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Team Ico Project Trico Unveiled?

Solomon Lee — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:44:53 -0500

An early trailer showing Team Ico's third project is available due to an exclusive video posted by the PlayStation Lifestyle website. The video shows a young boy who bears a striking resemblance to the lead protagonist from the game, Ico.

Sony has offered no comment on the video at this time. Those that wish to visit the site can do so here.

GB Review: Star Ocean: The Last Hope (360)

Solomon Lee — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:26:14 -0500

Star Ocean is an enjoyable RPG with engaging battles and an addictive item creation mode. Despite the bland dialogue and vague mission objectives, role playing fans will love the open worlds and intense combat with their party members. Ultimately, Star Ocean is a vastly superior game to Infinite Undiscovery and The Last Remnant titles. With multiple endings, battle trophies and various achievements, the Last Hope appeals to both casual and hardcore players. Though the game is plagued by bad dialogue and long cutscenes, The Last Hope is definitely an RPG that is worth the investment.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Star Ocean has been an RPG series that has only received modest attention. Overshadowed by other Square Enix series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, the Star Ocean series has only begun to receive attention thanks to its recent PSP ports and the earlier Till the End of Time PS2 instalment. To the surprise of many RPG fans, the next title was announced exclusively for Xbox 360 with possible development for the PlayStation 3 left as unconfirmed. Despite the mediocre cutscenes and dialogue, Star Ocean: The Last Hope is a deeply complex but satisfying game.

Star Ocean tells the tale of World War III that erupted between the World Republic Federation and the opposing world nations. Most of the earth was left in devastated ruins with a cease-fire negotiated two weeks after (wait for it) weapons of mass destruction were unleashed on a global scale. Survivors of the war wandered underground cities with little hope of deliverance. The remaining nations formed the Greater United Nations and eventually launched a space campaign to explore inhabitable planets. Edge Maverick, a young soldier and Reimi, a childhood friend and expert archer, are sent on the SRF (Space Reconnaissance Force) maiden voyage. Along the journey, Edge meets other such characters like Faize, a young Eldearian, Lymle, a spoiled Lemurisian village child and Meracle, a spunky feline humanoid.

The Last Hope utilizes a real time battle system. You can issue commands to use items, switch characters, cast symbols and unleash skills, all on-the-fly. One of the highlights of these is the jump ability, allowing you to dodge enemy attacks or surprise them with blindside attacks, (where a ! symbol appears that makes enemies vulnerable to getting attacked when you escape from their line of sight). While most battles can feel like a chore in other RPGs, the ability to quickly maneuver around enemies keeps the battles intense and engaging.

As you take damage, your rush gauge slowly fills up enabling you to initiate rush attacks upon your enemies once the gauge is full. When initiated, they temporarily give you more speed and higher defense stats against various enemy attacks. There are no random battles as monsters prowl in open sight on the battlefield. In the event you are attacked while moving or standing still in battle, your party member may, depending on your stats, block the attack entirely. You can also execute special attacks with the trigger buttons and link combos together to inflict heavy damage on your foes. A battle simulator is accessible for those that wish to hone their skills prior to fighting real battles in the game.

As you build your repertoire of skills, you will be able to harvest and mine for materials on the open field with your character. Many of these points are both visible and well hidden in different locales and terrains on differing planets. Disintegration rings allow you to interact with the environment to remove barriers by utilizing different elements. For example, a large ice block can be removed with a fire disintegration ring. All of the rings have limited uses and can only be recharged by Lymle with her charge command ability or by ring experts in villages. Battle skills can also be upgraded frequently to unleash devastating attacks on enemies that increase your Bonus board, a tiled gauge that grants you extra bonuses for stylish and hard-fought battles.

The Calnus is your spaceship hub used to travel between planets. As you progress in the game, you can assign rooms to different party members. Depending on how you treat them, opposite party members can be assigned the same room for opportunities to trigger Private Events in the game. Private events are made of up of personal dialogue and interaction between two characters with a unique sidestory. Save points are also located in various rooms to allow you to rest and recover after difficult missions. Though the use of save points is convenient on the Calnus, the lack of sufficient save points during missions can be quite frustrating.

Item creation is one of the most satisfying features in this game. New items can be created by using old items with the help of your party members. This is done by designating your teammates into groups to invent recipes. The catch is that the recipes must be created in a timed session with the results hinging on the IC (Item Creation) abilities of your comrades. Once they are out of ideas, the message No Plan will appear and the session will end. You can also end the session manually if you are satisfied with the recipes before the timer is up. Much time can easily be spent on item creation to boost your partys offensive attacks in battle.

Visually, the game sports beautiful environments and polished character designs. The special effects are stunning in battle with a lot of symbology and chain combo attacks. Regarding the characters, the anime-style designs are decent but the vacant stares and awkward facial expressions in various cutscenes are rather disappointing. As for the soundtrack, the music is exceptional and is composed by Motoi Sakuraba, the acclaimed Star Ocean and Valkryie Profile maestro. The voice actors, however, dont fare nearly as well as the soundtrack.

One of the issues in this game is the mission objectives. You will find yourself either talking to your comrades often or wandering around aimlessly just to finish your objectives. They are not always clearly defined resulting in a bit of exploring and backtracking. In battles, the camera tends to swing or position itself poorly when fighting numerous enemies. With respect to the story and character development, the cutscenes are too long and would be more effective if they were shortened to emphasize key plot points.

Playstation Store Update: Flower, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift Demo

Zach Lott — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:36:22 -0600

As usual, Sony has released the weekly Playstation Store update today, and this week marks the long-awaited release of thatgamecompany's latest project, Flower. There's also a demo of Motorstorm: Pacific Rift and some DLC for Guitar Hero and Rock Band along with the usual extras.

Check out the list of additions after the jump.

Qore

Qore Annual Subscription ($24.99)
Qore: Presented by the PlayStation Network is a monthly interactive video production covering the world of PlayStation. Qore provides its audience with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to developers and their games, from both the SCE Worldwide Studios and the third-party community, where the audience member can freely navigate through the content.
File size: 1.17 GB

Qore Episode 09: February, 2009 ($2.99)
Episode 09 of Qore: Presented by the PlayStation Network kicks off Spring training with an inside look at MLB 09 The Show and demonstrates Resident Evil 5s co-op gameplay with new QoreVision technology.
File size: 1.17 GB

PULSE

Pulse 2/12 Edition (free) (also available from PSP storefront)
PULSE presented by the PlayStation Network is a free high definition video showcase of whats happening right now on PlayStation. Featuring new game releases, demos, movie and television arrivals available for your PS3 and PSP systems, PULSE is a fast-paced new source to keep you connected and informed about the world of PlayStation.
Hosted by Christina Lee.
File size: 269 MB (HD) 446 MB (1080)

Downloadable Games

Flower ($9.99)
Flower lets you take control of the wind as you explore and navigate beautiful, lush environments using only the SIXAXIS motion controls. This is an interactive escape that takes you on an emotional journey like no other game youve ever experienced.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 628 MB

Add-on Game Content

NBA Live 09 All Star Weekend (free)
Get up-to-date for NBA All-Star Weekend 2009 from Phoenix, Arizona with the official jerseys and court. This free update pack includes the official All-Star Weekend Court and official East and West All-Star game jerseys for All-Star 2009.
File size: 39 MB

LUMINES Supernova Classic Pack ($4.99)
This LUMINES Supernova download pack contains special classic skins!
File size: 136 MB

Disgaea 3 - Disgaea 2 Sacrebleu Set with Free Theme! ($5.99)
This package file adds new custom characters Tink, Yukimaru, and Priere. The download pak also comes with a free bonus item, a Priere theme for your PLAYSTATION 3!
File size: 1.23 MB

Disgaea 3 - Priere ($1.99)
This package file adds a new custom character called Priere. Purchase the Disgaea 2 Sacrebleu Set and get a free Priere theme!
File size: 1.22 MB

Disgaea 3 - Tink ($1.99)
This package file adds a new custom character called Tink from Disgaea 2. Purchase the Disgaea 2 Sacrebleu Set and get a free Priere theme!
File size: 1.22 MB

Disgaea 3 - Yukimaru ($1.99)
This package file adds a new custom character called Yukimaru from Disgaea 2. Purchase the Disgaea 2 Sacrebleu Set and get a free Priere theme!
File size: 1.22 MB

Rock Band

Creepin Up the Backstairs - The Fratellis ($1.99)
Flathead - The Fratellis ($1.99)
Henrietta - The Fratellis ($1.99)
The Fratellis Pack 01 ($5.49) - Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: The Fratellis Pack 01. This pack includes: Creepin Up the Backstairs, Flathead, and Henrietta by The Fratellis.

File sizes: 26 MB - 35 MB (singles), 90 MB (track pack)

Guitar Hero World Tour

Wonderwall by Ryan Adams ($1.99)
New Slang by The Shins ($1.99)
Drive by Incubus ($1.99)
Acoustic Track Pack ($5.49) - Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring Drive by Incubus, New Slang by The Shins, and Wonderwall by Ryan Adams. Please Note: Many songs are available both as singles and as part of a Track Pack, so please carefully consider your purchases before downloading.

File sizes: 40 MB - 41 MB (singles), 119 MB (track pack)

Game Demos (free)

MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
This new MotorStorm: Pacific Rift demo offers both a single player and a split screen multiplayer race, but this time we let the veterans of MotorStorm.com choose their favorite track, Razorback.
File size: 673 MB

Game Videos (free)

Flower Trailer
File size: 93 MB (HD)

Flower Developer Diary
File size: 231 MB (HD)

LocoRoco 2 Launch Trailer
File size: 66 MB (HD)

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue - The Ride Of Your Life
File size: 172 MB (HD)

Tekken 6 Call To Arms Trailer
File size: 12 MB (SD) 48 MB (HD)

GTI Club+ Trailer
File size: 48 MB (HD)

Brain Challenge Expansion Pack
File size: 86 MB (1080)

50 Cent: Blood On The Sand Trailer #1
File size: 45 MB (HD)

50 Cent: Blood On The Sand Trailer #2
File size: 34 MB (HD)

50 Cent: Blood On The Sand Trailer #3
File size: 37 MB (HD)

Movie Trailers (free)

Rent: Live on Broadway Blu-ray Disc Trailer
File size: 38 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes

Flower Theme (free)
File size: 1.79 MB

LocoRoco 2 The Planet Theme (free)
File size: 2.04 MB

PAIN: The Hoff Theme (free)
File size: 1.97 MB

Prier Custom Theme free with Disgaea 2 Sacrebleu Set ($0.99)
File size: 1.43 MB

Magic Ball Theme (free)
File size: 2.20 MB

Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom Theme (free)
File size: 3.11 MB

Cuboid Theme (free)
File size: 1.99 MB

Anime MBM Theme ($0.99)
File size: 3.48 MB

Valentine Hearts Theme ($1.49)
File size: 5.18 MB

Fractal Hearts Theme ($1.49)
File size: 5.63 MB

Valentine Angels Theme ($1.49)
File size: 6.60 MB

PS3 Wallpaper (free)

Flower Wallpaper
File size: 220 KB (SD) 504 KB (1080)

Game Love Wallpaper
File size: 414 KB (1080)

PlayStation Store for PSP Game Videos(free)

* Pulse 2/12 Edition (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
PULSE presented by the PlayStation Network is a free high definition video showcase of whats happening right now on PlayStation. Featuring new game releases, demos, movie and television arrivals available for your PS3 and PSP systems, PULSE is a fast-paced new source to keep you connected and informed about the world of PlayStation.
Hosted by Christina Lee.
File size: 269 MB

* LocoRoco 2 Trailer
File size: 9.73 MB

PSP Themes

* LocoRoco 2 Planet Theme (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
File size: 372 KB

* Anime MBM 1 ($0.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)
File size: 443 KB

* Anime MBM 2 ($0.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)
File size: 494 KB

* Valentine Hearts ($1.49) (also available from PS3 storefront)
File size: 310 KB

Dragon Quest IX Pushed Back In Japan

Zach Lott — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:14:16 -0600

Originally scheduled for a Japanese release on March 28, Dragon Quest IX has been delayed until July 11, according to Joystiq (via NeoGAF).

It seems like Square Enix discovered some major bugs in the game's code and delayed the game as an emergency precaution, since they have been advertising the game heavily throughout Japan, which has traditionally been where the series sells the most units.

There's still no news on a North American release date, but we'll keep our eyes peeled. Could there be an announcement at E3, perhaps?

Criterion Announces Cops and Robbers Pack For Burnout Paradise

Zach Lott — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:46:26 -0600

1up is reporting that Burnout Paradise developer Criterion has announced that the racing title will receive its sixth DLC pack, entitled Cops and Robbers, later this year.

According to Criterion, the pack brings "the thrills and spills of cops and robbers car chases in Paradise City" and will be released after all of its siblings.

Fallout 3 DLC Delayed

Zach Lott — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:43:12 -0600

Operation Anchorage, the first DLC pack for Fallout 3, is out, but fans of Bethesda's latest title are going to have to wait another month for the next pack to arrive, according to a GameSpot report that it has been delayed until March. The third pack, originally slated for March, will now be released in April.

"The next DLC for Fallout 3, The Pitt, will be out in March," Bethesda vice president of marketing Pete Hines told GameSpot. "Broken Steel will be out the following month, in April."

The Pitt will send players against a group of raiders in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while Broken Steel continues the main storyline and will raise the level cap.

Playstation Store Update: MLB 09 The Show Demo, Guitar Hero/Rock Band DLC

Zach Lott — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:50:37 -0600

Thursday has arrived, and that means that Sony has once again updated the Playstation Store. The latest batch of content includes a demo for MLB 09 The Show, new songs for both Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band, and a new pack of costumes and stickers for LittleBigPlanet.

Hit the jump to check out the full list of additions.

Downloadable Games3 on 3 NHL Arcade ($9.99)
EA SPORTS welcomes you to the fast paced world of arcade hockey. From the same team that brought you NHL 09 comes a 3 on 3 experience that throws conventional hockey, and its rules, out the window. Choose from 40 of the NHLs top players and bring them into this no rules hockey game where big heads and big hits rule the day. With loads of power-ups falling on the ice to the ability to level a guy clear out of the rink, this is definitely not your typical simulation. This full version of the game offers online play, achievements, leaderboard tracking, and more features that will have you coming back for more.

ESRB Rated E
File size: 188 MB

Burnout Paradise - The Ultimate Bundle ($29.99)
Get the full version of Burnout Paradise - 2008s Racing Game of the Year - and get the brand new Pass the Pad Party Pack as well. Paradise City is the ultimate driving playground, set in a vast open-world, filled with gameplay that will push your driving and riding skills to the limit.
ESRB Rated E10
File size: 3.25 GB

Add-on Game Content

Burnout Paradise Party ($9.99)
Want to play Burnout Paradise at home with your friends in some offline multiplayer action? Burnout Paradise Party introduces fun, quick-fire challenges around Paradise City that can be played by 2-8 players of all skill levels.
File size: 100 KB

High Velocity Bowling: Dwayne ($0.99)
Its time to bowl High Velocity style! Add Dwayne Harper to your High Velocity Bowling roster. It aint easy being a gangsta thug bowla, but Dwyane manages by combining good aim and power for an awesome shot. Download includes Dwaynes special Urban Assault ball, plus the new Inner City Alley lane, set in a back alley of a major city with unique audio.
File size: 48 MB

High Velocity Bowling: Candy ($0.99)
Its time to bowl High Velocity style! Add Candy Lincoln to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Candys a clash of old school and new tattoos. Her aim is great, but her ball is a bit too heavy for her. Download includes Candys special Candied Cherries ball, plus the new Jumpin Joes Diner lane, with a rockin retro atmosphere and unique audio.
File size: 42 MB

Hot Shots Golf New Course ($4.99)
Download the new Golfasaurus-Rex B.C.C. course now available for play in Hot Shots Golf Out Of Bounds. Take your favorite players and caddies and tee it up on this new, beautifully designed course and see if you have what it takes your game to a new level of play.
File size: 100 KB

LittleBigPlanet Valentine's Day Mini-Pack ($2.99)
New costumes and stickers to spread some love in LittleBigPlanet!
File size: 1.04 MB

NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM Pack 8 (free)
Download Storm Pack 8 and unleash the legendary Sound Ninja Kidoumaru as your support character in battle. The Storm Pack 8 also contains new Ultimate Mission to engage!
File size: 100 KB

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

Cowboy Song (Live) - Thin Lizzy ($1.99)
Jailbreak (Live) - Thin Lizzy ($1.99)
The Boys Are Back in Town (Live) - Thin Lizzy ($1.99)
Thin Lizzy Track Pack 01 ($5.49) - Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Thin Lizzy Pack 01. This pack includes: The Boys Are Back in Town (Live) (Live), Cowboy Song (Live), and Jailbreak (Live) by Thin Lizzy.
Precious - The Pretenders ($1.99)
Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benetar ($1.99)
Dont Tell Me - Nikko ($0.99)
Break My Heart - Nikko ($0.99)

File sizes: 21 MB - 36 MB (singles), 101 MB (track pack)

Guitar Hero World Tour
For all song credits please visit www.guitarhero.com.

Gimme All Your Lovin as made famous by ZZ Top, covered by Wavegroup ($1.99)
Commotion by Creedence Clearwater Revival ($1.99)
Black Betty as made famous by Ram Jam, covered by Wavegroup ($1.99)
Southern Rock Track Pack ($5.49) - Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring Commotion by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Black Betty as made famous by Ram Jam, covered by Wavegroup, and Gimme All Your Lovin as made famous by ZZ Top, covered by Wavegroup.

File sizes: 27 MB - 41 MB (singles), 106 MB (track pack)

Game Demos (free)

MLB 09 The Show Demo
In 08, ESPN called the the game the most realistic baseball game ever created and IGN dubbed it Sports Game Of The Year. If youre a baseball fan, you owe it to yourself to get hands-on experience with the MLB 09 The Show. See for yourself why Nothing Gets You Closer. For more details, visit www.MLB09TheShow.com.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1.56 GB

3 on 3 NHL Arcade Trial
EA SPORTS welcomes you to the fast paced world of arcade hockey. From the same team that brought you NHL 09 comes a 3 on 3 experience that throws conventional hockey, and its rules, out the window. This trial version of the game lets you get a taste of the power-ups, NHL stars, and outrageous gameplay that is definitely not your typical simulation experience.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 188 MB

Game Videos (free)

LocoRoco 2 Pre-Launch Trailer
File size: 106 MB (HD)

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin EPA Trailer
File size: 52 MB (HD)

PAIN: Darts Trailer
File size: 63 MB (HD)

PAIN: Fortress Trailer
File size: 42 MB (HD)

Winter Dew Tour: Kevin Pearce in Japan
File size: 101 MB (HD)

Winter Dew Tour: Colby West
File size: 98 MB (HD)

Winter Dew Tour: Breckenridge Ridin Highlights
File size: 124 MB (HD)

Winter Dew Tour: Breckenridge Recap
File size: 94 MB (HD)

Winter Dew Tour: Breckenridge Freeskiing Thrills
File size: 95 MB (HD)

Winter Dew Tour: Breckenridge Athletes
File size: 101 MB (HD)

Winter Dew Tour: PlayStation Pro Moments - Breckenridge
File size: 63 MB (HD)

Movie Trailers (free)

2012 Trailer
File size: 15 MB (SD) 49 MB (HD) 75 MB (1080)

Open Season 2 Blu-ray Disc Trailer
File size: 80 MB (HD) 106 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes

LocoRoco 2 MuiMui Theme (free)
File size: 1.12 MB

Evil Clowns Theme ($1.49)
File size: 5.2 MB

Gothic Girlz Theme ($1.49)
File size: 4.41 MB

Polar Bears Theme ($1.49)
File size: 5.56 MB

PlayStation Store for PSP Game Demos (free)

* Phantasy Star Portable
Check out the long awaited demo of Phantasy Star Portable and experience what others have been enjoying for years. Up to four friends will team up to unravel the exclusive new storyline that picks up where Phantasy Star Universe ends and before the start of PSU: Ambition of the Illuminus.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 272 MB

Game Videos (free)

LocoRoco 2 Pre-Launch Trailer
File size: 18 MB

PSP Wallpaper (free)

LocoRoco 2 Wallpaper (x4)
File sizes: 129 KB - 185 KB

Prince of Persia DLC Not Coming to PC

Zach Lott — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:18:42 -0600

Here's a story for those of you who played Prince of Persia on the PC: Big Download is reporting that Ubisoft has chosen to release the game's upcoming DLC pack, which continues the storyline, only on the 360 and PS3.

From Ubisoft's community manager via the Ubisoft message boards:

"Unfortunately for business reasons we won't be seeing any PoP DLC appear. Sorry guys!"

While unfortunate for PC gamers, the expansion will make its way to the Xbox Live Marketplace and Playstation Network on February 26.

Prototype to be Released in June

Zach Lott — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:06:50 -0600

Prototype may have missed its 2008 release date, but Activision hasn't forgot about it, seeing as they've sent Joystiq a New York Comic Con invitation that contains this nugget:

"Hands-on fans get their first chance to play the highly anticipated open-world/action thriller, PROTOTYPE, planned for release in June."

Naturally, we'll keep you updated with any announcements made at the event, which begins on Friday and lasts until Sunday.

Resident Evil 5 Demo Hits PSN

Zach Lott — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:00:11 -0600

PS3 owners have been waiting patiently for the Resident Evil 5 demo that hit the Xbox Live Marketplace last week to make its way to the Playstation Network, and today that patience was rewarded, as the demo is now available for download. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Resident Evil 5 Demo Hits Xbox Live

Zach Lott — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:16:41 -0600

Although Microsoft is rather busy these days with firing their employees, it seems that they haven't forgotten that they still have an online service to maintain, as Major Nelson has announced via his official blog that a demo for Resident Evil 5 has arrived on Xbox Live.

The demo, which is the same one released in Japan last month, allows you to play "by yourself or play with a partner in co-op mode, either online or offline with a split screen," according to Nelson.

Capcom has yet to reveal a date for the PSN demo, but it shouldn't be long before it'll be available. We'll let you know once it's announced.

Limited Edition White Dragon PS3 Available in Japan.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:34:02 -0600

"White Dragon" used to my my nickname in martial arts circles prior to my career ending loss in a tonfa pit fight in Cambodia. Ok, so maybe I'm making some of that up. Fine, ok ok, all of it was made up, but the amazing PlayStation 3 that you see above is very real. One day, it could be yours if you can snatch one of 10,000 pebbles from the hands of Japanese gamers. The alabaster creature of legend is part of a bundle that includes Yakuza 3, err well I guess it will be Ryu Ga Gotoku 3... since it's Japanese and all. Granted the game itself is unlikely to be importer friendly for those of you who don't speak Japanese, but the system itself would perform well enough for importers who don't mind region locking on backwards compatible titles and DVDs. Look for it around march 6th.

PSN Update. More Importantly Suikoden.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:41:55 -0600

Due to unforeseeable circumstances Christmas, the PlayStation Store update hit today. And why do we care? Because Suikoden, one of the best PlayStation RPGs was released today. Additionally, maybe, if we all knock our heels together we'll be blessed with a downloadable Suikoden II at somewhere less than 1/10-1/15 of the going rate (depending upon season, moon cycle, and oprah's weight.) So basically, if you're even remotely in the market for a decent RPG, it may be worth tossing your $5.99 towards a classic. Lots of other stuff came out too... That's after the jump.

Lumines Supernova: More Lumines puzzle fun with more themes, including Christmas themes for the next few weeks (to wit.)

Lord of the Rings: Conquest demo.

Toro the Japanese PlayStation mascot has been added as a playable character in Hot Shots Golf.

A new episode of Pulse.

Metal Gear 4 Little Big Planet levels and accessories. What's not to like?

Disgaea 3 add-ons.

Some music game song things for random music games. Notable: Foo Fighters songs are available for Rockband.

And well, tons of other things. Feel free to hit the jump if you're not already turning on your PS3/PSP/PC to check the store out.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix Destroys Sales Records

Zach Lott — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:55:34 -0600

Over at Capcom's website, John Diamonon has revealed in a blog post that Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix may very well become the highest-grossing digital game ever made, having already sold over 250,000 units since its release in late November.

Diamonon mentioned in his post that the game has "shattered" day one and week one sales records and is on pace to break the 30 day sales mark.

The game has been reviewed very well and has garnered praise for its music and artwork, the latter of which, interestingly enough, almost got the game cancelled at one point for a perceived lack of quality. You can download it either through the Playstation Store or Xbox Live Arcade.

Voice Chat Temporarily Removed From Home

Zach Lott — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:55:54 -0600

In an attempt to alleviate some of the technical issues that are currently plaguing the Home beta, Sony did some system maintenance this morning and issued a patch that upgrades Home to version 1.04, which includes a temporary suspension of voice chat, according to the Playstation Blog.

"As soon as we are ready to resume the voice chat feature, we will inform you via PlayStation.com and PlayStation.Blog. In the meantime, we encourage users to make use of the Wireless Keypad for PLAYSTATION 3 or any USB or Bluetooth-enabled keyboard for text chat and also the 'phone friend' features to communicate within PlayStation Home," said Abagail Murphy, PR Manager for PSN.

Sony has been garnering harsh criticism from those frustrated with the numerous error codes and connection issues as well as those upset with the lack of content, but at least they're trying to fix things on the technical side. We'll let you know if any other announcements regarding the situation are made.

GB Review: Midnight Club LA Remix (PSP)

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:48:26 -0600

Midnight Club LA Remix is a competent racer with few niggling issues and annoyances. The portable version holds up well to its fully featured console cousins and for an arcade style racing game on the go you're unlikely to come across a better example of the genre at the moment, but it's far from a must have title if you're not really in the market for a portable racing game. It's worth a buy if you're interested in a racer that's not tethered to a television.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Every once in a great while, in every field, in any genre, there is a title that exemplifies, redefines, and generally leaves everyone else involved in the business both gob-smacked and flabbergasted. Midnight Club LA Remix for the PlayStation Portable is not such a title, but it is a competent arcade racer spread across the cities of Los Angeles and Tokyo where you can pop parking brakes and bust nitrous boosts to your heart's desire. While it exhibits a few issues it ultimately proves itself to be a fun title.

Launch Gallery: Midnight Club LA Remix

(15 images)

As with any arcade style racer, realism takes a backseat to outlandish physics, over-the-top crashes, and general mayhem. The gameplay is flawed at times, but ultimately enjoyable. The game engages you by using the city as a glorified menu system allowing you to chose races and upgrade your car at your will once you unlock the features. While this is enjoyable to an extent, it feels like a chore after a while -- considering how you're forced to endure at least two healthy loading screens merely to accomplish any task. Once you arrive at your destination you can look forward to a one to five minute race followed by some more loading screens. Repetition of races is also a minor gripe that should be considered.

The racing itself is a blast, the sense of speed is very real, and the turning on most cars feels just right once you get a hang of how to handle each of your cars. The AI controlled races vary from laughably pathetic to fiendishly difficult. While this is not a bad thing it's difficult to find races where there is a definite sense of being in just the right spot for an exciting finish which is somewhat of a let down. On a related note, which explains the lack of exciting finishes to a degree, the AI does not resort of "rubber banding" their way back up to you when you're in the lead or vice-versa. The car modification system is exceptionally robust and the number of modifications available for each individual car is nothing short of astounding.

The game's sound is difficult to quantify. The racers and main character all feature voice acting that's subpar across to board, and the dialogue is beyond poorly written unless you consider 2 Fast 2 Furious to be the apex of screenwriting prowess. That being said, there is a certain campy value that the dialogue and voice acting adds that makes the game endearing or at least mildly amusing the first few times you hear the insults that are thrown about by the other racers. The music is a standard faire of rap, electronic, hip hop, and rock songs. Featuring nearly 100 musical tracks the selection is anything but constrained, and the long list of artists should almost guarantee that there is at least once act that you're interested in listening to. Unfortunately most of the races are shorter than the songs included in the game so the music is often cut short by the lack of a continuation feature.

The graphics are generally sharp with minimal pop up when moving. Upon closer inspection the textures are rather drab and lack much in the way of definition, but this is hardly a deal breaker since this is really only noticeable when you're stopped and looking directly at an object (which really isn't the point of a racing game, is it?) The cars themselves look as if they were recreated with care and the cities seem as if a great deal of forethought was put into their design. Each city has defined districts that differ in appearance from the rest of the city, and the streets seem to flow comfortably in such a manner that doesn't punish the player too badly for making a wrong turn. All things considered it's an attractive visual package for a portable racer.

Midnight Club LA Remix is a passable effort at an arcade racer that while falling short on a few points manages to create an enjoyable casual experience for a portable racing title. The loading screens sort of detract from the pickup-and-playability of the title, but if you've got an extra moment or two it may just be worth your while to put rubber to the streets of LA and Tokyo during your free time. Far from redefining the genre the game offers an experience that is generally pleasing and engaging.

Capcom announces dates for Super Street Fighter II HD for XBLA, PSN

Zach Lott — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:10:06 -0600

Capcom announced today the release dates for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - November 25 for the PSN version and November 26 for the XBLA version.

Also announced was that various Street Fighter-themed DLC will be released for various XBLA titles while another "little surprise" will be coming for PSN later in the year. In addition, a downloable album of hip-hop music inspired by Street Fighter will be made available for PS3 owners when SSFIITHDR is released.

Sony talks portable LittleBigPlanet, Guitar Hero/Rock Band

Zach Lott — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:20:01 -0600

Rumors that LittleBigPlanet is getting a PSP iteration have been around since April and were recently strengthened by a rumor found within the pages of the latest Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), so MTV's Multiplayer Blog asked Sony's John Koller about the rumors during a phone interview yesterday.

Koller's comments from the story:

"'LittleBigPlanet is so expansionary. I think the developers really concentrating on right now making sure that the launched product is everything it could be and can be. Were watching the UGC [user generated content] and seeing how thats playing out. But for the future, I think certainly, wed look at a wide variety of opportunities. Whether thats the PSP or not, I cant really say. We certainly look at LittleBigPlanet franchise as a going forward franchise for us, and that speaks to the PlayStation brand overall.

Multiplayer also asked Koller about the possibility of Rock Band or Guitar Hero hitting the PSP, as well:

Its of huge interest to us. Thats something youd really have to talk to the developers on that side [if] its going to happen or not. For us, we look at the music area as being critical for PSP and the social area of interest as well. PSP is a lot different than your traditional handheld product and music is the number two use on the PSP, behind gaming. So, the marrying of those two concepts is of huge interest to us, and if theres that opportunity to launch a title like that or even a new title that utilizes music in some way, then obviously were very interested.

Sounds like there may be something to these rumors. Stay tuned, we'll let you know if anything is announced.

Sony: 80% of PS3 users are "active" on PSN

Zach Lott — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:04:27 -0600

In a post celebrating the second anniversary of the release of the PS3 on the official U.S. Playstation Blog yesterday, Sony's John Koller went through an extensive list of the system's achievements, but one that should draw your attention more than the others is this figure: 14 million "active" PSN accounts.

If Sony is to be believed, then this means that around 80% of PS3 owners are currently active on PSN, but chances are that this isn't the whole story. I'd be willing to bet that the 80% figure is counting people who have made an account, not just people who are actually using it on a regular basis, as I think that figure would be somewhat lower.

What do you guys think?

Sony Addresses Little Big Planet Moderation

Solomon Lee — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:54:31 -0600

For those of you wondering why your precious LBP level was deleted without cause or notice, Sony has provided a formal explanation on the Three Speech blog in the form of guidelines:

Ensure that the content you share with other users is suitable for all ages - everyone has access to your level if you publish it
Please respect other people's intellectual property rights. For example, don't use images, brands or logos that you're not entitled to use.
If you come across any content that you feel the need to report, then please do it responsibly. Hoax reports will be considerable inappropriate behavior.

There you have it folks! Don't be afraid to create a living canvas or to build something truly unique - as long as they adhere to these guidelines.

Resident Evil 5 Coming To PC?

Tim Grube — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:34:02 -0600

Resident Evil 5 is approaching quite rapidly and today the folks over at MCV have found something deep within a Capcom Q1 2009 release schedule. It states the RE5 is scheduled to be coming out on the PC as well as the previously announce PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

This is big news for PC fans because many RE fans have been asking for a PC port and now it is here! The game is scheduled for release on March 12, 2009 in Japan, and March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe.

Valkyria Chronicles DLC confirmed for US release.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:07:07 -0600

Sega's beautiful action-strategy-rpg Valkyria Chronicles released today, so if you're keen on experiencing a unique game that bends an established genre and blends another, now's the time to pick it up. If you're further interested, two bits of DLC have already been confirmed for US release in early 2009. One allows you to play as a side character called Edie, and the other allows you to take on the role of the game's antagonists. If Japanese prices are anything to consider, you can expect them to run $5-10 a piece. You can also expect them to be fully voice acted.

NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM Ships

Tim Grube — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:33:03 -0600

Namco Bandai Games America Inc., today shipped NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM to retailers across North America exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console.

The Ultimate Ninja series is recognized by Naruto fans and gamers alike as the video game franchise that best captures the high-energy ninja action of the hit animated series, said Todd Thorson, director of marketing and public relations at Namco Bandai Games America, Inc. NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM represents an incredible leap forward for the franchise as we make our debut on the PLAYSTATION 3 system with an all-new battle system, free-roaming gameplay and undeniably stunning graphics.

Developed by CyberConnect2, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $59.99.

WildTangent Closes Studio, Lays Off Staff

Tim Grube — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:54:17 -0600

WildTangent, the company behind many games such as FATE and BlasterBall announced today that it has closed its internal development studio, WildTangent Game Studios, laying off around 20 of its staff in the process. CEO and co-founder Alex St. John has also been replaced by Mike Peronto, formerly COO of the firm - but will stay on as chairman.

The company also manages the advertising sales for a group of gaming properties comprised of MMOGs and game portals including PopCap.com, FreeOnlineGames, Jagexs Runescape and FunOrb properties, as well as Artixs AdventureQuest, DragonFable and MechQuest properties.

Approximately 30 of the more than 600 games were produced by the company's own WildTangent Game Studios. The rest of the games on the WildTangent Game Network are from other game developers and publishers.

Metal Gear Online Reaches One Million Mark

Tim Grube — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:02:57 -0600

With all the mass voting going on here in the states, Konami was able to sneak in some good news surrounding Metal Gear Online. The company revealed that Metal Gear Online has established over one million members since the service launched back in June.

To go along with this great news, Konami will launch a special campaign Metal Gear Online: Commemorative Campaign, which will officially begin on November 25, 2008, awarding reward points to gamers who access Metal Gear Online during the promotion. The 10,000 reward points will be updated to account owners on the last day of the campaign, December 9, 2008.

These reward points can be used to purchase new online gear from the in-game reward shop.

Heavy Rain: 30 Minutes of French and Good Lighting.

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:20:20 -0500

Recently released video of Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain from the Micromania Expo in France has reached the gaming site formerly known as Jeuxfrance which shall henceforth be known as Gamekyo. The animations could use some work, and the gameplay looks as if it may be somewhat dry just yet, but damned if the game doesn't have lighting down to a science. Qualms aside it looks like it could very well be an interesting game. The video is definitely worth a look. Just excuse the French... unless you speak French, then please, by all means, ignore what I was just talking about.

Happy Halloween To All - Now Go Play Fallout 3!

Tim Grube — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:19:33 -0500

Shameless plug incoming...I have been locked into Bethesda's Fallout 3 on the PC for a couple days now and I have to admit that this game is almost my game of the year. Well, the World of Warcraft expansion is due out on November 13, so that might consume most of my time--but as of right now, Fallout 3 is an exceptional game and you must purchase it today!

Game reviews:

GameRevolution
Gaming Nexus
GameTrailers
Atomic Gamer
Total Video Games
GoodGearGuide
Spillmagasinet Norway
Vandal
Hardgame2
Gamesurf.it
PS3Italia
Spaziogames
Big Download
Spike
Fox News
MSN
Empire Online,

Patent Crawling Reveals New PS3 Controller from the Future!

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:24:36 -0500

In a move to further confirm the assumptions of jocks and parents world-round, Sony has patented a controller that looks like some sort of a cross between a Star Trek phaser and a novelty item for children that you see in magazines that sell cheap Chinese crap designed to waste batteries and break. To further engender the lusty gaze of Star Trek fans you can slap the controllers together to make something that looks sort of like a Bat'leth. (Please note that I put a considerable amount of time into finding out the name of that weapon... I can assure you that I've never spent this much time looking up a Star Trek related item that didn't involve 7 of 9 porn.)

All derisive comments aside, this looks like a really neat piece of kit. It can sense like 58 billion things like relative motion, and everything else that the Wii remote can't even come close to doing. Additionally, since it teams up with the PlayStation Eye it can sense body and facial motion. All-in-all, it looks as if Sony could have something amazing on their hands if they can bring it out for a reasonable price, and supply a constant stream of quality software based on the technology including third party support.

Official PS3 Headset: A Non-technical, Non-lengthy Review.

Ryan Fulton — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:40:57 -0500

The Official PS3 Wireless Headset that recently shipped with SOCOM and will see a future solo release on this upcoming Tuesday it is quite a nifty piece of tech. Through testing with a friend and by simply playing SOCOM it's rather apparent that this is a top quality headset.

The speaker is crisp and clear, and the dual microphone setup does an amazing job of picking up what you're saying with minimal distortion. Though untested and personally unconfirmed, the headset also works as a general microphone when docked if you should so chose to use it in such a manner. The inclusion of a mute button is also a welcome addition, especially when you consider the fact that games like Call of Duty 4 use an "open mic" system. The headset is considered comfortable by general consensus and personally I find it easy to forget that I'm even wearing it.

All in all, it's a top quality headset that if you own a PS3 and you happen to not have a headset, or if you're just sick of the horrible one that you have now, it's definitely worth looking into picking this headset up.

Little Big Planet: See You in Another Week.

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:42:24 -0500

In a move that's just shy of incomprehensible Sony and Media Molecule have decided to push the release date of the exceedingly anticipated Little Big Planet back by a week and to break my heart in the process. Citing issues of a song that contains messages from the Qur'an, the game has been delayed in shipping until October 27th in order to remove the offending lyrics; the game can be expected around the 4th of November if Amazon is to be believed.

So... Feel free to play Fable 2 without feeling guilty now. At least for a week or two. Unless Sony does something awesome for atonement and opens a full public beta or something. Please do something awesome?

Mother 3: If You Want Nice Things, Sometimes You Just Have to Do It Yourself.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:12:22 -0500

Glorious news for those of you eager for information concerning the perennially disappointing handling of the Mother series by Nintendo. No, Nintendo hasn't announced that they're translating and releasing the title. If you're the sort of person who has been waiting for a new Earthbound, you're the sort of person who knows that Nintendo will never release a new Earthbound.

For several people who were faced with that stark reality the solution became apparent, if the masses were to ever have any hope of Mother 3 getting an English copy they would have to do it themselves. So thusly, they embarked upon an epic journey involving translating squiggles into slightly more recognizable characters and attempting to pay service to Shigesato Itoi's legendary writing ability.

Fortunately for them and for the rest of us who were not blessed with such multi-lingual functionality, their work is nearly at an end and the patch for an English Mother 3 is ever closer to release.

Thanks to Shannon of Ganza Watching for the amazing picture.

Firmware Alert: PS3 2.50 and PSP 5.0 Due Up Soon.

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:09:06 -0500

Today is a momentous occasion for those of you who were waiting on baited breath for the newest firmware releases on Sony's systems. For today, marks the day, when most of the features for the new updates were announced. While there is no hard release date given, we can assume that the PS3 update, at least, will be sometime this week due to the inclusion of the PS3 headset with SOCOM which releases this week.

For a list of notable features for both systems, hit the jump.

PS3:

Support for the new PS3 Bluetooth Headset.
The ability to take your stalking to a new level and spy on your friends playing habits, or at least see when they last played.
Trophy improvements, for the 3 games that you have which support trophies.
A more upfront manner for redeeming PSN codes to coincide with the advent of PSN cards being available at more retailers.
A welcome sleep-mode for both the PS3 and controllers.
A screenshot function. Allow me to be the first to thank Sony for this awesome feature. I don't know how this is the first time that it has been introduced to a system.

PSP:

You can now access the PlayStation Network and PSN Store by way of your PSP.
I suppose I didn't need a bullet list.

GB Preview: Snag some Little Big Love in Little Big Planet

Shiva Stella — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:49:41 -0500

If you haven't heard of Media Molecule's Little Big Planet by now, I want to be you. I've spent the last 72 hours holed up in my imaginary cubicle with nothing but the PlayStation 3's holiday savior, completing creatively designed levels with dragon bosses, Silent Hill pyramid heads (think SH 2; you know what I'm talking about), rockets, ghosts, dinosaurs, Mario (sorry Luigi), Indiana Jones (I kid you not!), Nathan Drake, and--of course--the deliciously adorable sackboy. Or sackgirl. As Media Molecule would probably interrupt right now, it's all up to you.

I don't want to be too cruel to those of you unfortunate enough to not receive a highly coveted invitation to join the beta, (okay, maybe a little cruel), but really, you're not missing too much--only one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, heartwarming, sweetest masterpieces we've seen from this console generation the likes of which may actually put Fable II in its place, and yes, Mr. Molyneux, I did just say that. Possibly I'm over-exaggerating, but after spending significant time delightfully chained to the sackboys and sackgirls in the beta (community hug!), Little Big Planet may just convince you that your PlayStation 3 purchase was worth it after all.

At the heart of LBP lies its undeniable, addicting charm. A tiny, plain sackboy might not look like much--just a little creature your grandmother could have knitted for you eons ago, you know, when you still played with dolls--but herein you'll find that its stark simplicity is what is most endearing: a trite, but almost loving creature operates as your mirror self, full of limitless potential and impossible to measure possibilities, complete with a witty British narrator who would have made your childhood so much easier when he wasn't drowning you in tea.

And if painting your own canvas is your thing, you're in luck--you'll have ample opportunity to turn your sack-self into something truly dashing, like an Elizabethan housewife, a bunny-eared cowpoke, a pirate with a savvy polkadotted dress, or even Kratos if you're all smash and no class. Name a customization option and it's here; change eyes, material color, throw in some teeth, maybe a disgusting mustache or a miscellaneous animal part to let everyone know you walk on the wild side, and viola--instant sack-asso. Your mum would be proud.

After you've completed your "look", you'll want to stroll through the enchanting levels designed by MM in the game's story mode. LBP's stages contain the whole package; you'll listen to infectious music and great sound effects, swing from giant sponges, watch a little tutorial tv, hop a ride on a bird, and, most importantly, sticker the place up with collectible items. And here we find the magic of LBP: at its core half of the game is about getting your grubby sack-paws on every single item, object, sticker, material, or decoration you can spot. The other half is about using those items to create a living world.

This dynamic universe is the epitome of videogame self-expression. If you ever wanted to design a level in which Solid Snake fought off Metal Gear Rex with snazzy cardboard boxes, you can do it. If you've dreamed of Mega Man racing your friends in the latest WipeOut, you can do it. And if you've fantasized about recreating every single level from the original Mario Brothers, you can do that, too--with some obvious caveats, the point being that if you're creative enough, the game gives you the tools with which to realize your fun delusions.

And everything is easy to master. The level design tools offer tutorials for every aspect, from placing an object or using a template to covering the world with bright purple flowers or coating the walls with blood (hey, this makes for a great aesthetic effect). Your only real limit is a bar that lets you know much room is left in your stage to fill with objects, and if you're not using a template that's a lot of space to test your imagination in.

Once you're creation is set to rock the sack-world, it becomes available for you and all your sack friends to play through together, including newbie strangers who operate as fantastic q/a testers and leave great comments like "SNAAAAAAKE!" and "needs more Mario". Anyone who plays through your level can rate it with a tag, from "awesome" and "fun" to "short" and "stupid", and those who love what you've done with the place can mark the stage with a heart so they always have immediate access to the thrill-zone that is your creative genius. At this point there is some lag when you're playing online with your fellow sack-peoples, but how much of this is relegated to the final product is impossible to tell yet, so cross your delicately stitched fingers and remember that a little lag is worth the chance to show off your sack-casa to your buddy list.

If you're as enthusiastic about Little Big Planet as the rest of the world, you can join the pre-order gig by clicking on one of my handy links below, where I've noted what pre-order goody goes with which retailer to save you some googling. Meanwhile you'll find me in LBP, robbing banks and rescuing sack-peoples from ferocious red-ringed Xbox 360s. Here's hoping I see you there on October 21.

Best Buy: Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
EBGames/Gamestop: Kratos, Medusa, Minotaur (God of War pack)
Amazon: Downloadable level design guide, sometimes a free $10 gift card as well
GameCrazy: Adorable knitted zipper pouch
Circuit City: Free $10 gift card
ALL: Space Suit Sackboy Costume (free from MM/PSN)

Little Big Planet: SquareEnix/Konami approved!

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:05:56 -0500

God's honest truth, I didn't care about Sony's Little Big Planet until just a moment ago. Ok, that was a blatant lie, it's already pre-ordered, but that's hardly the point of what I'm going for here. Basically, we all knew that Kratos and Nariko were going to be making appearances in LBP, and that was cool. PlaySation Blog one-upped those two by breaking news of an additional round of sacked-out franchise characters.

Assuming you added your own drum roll there, the newly announced characters are none other than Metal Gear's Solid Snake, and Final Fantasy VII's Sephiroth. Please, kindly, resist the urge to make LBP Sephiroth x Snake yaoi. Who am I kidding; I'm sure someone is already writing the fanfic as I'm posting this.

TGS 08: Demons Souls, a New PS3 RPG.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:19:00 -0500

Sony has announced a new RPG title for the PlayStation 3 by the name of Demon's Souls. Billed as a spiritual successor to the Japanese only PS1 RPG King's Field, not much is known about the game at this point.

Launch Gallery: Demons Blood

(11 images)

Thanks to NeoGAF for the original link.

White Knight Chronicles: Bring a friend.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:43:27 -0500

Japanese gaming magazine Dengeki PlayStation has revealed some of the sordid details involving Level 5's White Knight Chronicle's online-multiplayer. In a level of interaction unprecedented in console RPGs, WKC offers 16 person multiplayer that melds directly into the single player game, if you should so chose to use it, and you probably should. I mean, they went through a lot of trouble to add it and all.

Once the desired number of players is reached the game takes it upon itself to split the players into groups of 4 so that they may venture forth into the world of giant turtle-city-beasts and fiery dog-things.

Thanks for this info go to 2chan by way of Kotaku.

TGS 08: The Last Remnant Trailer.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:03:01 -0500

Gametrailers.com has recently uploaded the Tokyo Games Show trailer for Square Enix's The Last Remnant. The video makes the game look rather intriguing. So far, the overall story, graphics, and art direction all look pretty solid. Personally, I'm still waiting to see how the gameplay works out before purchasing this title, but it definately has my attention.

You can find the Japanese blog for the game here. Even if you're incapable of reading Japanese, you can look at pretty pictures or download the backgrounds available on the site.

Sony's Jack Tretton, "[Numbers and Stuff]."

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:07:45 -0500

SCEA's big man on campus, Jack Tretton, recently announced that the PlayStation brand as a whole is selling like half-priced Ensure at a retirement community. Numbers are up from estimates and everything is going well.

The PlayStation 3 has been selling at a rate that's over 30% better than originally estimated and is on track to hit 10 million units by March '09. That's an increase of over 100% versus last year's sales. So that means, that over the same period of time, Sony managed to sell 100% more consoles than last year which is 30% more than what they were expecting to so that works out to roughly... Ok, we can assume that they're pretty happy with the sales; math was never my strong suit.

The PSP is also said to be selling at somewhere between 20 and 30% over their estimates. All told, things are going pretty well, or at least better than planned.

Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

Rumor: PS4/Wii HD Planned for 2011.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:41:01 -0500

I never thought I would say this, but I think technology is moving too fast. Perhaps I'm growing old, but it seems as if this generation has hardly learned to crawl and already there are rumors of the next generation of consoles due in 3 years.

Within the last 24 hours, rumors for both the PS4 and Wii HD have surfaced on the web. Just for safety's sake, they're rumors, again, rumors. That being said, it's not implausible that both are interested in getting onto the market first after seeing how much having a first place spot helped the Xbox 360 and PS2 (Let's ignore Dreamcast for argument's sake.)

The PS4 is said to use a similar cell architecture with slight improvements and will be ditching the faster XDR RAM in favor of a more conventional form of RAM. Supposedly Sony has been mentioning the proposed specs to third parties. Other than that details are scant.

The Wii HD rumor is slightly more fleshed out citing rising R&D expenditures and various other tidbits. The tech end of it leaves much to be desired.

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but I'm not sure these tired bones can hope to keep up at this rate. The world seems to have gotten itself into a big damned hurry. Maybe the companies should work on maxing our their current product or providing enough to meet demand before they get too involved in producing what's next.

Thanks for both goes to NeoGAF for finding the information, and the respective sources found therein.

Clifford, Not a Huge Fan of DS3 Controller.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:29:43 -0500

Epic's outspoken Clifford Bleszinski is a man of refined tastes. When something suits him, he's all about it, like say the PS3's Blu-ray drive, but when something displeases him... Well let's just say you don't want to displease him, or he may call you out in the middle of a London press conference. The subject of his ire this time? Why none other than Sony's DualShock 3 bluetooth interface device for the PlayStation 3.

Quoted as having said, "I hate the [rough consensual sex between adults]ing controller" it's pretty safe to say that he's not a huge fan.

While the sentiment is seemingly widespread, many people consider the DS3 to be a great controller. Personally, my "40-foot hard on" tends to lean towards the SIXAXIS controller, but I prefer my controllers to feel light, as if they're not even there.

Any opinions from you guys?

Image: bliffyc.com

Additional Content Coming to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

GB News — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:28:02 -0500

LucasArts today announced that it is preparing two rounds of additional content for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed this Fall. This new content will be available for Xbox 360 owners through Xbox Live Marketplace and for PlayStation 3 owners through the PlayStation Network.

The first piece of downloadable content will be comprised of additional costumes and character models that can used while playing through the single-player campaign, including Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Kit Fisto.

The second round of downloadable content, due later this year, will feature an entirely new single-player mission, set in the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant. Darth Vaders Secret Apprentice turns to the Jedi Temple to learn more about his father, and while searching through the rubble of the destroyed building he must confront his inner demons.

Pricing and availability for these downloadable items will be announced at a later date.

WipEout HD: How'd they do it?

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:34:48 -0500

Now after playing WipEout HD you may ask yourself, how did they manage to keep the game running at a crisp 1080p with 60 fps? Well the answer isn't a demonic compact, nor is it wizardry of any sort. Ok maybe it's technical wizardry, but that's not really what I had in mind.

You see, rather than being rendered in true 1080p at all times, the game's engine uses a dynamic output that scales based upon how much the system can handle at any given point. After it pushes out the best resolution it can while keeping the game at 60fps the data is passed along to the PS3's hardware horizontal scaler to make up the difference, all the while maintaining the amazingly fast pace of the game.

Pretty neat, huh? Please hit the link to get a far more technical walkthrough of the process.

PlayStation Store Update: Best. Week. Ever.

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:08:41 -0500

With this weeks PlayStation Store update Sony seems to have gone out of their way to provide gamers with far more content than anyone who has a job and doesnt suffer from insomnia can handle. Including several highly anticipated titles, this weeks PSN store update may just (but hopefully wont) prove to be the biggest week that the service will enjoy. Now, lets make with the mind-boggling, thumb-destroying list.

WipEout HD: After what seems like a metric eternity, SCE Studio Liverpool has unleashed their much awaited futuristic racing title for the appealing price point of $19.99.
Burnout Paradise: Not to be contented with one robust racing title on PSN this week, developer Criterion has turned their disc-based title into a fully featured PSN title that carries a $29.99 price tag.
Megaman 9: Capcom brings back Inafunes titular little blue manservant for another round of stealing skills from the various and sundry bosses that have co-opted the Brady Bunchs opening title. Get down with Rockman for the moderate price of $9.99. (Or just play the demo repeatedly and imagine the enemies being different for free. And your parents said that your imagination would get you nowhere)
GEON Emotions: Bliss, rage, envy or fear use the power of your 8 emotions to purchase and play the title that XBL has had for the last year and a month. You can get in on some GEON for $9.99.
Various Rock Band songs: Rock out like Geddy Lee and Neil Peart with Rushs Moving Pictures. There are a few other songs too, maybe youre into them. If youre at all interested in this sort of thing you likely already know the pricing.

There are also a few demos this week including NBA Live 09 and, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, NBA 09. As one could likely guess there are some videos that have been posted as well; Resistance 2 and Tomb Raider Underworld top the list. Backgrounds and such also make an appearance along with a few PSP games that made the cut this week: Untold Legends and Puzzle Quest. In a shocker to literally no one, there are still no PS1 classics worth writing home about.

So thats this weeks PSN Store update. Please be delighted, and if you dont mind give us a yell about what youre picking up. Youll likely catch me on WipEout HD.

Mirror's Edge Release Confirmed For November

Solomon Lee — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:27:11 -0500

Electronic Arts has announced that Mirror's Edge is coming to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on November 11. A special code unlocking the "Time Trial" mode in the demo will be given to those that pre-order the game after September 26. As reported, this pre-order bonus is available only at "selected retailers."

The PC version has been delayed to "later in the winter."

WiiWare: Bomberman Blast Visuals

Tim Grube — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:58:53 -0500

Bomberman Blast is shaping up quite nicely and today Hudson Soft released nine screenshots for your viewing enjoyment. Bomberman Blast will be a digital download on WiiWare and features 8-person online multiplayer.

Launch Gallery: Bomberman Blast

(9 images)

New Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Screenshots

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:44:45 -0500

Activision and Treyarch are hard at work on the next Spider-Man game entitled, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and today we were treated to three new screenshots. Peep them below. The title is expected to be released late October on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, and PlayStation 2.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(3 images)

Ubisoft To Push Subtitles On All Games

Tim Grube — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:12:04 -0500

So how do you help the deaf community? One way, put subtitles in videogames. Ubisoft today announced that it will make all there games accessible to this group by incorporating subtitles. First games that will feature this new addition will be Far Cry 2, Prince of Persia, and Shaun White Snowboarding.

"This commitment entails modifications to some of our game engines, as well as the inclusion of subtitles in the conception phase of game development," stated the company.

Far Cry 2 is due out in stores October 21, 2008.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin Announced

Tim Grube — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:48:35 -0500

Finally it has been announced! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today the new name - F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin for the sequel to the hit videogame F.E.A.R. The game is being developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

The name addition builds upon the strong game recognition, which we will extend as we move forward reinventing the F.E.A.R. brand, said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin will continue the legacy of the original F.E.A.R. game with story and combat while adding new twists, gameplay and graphics to expand the players experience.

The game is due out in stores on February 10, 2009 in North America and February 13, 2009 in Europ. Hit the jump for the official boxart!

PlayStation Store Update: The Last Guy, Warhawk DLC, NHL 09 Demo

Zach Lott — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:40:20 -0500

Thursday is here, and thus the Playstation Store has received another update. As always, there's plenty of content to be had, including the new game The Last Guy, some fresh DLC for Warhawk, and a demo of NHL 09. Check out the list of additions after the jump.

Downloadable Games

The Last Guy ($9.99)

Add-On Game Content

Warhawk Fallen Star Pack ($7.99)

Warhawk Booster Combo ($15.99)

Rock Band

She Does - Locksley ($0.99)

Dont Make Me Wait - Locksley ($0.99)

Dont Make Me Wait - Locksley ($0.99)

All Over Again - Locksley ($0.99)

Locksley Pack 1 ($2.99) - includes: All Over Again, Dont Make Me Wait, and She Does by Locksley.

Game Demos (free)

NHL 09

Soulcaliber IV

Game Videos (free)

SOCOM Confrontation Extraction Trailer

LittleBigPlanet Leipzig "Sackzilla" Trailer

Motorstorm Pacific Rift Leipzig Trailer

PAIN Trauma Mode Trailer

GT5 Prologue Play With The Pros! With Tanner Foust

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Machine Gun and Bazooka Trailer

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Sqaud Gameplay Trailer

Facebreaker Audition # 1

Facebreaker Audition # 2

Facebreaker Audition # 3

Madden NFL 09 Gameplay Trailer

Madden NFL 09 Madden Moments Trailer

Madden NFL 09 Play Call Trailer

Top Spin 3 Player Creator Trailer

Movies and Blu-Ray Trailers (free)

Quantum of Solace Trailer

Prom Night Trailer

PS3 Wallpapers (free)

The Last Guy Wallpaper (x2)

PSP Themes (free)

Cake Mania: Bakers Challenge Theme

PSP Wallpapers (free)

PSP Wallpapers Series 1 Wallpaper (x3)
Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Wallpaper (x2)
Cake Mania: Bakers Challenge Wallpaper (x3)

Next Team Ico Project Unveiling?

Solomon Lee — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:20:20 -0500

There's been no word of Team Ico's next project for the Playstation 3 for the longest while. However, Sony Worldwide Studios Head, Shuhei Yoshida recently spoke with VG247 by stating that they have been "working very hard since the release of Shadow of the Colossus."

Aside from the screenshot above, no other details are available for this highly anticipated title. In response to the lack of public information surrounding this game, Yoshida is quoted as saying, "Soon you'll see."