS2. Now if only we could get PS3 versions of Sly Cooper and Jak….

- If Daxter and Clank got their own games…why not Qwark?

9) Rock Band 2 - I love me some Rock Band, and from the looks of it, I'm going to love me some Rock Band 2!! The track list is out and my jaw dropped when I saw it. 84 songs…plus every song from the original Rock Band…plus DLC, these set lists are going to end up being huge. This game became instant purchase for me when I saw Livin' on a Prayer, but it has so many other good songs. More Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, ACDC ~! (I don't care about ACDC..but I assume that puts me in the minority). The gameplay looks…well no…it is the same. Harmonix promised some changes to the single player though, including solo world tour mode (which is cool if your system actually has a World Tour mode….*sigh*). Not much else to say about this game except for…LIVING ON A PRAYER!!! HECK YES YOU ARE THE SECOND BEST RHYTHM GAME EVER!!! (Still not quite up to par with EBA).

- This is the only RB2 image I can find…I'm dead serious.

8) Resistance 2 - I already mentioned Insomniac's other game, so lets move on to the one that everyone seems excited for. I'm going to admit my sins right here, I talked bad about Resistance but I've…I…never played it. Alright there! Are you happy now?! Anyways, Resistance 2 is the first big game Sony talked about. The trailer showed a big creature (what is it called?) attacking a building. Your character tries to escape from the creature's reach but ends up being knocked out of the building he was in and through the windows of a building right next door. I'm not going to lie to you, that trailer actually looked pretty cool. It looks a lot like Halo but, when it comes to games, I trust Insomniac much more than I trust Bungie. The big creature looked really awesome, and I can only imagine that a boss fight with something like that would be truly epic. Good graphics, good gunplay, and epic looking bad guys makes me feel like this game could be full of win. As a side note, did anyone else think that Sony did a mistake talking up MAG this year when they had already been talking up Resistance's 64 player multi? How big does 64 look compared to 256?! Not very, I assure you…not very.

- Speaking of things that could be epic boss fights…this.

7) Fable 2 - When I saw Peter M. (spelling his name is like pronouncing Vincent Chiucchi's name…it's an Olympic sport) come out to present Fable 2, all I could think was, "Well, lets see what promises the game didn't live up to this time." From the bits that I've seen, it doesn't appear that much, if anything, got cut from the game. He showed the ability to raise families, or play co-op, what more could you possibly want? A long game? Lets hope, but I don't think Peter is going to promise anything, and if he does, there is a chance he won't live up to it. Much like every game so far, it looks like its predecessor, it sounds like its predecessor, and it feels like its predecessor. Playing like the original isn't a problem, I enjoyed the hack and slash combat from the first game. Sound, well, I'm going to tell you right now that I hate the voices in these games. The little kids in Fable made me cringe, and from the looks of the trailer, I'll be cringing at their voices again, if I ever get to play it (this had BETTER come out on PC). The game is finished, so it's a matter of months before we get to play a great or possibly disappointing (it IS Peter M. making this game) new Fable game.

- Why didn't I talk about the dog? I think it could end up being a feature that Peter talks up but won't really amount to anything important.

6) Infamous - Sucker Punch made my personal favorite exclusive (as in, not counting Prince of Persia) platformer on the PS2. Sly Cooper was awesome, and it got even better as the series went on. Well, it looks like Sucker Punch has moved on, as now they have turned their attention towards a completely new IP, Infamous. Infamous is a game where you play a man gifted with superhuman abilities (see: Crackdown). There was definitely a story going on during the trailer, but I wasn't paying attention, I was too busy watching the actual gameplay. In short…it looks INCREDIBLE! So far the games on this list have been pretty decent games, but nothing that I would call great or must buy, but this game…this is one of the reasons to own a PS3. The Exploding Barrel called this game a mature Crackdown, and that is certainly not a bad thing. The world could use more Crackdown, and this game looks like it will surpass Crackdown and become the standard for sandbox super hero games.

- Take note: This is what a good game looks like.

5) Little Big Planet - Before E3, I was only mildly interested in Little Big Planet. After E3? I can't wait, this game looks great. Sony really did a good job showing this game off, the press conference bit is what impressed me. They made an entire segment of number stroking interesting, without the aid of Reggie Fils-Aime. Do you know how hard that is? Its impossible. Well, it was impossible, but Sony did it. Sony did the impossible. Seeing that little guy (Sackboy?) run across the screen, activating switches and traversing the environment as Jack Tretton talked up Sony's sales was the most compelling thing I saw all E3. Nothing had a more impressive presentation than this game. Why doesn't it top the list? Well, it doesn't appear to have a lot of depth, and it won't appeal to those with a lack of creativity. If you play something like Spore, you won't need too much creativity to enjoy it, but if you don't have any and pick up this game? Well, you're screwed.

- In the hands of the right person…great things will happen with this game.

4) Animal Crossing: City Folk - Nintendo's press conference didn't bring us too many games. We got Wii Sports 2 (looked fun), Wii Music (its for kids), and the announcement of GTA on the DS. The one shining star in the conference was the return of Animal Crossing. Alongside Animal Crossing was the release of the Wii's first voice chat functionality, Wii Speak. If you've heard of the Playstation Eye, it had the same kind of microphone. No headset, but just a speaker you set on top of your sensor bar, so the whole room can communicate. Miyamoto claims this is to connect living rooms, but what I like is the fact that it isn't a headset. I don't like voice chat headsets in general, as I generally hate headphones. To me, the greatest innovation was getting rid of those big puffy headphones and bringing us smaller sized speakers that fit in our ears. So now, the speakers aren't connected to us at all, and this is a choice I really like. Now onto the actual game itself, its Animal Crossing. Much like in Brawl, it appears as if they've just polished up the graphics of the Gamecube version. The new addition this time is the city, which is where all of the stores have been moved. This was made for, besides just being an awesome extra area, to free up room for SEPARATE HOUSES!!! Separate housing is back! This time though, the separate houses won't be squeezed together in a part of the town. That made it must buy this time….no I'm not going to lie myself, I was going to buy it anyways, this just helped. By the way, is anyone else creeped out by the Mii faces in this game?

- See! Now I'm going to have nightmares.

3) Resident Evil 5 - The only game at this E3 besides Little Big Planet that really surprised me was this one. I figured that it was just going to be RE4 in the desert, and to an extent, I was right. Co-op mode, however, changes everything for me. Resident Evil 5 co-op will be the best multiplayer experience next year, I can almost guarantee it. It reminds me of the old Splinter Cell co-op, but this time there are zombies, and chainsaws…and huge guys who swing huge axes! Yes, this looks fantastic. The graphics on the game are stunning, much like RE4 was stunning when it came out. I have high hopes for this game, it looks to offer the same fast-paced action of RE4, and the added co-op will give this game some extra life.

- You A.I. partner in single player. Luckily she doesn't suck, and probably isn't as damsel-like as Ashley.

2) Prince of Persia - Say what you want, Prince of Persia Sands of Time was the perfect platformer. I played it and couldn't believe just how good it was. Well, the series saw a lot of changes during the trilogy, including the prince going emo, much to the dismay of anyone who actually likes good games. After the trilogy ended, I couldn't help but want more, and more is exactly what we're getting. The new prince has been re-imagined with a cel-shaded art style, which brings back fond memories of Wind Waker. Any game that brings back memories of Wind Waker can't be bad, can it? It could, but in this case that certainly won't happen. The trailers show everything that was so great about the trilogy, wall running, wall jumping, rope swinging, sword fighting…what more could you POSSIBLY want? A feature of this game that has some fans worried is the inability to die, but this really isn't a problem. If you played Sands of Time, you'll remember the ability to rewind time if you died, with the only requirement be that you have enough sand to go back in time. While it wasn't impossible to die, it wasn't likely. There were a few moments in the game without access to the sands, but those were the only parts of the game where I had a problem with dieing. Now for the pessimism, I don't think this game will be better than Sands of Time. But if it surpasses it…I think it would automatically be the game of the year, at least in my mind.

- The adventurer formerly known as Prince.

1) Spore - How long have we been waiting for Spore? It has to be no less than 4 years since Maxis first unveiled this new civilization building game. Now, in the year of our lord 2008, Spore is finally on its way. I feel like I shouldn't have to explain what Spore is…but I will. You take your creature (which you probably already have made if you have a decent PC) and raise them from the beginning as a single celled organism to the end where your civilization has reached beyond the stars. Your creatures can be religion based, economics based, or if you are feeling particularly hateful, a militaristic nation. The main reason Spore tops this list is the same reason Little Big Planet is high up…its an ambitious project. Most games, while good, are the same thing we've been experiencing for years. Every once in a while a company makes something special, like Portal or Psychonauts, but most companies can't take risks. Games can be good when they don't take risks, but they are never particularly special. Are you going to remember Resistance or Killzone in 10 years? What about Gran Turismo 5? I doubt you will, they aren't particularly special games. Just going to say it again, I'm not saying these games are bad, I'm just saying they aren't memorable. One of the true signs of a good game is how memorable it is. It is actually a lot like with movies, nobody remembers the summer action flicks, but everyone remembers the Oscar winning movie that comes out in the winter.

- Liked creature creator? Get ready for Vehicle creator and building creator when the game launches. I can't wait. You're looking at what very well could be the game of the year.

PlayStation Store Video Service

2008-07-06T13:16:00.000+01:00

PlayStation Store Video Service

Sony unveiled their plans for the Video Service thru the PlayStation Store. Soon we will be able to rent or own movies by downloading it from the PlayStation Network on the PS3. It is not sure what the specifics are but here is what we can see from the screenshots:

The interface is similar to the current PlayStation Store.
Movies, Television Shows, and Anime are the preliminary categories.
A brief description of the video is provided.
Rent high definition videos - terms unknown.
Own standard definition videos - terms unknown.

The PlayStation Video Service is scheduled to be available Summer 2008, and by the year 2010 it should be available to most Sony products including mobile phones.

Will we see Hancock on the PlayStation Store before it's available on DVD?

Showdown: PSN vs. Xbox Live

2008-07-01T08:05:00.000+01:00

After a year and a half of waiting, Playstation Nation has finally received what they asked (or rather, begged) for. Just last night, Sony rep Eric Lempell premiered the Playstation 3’s in-game XMB system along with their answer to Xbox 360’s “achievements”, the PS3 trophy system. Jubilant PS3 owners can now listen to their favorite tracks during those marathon CoD4 sessions, message their friends without leaving Snake in the cold, connect Bluetooth headsets in-game and even enter a different game – all without quitting back to the XMB. True, 360 owners have had the privilege of using these exact features for the past two and a half years, but with an ever expanding market for Blu-Ray, a wealth of excellent titles for ’08 and Playstation Home on the way, Sony’s now burgeoning online service can now compete directly with Microsoft’s.

Storefront: PSN
Both PSN and Xbox Live allow you to download arcade games, download demos, additional content for games, trailers and wallpapers for your menu. Both offer roughly the same amount of demos each Wednesday and Thursday, but the library of downloadable games is strikingly different. While both services have experienced great success in allowing new developers to flex their creative muscle, the arcade game offering of Xbox Live slightly trumps that of the PSN. Not to be outdone, Sony has managed to tap their Playstation One library while also allowing for larger games such as Warhawk and Gran Turismo 5: Prologue to be downloaded directly from their network. With games such as SOCOM: Confrontation and WipeOut HD looming near, Sony’s downloadable lineup is looking strong.

It’s also worth noting that each service provides a wealth of wallpapers, themes and gamerpics, but you’ll have to shell out a few bucks for them on XBL – not so on the Playstation Network. In keeping with Sony’s community mentality, gamers are free to create, share and download their own custom themes for the XMB. Both stores are remarkably easy to access and navigate, and though the Live interface is for the most part aesthetically pleasing, advertisements might prove an eyesore for some. Finally, Xbox Live allows users to download Movies and TV shows, a feature to be released for the PS3 later this summer.

Warhawk was one of the biggest downloadable titles of 2007.

Speed & Downtime: Xbox Live
While download speeds have improved significantly since the launch of the Playstation 3, they have not yet reached the excellent speeds of Xbox Live. On average, a single demo download will take at most a few minutes while PSN downloads upwards of twenty minutes to a half hour depending on size. Both systems allow for background downloading, slightly easing the pain of waiting for a game/demo/trailer. Still, until Sony can further improve the download speeds from the Playstation Store, we give the nod to Xbox Live.

Firmware Updates: PSN
This is undoubtedly one of the true shining spots for Sony’s PS3; their dedication to improving the system’s hardware since its inception has been nothing short of stellar. While the updates have come quite frequently, the amount of features added to the console greatly outweighs the firmware’s download times. The list includes, but is not limited to, upscaling PSOne and PS2 games and DVD’s, remote play, background downloading, a new storefront, Folding@home, wallpapers, video chat, and now in-game XMB and trophies - An extremely impressive amount of features to be implemented in only a year and a half. While Sony provides these updates only a rolling basis, Microsoft issues a few large updates per year.
EDGE: PSN

Achievements vs. Trophies: TIE
Sony has taken achievement whoring to a whole new level with the recent addition of the trophy system, which allows gamers to track their accomplishments within the Playstation 3’s XMB. Not only will you be able to earn varying levels of 2-D trophies (3-D trophies will be implemented in Home), but the leveling system adds an RPG feel to the system, something welcome to a great majority of the gaming community. All is not perfect yet, however, as gamers who have purchased and completed games in the past must complete them once more after firmware 2.4 is implemented. Will Sony’s new addition push more gamers to buy multiplatform releases on the PS3? Well, those who have dedicated years to their Xbox Live gamerscore won’t exactly leap to the PS3, as the Xbox Live achievement system has long been, and still remains the leader in competitive gaming. However, in time, more and more gamers will purchase games for the PS3 for the sole purpose of earning trophies to increase their gamerscore, an incentive Sony has not been able to offer until now.

Sorry Microsoft, $50 a year just won't fly.

Overall: PSN
This will be the hot topic of debate amongst Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 gamers over the coming months and years. With Sony offering all the same features of the Microsoft’s Xbox Live, why should gamers be required to pay $50 per year? It might not seem like a whole lot initially; however, gamers looking to game online for five to six years will end up paying $250 to $300 dollars, the price of the 360 console itself. We love XBL, but with Sony’s recent additions to the PSN, we think it’s time Microsoft halved the cost of entry. Until then, Sony offering their service for free makes Microsoft look like Scrooge McDuck.

PS3 and Xbox 'Wii Remote' unveiled

2008-06-27T16:32:00.001+01:00

Peripheral manufacturer In2Games has announced it is developing a Wii-like motion-sensing controller for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The Gametrak Freedom will, according to its manufacturer, be "the most advanced motion-sensing controller yet".

Describing the technology, the company's website states that the "system does not rely upon the gamer pointing a controller at the screen or restrict the gamer to limited movements".

"Instead, it combines patent-pending ultrasonic and RF technologies with three-axis accelerometers to track the precise absolute position and orientation in 3D space of almost any wireless accessory such as golf clubs, baseball bats, tennis racquets, and bowling balls".

The first title in development for the new system is entitled Squeeballs, but no further details of the game are available as yet.

A release date for both Gametrak Freedom and Squeeballs is yet to be announced, but In2Games confirmed it will be 'soon'.

Exclusive: Firmware 2.4's XMB features revealed

2008-06-25T17:13:00.000+01:00

I have managed to get my little grubby hands on the final list of features for the hotly anticipated Firmware 2.4 update, which was yesterday rumoured to be due early next week. But that's not the case we've been told...

Update: Since our original story went live, we've received further information regarding the inclusion of trophies in the 2.4 update. As expected full 2D trophy support will be in the XMB update and there will be four types: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Platinum is only awarded when you have collected all other trophies in a game. Also there are no gamer points, it's all done via a levelling up system. Think Call of Duty 4 levelling up system, we reckon. Update Out

Speaking under strict conditions of anonymity, a source has told CVG that Firmware 2.4 is expected to launch in around three weeks' time. A quick look at the diary reveals that E3 is just under three weeks away. It doesn't take a genius to see that Sony's pre-E3 conference would be the perfect time to launch the Sony XMB assault.

Announcing something and making it available at the same time is the way forward, as Microsoft proved by revealing Doom isn't just coming to Xbox Live Arcade, it's on Xbox Live Arcade a few E3s ago. Apple is known for this approach too.

We've also scooped the following list of XMB features that you'll be able to access in-game. Here goes:

Friend category
View, send, receive messages
Manage downloads
Set the vibration feature of the controller
Sign in to PlayStation Network
Register friends
Manage Bluetooth devices
Terminate the game
Music category
Use the system BGM
Work the system BGM operation panel
Settings category
Assign controllers
View profiles
Game category
Set audio devices
Use the voice changer

As previously reported the update will also allow you to play back your own tunes in-game from the XMB Music column. It's unclear whether this feature will be compatible with all games or just new titles created with more recent development tools.

The system BGM will offer functions such as Play, Stop, Previous track, Next track, Change repeat mode, Change shuffle mode, Change volume (five levels). When you stop the playback of your tunes, playback of the game music will then begin.
Sony has yet to confirm or deny any of this and won't comment on rumour and speculation. If you ask us though, this is bang on the money. Not long to wait and see...

My Brief Surprise Visit To Sony's PS3 Home Beta

2008-06-25T16:59:00.000+01:00

Sony's virtual world Home service is still not open to the public. And it's beta is closed to only select people, a group that doesn't include the press. But I recently found myself in front of a PlayStation 3 that had the Home Beta running on it and decided to give it a try.

Now I know why they're not inviting the press yet. Home is still in its good-in-theory phase. In execution it's still lacking. I'm all for Betas having rough edges. That's the point. But I was surprised that the Home Beta doesn't seem to have that something special — the thing that yet makes it obvious it's going to be a hit.

Sorry for the vague terms, but Home is a vague kind of thing. Are you supposed to have fun with it? Or, like most other interfaces, just take pleasure if it works smoothly?

I spent about 10 minutes with Home. I loaded it off the PS3 cross media bar, taking control of a lone avatar. During my brief time in Home I saw no other avatars. The service looked as it has in screenshots. It still has a virtual PSP for an interface as well as a diverse set of pre-canned emotes. I made my guy dance.

I went from an outdoor area to the movie theater lobby to an amusement area containing a bowling alley and an arcade. If that all sounds familiar it's because it was. The Beta wasn't packing any pleasant surprises.

Instead, what I encountered was a lot of loading. Each area my avatar stepped into had to load. This could be because the person who's PS3 I was using hadn't used Home before. It did underscore how key swift movement is going to be in Home and how frustrating it will feel if it takes too long to get from, say, the lobby area to the area where you'd go watch trailers. In the current Beta, loading isn't done even once you're in an area. In the movie theater, for example, framed wall-hangings initially displayed screens with loading progress bars on them. The videos that needed to display took a moment to show up.

The arcade was the best area I saw. It has a few stand-up video game machines including a Chop Lifter-style game that's been shown before as well as a locomotive-stacking puzzle game. I tried bowling and found it about as basic as Grand Theft Auto IV's implementation.

There's a reason projects are in Beta and not release. All the kinks aren't worked out. New ideas are surely being considered. And, clearly, Home can't be accurately judged when no one but yourself is in it.

So what's the big takeaway? Home is clearly still a work in progress, functioning not that differently from what you heard about more than a year ago. Whatever it needs to make it a hit, I don't think it's in there — yet.

“Leaked” Trophy and Gamercard Pics are REAL…

2008-06-25T16:58:00.001+01:00

Just giving all our loyal readers a heads up. The “leaked” pictures of Trophies, and PSN Gamercard, are indeed REAL. Naturally, I cannot divulge how I know this. I am, however, willing to put myself out there and personally state for the record that these are in fact the real deal. Normally we call things rumors here @ PlayStationLifeStyle. Right now I am calling this FACT.

There you have it guys…it’s our first glimpse of Trophies on the PSN. This is a very exciting time to be a PS3 owner!

2.40 In-Game Music revealed in latest PSBlog update?

2008-06-25T16:56:00.000+01:00

The latest Official PlayStation Blog entry may have revealed InGame XMB Music Access, relating to the ongoing question that is "InGame XMB Access - Will it have Music?"

On the PlayStation Blog, it lists the Burnout Paradise patch update content.

"Plus heaps more, including:
1080i support for PlayStation 3 owners with
“almost HD” sets
Improved Standard Definition rendering for PlayStation 3
Support for Custom Soundtracks on PlayStation 3"

One thing stood out from the others.. "Support for Custom Soundtracks on PlayStation 3"
This could mean a couple of things, either each game will have it's own in game custom soundtracks, or Sony have succeeded in making InGame XMB Music possible by just having the developer update the game to make the game compatible with the PS3's system & settings.
Of course i could be wrong, but i try to stick to the optimistic, rumour boosting, speculative side.

My verdict? Yeah, it will. 2.40 will add InGame XMB Music accessible through a PS3 version music player.

21 UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshots and first details

2008-06-22T08:21:00.001+01:00

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is coming to the Playstation 3 and is the first game based on the sport.

“The Ultimate Fighting Championship® is coming to console

The first game based on the renowned mixed martial arts sport, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has been announced for PlayStation® 3 and Xbox 360®. Featuring the authentic atmosphere of the live event, UFC 2009 Undisputed is coming in spring 2009.

An explosive fighting game, Undisputed invites you to step into the Octagon™ and compete against the worlds most prominent mixed martial arts fighters. There will be over 80 ultimate fighters in the game. Accompanied by announcers, trainers, referees, commentators and, of course, the Octagon girls!

Undisputed is being built on a brand new fighting game engine, designed specifically for next generation systems. Featuring advanced AI, photo-realistic character models and an innovative control system. Feel every impact from the devastating punches and kicks delivered by the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world.” Source.

UFC 2009 Undisputed screenshots

Check out the rest in the screenshot gallery by clicking the title.

35% Off Ebay Thru Live Search Cashback

2008-06-22T08:18:00.002+01:00

Here's a way to get 35% off (up to $250) of an Ebay "Buy It Now" purchase through the use of PayPal and Micrsoft Live Cashback. Let Microsoft give us $250 off of an 80gb PS3 MGS4 Bundle.

Go to http://search.live.com
Search for one the following terms:

cheap ps2
cheap ps3
cheap ipod
cheap ds
cheap rebel

Look for the sponsored link that says "You may get 35% off with PayPal if eligible." Click it. ( Image a.)
You will now be sent to Ebay. Make sure you see the green Microsoft cashback 35% off. (Image b.)
Search for any item you want, maybe a Limited Edition Metal Gear Solid 4 bundle.
Make sure you have the Buy It Now tab selected.
The offer is valid for 3 purchases and a cash back of up to $250, so to maximize the discount the final price should be around $715. $714.3 * 35% = $250 Cashback.
Pay with your PayPal account.
Go back to your Ebay account.
Go to My Messages, you will receive a message from Ebay, "You've earned Cashback." (Image c.)
Click on the Get Cash back button or go to http://cashbackaccount.search.live.com/CashBack/welcome.aspx
Create a live.com account if you don't already have one.
It will take a day or two before your Live Cashback account shows your pending cashback amount. (Image d.)
Go to Payment Preferences and link your PayPal account to your Live Cashback account.
In 60 days you will get your cashback into your PayPal account.

Now you can buy a PlayStation 3 with up to $250 off thanks to Microsoft.

PlayStation Store Update June 19, 2008

2008-06-22T08:18:00.001+01:00

We get a double treat from Sony today, first it's Firmware 2.36 for the PlayStation 3, second is the PSN store update. Here are the new downloadables for the PS3 from most of the regions.

North America

Game Demo

Fatal Inertia EX
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PSP)
NCAA Football 09
Hail To The Chimp
Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3

Downloadable Game

Garumin: A Monstrous Adventure (PSP)

Game Add-on

Metal Gear Solid 4 Database
Rock Band

Avenged Sevenfold

Afterlife $1.99
Critical Acclaim $1.99

The Offspring - Hammerhead $1.99
Crooked X - Rock n Roll Dream $0.99

The Incredible Hulk
Guitar Hero III

Coldplay Track Pack

Violet Hill
Talk
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face

Hot Shots Golf 5 - Oceania Course

Game Music

PAIN Theme Song

Game Trailer

PAIN: Character Intro
Prince of Persia Debut
Linger in the Shadows
Hail To The Chimp: Campaign Trail Madness
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Fatal Inertia EX Titan

Movie Trailer

Step Brothers Red Band

Theme

AST Dew Tour Theme

Europe / Australia

Game Demo

Civilization Revolution
Dark Sector

Game Add-on

Warhawk Booster Combo Pack
Guitar Hero III

Coldplay Track Pack

Violet Hill
Yellow
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face

Everybody's Golf

Oceania Resort Course

High Stakes: Poker Add On!

Omaha
Pineapple
Crazy Pineapple

Game Trailer

Gran Turismo Academy
Battlefield: Bad Company

Sweet's Video
Sarge's Video
Frostbite

Movie Trailer

Old Man

Preview
Melodic Movement

Themes

High Velocity Bowling

Postcard
Bowl
Strike

PAIN: Nigel

Japan

Game Add-on

Metal Gear Solid 4 Database

Downloadable Game

Maichi

Game Trailer

Siren: New Translation

Hong Kong

PS One for PS3 / PSP

Money Idol Exchanger
Ide Yosuke's Mahjong School

Game Trailer

Siren: New Translation
Battlefield Bad Company

DICE Dev Diary
Sweetwater's Blog

Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution Review

2008-06-22T08:16:00.000+01:00

Civilization Revolution is a fantastic, frantic combination of pretty much all the highlights of previous Civilization titles rolled into one single package. Finally, a worthy way to experience Sid Meier's legendary franchise on your console!		9.0 / 10 "Simply awesome!"
Ups:	Quick rounds, whimsical character animation, huge depth of play, multiple challenging ways to win, balanced combat, and they've actually succeeded in making it all easy to control.
Downs:	Occasional graphical bugs, some questionable AI moves.

IF YOU MENTION THE words "Civilization" and "console" in the same breath, not only will the PC aficionados out there remind you that it's been done before, but they'll also give you several reasons as to why it should never be done again.

The last time we saw a Civilization title grace a console, it was 1999 and a bureaucrat somewhere had decided to destroy what credibility Civilization II had gained by shoehorning it onto the original PlayStation. Civilization II, if you'll recall, was the first title to make gaming on Windows 95 acceptable, and although it never quite captured the originality of the first Civilization, there was nothing stopping a desperate grab for cash with a shoddy port. How fortunate we are that nearly ten years later we've totally eradicated clumsy ports between platforms that serve no purpose other than to impress shareholders and alienate gamers... (Or not.)

Civilization Revolution however is in a league of its own as a completely stand-alone, purpose built title specifically for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with no suggestion of even a PC port in the works. Contrary to popular belief, Sid Meier hasn't had a hand in every Civilization release, but he's certainly contributed a bunch to this one, and it shows.

The trick with every Civilization title is to realise that you're actually provided with two worlds to examine at the start of every game. First, you have the interface, complete with every statistic you're likely to need and many that you won't, and secondly, the random world stretching out past the fog of war just asking to be explored. Civilization Revolution doesn't disappoint on both scores. From the opening stages of the game, you're greeted with a veritable community of characters as the world is brought to life in animated form - from Catherine the Great to Ghengis Khan, from your Chief of Staff to your nerdy Science Advisor, it's hard to go more than a couple of turns without a simlish-speaking maniac either helping or threatening you.

They've good reason to be interested in your affairs, as the world is a tight-knit group of rolling islands separated by shallow seas and mountain ranges, bordered by hordes of barbarians and worse, foreigners.

Regrettably, gone are the terrain modification options, as you're stuck with one particular style of randomly generated landmass. Gone too is the ability to do any great terraforming projects, although many may not lament the loss of this style of micromanagement. Instead, the gameplay is kicked into the next gear, with most of the food and production requirements taken care of by the AI. The result of this is that you're literally thrown through each epoch with reckless abandon, chasing technology after technology and concentrating on expansion and war far more than trade and roads.

All the traditional nations have returned from the first Civilization, as well as the Japanese, Spanish and what I assume is a collective entity entitled "Arab". Each have not only individual starting bonuses, such as being able to build roads at half cost, or a specialised combat unit, but as each age passes they're provided with a new bonus. This really helps you to plan what sort of a game you prefer - an early rush to get technology might be aided by enhanced science bonuses, but an all-out global assault campaign might be easier with additional medieval firepower.

With so many nations available, there are a wide range of tactical options available for you to choose from, notwithstanding the various campaign challenges the developers have also included.

Combat animation looks to be lifted from the wonderfully detailed world of Sid Meier's Railroads, although it does differ from previous Civilization titles as you have individual unit bonuses based on the number of victories they've achieved increasing their veterancy. For example, your warrior unit will get a 50% attack bonus if they defeat a unit with a higher defence rating, or if they defeat three units one after the other they might gain an extra movement point. Defeat six, and you might gain an extra attack round. You can also stack three units to form an army, and that army will gain any bonus granted to an individual unit in that army. So essentially, if you think you can walk over your enemy in a couple of turns, you might want to make sure they don't form one massive army and come after you first.

The winning requirements are much more aligned with Civilization IV insofar as you can dominate with culture, military, technology or accumulated wealth, and you get a handy pop-up every so often that shows you which player is in the lead.

You can elect to take out as many other players as you can through force, or simply concentrate on building city structures to increase culture points, gather wealth or research new discoveries. Culture seems driven predominantly by the level of satisfaction of your citizens, but can be amplified by obtaining certain "great people" who allow you to choose a one-off bonus (such as a gift of 400 gold) or a more long-term benefit (+50% gold creation in the host city). You can also build wonders or convert enemy cities - in fact, if you manage to obtain a combination of twenty great people, wonders or conversions, you will be able to build the United Nations wonder and claim a cultural victory.

The quest to reach Alpha Centauri is back - if you reach the end of the technology tree you can dedicate your science to this pursuit. Or if you prefer a more hands-off approach you can just sit back and watch your cash grow. The trick to winning really involves a healthy mix of all victory options, as you never know exactly who will race up the ladder at the last minute and challenge your supremacy.

To get to the finish though does require a solid investment. Even playing on the ridiculously easy "chieftain" setting you'll be chortling at the hapless AI well into the evening, and if you're brave enough to gain the upper hand in a "deity" match you may as well settle in for the weekend. There's always something to keep you amused, from the cheesy combat animations in the early part of the game, to the absolutely stunning scripted sequence when you build the Manhattan Project and launch an ICBM at the enemy. Everything seems to be designed to drive that "one more turn" addiction that was so prevalent in the games of the 90's.

Problems? Sure, there are a few. The attack mechanics will very occasionally generate a bug whereby your troops will dance out into the ocean battling a non-existent enemy for about thirty seconds until the game comes to its senses and restores your control. Also, once you really get the hang of the game and start skimming through the menus there is a noticeable lag while your animated advisers are generated. I'm also not overly keen on the depth of the AI, or lack of it - it seems more aligned with an arcade title, as you can swap technologies with your nearest neighbour for hundreds of years, and yet overnight they'll attack you for no reason other than you're better than them. I preferred the Call to Power system where you had a good bit of notice that relations had turned sour.

The controller, whilst hardly on a level with a mouse for speed and accuracy, performs well and with a slight learning curve you'll be flicking from screen to screen without worrying too much about the extra time it takes. Some aspects of unit selection could be called clumsy, and I really dislike the inability to activate a unit once the "end turn" option arrives. But then, rush building troops will make them generate instantly, so you have to take the good with the bad. Some things will forever remain a mystery though, such as why they didn't include a mini-map.

The multiplayer options available are fairly straightforward - you can have a player match, a ranked match, or play through a system link-up. Unfortunately as we were provided with review code ahead of the game launch there was nobody online to play. If they can keep a lid on the latency and prevent too many disconnections then there's no reason to suspect it won't be a success, but turn-based games are always time consuming in a multiplayer environment.

All in all, Civilization Revolution is an absolutely fantastic game which has lifted all the best attributes of previous Civilization titles, and left behind the majority of the bad. If turn-based strategy games must be ported to the console market then they can't do much better than this, so if you're an old Civilization freak who has made the switch to console gaming, this is an absolute must-play.

9.0 / 10

"Simply awesome!"

Sony’s newest phone has people drawing comparisons to the Nintendo Wii.

2008-06-22T08:12:00.000+01:00

Sony’s newest phone has people drawing comparisons to the Nintendo Wii.

The Ericsson F305 is a new phone from Sony that incorporates motion control technology. Apparently, you can play games like bowling or fishing with just a flick of the wrist. Whether, the new phone ends up being a big hit with the public remains to be seen. But, apparently Sony’s new strategy seems to be if you can’t beat them, copy them. Best of luck to you on that Sony.

Source: http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Sony_Ericsson_Unveils_Wii_Like_Phone/551-90358-615.html

Sony Ericsson has launched its latest handset, F305, essentially a gaming phone that allows users control gaming action with a swing or a swipe of the phone, similar to the Nintendo Wii.

This Wii-like phone, targeted firmly at a younger audience, features motion gaming enabling users to control games with the flick of a wrist or the swing of an arm, and see the results straightaway on the screen.

Using advanced motion sensor technology, the phone can, for example, follow your actions to imitate bowling or casting a fishing line.
Further, F305 allows you to enjoy horizontal game play and features dedicated gaming keys. It comes loaded with three motion games including Bowling, Bass fishing, and Jockey. The company claims there are even more games being developed specially for the phone by Gameloft.

To complement the gaming experience, Sony Ericsson is also offering the Power Pack CPP-100 for extended game play. Which essentially means that if the phone battery drains out after making use of the up to 8 hours of game play that the company claims; users can plug it into the phone to receive an instant battery power boost.

Games apart, F305 comes with a 2-inches 176 x 220 TFT screen, 2 mega pixels camera, stereo speakers, expandable memory, Bluetooth, and support for Quad-Band EDGE. It weighs around 97.5 grams and measures about 96 x 47 x 14.6 mm. It allows users to change its look with two style-up covers that come bundled.

The F305 with motion gaming will be available in Polar White and Mystic Black colors in select markets beginning the third quarter of this year. Pricing is not yet revealed.

Ps3 Firmware 2.36 is now available for download

2008-06-18T07:34:00.001+01:00

Ps3 Firmware 2.36 is now available for download

Motion Control

2008-06-16T19:41:00.001+01:00

Sony Tries Its Hand at Changing What’s in Yours

When the Wii was announced and the concept of its controller was revealed to the world, many a gamer said that it was a gimmick. I thought it was a gimmick. Maybe you did as well. Once the Wii was released, the console began selling like wildfire. Much of its success was attributed to that crazy Wii-mote that was able to strike a cord with the “casual gamer.” Apparently Sony has gotten the message.

First rumors surfaced in EGM about a transforming controller. This controller would transform to be better suited to play games such as racers and FPSs. This story was followed by our own Sev1512 breaking the news that Sony had held consumer tests for a Wii-like controller for the PS3. Now industry sources are reporting that a “break apart” controller has been delivered to developers. What does it all mean?

This means that Sony is now targeting another market in addition to hardcore gamer. This is definitely a smart move. If the success of the Wii means anything, it means that there is a huge market of casual gamers. (Also means that being the least expensive console on the market is very helpful). It has been said many times since these stories began to be reported but the PS3 would be able to offer casual gamers something that the Wii cannot: HD Gaming. Why is this a selling point? Once you’ve gamed in HD you come to the realization that there really is no turning back. (I’ve been gaming in SD since I’ve been back in Cali and it has been a painful experience). Not only that, but wouldn’t it be nice to use those controls on the myriad of titles available on and coming to the PS3? All I can say is that GOW3 with some sort of motion control sounds rather interesting to me.

Now I ask, what about the PS Eye. I’ve heard that the PS Eye is not being abandoned and I certainly hope that’s true. There is so much that can be done with the PS Eye. I’m not just talking about XMB control either. Remember when it was shown that the PS Eye could be used to expand the FPS experience? (It was around GDC time). I would like to see that incorporated in every FPS going forward. If Sony is definitely serious about adding motion control to the PS3, then it should be equally as serious about making the PS Eye a must-have peripheral in the minds of consumers. The release of more PS Eye titles will help, but incorporating it in a title like Resistance 2 would certainly bring cheers from the many people that own one.

Does Sony’s decision to pursue this new controller mean that the Six Axis was a failure? No. Simply put, you can ask Lair why Six Axis support was not mandated on all PS3 titles. The backlash was…well you saw the backlash. I am not saying that Sony should not still attempt to get developers to take advantage of the Six Axis. Socom Confrontation certainly is going to. Other titles should as well. This motion controller is not the death of the Six Axis/DualShock 3. It is merely the expansion of the PS3 gaming experience. Maybe it is another implementation of that 4D gaming experience we all heard about.

For those that are saying that Sony will be sued over this, you are dead wrong. Sony has already copyrighted motion control technologies in the past. Sony even copyrighted this technology for the PS2. So it would be nice to no longer hear this. Did Sony steal Nintendo’s idea? I wouldn’t say yes. If they released the same exact controller, then yes. Certainly, Sony stole that idea. However, this “break apart” controller sounds like something totally new. Something that I’m excited to try out and see if it is worth me setting down my trusty DualShock in exchange for a different gaming experience.

Sony is gunning to be the must have console on the market. Some, including myself, already believe that it is. Others will emphatically say that it is not. That’s fine, to each his or her own. But a console with a wide library of games (hopefully more JRPGs soon), Blu-Ray playback, and now possibly two controller types should at least have some place on everyone’s must have list.

Will you be embracing this new controller? Or would you like Sony dedicate Its efforts somewhere else?

Sony Designs New PS3 Controller

2008-06-16T17:32:00.000+01:00

Sony has designed a new PS3 controller that is designed to break.

The new controller, which is supposed to be the answer to the Wii, is designed to 'break apart' into two individual units that have remote-like motion-sensing functionality.

Working units have apparently been delivered to development partners but no one has mentioned when it will be in shops, and Sony is staying quiet.

This means that man plus dog in the blog sphere has been speculating on what it will look like. Kotaku said that the controller will have a small device that attaches in the body which can be worn.

The big idea is that you can stick them on the hands to move a character's hands in-game or four on the hands and feet.

However there seems to be a bit of a dispute going on in the blog sphere over whether or not the controller can merge into a single controller.

So far the PS3's Sixaxis controller is the only thing that has motion-sensing functionality and it is only a shadow of what Nintendo's Wii Remote and nunchuck controller can manage.

Rumours: Firmware 2.36 Soon?

2008-06-16T17:30:00.000+01:00

I've heard this morning that a minor Firmware update is due very soon: 2.36. The update is a tiny one apparently to strengthen security and fix a few PS3 titles, according to my sources.

How long will a free PSN last?

2008-06-16T17:29:00.000+01:00

Only a short time ago, Microsoft’s Xbox Live ruled the online gaming world. It was packed with innovative and easy to use features and it looked as if this would be the one area Microsoft would have locked up. At around $50 a year, the price tag was somewhat hefty. For around $4 a month one would have access to online play (and the many features that accompany it) and Xbox Live Marketplace where everything from Themes and Gamer Pictures to demos and newly released movies were just a few button presses away.

On the other hand Sony’s online service for the PS3 debuted back in 2006 and was harshly criticized for its overall lack of features and low quality. But it was free.

When prospective buyers wished to compare the two online services, Xbox Live would usually come out on top for the above mentioned reasons. But the cost of the different networks has played a large role in the mind of the consumer. And for this reason the quality of the Playstation Network seemed right behind, if not equal to that of Xbox Live.

But PSN is closing in on its two year birthday and as of late has been making rapid advances to the previously feature-less service. Rumours have been swirling for months that an in-game messaging system would be implemented some time this summer along with a custom soundtrack feature, similar to that of Xbox Live. Also, the virtual network HOME appears to have a firm release date in the fall, and it looks as if PSN will soon be getting its own version of Video Marketplace. Here’s what Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s President David Reeves had to say when asked about a video on demand service:

"I can’t give you a time but it is not in the distant future, it will be within this calendar year."

Clearly Sony is trying to catch up as quickly as they can and if all this can get done by the end of the year, we may have a new online leader. Here is the full article by IGN UK.

The thing is all these features will cost big money. And Sony can’t keep PSN a decent service if they continue to keep it free, out of the goodness of their hearts.

The obvious answer to these future financial problems would be more advertising. Both PSN and Xbox Live already have a substantial amount of advertising, but from personal experience the ads are hardly noticeable (which is good for us gamers, bad for the company’s advertising). The Playstation Network could very well see an increase in advertisements, especially when you consider the incoming virtual world. With its expansion in general there’s a good chance the entire interface could get a overhaul or two which could in turn lead to larger empty spaces, eagerly waiting to be filled with obnoxious ads.

The downside of this alternative way for Sony to make money would be the fact that the ads would visually surpass that of the actual content. Many websites practice this philosophy and they tend to be an eyesore. While essentially these ads could improve the service, no one wants to be bombarded with constant messages of what you should purchase next.

Another idea to keep PSN a self-sustaining service is the recently announced Qore. The annual subscription will be $24.99, or $2.99 per episode. It is being described as a highly interactive, monthly lifestyle gaming program, giving buyers exclusive access to things that aren’t available on the free-of-charge PSN.

It’s yet to be seen if this is just another money-making scam or a legitimate service that’s worth the money and can retain its true exclusivity.

And lastly, the only other potential idea would be to push micro-transactions to the max. Things like Themes and Gamer Pictures would have to cost money and probably have an exaggerated price. Themes and pictures would mostly be for current retail games, but Sony could start making (and charging) themes and pictures for PSN games and even older PS2 classics. And of course the entire idea of a virtual world is any advertisers dream. Ad space would be almost unlimited, but more importantly an infinite amount of objects could be micro-transactioned (I’m copywriting that term). Anything and everything imaginable in a virtual world such as clothes and furniture could be charged at a small fee, a must buy with millions of users and the urge to stay unique.

The Playstation Network has only slightly improved in the eighteen months it’s been on the market and as of now the loser of the online component in the console war. As with other components, the Xbox 360 is the clear winner and all of the above features (and more) that may come…will only come in the future.

The term Delay seems to have a personal conflict with Sony, so who’s to say when these new and exciting features, that will match and most likely leapfrog those of Xbox Live, will come? Even the President of SCEE hasn’t always kept his word.

If Sony truly does wish to stay in the online race, at least one of the above mentioned techniques will need to be put to use so that PSN can remain free.

Any idea’s you think I’ve overlooked or features you think are missing?

Blu-ray Outpacing DVD in Western Europe

2008-06-16T17:28:00.000+01:00

Futuresource (resulting company of the merger between Understanding & Solutions and DTC) have announced that, according to their analysis, in Western Europe, Blu-ray player sales during the first three years of the format have outpaced DVD player sales during its first three years. This trend is predicted to continue through 2011, or the sixth year of the Blu-ray format.

Jim Bottoms, MD Corporate Development, Futuresource commented, "One of the questions we are asked on a regular basis is how does Blu-ray (BD) uptake compare with the uptake of DVD in the early years, and how do the BD player forecasts look alongside DVD player adoption. Focusing on like-for-like coverage of Western Europe and comparing the first few years of uptake, the early indications are that BD player sales are running way ahead of DVD after the same time period."

The caveat to consider while digesting this information is that Futuresource has included sales of all PlayStation 3 consoles as Blu-ray players. To offset this, they have also included all PlayStation 2 console sales as DVD players, but those didn't come to Europe until after the DVD format was a few years in to its lifespan.

Regardless, for a region of the planet with less HDTV adoption than the US, it is encouraging to see Blu-ray adoption so strong.

How do I purchase items from the PlayStation Store from another country?

2008-06-13T17:56:00.001+01:00

The PlayStation Store isn't available in all countries so it can be difficult to buy games and other content unless you have a credit card registered within the country, for example, buying games from the US PlayStation Store means you need to have a US credit card. Luckily, there is a easy way to get past this restriction through the use of a "virtual" credit card.

Instructions:

Create a new account on your PS3 and sign up to the PlayStation Network, selecting you desired country to use. E.g. Create User "US1" and sign-up to the PSN using "United States" as your country. (How to create a Japanese PSN Account)
Go to EntroPay.com and login (if you are a registered user) or create a new account. EntroPay creates a virtual credit card using a real card, but it does not use an address so you can use it anywhere.
Once you have created a account, load some money onto your card using a debit or credit card - this will activate your card. If you wish to spend $25 on the PlayStation Store, top-up your virtual card with $26-30.
On your PS3, go to [PlayStation Network] and select [Account Management].
On the [Account Management] screen, select [Account Management] and then select [Edit Billing Information]
Enter the card details shown on the EntroPay website:

Your card number is the long number on the card. Card Holder name is "ENTROPAY USER". In the above example, the expiry date is "06/09" and the security code is "123".
Once your card details have been entered, click on "Continue". You will then be asked to enter your billing address. Here, you can enter any address you want. Once finished, click "Continue" again and you will get a confirmation message.
To load money onto your PSN Account, return to the [Account Management] screen and select [Transaction Management].
Select [Manage Wallet] and then select [Add Funds].
Select [Credit Card] and select the amount of money you want to add (the amount should be less that the amount available on the EntroPay Virtual Card or the transaction will fail). Click "Continue" to complete the transaction.
You will receive a confirmation screen stating the transaction is complete. You can now go to the PlayStation Store and purchase some content.

If you cannot edit you billing information on the PS3's Account Management screen, try again after 10 minutes - it may take a while for your virtual credit card to become active. You virtual credit card must have at a balance of least $10 for it to work.

PlayStation Store Update June 12, 2008

2008-06-13T17:52:00.001+01:00

It's June 12, 2008, Thursday, and Metal Gear Solid 4 was let loose. It also coincides with the PSN Store update. Let's see what new goods are available from around the global PSN. It looks like the North American Update is on time!

North America

PS One for PS3 / PSP

Syphon Filter 3 ($5.99)

Game Demo

Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars

Game Add-on

Army of Two: Veteran Map Pack presented by Pontiac (free)
Guitar Hero III: Isle of Wight Festival Track Pack ($6.25)

“Shoot the Runner” by Kasabian
“Problems (Live at Brixton)” by The Sex Pistols
“I Predict a Riot” by Kaiser Chiefs

Rock Band

“Girls Who Play Guitars” - Maximo Park ($1.99)
MTV2 Pack 01 ($2.99)

“Bullets & Guns” - Them Terribles ($0.99)

“Moving to Seattle” - The Material ($0.99)

“A Clean Shot” - The Myriad ($0.99)

Game Trailer

GameTrailers TV - Resistance 2 Teaser
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots “Theatrical”
Kung Fu Panda Launch
Fatal Inertia EX Phoenix
FIFA Interactive World Cup 2008
Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution Leader’s Quotes
Hail to the Chimp: Inshellitron

Movie and Blu-ray Trailer

Hancock Trailer 2

Themes

Metal Gear Solid 4 Theme

Wallpaper

PixelJunk Monsters Soundtrack Wallpaper

Europe / Australia

Game Demo

Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars

Game Add-on

Guitar Hero III

Isle of Wright Track Pack

“Shoot the Runner” by Kasabian
“Problems (Live at Brixton)” by The Sex Pistols
“I Predict a Riot” by Kaiser Chiefs

Game Trailer

MGS4
Haze

Korn Interview #1 and #2

Theme

PixelJunk Monsters Rainbow

Wallpaper

PixelJunk Monsters Bee

Japan

PS One for PS3 / PSP

a 1998 Genki Game
Crash Bandicoot Racing
Acid
3 Slot Machine Digi Game from Yamasa?

Game Trailer

Initial D Extreme Stage

Theme

MGS4 Hagane or Steel

Hong Kong

PS One for PS3 / PSP

Professional Mahjong Kiwame Plus

PSP Trailer

Meet Secret Agent Clank

PSP Theme

Secret Agent Clank

Demo Impressions: Battlefield: Bad Company

2008-06-09T21:18:00.000+01:00

We’ve been following this game for quite a while. Both myself and staff writer Mark Melnychuk got some hands-on time at GDC ’08, and Mark later spent uncounted hours with the game’s online beta for the Xbox 360. The demo is still more of the same: Oasis and Ascension are the two maps, Gold Rush is the multiplayer mode, sprinting still feels terribly slow, destruction is awesome but limited, and sound effects are amazing. It does, however, allow players to demo more than just the required Battlefield multiplayer, as the demo also comes packed with a single level of the game’s single-player campaign.

Introduced in what can safely be assumed as the game’s first stage are the star misfits of Bad Company: Preston Marleau, the player character, Sweetwater, Haggard, and Sarge. Personality is something these characters do not lack, as is shown in the handful of cinematics and in-game conversations. The dialog itself might seem a bit stale, but the voice actors behind the characters put on one great performance.

While in combat, your teammates’ AI allows them to be incredibly useful. They use cover wisely, chatter important information (including enemy positions!), offer verbal pats on the back after a clean kill, and even take the time to help you take out a few baddies. The contrary has plagued other shooters that use squads to back up the player (Army of Two, anyone?), but DICE has gone a few extra yards to make you feel like you’re part of a functional, and maybe even successful, team. For a group of misfit soldiers, they sure can fight.

Bad Company offers players a few options as they progress through the first stage. When your first objective is given, you’re prompted via your teammates to head north on foot or in an armed and armored jeep; your path to the objective can take you through farmland on a direct path, or you can move along a dirt road that leads west along those same fields. DICE has commented that missions in the full game will be stuffed to the rafters with these sorts of choices, each altering the course of combat in subtle-yet-important ways.

Upon reaching your destination, a small town with no more than 5 buildings, you’re engaged in a firefight and given the chance to play around with the game’s destructible environment. Most cover can be rendered useless with a well-placed grenade launch, but when the enemy AI gets in a vehicle, such mechanics work both ways. Cityscape fights like these are a blast, since the environment is constantly changing, and when pitted against smart AI, an exciting challenge is ahead of you.

The game controls feel really great when you get ahold of the scheme: L2 cycles you through your items, R2 cycles you through you weapon’s primary and secondary fire modes, L1 aims, and R1 fires. You get a chance to play with rocket launchers and C4, but the most interesting (and possibly gamebreaking, if balanced improperly) is the auto injector. Two quick button presses and the auto injector heals you back to full health, which, considering how quickly you can die from enemy fire, is useless without some proper cover, but I am curious to see how they design the campaign with such an obvious advantage over your enemies. As your health drops, your vision and hearing begin to fade, so keeping yourself healthy is key to jumping forward, though if you do fail, respawn penalties are minimal.

I usually find myself impressed with small details, and Bad Company is no exception. Simply put, the sound effects for this game are stunning. Even on a simple stereo setup, you’re able to notice the difference between inside whole buildings, inside destroyed buildings, and outside. Weapon and environmental sounds give you clear indicators as to what is happening around you, and the game reacts well to differing levels of sound. Most games implement sound dampening immediately after loud explosions, but it seems like the Frostbite engine handles such effects in a much better way; the gradual return of sound feels tangible.

The game’s multiplayer has in the past felt rather uninspired, but the single-player demo has given me new hope. Even the single level offered here has prompted several replays, something shooters just don’t do anymore unless to unlock some Achievement or trophy. My excitement for Bad Company’s June release has doubled; look back here at TheGameReviews for our review of the full game.

2008-06-09T21:04:00.004+01:00

Has the PS3 Evolved?

2008-06-09T21:04:00.002+01:00

There’s an interesting article over at Ars Technica, where they basically re-review the PS3 as it is now, compared to how it was when it was launched back in November 2006.

To cut a long story short, Ars Technica originally gave the PS3 a 6. Now, however, after Sony have updated the PS3 with Firmware update after Firmware update which has resulted in improved Blu-ray player thanks to Blu-ray profile 2.0 (amongst other things), a new and improved PS Store, the release of the Dual Shock 3 (STILL not available in Europe BTW) and most importantly of all; a more varied line up of quality games (both Blu-ray and via PSN).

As a result, Ars Technica have given the PS3 a 9.

If I had to do a review of the PS3 as it is in it’s current form, I’d probably give it an 8 (which is what I would give it if I had reviewed it when I got it back in March 2007).

Now, I’m not saying the PS3 hasn’t improved since I’ve had it but my issue is with what areas has the PS3 improved upon and their relevance to me.

A lot of the improvements that Ars Technica point out hold little relevance to me as a PS3 owner. Blu-ray profile 2.0? Meh. I don’t own many Blu-ray films (Spider-man Trilogy, Casino Royale and Planet Earth are all that I own) so my interest in the PS3 as a Blu-ray player is lukewarm at best.

Dual Shock 3? I would buy one but Sony haven’t released it in Europe yet. Awesome. And no, I’m not willing to import it, I shouldn’t have to.

The PS Store has a new look but the content is still lacking. I love Super Stardust: HD and PixelJunk Monsters, they are two of my favourite PS3 games, but Sony still falls short in providing meaningful content on a weekly basis, especially on the UK/EU Stores.

Where is Shivering Isles? Where is Commandos 3? Where is WipEout? Elephunk? Where are all the PSOne games that Sony could make a killing from if they bothered to make them available? Why can’t Sony combine the US and UK Stores, we both speak the same language (of sorts )! Localisation should not be an issue in that sense.

My main issue with PS3 games in the past was with the crappy ports that we were fed but that situation is less of an issue (although not totally eradicated) at this present time.

The areas where I feel Sony has failed to improve upon (aside from what I’ve already mentioned) are PSN related, such as the lack of in-game XMB access, customisable soundtracks and the ability to chat to your friends regardless of what you are doing or what games you are playing.

The forthcoming release of Firmware 2.40 should solve some of those issues but Sony still has a lot of work to do to realise the PS3’s full potential.

I’m very happy with my PS3 but I can see where Sony needs to make improvements and I haven’t even touched upon the backwards compatibility issue, various HDD sizes for different regions, their PR shenanigans and the need for price cuts etc.

To answer my own question of whether I think the PS3 has evolved since I got it, my answer would have to be no, not in the areas that matter to me.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with Ars Technica and my views?

CoD5 has co-op, vehicles in multiplayer, CoD4 engine, every format apart from PSP

2008-06-09T21:00:00.000+01:00

The subs issue of this month’s gamesTM has revealed a wealth of information on the now-announced Call of Duty: World at War, the final name for Treyarch’s Call of Duty 5.

From VG247 reader evilashchris, reading from the UK mag: “Right, apparently it’s going to be grittier, as gritty as ANY game out there to quote. The enemy will be scarier and use new tactics.

“There will be co-op for the first time in a Call of Duty. Also there will be vehicles and squad-based elements to the multiplayer. Formats: PC, PS3, 360 and Wii. The Wii version is being worked on by a separate team within Treyarch. [The mag] reckons it’ll be a much closer comparison between the next-gen and Wii versions than any other Wii game on the market.

“Jeez, they have the CoD4 engine running on the Wii apparently. They are using [the CoD4 engine] for all the next-gen ones too. The Wii Zapper will be supported.

“Also, this is how gritty it is: ‘The opening scene of the first level we are shown is a Japanese commander stubbing a cigarette out in the eye of a prisoner before slitting his throat - the blood splatters and dribbles down the side of the tent you are being held in. He turns towards you to deal out the same treatment but help arrives just in time. Cue a daring level-long escape.’”

As is now known, the game will be set in the Pacific theatre of World War II.

Rumor: Wii-like PS3 controller used in focus test

2008-06-07T10:28:00.000+01:00

PlayStation LifeStyle is claiming that a Wii-like PS3 controller was the subject of a secret PSU focus test. An e-mail sent back in January invited a few members of Sony's invite-only group to join them for a paid focus test in ****** ****, California. (We're assuming it's Foster City, home of SCEA.)

The PS3 controllers were motion-sensitive and required use of a "mini-tripod that stood about 12 inches high." Mini-games, such as fencing, paintball and tennis were supposedly demonstrated. The devices were said to be "incredibly responsive and accurate."

While Sony does regularly conduct paid focus tests throughout the country, there simply isn't enough tangible evidence to verify the authenticity of this rumor. If true, we wonder if PS3 fans really want more motion control in their lives ... or does the SIXAXIS suffice?

PS3 gets seven inch LCD screen

2008-06-07T10:27:00.000+01:00

If you can't afford Ben Heck's PS3 laptop, then here's a cheaper (and obviously not as efficient) solution to portable PS3 gaming. Much like the PS1 and PS2 consoles, the PS3 now has a mini-LCD display screen. The 7" LCD screen is made by a company called Clearvision. A price has not been revealed.

While this may seem like a nice add-on, let's take into consideration what kinds of games you'll be playing while using it. Plan on any RPGs or any game that's heavy on text? Doubt this teeny tiny screen will be able to make words readable since most PS3 games use relatively small fonts. This thing would probably be best for action-oriented games. Still, 7" isn't enough; 13"-14" sounds more like the sweet spot to us.

19 months later, the PS3 is a different (and better) machine

2008-06-07T10:24:00.000+01:00

The gaming community was confused by the launch of the PS3, some 19 months ago. While it looked and felt futuristic, something felt amiss. Gaming site Ars Technica criticized the underwhelming gaming and hardware offerings of the launch PS3, awarding it a poor 6/10 rating when it launched.

However, the system has evolved quite a bit since then, and Ars Technica has finally re-reviewed the hardware, noting the various improvements to Sony's system since launch. As it goes through all the changes, it's clear that PS3 is no longer the same machine it was at launch. Media functionality has expanded significantly, with Blu-ray becoming the definitive HD movie standard. DVD upscaling, DivX support, and support for Blu-ray profile 2.0 make PS3 not only a games machine, but a media hub as well.

The redesigned Store gets rightfully applauded. The new interface is not only a significant improvement over the previous offering, it's by far the best digital store on the three consoles so far. It's fast, sleek and offers an excellent amount of exclusive content. Games like PixelJunk Monsters and Everyday Shooter have turned PSN into a bastion of original, independent gaming. Retail games, like Uncharted and Warhawk, are solid reasons to own the system.

Not everything is perfect, though. PSN still lacks the comprehensive features set of Xbox Live. Granted, players don't have to pay for PSN. There's still room for growth, and when one looks at Sony's track record in the past 19 months, it's clear that PS3 will become an even greater machine in the future. Ars Technica's re-review of PS3 gives it a score far more befitting of it -- a 9/10. Who knows? In 19 more months, it may finally become a 10

Showdown: Resistance 2 vs. Gears 2

2008-06-07T10:21:00.001+01:00

In fall of 2008, two of the industry’s premier shooters will face off in Resistance 2 (PS3) and Gears of War 2 (360). Resistance, a PS3 launch title, found its way into gamers’ homes and hearts following a stream of positive reviews from the gaming media. Though it sorely lacked the polish of Gears of War in terms of its visuals, it more than made up for its blemishes with a terrific story, solid gameplay and an excellent multiplayer component. Gears of War, a title that did not see the light of day until over a year after the Xbox 360 was released, featured a brilliant singleplayer campaign with unsurpassed visuals and seriously addictive gunplay. Since their releases, Insomniac and Epic have had more than ample time to optimize each title’s engines in order to get the most out of their respective consoles.The gaming public is not only looking for these developers to deliver memorable second chapters, but also to create momentum before the crucial 2008 holiday season.

Nathan Hale and Marcus Fenix, though physically dissimilar, share more resemblances than it may initially seem. Hale, of Resistance fame, is a grizzled US Army Ranger (named after the United States’ first spy) who was last seen in a snowy landscape being abducted by mysterious soldiers after destroying the Chimeran threat in the UK. Fenix, a futuristic soldier known for his exploits in the Pendulum Wars, leads the COG forces against an invasion threat known as the Locust. Both protagonists, though widely praised for their courage on the battlefield, have some serious baggage entering the first chapters of their respective stories. Hale, having lost both his parents to an influenza outbreak, is rumored to have killed an entire squadron of his own men during a training exercise, while Fenix was captured and jailed for going AWOL in a vain attempt to save his father. It’s a simple formula – create an affable central character with a few minor flaws, give he/she superhuman abilities, have he/she save the world from evil. Pretty effective stuff.

Though the first Gears of War edged out Resistance in terms of graphical prowess, both sequels are looking awfully impressive in their alpha stages. From the looks of things, both developers are emphasizing an increased color palette; gone are the drab grey and brown environments of Resistance in favor of more lush surroundings. Model counts in both games have been drastically increased as well, with Epic’s title featuring an immense number of on-screen enemies in its debut trailer. Whether or not they can be encountered is yet to be seen, but it’s satisfying knowing that every ounce of the PS3 and 360’s power is being utilized in the creation of these anticipated titles. At the moment, it’s simply too close to call, and a bit unfair considering the gaming public has not yet seen any in-game footage of Resistance’s single player campaign. One thing’s for certain, you can fully expect these titles to be two of the best looking games on the market come this fall.

The inherent danger in producing video game sequels is falling into something I like to call the “one sequel every two years” trap, that is, the diminishing quality of a series’ plot due an increased emphasis on gameplay elements. Sure, the majority of core gamers aren’t exactly looking for Shakespeare, but the difference between games with a laughable story a plausible one can mean the difference between a “good” review and a sterling one. Take Bioshock, for instance: a shooter that featured conventional FPS elements (with a few added perks in the “Plasmid” system) did nothing in terms of innovating the genre, however, its fascinating plot and characters captivated its audience from the first lines of dialogue. Its main advantage over the dozens of other console shooters was not its visuals (though Rapture’s art style is still unequaled) or gameplay, but rather its transcendent story. Many titles stumble into the same pitfall, focusing purely on perfecting its mechanics instead of delivering what could be a game’s biggest asset, its narrative.

This brings me to my second point: both of these titles will undoubtedly be hugely successful, but Resistance 2 will trump Gears of War 2 in the eyes of reviewers and gamers alike in a critical area: its story. If there was one facet of Gears of War that its audience wished could improve, it would assuredly be its uninspiring narrative. As I have said before, the majority of those who loved Gears did so because of its strategic gameplay, so fans should have no trouble delving into the second iteration of the Marcus Fenix saga. However, even with Epic pouring more effort into Gears of War’s plotline than any of its other titles, it falls far short of the industries best titles. If Gears continues to move along the path it’s currently on, the series will stand to lose a bit of its luster like so many other promising series have.

One of gaming’s most popular figures, Itagaki, is a chief advocate of gameplay over narrative. Though his most recent iteration of Ninja Gaiden has impressed many with its sparkling fighting system, the lack of any real story behind the main character is hugely disappointing. I believe if a developer is providing you control of a character and the player is to accomplish X, Y and Z tasks with him, there’d better be a damn good reason for doing so. This is not to say that Gears of War 2 will not be an enjoyable game, quite the contrary; however, in an era where video games are emerging as more than just a simple tool of enjoyment into a serious creative medium, the best titles will ultimately be remembered for their storylines.

Another area of Gears and Resistance that is receiving serious attention are their local and online multiplayer modes. While the first Gears of War offered a superior co-op experience, it paled in comparison to Resistance’s more polished online capabilities. The same graphical advantage that Gears held over other titles in the genre proved to be a crutch in online multiplayer, severely limiting the amount of action on screen while playing over the internet. Those who enjoyed Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 competitive multiplayer will adore Resistance 2’s sixty player maps and eight-player co-op, but may find Gears 2’s smaller matches a bit unfulfilling. As much as I love chainsawing other players as Marcus Fenix online, with an unbelievably ambitious multiplayer component in the works, the online brawl is Insomniac’s to lose this fall.
Like any other title, the decision to buy or deny all comes down to preference. Sometimes it’s the series with more to prove that impresses most, and in other cases it’s the established vet that remains paramount. There is no question both titles will undoubtedly satisfy shooter fans’ cravings for months after they hit store shelves, but only one can receive the distinction of the year’s best shooter. With a remarkably talented development team behind the scenes at Insomniac improving most every aspect of an already stellar title, look for Resistance 2 to steal a bit of Gears’ thunder come this November.

PSP Needs to Act Soon, or it's Game Over

2008-06-07T10:20:00.001+01:00

The Playstation Portable handheld gaming system was first released in the United States on March 24, 2005, after being released in Japan the previous December. More importantly, the PSP found its way into my hands on December 25, 2007, in its second form, the PSP Slim/Lite. I quickly invested days into the internet, scouring for the greatest homebrew software that would enhance my portable system without corrupting and reducing it to its useless “brick” form. Half a year later, my PSP now acts as my GPS, a tutor in three different languages (French, Italian, German), a soon-to-be cell phone replacement (the wonders of Skype are highly underrated), and a digital photo album; not to mention a port of PC’s SCUMMVM, allowing me to relive all my Monkey Island fan service memories. More surprising than the device’s versatility, was the fact that I seemed to be the only one in my city to have one. Sure, on a rare occasion I would spot another user on the bus and be struck with an immediate sense of brotherhood, but for every PSP packed into a student’s backpack or stuffed against a row of textbooks atop a dorm headboard, there were ten DS’s of various color schemes floating around. The idea of the Playstation Portable just doesn’t seem to appeal to the core markets in which it is supposed to be competing, and it seems destined to be just the latest contender to fall beneath Nintendo’s foot, despite its obvious advantages.

The Playstation Portable is, without argument, the technological superior of the two handheld competitors. The PSP’s specialized CPU (System clock frequency 1~333MHz) and 32MB memory far outranks the DS’s combined CPU of (roughly) 100MHz and 4MiB of main memory. And yet, even with the PSP’s media versatility, it has sold less than half the units of its rival, 34 million to Nintendo’s 70.6 million (according to recent numbers released by their parent companies.) And it appears to be getting steadily worse for the Sony handheld, with not a lot of major name releases set for the near future and a lot of ground uncovered in the user-friendly market. At the rate of this current generation’s portable comparative consumption, the Playstation Portable won’t last nearly long enough to continue working with the PS3’s proposed lifespan. With all this in mind, it is time for Sony to step up its game in the handheld market, not just milking God of War: Chains of Olympus’ months-old release. We at reelgamers.com present a list of five things the PSP needs to accomplish in order to pick up its sales, and five reasons why it won’t do so.

God of War: Chains of Olympus is one of PSP's Biggest Titles

5. Aesthetics

Every naysayer has one: exterior material prone to fingerprint smudging, messy shoulder triggers adding an uncomfortable feel to controls, finger cramps, a poorly situated screen that always seems to pick up glare and scratches; the PSP’s lack of overall appeal can be traced to some minute degree back to these nit picks. Compared to the boxy, yet solid design of the DS, the Playstation handheld comes off as an attempt toward sleek design, without the foresight for the utmost pragmatism. The most notorious of all aesthetic quibbles against the system is, of course, the battery life, and all of its longer sustaining peripherals adding a small bulge in the back of the system, making it awkward to carry. In order to counter-act such ground water issues, Sony has released various other peripherals to compensate for the system’s slight defects, but they will have put a great deal more effort into these initiatives in order to quell the haughty word-of-mouth from the more practical system-holders.

Why it Won’t: No one wants to pay for a screen cover peripheral at Gamestop cost, and to do any sort of fan-based revision release of the handheld (like Nintendo’s transition from Gameboy Advance to Gameboy Advance SP) doesn’t seem to be anywhere on Sony’s mind at the moment, despite it being in their best interest.

Jeanne D'arc is one of the platform's most underrated titles

4. The Analog Stick

Moving from double to a single analog stick made for an awkward transition for most home console users. Especially when keeping notable PSX and PS2 franchises on life support with updated releases or sequels, the absence of the now-natural second analog stick leaves a learning gap most gamers do not want to take the time to get used to. Yes, the analog stick gets a little grimy underneath and the gritty pad top can get irritating if a lot of in-game movement is involved, but the major issue with this set up is how Sony’s taking one of the few consistencies between all generations of good home consoles and fragmenting it has left a bad taste in gamers’ mouths. Sony could save a lot of face by putting forth some hardware updates in that direction, or manufacturing both first- and third-party games towards a one-stick advantage.

Why it Won’t: We have already talked about Sony and peripheral release logistics, but it may not be worth it to replace the familiarity of console-born franchise gameplay (and brand loyalty impulse purchases) with slightly more comfortable control schemes.

Lumines & Lumines II are excellent on-the-go puzzlers

3. Advertising

Think quickly: how many commercials can you think of for the PSP, either for its games or the system in general? Well….we have the spots for Crisis Core and God of War, and that one with that annoying guy in the elevator bugging the other dude about his new PSP with Star Wars Battlefront…..and….that seems to be it. When Nintendo has cordoned off entire television network’s and their support, Sony’s campaign, on both portable and console fronts, is sorely lacking by contrast. In order to make the best of television why its still culturally relevant, Sony will need to either market the PSP for the hardcore gamer audience on late night shows like the Comedy Central or Adult Swim circuit, or go for the Nintendo approach and try to appeal for the “all ages” general audience. It has a huge ace up its sleeve, the multiple media capabilities are eons ahead of what Nintendo can currently claim, and to market it not only as a game system, but as the all-in-one media Mecca (or just the gaming iPhone,) would bring Sony’s numbers up considerably.

Why it Won’t: Nickelodeon and daytime Cartoon Network seem entirely devoted to the DS and Wii, with only a few bone throws to the popular Playstation releases. The rest of the networks still don’t take gaming seriously enough unless its bound to make Grand Theft Auto-sized bank. Sony seems to have missed its opportunity to truly cash in on the Ratchet and Clank viewer range, and unless gaming gets some major respect in the next few years, TV will be gone before Sony can get any decent advertising coverage. Even if television is not made irrelevant via internet downloads, Sony’s main fault in its hardware is its inability to advertise the majority of its homebrew capabilities. Why? Because its like advertising illegal music downloading. All GPS manufacturers and Language Tutoring-software developers will want legal standing in any products made available on the handheld, and what was previously a Torrentor’s utopia will become a game of interactive Monopoly.

Riiiiidggeee Raaaccer!

2. Game Library

We all know it is the PSP’s destiny to follow in big brother PS3’s footsteps, but in terms of the overall release schedule for the handheld, this will do more harm than good. Porting over many of the franchises made famous on home units means sharing the production time and budget in order to convey a similarly grand feeling on the portable scale (a driving point of the PSP’s sales pitch.) While Nintendo pumps out game after game for their proudly weaker system, Sony’s attempts to play the PSP off as a heartier, “full-on” console experience have driven the focus of its projects to making the absolute most of the hardware, which has dragged them far behind Nintendo, whose focus has always been on simplicity rather than good design.

An example of a high grossing PSP game would be the inter-related Grand Theft Auto title: Liberty City Stories, selling approximately 8 million copies. Compare that to the blatantly bare-bones DS game Nintendogs, which has sold over 18 million copies. Good production values appeals to the trained eye, but cute virtual puppies appeal to everyone. Games like Tekken: Dark Resurrection may be a superior experience to most of the DS’s library, but when the fighting game is the only worthwhile game coming out that month, users will gravitate toward the Mario-game-a-month schedule, choosing quantity of hours over comparatively brief moments of quality. Sony may need to focus on “more” rather than “big” to come out of this fight on top.

Why it Won’t: The PSP was created for the hardcore designer, to take advantage of only the basic of its features would make the final product look terrible. That is the biggest drawback of making a game system built for any specific degree, anything beneath that looks lazy and poor quality by technical comparison. In addition, there doesn’t seem to be much motivation for developers to produce non-big-budget PSP titles, as those are the ones with the highest sales returns. If more people were to buy cheaper-produced titles on the system, it would merit incentive for reproduction on that level.

War of the Lions is one of the PSP's beacons of excellence

1. Beat Nintendo at its Own Game

Despite owning only 32.3% of the overall sales margin of the current handheld war, Sony’s mini-Playstation is the highest grossing portable gaming system not manufactured by Nintendo. The Mario-lovers have dominated this part of the industry since they created it with the original Gameboy in the mid-1980s. They have done so with cross-pollination with its home consoles, name and character recognition, general audience appeal, and addictive gameplay. Sony is leaps ahead of its predecessors on this front: establishing an unparalleled communication service with the PSP and PS3, and in terms of online connectivity they hold a slight lead over the DS, but it still lacks the overall appeal of Mario defying his fat plumber build and playing every damn sport known to man. Sure, Ratchet and Clank are successful, but other than that, how many marketable general audience games can you name for the system? The handheld market has always belonged to the kids, and unless Sony gets more E rated games out there, they will remain in far-behind second. As much as I hate to say this, ever: simplicity in design will win this race. While the PS3 and its production values will be the tortoise of the 7th generation home console race, the PSP has to bite back the bile and cater to the kiddies for the big bucks.

Why it Won’t: It’s almost a laughable idea to assume any one company can do this. The domination Nintendo has over this market is so ingrained that it’s like trying to get the Rocky Horror Picture Show fan base to dethrone the Vatican. Many have tried: one of the first nails in Sega’s coffin was its Game Gear; the NGage and Gizmondo were jokes; and so many other prototypes didn’t even get a chance on the field due to the hopelessness of this competition. Unless Sony can pull off some genius franchise to compete with Mario, or stifle off Nintendo’s “hardcore” audience to its popcorn games, the PSP will be left to college students wanting both a photo album and Monkey Island emulator.

PlayStation Store Update June 5, 2008

2008-06-06T15:58:00.000+01:00

It's the first Thursday of June now let's see what the PSN Stores from around the globe have for us.

North America

Qore Digital Magazine

Qore Episode 001, June 08 $2.99 / Issue $24.99 / Yearly Subscription

Downloadable Games

Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando $9.99
NOVASTRIKE $9.99

Game Add-on

Guitar Hero III

God Of War III

The End Begins to Rock

Motorhead Track Pack $6.25

Stay Clean
We Are The Road Crew
Motorhead

Rock Band

Disturbed $2.99

Perfect Insanity $0.99 ea
Inside the Fire
Indestructible

Jimmy Buffet $5.49

Volcano $1.99 ea
Margaritaville
Cheeseburger in Paradise

$0.99 Special

Paramore - CrushCrushCrush
Boston - Rock N Roll Band
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme Three Steps
All American Rejects - Dirty Little Secrets
Epic - We Care A Lot
Blink 182 - All the Small Things
Black Tide - Shockwave
Grateful Dead - Sugar Magnolia

Game Demos

Civilization Revolution
Battlefield: Bad Company MP Demo
NASCAR 09 Demo

Game Add-on

Guitar Hero III

God Of War

The End Begins (to Rock)

Game Trailer

Resident Evil 5: Spring 2008!
Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures Launch
Dead Space Story
Fracture
Fracture Behind the Scenes “Story”
Hail to the Chimp: 3:00 AM

Themes

Retro

Game Music

God Of War “The End Begins” Music Track

Europe / Australia

Game Demo

Battlefield Bad Company
Dragon Ball Z Burst Limit

Downloadable Game

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (PS3 / PSP)
KillZone Liberation PLA (PSP)

Game Add-on

Toy Home: Second Gear Pack
Guitar Hero III

Motorhead Track Pack
God of War III Theme

Game Trailer

Top Spin 3 Debut
Resident Evil 5 Spring 2008

Japan

Game Trailer

Biohazard 5

Hong Kong

Game Trailer

Biohazard 5

Wallpaper

Prince of Persia

Arabesque
New Prince

Qore: Online Magazine, or PSN Gold?

2008-06-05T19:04:00.001+01:00

The other day, Sony announced Qore, a subscription-based monthly webisode featuring a variety of game related content with ties to PlayStation: The Official Magazine. Those who pay $2.99 a month (or a flat annual fee of $24.99) can now download a 2 hour collection of trailers, interviews, and other game related goodies every month. In addition to non-interactive videos, the official PlayStation blog stated that Qore will also provide its users access to, ”game demos, special beta invitations, game add-ons and other downloadable game-related content.” From the sound of it, all the content that’s already on PSN will still remain unaffected, but it’s unknown at this point if Sony is going to limit its best upcoming PSN content, (like the Home beta) to this new Qore service. I’m sure a lot of PS3 owners would gladly pay $2.99 for the ability to play demos for highly anticipated titles like Little Big Planet and Final Fantasy XIII should they be exclusive to the Qore service, but such tactics will only serve to blur the lines between PSN and LIVE, a service which has been giving its Gold members early access to particular demos for some time now.

When I wrote Home Free, an article praising the PlayStation Network’s upcoming free service, I made the argument that LIVE users should hope that Home is a success because it would encourage Microsoft to abandon their online fees in order to remain competitive. Many people responded by saying “Sony will charge for online before Microsoft will drop their fees for LIVE.” Although the recently announced Qore service isn’t the annual fee to play online that many Sony enthusiasts initially feared it would be, it does represent a sea change for Sony’s burgeoning online strategy. Given its association with PlayStation: The Official Magazine, Qore may simply contain content one would expect on the discs that are currently bundled with periodicals like The Official Xbox Magazine. Since the printed word is falling out of favor, this may be the best way for P:TOM to get their content out without charging users for discs, theoretically saving everyone money while keeping gamers informed in the process.

Ubisoft: 360 won't make it as a family console, PS3 could

2008-06-05T19:02:00.001+01:00

How do you see the casual market growing over the next 18 months?
I believe that the distinction between casual players and hardcore players will not make sense in a few years. We have to name on this audience that wasn’t exposed to games, but I don’t like the term of ‘casual gaming’, because it makes the games seem cheap and made quickly. That’s not what people want. We won’t talk about hardcore gamers and casual gamers as such, we’ll just talk about genre – like we see in the movie industry. We’ll find the right terms and lexicon in time.

Are casual games becoming harder to develop as the audience begins demanding a more in-depth gaming experience?
When you’re reaching out to somebody who plays one or two games a year, it’s very easy. You don’t need to follow the rules of previous markets. But as they play more and competitors emerge, you have to rethink the way you do the games. The casual audience is becoming more demanding, for sure, and we need to make sure we’re proving more than what they’re anticipating.

Are the younger casual audience demanding more than older players?
Seniors have no benchmark, so yes. Young girls, for instance, are now used to games that are made just for them – and have started thinking they want something better.

In terms of finance and time, will you be investing more in the development stage of these games than you did in the first generation of Games For Everyone titles?
For sure. Actually, creating a game for a senior citizen on DS like Nintendo did with Brain Training is not easy, but it’s not costly. You have to get rid of all the lessons we’d learn from a major strategy game or whatever and concentrate on the addiction. Our aim is to beat Nintendogs on the Wii with our new Dogz title – the lead animator of Assassin’s Creed has come on the project and joined the team, just because it’s a big challenge. We want it to look as good as possible.

Are you looking at Apple products as potential Games For Everyone platforms?
At the minute, we’re only showing DS and Wii games, but we’ll be working on all other platforms. We don’t want to keep it too narrow. We’ll be making games not only on PC, PS3 and 360, but on iPhone and iPod touch as well. When it comes to the mobile industry, Ubisoft sister company Gameloft looks after that and I’m not in charge of it. They will be borrowing more from the Games For Everyone range.

Are you going to have a dedicated Ubisoft online casual portal on PC – following the likes of EA and Midway down that route?
I can’t say anything on that at this stage.

Can you secure your position as the most successful third-party casual publisher on Nintendo formats this year?
Yes, of course. That’s the aim. We not very original in terms of strategy, we tend to follow what Nintendo’s doing. I shouldn’t say that, but it’s true so I am saying it. What we have that maybe Nintendo doesn’t is like a crazy touch that you find in Rayman Raving Rabbids and those type of games.

Does the High Street understand casual's potential?
Their agenda is different to mine. It’s a matter of trust. The only thing they can refer to is what’s been successful in the last year. They’re happy when you make a game that’s like another game – you just have to look at Brain Age games to know that. There are so many games with ‘brain in the title’. But on the other hand, they actually make money, so it’s a good bet on the short term. But eventually it will make the whole segment crash. They need to take more risks and recognise quality.

Will we be seeing more innovation on Nintendo hardware from Ubisoft?
Yes. We have great inside information from Nintendo on the future of the console – information we’ve got very, very early relating to the man-machine interface.

Microsoft is very keen to make 360 a family console. Do you think they’ll succeed?
It did happen with the PS2 at the end of its lifecycle, but at that time there was no Wii. I guess that the market has widely changed. I believe the PS3 could be become a real family console – particularly in the US. I don’t believe that the 360 will do so. I might be wrong – it of course depends on the kind of content they bring out or the peripherals. If they have a SingStar, it could change stuff. I just think the shape of the market is not the same when PS2 became mass market.

Games installs going overboard

2008-06-05T18:59:00.000+01:00

One of the advantages of PLAYSTATION 3 over its rivals is the inclusion of HDD. In other words, any PS3 sold will have some capacity of HDD in it, the smallest being 40GB in the current batch. 40GB for most of us is big enough to store many of your videos, music, pictures…….unless….we have to share it with something else, game installs. The reason lot of us, including me, escaped from PC gaming is because the games are not optimized due to the different hardware configurations, so we had to go through 3 or 4 patches for a game and a big INSTALL at the beginning while still needed to keep the DISC on the drive to play. PS3 is becoming more and more like a PC, in a bad way. PS3 is a console, and it should not step into the darkness that plague PC gamers, at least not entirely.

Now days the developers are making installs mandatory for the PS3. The reason is supposed to be the slow speed of the BD-ROM so to improve streaming of game assets like textures. While I am all aboard form installs if it means to improve performance, but sadly..games like HAZE and upcoming Bourne Indentity eat up 4GB and 5GB respectively, dont seam to perform any better compared to their size demands. On the other hand, games like GTA IV clearly shows the benefits of installation compared to the Xbox 360 console with less pop-ups, and faster in game loading.

So my advise to the developers? If the performance achieved for HDD installation of about 4GB is about 10%, it should be skipped (or made optional), as opposed to performance benefits where we see big spikes, like 40% or more.

Download Torrents With the PS3

2008-06-05T18:56:00.003+01:00

"Here are the instructions on downloading torrents directly to the PS3 via TorrentRelay.com.

1. Find torrent link.
* hint: mininova links are easy to memorize.
2. Copy .torrent link *for example:www.mininoa.org/get/########
3. Go to http://torrentrelay.com
4. Click on 2nd input box with [Get URL] next to it. Type in the link from step #2.
5. Click on [Get URL].
6. # Click on the file you want. It will list all the files available on the torrent.
7. Save As dialog should pop up.
8. We only tried an mp3 and it was downloaded directly into the Music folder.

This really isn't good for the torrent community since the PS3 cannot seed files but it's interesting that it's possible.

PSN - Let's Be Honest

2008-06-02T18:54:00.000+01:00

It's now been almost 2 years since the Playstation 3 found its way into consumers hands, and things are looking brighter over the horizon. Blu-Ray has won the format war, there's a good lineup of titles dropping throughout 2008, developers are getting more of a handle on the hardware, and sales are keeping pace - at least with the Xbox 360.

Unfortunately, one area has stayed stagnant since its inception, and there doesn't seem to be much of a sign of improvement until at least this fall. I am referring to the PlayStation Network, and its abysmal showing this far.

As we all know, Microsoft came out of the gate with an extremely strong showing in almost every aspect of their online service. The marketplace, albeit a bit slow in the beginning, was soon filled to the brim with content for users to download. Whether it be the extremely functional community features, demos of almost every game released for the system, a plethora of downloadable content and titles, or the much hailed foray into downloadable movies and TV shows, LIVE has set the bar in terms of what a console online experience should be.

No one expected Sony to deliver to the same extent as Microsoft, simply because Microsoft had years of experience with the first Xbox, as well as a much stronger software backbone, but after the first year or so, most would have liked to have seen SOME effort on Sony's behalf. Yet, here we are at the beginning of June, and PSN really hasn't change that much.

I have no trouble applauding Sony for the effort they've put in so far, as well as their fantastic policy of releasing some games as downloads as well as in store on disc. I think this is something that Microsoft has sorely overlooked, and leaves limitless possibilities in terms of content and delivery. Unfortunately, past that, Sony receives mostly failing marks in their online efforts. Sure, PSN is free, but you have fractured community features, a barren wasteland of content, no video store, and the almost irrelevant HOME service.

I used to eagerly wait for Thursdays to see what Sony would be dropping into the PSN Store. Maybe a couple new PS1 games? Maybe a new arcade game that would pique my interest? How about some demos? Almost every week I am left feeling overwhelmingly disappointed. Latest update PSN store update: Rock Band Songs, 9 trailers, and 2 wallpapers. The week before that? Rock Band Songs, a whopping 11 trailers, a Pixel Junk album, a couple themes.

Sure, they dot the landscape every once in a while with a demo or two, or some add-on content, but it still leaves this empty feeling inside. On the flipside, Microsoft has over 120 downloadable arcade titles (compared to Sony's roughly 30), as well as countless other content for their games. Can one make the argument that the 360 has been around longer? Sure, but the disparity in numbers between the two marketplaces doesn't account for the time difference. Can someone else make the argument that Xbox Live has a lot of old games on it that feel like filler? Absolutely, but this brings up a really significant point; more content makes you FEEL like there is just more out there, and that you are getting more for your money. If you walked into a store, and there were 5 or 6 products strewn on the floor, a couple other products hung on the wall in a scattered fashion, and one bored clerk standing in the corner picking his nose, how is that going to make you feel about shopping there? What if then, you walked to the place next door, and there you found aisles and aisles of content, people walking around, music playing, employees greeting you and saying offering to help. You are not only going to shop at the second store, but you are going to feel a hell of a lot more fulfilled doing so.

Sure, it's great to see Echochrome, GT Prologue, Warhawk and Super Stardust on the store, but come on, am I really supposed to be exicted about Go! Sports Ski, or Toy Home? We continually hear about how important PSN is, and having all this exciting, original content, but I'm still waiting to see it. Hell, at this point, I'd settle for some of the OUTSTANDING lineup of PS1 games that Sony has locked away, but even that seems too difficult.

The most incredible thing to me about the situation, is the sheer possibilities of games they could release on PSN, that could sell hundreds of thousands of copies. Wouldn't it be great to see an old school Fallout type game on PSN? How about a 2D RPG in the vein of Secret of Mana, or a side scrolling fighting game ala Final Fight? With the incredible cost of making most disc based titles today, developers could present extremely compelling and appealing content through the PSN store with its ease of use and limitless download cap, for a fraction of the cost.

Another issue presented with the PSN service, is one that has been beaten into the ground since the launch of the PlayStation 3. There have been rumors for months now about the in-game XMB, which will solve all the problems that the PS3 has, by allowing for in game invites, chatting and messaging. While these features would truly help the PSN, it still leaves me with the feeling that it will be tied together with string and duct tape. Will it be a feature that every game will be able to utilize? How will games suffer from implementing these features? What games that are already out, will utilize these features? We will have to wait and see, whenever it does arrive, but it still has to leave many people with an uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomach.

There really isn't much left to discuss aside from HOME. Upon its unveiling at GDC, HOME and LittleBigPlanet lit up the conference, and instilled hope into countless Sony fans around the world. Finally, Sony was getting its act together, bringing out interesting, innovative content to match or beat the offering of the Xbox 360. Unfortunately, here we are over a year later, and HOME is nowhere to be seen. The more that is shown, the more it seems like HOME is a marketing megalith first, and a place for gamers to mingle second. It was revealed at the recent Gamers Day event in Europe that HOME was delayed once again due to a "lack of focus on gamers", still leaving many people in the dark about what features the service will offer come Fall 2008. Even when it does arrive, is it going to be relevant enough at this point for people to truly integrate it into their daily gaming lives? There was a buzz, an excitement after HOME's announcement at GDC, but that excitement has been reduced to a murmur after all the delays and insights into its troubled development.

There has been a lot of talk about what Sony is going to be giving us, with very little of the actual giving. The video store is rumored to drop at E3, HOME is rumored to be here in Fall, new and exciting content is rumored to be coming, and yet week to week, nothing is here, and I'm feeling more and more disenchanted. Sony had a huge opportunity to put these features in place over the past 6 to 8 months, and truly take a bite out of Microsoft's market share. The question is, is it too late for them to get this all back on track? Only time will tell.

PS3 version of Red Alert 3 in limbo

2008-06-01T15:18:00.000+01:00

Red Alert 3 for PS3, where art thou?

The answer -- nowhere to be seen. In a recent walkthrough trailer for the game, EA mentions that Red Alert 3 is coming to the PC and Xbox 360, yet fails to mention a PS3 version. This leaves us rather worried. We'd always assumed that the title would come to Sony's black behemoth, but when contacted for information, EA's Red Alert 3 community Manager commented, “I can't speak of the PS3 version right now...”

While we try to clarify the situation, check out the aforementioned walkthrough http://www.psu.com/PS3-version-of-Red-Alert-3-in-limbo-News--a0003833-p0.php

This Week's New Videogame Releases (Week of 2/6/08)

2008-06-01T09:37:00.000+01:00

What's the highlight of this week's new videogame releases? That depends whether you're into blockbuster flicks, bloody Ninja action, or cuddly Kung Fu CGI. It's a pretty action packed week for gamers either way, with a balanced selection for all systems. The new God of War themed PSP bundle is also coming out, in red and emblazoned with Kratos' angry mug on the back.

This week's new releases:
(subject to change)

Xbox 360:
- GRID
- Incredible Hulk
- Kung Fu Panda
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
- Ninja Gaiden II
- Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy

PLAYSTATION 3:
- GRID
- Incredible Hulk
- Kung Fu Panda
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
- Metal Gear Bluetooth Headset
- Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy

Wii:
- Cabela's Trophy Bucks
- Incredible Hulk
- Kung Fu Panda
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures

Sony PSP:
- PSP God of War Entertainment Pack - Red
- Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures

Nintendo DS:
- Incredible Hulk
- Kung Fu Panda
- Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
- Paws & Claws Pet Vet 2
- Summon Night Twin Age

Cheapest Games on Net Before Release

2008-06-01T09:28:00.002+01:00

Hi just a quick one, this is the site i use for all my games from, and because it is in america you can get all the games before release, some we wont ever get and there always cheaper.

http://www.movietyme.com/catalog/

Happy Shopping

Prologue of METAL GEAR SOLID 4

2008-06-01T09:27:00.000+01:00

Just like the retrospective series by gametrailers, famitsu also released an hour long look at the MGS universe dub - Prologue of Metal Gear Solid 4. The vid doc take us back to the beginning of the series up until the highly anticipated MGS4. Enjoy

Notice:There is no new footage

This Week’s Blu-Cast

2008-06-01T09:25:00.000+01:00

Here again with the 2nd edition of the Blu-Cast. The first week didn’t offer too many titles to you Blu-Ray lovers out there. This week will definitely make up for the void that was last week. Not only do we get Cloverfield and There Will Be Blood, but we get Dirty Harry as well. I will be picking up quite a few movies this week. The Dirty Harry Ultimate edition will be one of them.

This week the links will take you to Blu-Ray.com instead of Amazon. Why? Because Blu-Ray.com provides screens and other information on the movie that you can take into account before you go over to Amazon to make the purchase. Blu-Ray.com does provide links to Amazon as well.

Which movies will you be picking up this week?

Movie

Release date

Cloverfield

Jun 03, 2008

There Will Be Blood

Jun 03, 2008

Dirty Harry: Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Jun 03, 2008

Patton

Jun 03, 2008

Weeds: Season 3

Jun 03, 2008

Signs

Jun 03, 2008

Semi-Pro: Let’s Get Sweaty Edition

Jun 03, 2008

The Eye

Jun 03, 2008

The Longest Day

Jun 03, 2008

Battle of Britain

Jun 03, 2008

Dirty Harry: Special Edition

Jun 03, 2008

Meet the Spartans: Pit of Death Edition

Jun 03, 2008

A Bridge Too Far

Jun 03, 2008

The Recruit

Jun 03, 2008

The Sand Pebbles

Jun 03, 2008

The Poseidon Adventure

Jun 03, 2008

Weeds: Season 1-3

Jun 03, 2008

Final Days of Planet Earth

Jun 03, 2008

Fearless Planet

Insider: 2.40 and when to expect it

2008-06-01T09:23:00.000+01:00

Hey guys and girls, in a follow up to all my other reports from my exclusive insider on 2.40, I have some small news on 2.40. You may have heard all the rumors about 2.40 arriving this month, with some even as going as far as stating a release on June 10th. Well it gives me great pleasure to confirm this date from my insider who says that right now, Sony has set the current firmware release date for 06/10/08. However he did put great emphasis that Sony could still possibly bring the update forward as well as back however it is very likely it will arrive on that exact day which happens to be a Tuesday. I hope that answers some questions and on a final note, when i did talk to him about the videos spreading like wildfire on the internet of 2.40 in action, he said they are legit.

In-Game XMB Confirmed???

2008-06-01T09:21:00.000+01:00

OK, so I had Chinese food this past Sunday and this (pictured above) was my fortune. Typical fortune for a writer, eh? Anyways, it is Friday and the week is almost over so I figure I should write something before the end of the week and have time to spare to buy a Lotto ticket using the lucky numbers.

Anywho, our sister-site TripleTags.com picked up on this news item as well and has labeled this news bit as a rumor. The reason for posting this again is that more and more signs are pointing to the infamous “in-game XMB” feature. We first caught site of this rumor (or whatever you wanna call it at this point) on Gaming-Age. But a few sites picking up on this was not the end of it. What really sparked confusion was repeated “confirmations” on NeoGAF by some influential people.

Sub-Zero MK vs. DC Universe render unveiled

2008-05-31T15:53:00.002+01:00

Midway has unveiled a new character render for its forthcoming crossover fighter, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, this time featuring classic brawler, Sub-Zero.

(click pic for full size)

The masked combatant ranks as one of the most iconic fighters in the series to date, having appeared in virtually every major Mortal Kombat title thus far, including his own (poorly received) entry, MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is due for release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in fall 2008. A playable demo is expected to appear at the E3 Media and Business Summit in July.

May all in 1 BLOG

2008-05-31T15:26:00.002+01:00

I’m sure everyone can agree that with the PlayStation 3 only seeing a very limited amount of releases, May has been a slow month for gaming in general causing gamers to seek refuge in past month's titles. Fortunately anticipated titles such as SingStar and Haze were released, thus some of us were saved from complete boredom. While the games may have been lacking this month, it was definitely a solid four weeks for gaming news.

We were treated to new Soul Calibur characters, new gaming movie info, Madden/NCAA information, a decent amount of PlayStation Network updates for not only North America but for Europe as well and some interesting comments from that over-the-top producer, Itagaki. He even went as far as insulting his own subordinates and claiming that games such as Devil May Cry are shallow.

However, now we can look forward to June and the slew of promising titles to be released. Everyone has to be anticipating Metal Gear Solid 4 and I’m sure enough that some of us are also excited for GRID, The Bourne Conspiracy and even LEGO: Indiana Jones.

So let us officially wrap up the month of May by asking our readers and forum members a couple of questions in order to get their views of the past and present of this month in gaming.

What did you think about the GRID GameTrailer debacle?

“I think it was an unfortunate situation that was bad for GT no matter how you slice it. Either it was a conspiratorial snipe aimed at the PS3 that was uncovered due to an incompetent mistake or it was just an incompetent mistake that occurred due to laziness. In both cases, regardless of why it happened, it's something that should never have happened on a site that deals in video game information and makes GT look foolish.” - Alpha2

Outside of Metal Gear Solid 4, what games are you looking forward to in June and why?

“I'd have to say I'm most anticipating Civilization: Revolutions or Battlefield: Bad Company.

I'm quite excited about Civilization if only for the fact that it's a (turn based) RTS making its way onto the PS3, which is a first to my knowledge. Of course, I've always loved the Civilization series, so I'm hoping this will be no exception.

Finally, the fact that Sid Meier has expressed interest and has praised the PS3’s design is also encouraging. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be a quality port.

As for Battlefield: Bad Company, well I need an action title, and I've heard wonderful things about that series. Though I've never played it -- Pretty sad, I know.” - Vulgotha

What were your favorite releases last year during the month of May? (Odin Sphere, Dawn of Mana, Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (PS3/2), Legend of the Dragon, Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam or Dot Hack G.U Vol. 2)

“Odin Sphere. The work that Vanillaware put into this game was amazing. Such beautiful artwork really stands out from every other bland generic "3D" RPG out there. One of the few productions labeled "Games as Art" and I fully agree.

I wish more companies would do Hand-Drawn 2D games... it’s one of the things I expected out of the PS3... Anime-Quality character animations and artwork... hopefully other Devs will take things from Odin Sphere and build off that in our "Current-Gen" consoles.” - SomaXD

What are some of the games you’d like to finally finish over summer break and why?

“First, I'd like to finish Resistance: Fall of Man since I never really got into the single player. It was the only game that I had for 5 months after getting my PS3, and I played at least an hour every day once I got home online, but I'd really like to finish it when I get some extra time.

Finally, I want to completely finish Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I know, it's been a LONG time since it was first released, but for some reason all I usually do while playing is go on murderous rampages.” - ShadowFyre

Which game did you enjoy most this month and what made it stand out?

“In order to prepare for the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, I purchased the Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection. I truly enjoyed the games, but my favorite out of the three would have to be the most recent installment, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. I was a little irked at the fact that I didn’t have the radar to rely on in this game as I did with the others. However, what it lacked in radar, it made up in Close Quarters Combat. Having so many options when grabbing an opposing soldier, made infiltrating an enemy stronghold that much more fun. In addition to this, I found the boss battle with The End to be incredibly exhilarating.

I also found the Codec conversations in this game to be especially hilarious. At times, I would just call members of the support team repeatedly just to hear what they had to say about Snake being naked or about him hiding in a cardboard box. With that being said and after playing through these games, I find myself primed to play Metal Gear Solid 4.” - Miamiman

This month in gaming History: It was 26 years ago in May that Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts, left Apple Computers and invested roughly $200,000 of his own money into the gaming powerhouse that is EA. This would eventually turn out to be one of the smartest investments in gaming history. Though gamers have begun to paint the company as the black plague of gaming, EA has been one of the most consistent companies in supplying the industry with quality titles. EA has recently popped up on the negative side of things with their latest attempt at a hostile takeover of Take-Two Interactive.

Sony announces downloadable gardening outing on PS3

2008-05-31T15:26:00.001+01:00

Sony Computer Entertainment today announced Shikitei, a downloadable environmental simulation title for the PlayStation 3.

Unofficially known as “Four Season Garden,” Shikitei allows gamers to design their own garden by growing various plants and customizing the area with lights and other trinkets on offer.

The game will incorporate some impressive techniques via computer programme, such as differentiating growth between every tree in your garden as time moves on.

Seasons will also play a major part Shikitei. Winter time, for example, will bring snowfall that gradually adapts to surrounding elements in your garden, while spring time brings sakura trees blossoming in pink, which turn orange as autumn rolls by.

Shikitei features over 150 items, including animals, ranging from birds, cats and rabbits. As the player collects these items, they are added to an encyclopedia, which can be called upon at any time. Items themselves are obtained via special packs that will be released on the PlayStation Store following the game’s release.

Speaking in the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, Producer Rie Nakamura emphasized that the title will not include any gaming elements, noting that although some were considered, the team at Premium Agency ultimately decided to omit them for the final release.

Shikitei is currently scheduled for release in Japan on June 26, priced at JPY 1500, with pricing for item packs yet to be determined. Two garden types will be available on launch day, namely Japanese and Western, with Nakamura expressing interest in releasing further styles in the future, such as Egypt and India.

Stay tuned.

CLICK HERE PS3 Firmware 2.40 to really include in-game XMB? leaked video Update CLICK HERE

2008-05-31T15:04:00.001+01:00

Jim Cordeira of Gaming Age says that they've received word that Sony's Firmware 2.40 for the PlayStation 3 is "the real deal" and will be arriving real soon. Features confirmed to them by their source includes in-game communication, a universal friends list, and in-game access to music tracks.

We've also heard word from Videogaming247 (external link) that they too have been notified by an unnamed source that Sony's PlayStation Firmware 2.40 will sport in-game XMB, trophy support, and in-game XMB access to play your own music. Mere coincidence?

We would have settled at that, but then developers from Criterion Games corroborated in-game music features in the PlayStation 3 version of Burnout Paradise. While the Cagney update is under development, and therefore also "coming soon," the additional feature it includes is exclusive to the PS3 version. It says a lot, doesn't it?

Even folks at NeoGAF has reason to believe that Firmware 2.40 will sport more features than was previously speculated. While we aren't going to say that these details are officially confirmed, there's a lot of smoke billowing from outside sources. And where there's smoke...

PlayStation Home Beta: Ubidays gets first dibs on Media and Events Space

2008-05-31T15:03:00.000+01:00

A few days ago, Sony revealed the new Media and Events Space on the PlayStation Home beta. Once Home launches, the Space will serve as a place for first- and third-party groups to host their own productions for residents of Home.

For now though, the Media and Events Space is only open for Beta Testers. The developing studio to get first dibs on the Space is Ubisoft, who gives beta testers their own virtual experience of Ubidays, the company's annual trade show.

This goes to show how powerful Home can be once it launches. It's certainly a boon when conventions and trade shows are no longer limited to physical attendance. No more interstate and international traveling, and no more sold-out tickets. Marvelous.

Ubidays on PlayStation Home launched yesterday, and showcased new titles from Ubisoft. Likely these are games they also unveiled in the real-world Ubidays like Tom Clancy's EndWar, Far Cry 2 and Beyond Good and Evil 2.

Analysts: Wii ready for a record year, PS3 to surpass Xbox 360 in 2009

2008-05-31T14:58:00.000+01:00

DFC Intelligence, the analyst firm that dared to ask the question "could Sony go from first to worst" two years ago, is back with more confidence and more predictions. This time, they have a forecast on the fortunes of the three current-generation video game consoles and where they'll end up in 2008 and beyond.

DFC Intelligence says that 2008 may be the best year ever for Nintendo and its low-priced, mass-appealing Wii. The innovative console's phenomenal momentum from 2007 should be expanded by Wii Fit, placing Nintendo in a nice position to set the record for most units sold by a game system in a year.

The firm expects the Wii to finish atop the seventh-generation console wars with ease, saying that its biggest titles are yet to come to deliver the final touches on what's been an astounding run.

The battle between the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Sony PlayStation 3, however, seems to be the more important one in the eyes of third-party game developers says the firm. In this regard, according to DFC, a change of spots on the sales rankings is set to happen soon.

The firm predicted that the PS3 should be able to overtake the Xbox 360 in 2009. The analysts say that this is due to the Xbox 360's inability to capitalize on Sony's 2007 struggles by building a lead large enough to secure its spot when the PS3 starts to rally back with major titles.

As it stands, the PS3 has closed the gap in monthly sales with the Xbox 360 even if its biggest games are still to come. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, is due out on June 12, to be followed by LittleBigPlanet later this year and Killzone 2 in February of 2009. If all falls into place, DFC Intelligence says that the PS3 will finish at a strong second spot to the Wii.

Making your films go further

2008-05-31T14:54:00.000+01:00

Men in Black Blu-ray Disc release announced as first BD-Live title for Europe.

To coincide with PlayStation Day, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) has announced that it will launch its first BD-Live enabled Blu-ray Disc in Europe with the release of Men in Black in selected territories beginning from June 2008.

This release coincides with the recent Blu-ray Disc Profile 2.0 software update for PLAYSTATION 3 which made the PS3 the first Profile 2.0 Blu-ray Disc player available on the market.

Blockbuster hit Men in Black will bring network connected features for the first time, include a BD-Live multi-player Interactive Trivia Game, as well as exclusive downloadable theatrical and home entertainment previews and an FAQ about BD-Live functionality.

Men in Black follows the exploits of agents Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith), members of a top secret organisation established to monitor alien activity on Earth. The two MiB find themselves in the middle of the deadly plot by an intergalactic terrorist (Vincent D'Onofrio) who has arrived on Earth to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies.

This title release follows on from the recent PLAYSTATION 3 system software update (version 2.20), which made PS3 the first Profile 2.0 Blu-ray Disc player available on the market.

“SPHE is delighted to bring BD-Live to international markets for the first time,” stated Matt Brown, EVP, International, SPHE. “This follows a successful launch in the US in March and is just the start of the exciting possibilities that will soon be available on High Definition Blu-ray Disc.”

BD-Live allows consumers to experience a variety of network connected options. In addition to exclusive content, BD-Live titles can enable an exciting slate of next generation possibilities, such as ringtones and wallpaper downloads, peer-to-peer interactions, live events and gaming activities."

BD-Live titles are compatible with the latest Profile 2.0 BD players. These models also support Blu-ray Disc’s Bonus View picture-in-picture feature that was available on previous Profile 1.1 BD players.

“The sky is the limit”

2008-05-31T14:53:00.001+01:00

As the SingStar community continues to grow, senior producer Tamsin Lucas reveals what’s next for the global phenomenon.

When SCE London Studio's prototype department started researching vocal pitch recognition, little did they know they were on the verge of a worldwide hit.

What started as an experiment has grown into a series that has sold 12 million copies in Europe and turned an entirely new, casual audience onto gaming. Groups of friends singing together at home have become a global community, at the centre of which are My SingStar Online and singstargame.com; online areas where users can share videos of their best and worst performances, rate each other's talents and even have a say in which songs appear on forthcoming releases.

The figures speak for themselves: 140,000 fans have registered on My SingStar Online and visitors to singstargame.com have shared 20,000 videos of their singing ability or lack thereof - captured with PLAYSTATION Eye - that have been viewed a total of 2.5 million times. The series' concept is simple: make the player the star, and the two online communities not only provide the stage, they get fans involved - singstargame.com ran a poll for UK visitors to decide the musical direction of a forthcoming title, and let them choose the tracks they want to see.

Talking to eu.playstation.com, Tamsin Lucas, senior producer of SingStar said: "We're very community driven and it's actually a great help to have such an enthusiastic group of people to give us ideas and feedback.

"We've been delighted with My SingStar Online and with SingStar Vol.2 coming in June, we're hoping more and more people will add their videos."

Perfect harmony

SingStar Vol.2's new feature, Harmony Duet mode, offers a refreshing new challenge to those who enjoy singing with friends. Each player's lyrics are colour coded and well separated, so there's no risk of confusion, and tracks included on the disc, such as California Dreamin' by the Mamas and the Papas, are an excellent choice. It's a great feeling when the two parts come together for a chorus and you hit a perfect harmony, for which both players gain extra points.

"We found that people really enjoy singing duets," revealed Lucas. "So we added this mode and a number of special tracks in response.

"Another new feature in Vol.2 is Remote Play for PSP, which lets you download tracks, create playlists and share videos with friends when you're out and about."

SingStar Summer Party is the latest title on PlayStation 2 and includes a brilliant track list of summery music, including Girls and Boys by Blur and Wham's Club Tropicana.

"We still have a strong following on PlayStation 2, so we have released a title to accompany their summer parties. It contains the kind of music that you would want to sing along to while you're having a barbecue with friends - fun, upbeat tracks from all genres," said Lucas.

More in store

The SingStore continues to grow and is now home to over 400 songs. Users have embraced this feature, downloading on average six songs each.

When asked about future plans, Lucas said: "SingStore is updated every two weeks and the team is working hard on licensing more songs and getting them up - the sky is the limit. We would like to get to the stage where we can release entire albums, but for the time being we are focused on releasing great tracks across all territories."

SingStar continues to go from strength to strength: SingStar Summer Party adds to the great variety of titles on PlayStation 2; SingStar Vol.2 builds on the success of its PLAYSTATION 3 predecessor and introduces the excellent Harmony Duet mode; and the SingStore continues to grow.

But what really ensures the success of the series is its community. Fans not only entertain each other with their videos on My SingStar Online and singstargame.com, they shape future titles with their suggestions and feedback. And what's more, Tamsin Lucas and her team are listening.

echochrome

2008-05-31T14:51:00.000+01:00

The travelling echo

echochrome is a game on everybody’s lips, but what exactly is it? Grab a copy, power up your PSP and prepare to have your mind refreshed...

Publish date: 23/05/08

"Do you spin it? Rotate it? How about...?" These are but a mere sprinkling of the questions that will race through your mind when playing echochrome, a brainteaser with a twist. Or is that a turn? Maybe a slight adjustment here...

‘chromed out

Perspective. While not literally the name of the game, it plays a large part of puzzler echochrome. You must help a mannequin called the Walker to its goal of collecting all the echoes around a number of 3D mazes that look like they've stepped right out of a MC Escher art gallery. However, the Walker has a number of problems stopping this noble quest - each maze is full of impassable gaps, holes and other hazards that can prevent it from reaching the echoes.

While the Walker is bound by the laws of physics, you are not, and the power is in your hands to change its fate. You can do this by switching the screen's perspective and viewpoint to alter reality and make the Walker's journey easier. For example, by spinning the maze a certain way, holes temporarily cease to exist simply because you can't see them, making it safe to pass until you're ready to show them on-screen again. Magical...

Look at it this way...

Like any form of magic, these little tricks have rules. Five of them, in fact:

1. The Law of Perspective Travelling - when two separate pathways appear to be touching, they are.

2. The Law of Perspective Landing - if one pathway appears to be above another, it is.

3. The Law of Perspective Existence - when the gap between two pathways is blocked from view and the pathways appear to be connected, they are.

4. The Law of Perspective Absence - when a hole is blocked from view, it does not exist.

5. The Law of Perspective Jumping - when the Walker jumps, it will land on whatever appears to be beneath it.

With these in mind, you're soon shaping the Walker's world to solve its intricate problems, trying to get yourself into a mental zone where the solution is only a head scratching moment away. echochrome is entrancing in its gameplay, drawing you into its uniquely monochrome landscape with soothing classical music and an essence of purity and depth that all great puzzle games possess.

While the Walker is alone in its pursuit of echoes, solitude is the last thing you'll be experiencing in echochrome. It's the perfect portable game, as you literally look for fresh viewpoints and pass it on to others who can try their hand at a particularly difficult puzzle that may have stumped you. Add that to the ability to pick up and play the game whenever you want and you have a truly addictive and social experience on PSP.

[Insert your own a-mazing pun here]

Even if you somehow manage to get through the 315 levels that await you, it's not the end of echochrome's appeal as there's also the opportunity to create your own mazes and share them with friends via Ad Hoc Mode. So not only can you give your brain a workout, but your imagination too - before setting challenges for your friends to engage in.

echochrome's world may be inhabited with mazes inspired by artist Oscar Reutersvärd's impossible constructions, but it's a game that's far from impossible, open to all comers through its fresh and inventive take on the puzzle genre. Fancy a spin?

Puzzled over your next download?

2008-05-31T14:50:00.001+01:00

There's always something to entertain you on PLAYSTATION Store (PS3), so why not take a glimpse at the newest content?

Trailers, expansion packs, wallpapers, games and more await you on PLAYSTATION Store (PS3), bringing entertainment to your home, quickly and easily. Get online, sign in and experience another dimension to PLAYSTATION 3.

Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix

If Capcom's massively popular Super Puzzle Fighter series had somehow passed you by, you've now got a fighting chance to catch up with the release of Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. Bringing together the worlds of Street Fighter, Darkstalkers and other Capcom characters, this title offers extremely addictive puzzle mayhem with all new High Definition graphics, dazzling effects and a re-balanced X Mode, where you have to think fast on your feet as gems fall into your character's playfield. Enjoy single player, local and online versus modes or just watch other players duke it out for Puzzle Fighter supremacy.

Super Stardust HD - Solo & Team Trailer

Super Stardust HD's blend of classic shoot ‘em up action and High Definition charm has gained a galaxy of well earned recognition, and now that's set to continue with two expansion packs that give the space age blaster even more to offer. Watch this trailer to see the delights of Super Stardust HD Solo and Super Stardust HD Team, where extras such as new music tracks, co-op missions and more are available to shoot your way through.

Prince of Persia wallpapers

Ubisoft is rolling out the red carpet once more for Prince of Persia, and this time he's making a swing for PS3. Download these princely wallpapers and give your system's Home Menu a regal polish with more than a mere hint of swords and sandals adventure.

Sony: PS3 Home Is Great, But Needs More Time

2008-05-31T14:34:00.001+01:00

While it seems like forever since Home was originally announced by Sony, it looks like we're finally going to see the full debut this September.

"I said at the Tokyo Game Show that I would not open up Home until I was completely happy with it and I still stand by that statement," Sony prez Kaz Hirai said of the PlayStation 3 virtual community at PlayStation Day.

"We have been testing Home for some time and I simply feel that, as great as it currently is, it needs a little bit more time before it is ready for the wider public, something we firmly believe we can provide in the autumn."

And don't forget about LittleBigPlanet, which is also scheduled to hit this fall.

"It will completely revolutionise the way gamers interact with their games, especially through the community functions that it offers and the ability to interact with LittleBigPlanet lovers - around the planet," gushed Hirai.

Sony: PS3 outsold Xbox 360 By 45% In Australia

2008-05-31T14:29:00.001+01:00

According to Sony Managing Director Michael Ephraim, PS3 outsold Xbox 360 by a whopping 45% during the first quarter of 2008 in Australia.

Not only that, but if one were to include the Bravia deal in the mix, PS3 outsold the Xbox 360 by a margin of two to one.

In an interview with PALGN, he explained that PlayStation 3 has not outsold the 360 altogether in Australia, but that it's only a matter of time.

"We think it's a matter of time before we surpass the install base, but I think with Xbox, they've had a few strong English speaking territories, US, UK and Australia being one of them," he said.

"In Europe they were very weak in Continential Europe, so they have done fairly well here, but with the rate we're going we will definitely surpass the install base, we're just guessing somewhere around the end of the year, if not sooner if the trend keeps going the way it is."

Summer Blu-Ray Sale

2008-05-31T14:26:00.001+01:00

Here are 116 Blu-ray movies eligible for the Amazon Blu-Ray Blowout with savings up to 50%.

This summer is heating up, and so are the savings. Don't miss out on our huge Blu-ray sale, just in time for Father's Day. Shop our Blu-ray Store for more new releases and bestsellers.

Codemaster’s GRID PR Stunt

2008-05-31T14:25:00.000+01:00

To celebrate the launch of Race Driver: GRID Codemasters gave passers by in Tottenham Court Road quite the spectacle this morning as six anonymously helmetted drivers pulled up outside Zavvi in a selection of deliciously shiny cars before casually wandering in to the store to pick up copies of the newly released titles and suspiciously light-looking boxed up consoles. Out of shot: flustered PR ladies jittering at the prospect of the police discovering their illegal parking extravaganza.

Making their way back to their swish vehicles with their new treasures, confused passers-by stopped to take photographs of the bizarre event, workmen downing their tools and peering down from their scaffolding at the ,ysterious brightly-coloured figures as the whole event verged on becoming a road congestion nightmare.

No sooner than it all began however the mystery racers revved their engines and sped away, and the few members of the press at the scene were invited upstairs to have a crack at GRID itself before they began to host their day-long competition in the store. First impressions of the game seem to suggest it’s actually quite a lot of fun, myself and an industry friend spending a couple of minutes whizzing around a course in Italy with the rather lovely Kieron Gillen. After a few races I found myself unable to cope with the guilty juxtaposition of both winning every race and being the only person with a 360 controller that seemed to function adequately, and decided it best to hang up my driving gloves for the day. As we poked around the event further we couldn’t help but notice the ludicrous amounts of Rockstar energy drink seemingly lining the walls in the corner of the room, leading us to believe that those entering the competition were in for a truly heavy day. GV politely left before it inevitably became rather messy.

Top Ten: Frustrating Moments in Gaming

2008-05-31T14:22:00.000+01:00

There are many frustrating moments in gaming and to say that these ten are the “top ten” for everybody would be foolish on my part. These are the top ten that have irked me over the past few years and they are in no particular order. The reason for that is that they all suck. Yep—each and every one of them. One doesn’t rate worse than the other because they are all horrible to have to deal with and as such they are all number one on my list. So, think of it more like “my personal top ten in no particular order.” Your moments will undoubtedly be different but hopefully you can relate.

Have a read and please be forewarned, there may be some spoilers involved. If you see a game title that you want to play, skip it and move onto the next one.

Exclusive: Info On The New PS3 Controller

2008-05-31T14:21:00.000+01:00

As for those of you who don’t believe this info, here is a copy and paste from the original email requesting people to participate in the focus group…

“Focus groups discussing PLAYSTATION®3 games are being held in your area. If you OWN a PLAYSTATION 3, we invite you to participate in a focus group. If you qualify, you will take part in a discussion lasting approximately two hours

Images for HAWX

2008-05-31T13:55:00.000+01:00

We are in 2012 (I know that it is not true, I did not run off the line), and as in all the future plays, in fact private companies soldiers clash. Tom Clancy' S HAWX will propose to him aerial combats with 50 cuckoos different and of the modes from play in co-operation up to four and others on line. On these images, one discovers even for the first time the interface of piloting with the radar, the sight and the missiles inter alia…

Dualshock 3 on PSP

2008-05-31T13:53:00.000+01:00

The PSP is an easily hackable console. Sony knows it, the players know it, everyone knows it. It is easy to find software pirate making it possible to modify many utilities of our console. There are some recently which offer a particularly interesting attraction: to be able to play its plays PSP, on its PSP, with Dual Shock 2.

click here for free themes

2008-05-31T13:52:00.000+01:00

ADD ME "nathsontop" PSN....

Firmware 2.40 possibly out June 10th

2008-05-31T13:50:00.000+01:00

watch the vidz!!

360 games that could come to PS3

2008-05-31T13:18:00.000+01:00

Posted by Nathsontop

This post is a prediction, speculation, rumor type one so if you have any please comment and let me know what your opinions are.

This is an article looking at the possibilities of other 360 ‘exclusive’ games coming to the PS3 after the BioShock incident.

Lets talk about what 360 games are possible to make their way to the Playstation 3. Afterall everyone said that BioShock will never ever be on the PS3 but look what happened! BioShock was a 360 exclusive and its making its way to the PS3 and will be released in October with enhanced visuals and content included. What other 360 ‘exclusive games’ could make the same move?

Mass Effect

Electronic Arts aren’t really known for making games exclusive so i think it’s likely that PS3 will see Mass Effect 2. It’s like it is their policy to release games multiplatform. Remember Electronic Arts now have control of the Mass Effect series.

Ninja Gaiden 2

Ninja Gaiden Sigma was released on the Playstation 3 exclusively but what makes Team Ninja not doing a port later on in the future? Itagaki said:

“We’ve announced it as an Xbox 360 exclusive, but I don’t own Tecmo the company.”

Infinite Undiscovery

360 is doing so bad in Japan and this is a Japanese RPG. It would make sense for Square Enix to release it on Playstation 3 is the 360 version does bad. Some of you might say that Microsoft is publishing this game but not fully, Square Enix is a publisher too.

Dead Rising

So the 360 got Devil May Cry from us, we can take Dead Rising from them. Prediction is that it will eventually get ported over to the PS3. Many people said that Lost Planet made up for the Devil May Cry loss but others think not. Could Dead Rising make up for the loss?

Tales of Vesperia

If you take a look at this post you will see that this game was listed for the Playstation 3 too. It turned out to be a mistake but they might be considering or it could be decided it will be coming out for the PS3 but don’t want the world to know.

Gears of War

Hmmm a lot of people are doubting this one. We will just have to see what happens in the future, anything can happen.

Ace Combat 6

Released as a 360 exclusive but will make its way to the Playstation 3 due to it being a ‘timed’ exclusive.

Left 4 Dead

Currently being released on both 360 and PC but the developers have stated in the past that a PS3 version is possible. Electronic Arts might port the game but lets hope they do a better job than they did with The Orange Box.

Any games you would like to mention or if you have any predictions and thoughts? What games WOULD you like to see on PS3?

PixelJunk Eden Explained

2008-05-31T13:14:00.000+01:00

So what is this new game from the folks at PixelJunk and Q Games? It's named Eden and we couldn't figure out what it's about until now. Here's a brief synopsis of the game play.

The main goal of each stage is to collect "spectra" from each garden to bring back to your home garden.
You control a "grimp," grip and jump combined. Why not a grin? Grip and spin.
The grimp has a tether called silk, which allows you to spin from a grip point. It can also be extended and retracted. It also blinks towards the direction of the spectra.
Collect pollen and "seed" to create new plants so that you have new plants to grip.

PS3 off life support and ready to overtake Xbox 360 in 2009

2008-05-31T13:13:00.002+01:00

When the Playstation 3 was released, although there were many people who wanted one, seeing it as the natural progression from the massively popular PS2, the price was too high, and the early games line-up wasn’t too hot. However, through a combination of factors, sales have slowly picked up. Could it soon be the Playstation 3’s day?

Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony recently spoke at the D6 conference about all things Sony, and amongst his many words of wisdom was the first admittance that the PS3 has so far underperformed. According to Alley Insider, he said:

“Downward slope of PS3 curved was ‘mildly catastrophic’ for a while… ‘was on life support’ but is booming now. ‘We’re very pleased’”

The PS3 was on life support, and many, though obviously not Stringer, would argue it still is, being third (last) place in worldwide hardware sales. But Stringer is not alone in thinking business is now picking up, with research firm DFC Intelligence predicting the Playstation 3 will overtake the Xbox 360 in 2009, and then go on to finish this generation in a strong second place. The Wii seems to have first place wrapped up.

According to Next-Gen, DFC gives a variety of reason for this Sony resurgence. Pricing has now come down to a reasonable level, thanks to cuts over the last 2 years. The games line-up is now looking much stronger than it once did and most importantly, the PS2 is continuing to do well despite it’s age, meaning more potential brand loyalists every day.

At the moment all signs are that the PS3 is staying where it is, with the Xbox 360 doing just as well as it every month in the US, and holding it’s own in Europe (let’s forget Japan for now shall we). DFC is putting itself out on a limb with this prediction and I don’t agree with their assessment.

The Wii is going to win this generation, of that there is no doubt in my mind. As for second place, at this stage I think it’s anyone’s guess which console will snuggle up behind the Nintendo machine. That’s the point, DFC is just guessing, and your and my guess is as good as theirs.

No Afrika for Europe, says Sony

2008-05-31T12:58:00.000+01:00

Sony has told Eurogamer that it will not be publishing Afrika in Europe.

The spokesperson was unable to give anything else away, other than to confirm that it will be seeing the light of day in Japan.

Japan, incidentally, is where the third official sighting of the elusive wildlife game has recently taken place in the form of a placeholder website, which shows a rhino waddling across the screen over the words "Coming Soon...".

The only other times Afrika has stuck its neck out was at its E3 2006 unveiling and at the Tokyo Game Show last year.

Afrika is a safari game that has animals like giraffes, rhinos, lions and more roaming around the plains. Details on what you're supposed to do to these are unclear, although we presume that hunting them down and sticking their heads on your wall may not be it.

Niko actor prepared for GTA "backlash"

2008-05-31T12:57:00.000+01:00

Niko Bellic actor Michael Hollick has said he was "almost more ready for [critical] backlash than for anything else" in the run up to Grand Theft Auto IV release.

He was speaking on the Big O & Dukes radio show on WJFK-FM (spotted by Kotaku), and talked about the huge secrecy surrounding the project; apparently he only found out the name of his character two weeks after signing lengthy confidentiality agreements.

"When I first auditioned for [the game] I didn't even know what I was auditioning for. They said it was a game called Frozen," explained Hollick using his regular American accent in case you're wondering. "I forget what the character name was, but it wasn't Niko."

Hollick originally auditioned to do the motion-capture work for Niko, but having heard him speaking the lines, Rockstar decided to let him do the voice for the character as well.

In total, Hollick reckons it took around 18 months to record all of his speaking and movement for Niko. The game was tackled in chunks, with scripts sometimes hundreds of pages long per section.

The motion capture was be recorded first and with the other actors around. And then, sometimes months later, he went to a studio on his own to do facial animations and voice work.

The worst days were when he faced "50 pages of screaming", apparently, doing things like "Niko falling off a motorcycle into the ocean [and] drowning".

"I knew enough about videogames that [GTA IV] was different off the bat. There was a great sense while we were doing it that this was something special," added Hollick.

Apparently Hollick was never much of a gamer and so found it "thrilling and fascinating" to see how much went into GTA IV. He likes videogames now, but says he's rubbish at them and gets Niko killed fairly quickly when playing.

His popularity has increased, too - now that his name is correctly listed on IMDB.

"I'm getting crazy hits on my MySpace page," said Hollick, before adding that he and his wife - also an actor for the game - did some "interesting role-playing" when he got home from work.

He has few plans for Niko Bellic going forward, but one his friend has suggested doing a Christmas album in the style of the Serbian gangster, which should be interesting.

PlayStation Store Update May 29, 2008

2008-05-31T10:35:00.000+01:00

North America

Game Add-on

Rock Band

The Cars ($14.99)

“You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” ($1.99)
“My Best Friend’s Girl”
“Moving in Stereo”
“Just What I Needed”
“I’m in Touch with Your World”
“Good Times Roll”
“Don’t Cha Stop”
“Bye Bye Love”
“All Mixed up” - The Cars

“Gimme Three Steps” - Lynyrd Skynyrd $0.99
“Dirty Little Secret” - All-American Rejects $0.99

Game Trailer

Top Spin 3 Debut
Battlefield: Bad Company Dev Diary - Characters
Battlefield: Bad Company Sweetwater’s Blog
Dead Space Animated Comic Issue #1
Project Origin Teaser (sequel to F.E.A.R.)
Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars

Projectile Dysfunction
Human Juicer

Movie Trailer

Enchanted
No Country for Old Men

Wallpapers

Prince of Persia Prodigy

Arabesque

New Prince

Europe / Australia

Downloadable Games

Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Rayman (PS3 / PSP)
MediEvil (PSP)

Game Add-on

Army of Two Veteran

Game Trailer

Super Stardust HD Solo & Team Mode
Overlord Raising Hell
Metal Gear Solid 4 E3

Wallpaper

PixelJunk Monsters
Prince of Persia Prodigy

Arabesque

New Prince

Japan

Downloadable Game

Fatal Inertia EX

Game Demo

Fatal Inertia EX

Game Add-on

Hot Shots Golf 5 New Costume Set

PS One for PS3 / PSP

Wizard's Harmony 2
A Sony Computer Entertainment game
Bomberman?
Lord Monarch?

Hong Kong

Game Add-on

Hot Shots Golf 5 New Costume Set

PSP Demo

Valhalla Knights 2

Game Trailer

Brother in Arms: Hell's Highway

PS One for PS3 / PSP

Arcade Hits ShienRyu
Atelier Elie
Master of Monsters Akatsuki no Kenjatachi

PS3 firmware v2.40 info!!!!

2008-05-31T09:51:00.003+01:00

hi everyone are you all excited about ps3 firmware update v2.40, this should include:

What's confirmed:

Technically, nothing. Until Sony issue a press release or post something on their blog, everything is speculation, rumour and wishful thinking. However, there are a number of people we here at TSA can happily place our trust in, and Jim over at Gaming Age is one of them. In addition, everything in this post is our opinion too.

Will the new features automatically appear inside the games?

Whilst claims of universal Friends lists and in-game invites seem realistic enough, don't expect them to suddenly start working when 2.40 arrives. The development kits for the 2.40 features haven't even gone out to developers yet (or so we hear) so any features locked to 2.40 and above will need to be patched in by the devs once they get their hands on the code.

What does this mean?

It means you won't be able to hit the PS button in Motorstorm and invite your mates, not until such functionality is patched into the game and a new title update is made available to download. We would expect that in-game messaging will work across all games though, as part of the XMB layer - just not invites as such.

And custom soundtracks?

Well, Microsoft has a patent on such functionality, it's going to be interesting to see how Sony get around that, if indeed that's the plan. Expect this to be more of a 'music player' that overlays the game, and cancels out the normal game music if the game itself supports it.

So what can we expect?

Well, we're assuming that Sony will increase the Friends list, at least doubling it. We also assume that some kind of XMB functionality will be added to movie playback, the way you're signed out of PSN when watching a Blu-ray is odd. Expect the XMB to show the time, too, in-game, plus we might finally get RSS feeds.

We'll get Trophies, right?

Almost certainly. Again, only for games that support them.

What about Youtube uploading

Well, it's already there in one game - Mainichi Issho (Everyday Together) - but required a game patch, so we can guess that similar options will appear in future games, again, via patches. The option to upload your favourite crashes from GRID would be a nice touch.

And when will 2.40 hit?

June 12th? Seems fair enough, if not the week before...

My opinion is that i just cant wait!!

ps3 news & blu-ray info Enjoy

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Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution Review

Civilization Revolution is a fantastic, frantic combination of pretty much all the highlights of previous Civilization titles rolled into one single package. Finally, a worthy way to experience Sid Meier's legendary franchise on your console!

Sony’s newest phone has people drawing comparisons to the Nintendo Wii.

Ps3 Firmware 2.36 is now available for download

Ps3 Firmware 2.36 is now available for download

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Sony Designs New PS3 Controller

Rumours: Firmware 2.36 Soon?

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PlayStation Store Update June 12, 2008

Demo Impressions: Battlefield: Bad Company

Has the PS3 Evolved?

CoD5 has co-op, vehicles in multiplayer, CoD4 engine, every format apart from PSP

Rumor: Wii-like PS3 controller used in focus test

PS3 gets seven inch LCD screen

19 months later, the PS3 is a different (and better) machine

Showdown: Resistance 2 vs. Gears 2

PSP Needs to Act Soon, or it's Game Over

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Qore: Online Magazine, or PSN Gold?

Ubisoft: 360 won't make it as a family console, PS3 could

Games installs going overboard

Download Torrents With the PS3

PSN - Let's Be Honest

PS3 version of Red Alert 3 in limbo

This Week's New Videogame Releases (Week of 2/6/08)

Cheapest Games on Net Before Release

Prologue of METAL GEAR SOLID 4

This Week’s Blu-Cast

Movie

Release date

Insider: 2.40 and when to expect it

In-Game XMB Confirmed???

Sub-Zero MK vs. DC Universe render unveiled

May all in 1 BLOG

Sony announces downloadable gardening outing on PS3

CLICK HERE PS3 Firmware 2.40 to really include in-game XMB? *leaked video Update* CLICK HERE

PlayStation Home Beta: Ubidays gets first dibs on Media and Events Space

Analysts: Wii ready for a record year, PS3 to surpass Xbox 360 in 2009

Making your films go further

“The sky is the limit”

echochrome

The travelling echo

Puzzled over your next download?

Sony: PS3 Home Is Great, But Needs More Time

Sony: PS3 outsold Xbox 360 By 45% In Australia

Summer Blu-Ray Sale

Codemaster’s GRID PR Stunt

Top Ten: Frustrating Moments in Gaming

Exclusive: Info On The New PS3 Controller

Images for HAWX

Dualshock 3 on PSP

click here for free themes

Firmware 2.40 possibly out June 10th

360 games that could come to PS3

PixelJunk Eden Explained

PS3 off life support and ready to overtake Xbox 360 in 2009

CLICK HERE PS3 Firmware 2.40 to really include in-game XMB? leaked video Update CLICK HERE