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2009-02-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

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Is Home A Waste of Time?

2009-02-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

The Home Open Beta has now been out for about two months now and PS3 owners have had plenty of time to check it out and see what it is all about. We constantly hear people complaining about the service and saying that Home is a waste of time and money. Well is this true?

Home is still in BETA, meaning that it is not a finished product. Just like any other BETA, it lacks most of the content and contains many problems due to testing. Without betas, finished products would release with more issues and would lead to consumers having to wait for the game developers to release a patch. Even a patch/s sometimes does not fix it and the true online experience is missing for months (*cough* LittleBigPlanet *cough*). Sony has been running the Home BETA for a little over two years now and it has been improving very slowly but ever since the Home BETA launched, there has been many great things added. It is still not to the point that it should be, but seeing amazing spaces like the EA space shows what the service has coming in the future. Sony is playing it smart because they know that this service is crucial to the PS3 and they have spent a lot of time and money on it. If they were to release the final version of the service and claim it as the “final version”, people would be greatly disappointed. Many people say they are losing interest in Home because it is constantly getting delayed and pushed back, but wouldn’t you rather them do this than to the release the full service and it be like it is now?

Home has great potential for everyone; it just is not there yet because it is still in BETA and Sony is busy working on other things. Also, if you call Home a waste of money, you are obviously clueless to how much money Sony is making with the service. For example, Sony made more money in the first three days of the beta than the whole first week of the video store. So in conclusion, Home cannot be fully judged yet as it is not a finished product and is looking to have a great future. Please comment with your thoughts.

Source... www.thebitbag.com

'Leisure Suit Larry Box Office Bust' (PS3/X360/PC) Picked up by Codemasters

2009-02-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

The Leisure Suit Larry Box Office Bust video game gives gamers an all-access pass to the glitz, glamour and gorgeous women of Tinseltown. In this 3rd person adventure game, Larry takes a summer job working on his uncle Larry's movie lot doing odd jobs and trying to uncover a mole from another studio who threatens to air the studio's dirty laundry in the tabloids.

Leisure Suit Larry Box Office Bust is a rollicking, innuendo-laden lampoon of Hollywood that features open world sand box game play that includes exploration, platforming, racing and puzzle-solving to complete missions. Additionally, the game will feature an all-new Directors Game that allows the player to create their very own "Larry Feature."

True to form, Leisure Suit Larry Box Office Bust will feature sophomoric comedy and bombshell babes thanks to the writing talents of Allen Covert (Happy Madison Productions) and an All-Star cast of actors and actresses, including Jay Mohr (Last Comic Standing), Dave Attell (Insomniac), Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie), Carmen Electra (Starsky and Hutch), Artie Lange (Mad TV), Patrick Warburton (Family Guy), Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development), Nikki Cox (Las Vegas), Peter Graves (Mission Impossible), Jane Lynch (The 40 Year Old Virgin) and Josh Keaton (The Spectacular Spider-Man) as the voice of Larry Loveage.

"Leisure Suit Larry is an entertaining adventure that places gamers in the middle of Hollywood's tabloid-filled mayhem to create a fun gaming experience," said Al Simone, senior vice president of Global Marketing for Sierra Entertainment. "The collaborative efforts of Allen Covert and cast make this the most amusing and immersive Leisure Suit Larry video game yet."

Leisure Suit Larry Box Office Bust, rated M for Mature, is developed by Team 17 and scheduled for 2009.

Source... www.worthplaying.com

Finally: Sony's PS3 Adverting Blitz

2009-01-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

Following poor financial results, Sony is set to spend a massive £4 million on advertising in the first quarter of this year in the United Kingdom.

The largest chunk of that cash - £2 million - will go on Killzone 2, by far the company's biggest upcoming title.

The remainder will be split among the PSP range (including Resistance: Retribution and Buzz! Brain of the UK), SingStar Queen and... several titles that came out before Christmas - LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2 and MotorStorm Pacific Rift (reviewed here, here and here).

That looks suspiciously like an indirect admission that those 2008 titles underperformed. SCEE's marketing director, Alan Duncan, explained it to industry bible, MCV, as follows - "We felt that the chaos of Q4 meant there was a good opportunity for re-promoting our games after Christmas. The creative for the campaign focuses on critical accolade and is aimed at gamers still catching up with all those titles that came out before Christmas."

With those games having been out since 2008, it may be seen as too little too late by many. It also shows that there's not a lot coming up from Sony worth promoting.

The marketing expenditure will be split between TV, cinema, online, in-store promotion and "a great deal of PR activity", according to Duncan. No mention was made of print.

Source... http://news.spong.com

Sony: No Immediate PS3 Price Cut Due To Economic Downturn

2009-01-30T14:06:00.000-08:00

Price is always a concern when talking about the PlayStation 3, and even though analysts are predicting a price cut some time this year, Sony admits that they will probably always have the most expensive console.

In a recent Eurogamer interview, SCEE's David Reeves said that although there's the possibility of a price drop at some point in the near future, they have no plans for an immediate cut "due to the current economic downturn." Eurogamer than asked if Reeves thought the PS3 would always be the priciest system out there, and he replied:

"I think it will, yes. I'm not saying there are going to be any price cuts at all in the short term or the medium term. I'm not saying we don't need to do it - we are expensive. It is possible that as the cost [of manufacturing] comes down, we will be able to do it.

But we're protecting ourselves with a very hard shell to get through the next one or two years of an economic situation. If you're experienced, you know you have to go into that mode - it's like being an armadillo. You have to be hard, and then you will come out when the sun comes out."

This is very similar to the stance many companies are taking these days, and it does make a great deal of sense. Furthermore, most analysts believe that when Sony does drop the price of the PS3, Microsoft will quickly follow suit and slash another $50 off the Xbox 360 to remain cheaper. But Reeves, along with other industry insiders, believes they can push through the upcoming months and enjoy another big surge later in 2009. Reeves finished-

"If, as an industry, we can get through the next six to seven months, we're going to find a massive uplift in September and October. I'm very optimistic about it."

Source... www.psxextreme.com

More Buzz! for Sony consoles this March

2009-01-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

Sony will launch Buzz! Brain Of The UK on PS3, PS2 and PSP here this March.

Questions cover things that happen on our fair isles: bands, cities, sports personalities - or not, Michael Owen - telly, wildlife, food and so on and so forth.

The PS3 version has 4000 taxing teasers, and the results will be recorded for leaderboards so Sony can find out who the most knowledgeable person in the UK is. Stephen Fry. There; do I win something? Well, no; Sony told Eurogamer the only prize will be bragging rights.

Aside from the extra questions, Brain Of The UK will work the same as Buzz! PS3. There's no price yet, but Sony said the amount of content is akin to a full game rather than premium quiz pack. Pricey, maybe.

The PSP version, on the other hand, only has 1000 questions, but there's a pass the parcel-style multiplayer mode for six people. This should be perfect for making a friend look stupid when trivia weak-spots pop up. Sony doesn't expect leaderboard support to feature for the handheld.

Finally the PS2 has "thousands of questions on the UK" and works the same as every other Buzz! game on the console.

Head over to our Buzz! Brain Of The UK (PS3/PS2/PSP) galleries for a closer look.

Source... www.eurogamer.net

Sony struggles as PSP, PS2 and even PS3 sales fall

2009-01-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

Sony's financial results show why it refused to cut the price of the PlayStation 3, as it suffered declining sales in five out of six categories.

Sony says it sold 4.46 million PlayStation 3 games console in the Christmas quarter (October-December), which was down 9% from 4.9 million units in the same period last year. That's pretty unusual or, I suspect, totally unknown for a successful games machine.

But Sony scored a hat-trick of declines. PSP sales of 5.08 million units were down by 68,000, while sales of the old faithful PS2 more than halved: they were down by 2.88 million units to 2.52 million.

Sales of PSP game sales fell by 2.8 million units to 15.5 million, while sales of PS2 games plunged by 31.2 million to 29.7 million units. The only bright spot was that sales of PS3 games climbed by 14.8 million units to 40.8 million.

Not surprisingly, the games division's sales fell by a third to ¥393.8 billion ($4.36bn), while operating profits fell by 97% to ¥400 million ($4.42m).

The whole company didn't do much better. Sony's revenues fell by 25% to ¥2.15 trillion, and profits by 95% to ¥10.4 billion ($115.6m).

AP reports that Sony "also reiterated its forecast for a net loss of 150 billion yen ($1.67 billion) for the full fiscal year through March — its first loss in 14 years."

"From the second half of September last year, there has been a sudden deterioration in the economy, and with the effects of foreign exchange it has had severe consequences on our business," Chief Financial Officer Nobuyuki Oneda said.

The strength of the yen against the dollar had a devastating impact. Whether it should have been quite that bad is an interesting question. FinanceAsia.com says:

if you delve deeper into the figures, it does not seem possible that currency shifts were the principal cause of the company's losses. Sony's initial guidance for FY08 was ¥450 billion in operating profit, based on an exchange rate of ¥100 to the dollar. According to brokerage CLSA, yen appreciation would have had an impact of around ¥100 billion, meaning a profit of ¥350 billion. Instead, the company is now forecasting an operating loss of ¥260 billion, or a swing of ¥610 billion on top of the currency losses.

People who share this view may want Sony boss Sir Howard Stringer to be replaced.

Source... www.guardian.co.uk

How Did PS3 Exclusives Fare In 2008?

2009-01-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well, we know they were excellent in terms of quality, but how about sales? That is the one question that has resulted in facing the Achilles Heel of the PlayStation 3 thus far, but as the user base grows, that drawback continues to disintegrate (thankfully).

Exclusives did relatively well in 2008 - especially for Nintendo, but what else is new? - and that includes the likes of Fable II for the Xbox 360 hitting 1.2 million sales worldwide, and Konami's masterpiece, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, topping the 1 million mark in the U.S. alone (over 4 million worldwide). Unfortunately, the other two major PS3 exclusives for the year, while both of excellent quality, didn't perform quite as well. They're not exactly disappointments from a sales standpoint, but considering initial projections, both LittleBigPlanet and Resistance 2 have underperformed: Media Molecule's innovative platformer (which dominated the recent AIAS Awards nominations), sold around 611,000 copies in the U.S., while Insomniac's awesome sequel sold just over 600,000 in the same region. Now, we're always saying we should see more IPs, but it can be extraordinarily difficult to compete against established franchises. Still, with over one million sold worldwide for both LBP and R2, that should be enough to encourage IP-minded developers.

It's just that, if you're wondering how any of this compares to games like Grand Theft Auto IV and Gears of War 2...well, just don't bother to make that comparison.

Source... www.psxextreme.com

PS3 Firmware Update 2.60 Adds Photo Gallery Application

2009-01-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced details of the next system software update (v. 2.60) for PLAYSTATION 3, which includes several new features designed to enhance the PS3 system’s entertainment functionality. The system software update 2.60 has become available on January 21 and delivers a new Photo Gallery application, enabling consumers to better organize and view their photos stored on PS3 system. Other new features include DivX 3.11 video support and PlayStation Store guest browsing.

Through the Photo Gallery application, it will be easier than ever for users to sort through and enjoy their photo collections stored on their PS3 systems. Digital photos can be organized in groups according to various criteria, including the camera used to take the photos, the event date and time, colors in the photos, as well as the number, ages, or facial expressions of the people pictured. Once their photos are grouped, consumers can then search and view them using the grouping categories and create slideshows set to music, displaying specific photo playlists or photos pulled from grouped categories.

In addition to the Photo Gallery, firmware 2.60 provides guest access to PlayStation Store, enabling non-PlayStation Network members to browse the storefront’s downloadable content, including games, game trailers and demos.

The system software update 2.60 will also upgrade PS3 system’s video capability to support DivX 3.11 media files. Videos in DivX format continue to be popular due to the ability to compress large video files, while maintaining relatively high visual quality.

Source... www.gamingexcellence.com

PlayStation 3 Sales Follow Sony Plummet

2009-01-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

Sony has announced its third-quarter (October to December 2008) financials, part of which included news of PlayStation sales. None of it makes for uplifting reading.

Let's deal with the worldwide gaming division numbers first:

Hardware
PS3: 4.46 million unit sales. This is 440,000 units down on the same period last year.
PS2: 2.52 million - down 2.88 million units year-on-year.
PSP: 5.8 million - down 680,000 units year-on-year.

Software
PS3 software sales up 14.8 million units year-on-year to 40.8 million units shipped.
PS2 software sales down 31.2 million to 29.7 million.
PSP software sales down 2.8 million to 15.5 million.

Operating income for the division was down a staggering 97% compared to the same period in 2007 - and this was despite reduced costs of manufacturing for the PS3. According to Sony, "Overall hardware sales decreased as a result of the impact of the appreciation of the yen against the US dollar and the euro, in addition to a decrease in unit sales of PS2, PSP and PS3.

"(Software) Despite an increase in PS3 software sales, overall software sales decreased as a result of the appreciation of the yen against the US dollar and the euro, in addition to a decrease PS2 and PSP software sales."

All this contributed to the parent company's quarterly net profit of ¥10.4 billion (£81.3 million). That's down from ¥200.2 billion (£1.5 billion) - that's a 94.8% downturn year-on-year. All up, the company is expecting an operating loss of ¥18 billion (£140.6 million) compared to a profit of ¥236.2 billion (£1.8bn) in the same period in 2007.

Looks as if Sir Howard Stringer and his management wouldn't have had much cash to pay their bonuses with in the first place. Let's hope the restructuring works out.

Source... news.spong.com

PopCap Comes to PS3; Bejeweled 2 on PSN Today

2009-01-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

Four more PopCap titles coming under SOE agreement.

Sony Online Entertainment and PopCap Games announced today that SOE will bring five of PopCap's casual titles to the PlayStation Network for PS3, beginning today with Bejeweled 2. Four more titles, including Zuma, Heavy Weapon, Peggle, and Feeding Frenzy, will be made available soon.

Bejeweled 2 will retail for $9.99, and features four gameplay modes along with support for Trophies, PSP Remote Play, and 1080p resolution. We're assuming the other PopCap titles will receive similar treatment, but that wasn't confirmed in today's press release.

"As leaders in their genre, PopCap is to casual games what SOE is to MMOs," said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. "Being the second largest publisher on the PlayStation Network, SOE is excited that this partnership will expand the PlayStation®Network catalog with awesome casual titles that players of all types can enjoy."

Source... ps3.vggen.com

Mini UK Street Fighter IV arcade tour announced

2009-01-28T13:03:00.000-08:00

If you are a Street Fighter IV fan you might want to start setting aside some coins for a Capcom Arcade tour happening soon in the U.K.

Fans will have a chance to play the "greatest fighting game of all time" and to win some merchandise, such as Street Fighter shirts. The following tour dates have been set, but more are expected to be added in the future:

29th January – 1st of February
Edinburgh’s Gamestation on Princes Street (EH2 4AH)

5th February – 8th February
Sheffield’s Gamestation in Meadowhall Shopping Centre (S9 1ER)

19th February – 22nd February
London’s HMV in Oxford St

26th February – 1st March
Birmingham’s Gamestation on New St (B2 4NS)

5th March – 8th March
Hull’s Gamestation in Prospect Centre (HU2 8PW)

The game comes to the X360 and PS3 on February 20th.

Source... www.neoseeker.com

Famitsu: Dead Rising 2 Coming To PS3

2009-01-28T13:01:00.000-08:00

It was one of this generation's most entertaining titles, and although the rumors that it would get ported to the PlayStation 3 were incorrect, Capcom's multiplatform plans for the future remain firmly in place.

The word is out: according to the latest Famitsu, Capcom has said that 2009 would be "the year of multiplatform" (not sure how this contrasts sharply with 2008, but whatever), and that they will be releasing titles on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. We knew all about this, but it now seems official that Dead Rising 2 will indeed be multiplatform, unlike its predecessor, which only came to the 360. The other bit of good news is that it's supposedly scheduled to release some time later this year, which, given the lack of information thus far, may be earlier than anticipated. At first, Capcom was clearly on Microsoft's side, issuing several 360 exclusives (like Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, for example), but that quickly changed. Not long after the PS3 launched, Capcom brought over Lost Planet, and since then, their multiplatform focus hasn't wavered. The upcoming Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV are certainly multiplatform, and let's not forget those great contributions to the PSN and XBL. We figure it's not 2009 that is the "year of the multiplatform;" this entire generation fits that description.

Anyway, we're now waiting for the official Dead Rising 2 announcement, which shouldn't be far off. Perhaps they'll reveal it at GDC 09 in only a few weeks time...if they do, we'll be sure to bring you the confirmation for a PS3 version.

Source... www.psxextreme.com

Final Fantasy XIII PS3 confirmed for 2009

2009-01-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

Confirmation of a PlayStation 3 release this year comes in the newly released trailer.

You can check out the new trailer for Final Fantasy XIII over at the game's official website.

It's impressive stuff - as we've come to expect - and you can watch the movie in 640x360 or 1280x720 resolutions.

Amidst the impressive CGI is some still-impressive in-game footage.

If you're a fan of Japanese games with guys with girlie haircuts then this is bound to be right up your street.

Of course, there's no exact confirmation of when the game will arrive in Europe yet.

Source... www.boomtown.net

Resident Evil 5 Demo: Xbox 360 now, Sony PS3 in Feb

2009-01-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

With a promise to make the survival horror series like it’s never been before, the Resident Evil 5 demo has hit the Xbox 360 today and can be downloaded from Xbox Live. Sony PS3 owners will have to wait until February 2nd for the demo.

This latest version of the Resident Evil franchise includes a level of detail that has not been seen before in any Resident Evil game. You should find increased realism and control.

The demo on Xbox Live has two levels that you can play; these are from the start of the game. Levels “Shanty Town” and “Assembly Place” are playable over XBL, 2 player split screen co-op and single player with AI.

If you enjoy the demo then you can buy the full game in Japan on March 12 and North America on March 13 this year. Let us know what you think of Resident Evil 5 in the comments.

Source... www.product-reviews.net

New Mortal Kombat in Development

2009-01-27T13:24:00.000-08:00

Midway has revealed today that a new Mortal Kombat title is currently in development.

Following the sucess of Mortal Kombat Vs DC Universe, which has sold 1.8 milion copies to date, Midway has revealed that a new game is in now development.

"We're already hard at work on our next version of Mortal Kombat, andlook forward to being able to reveal more details in the future." commented Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat co-founder and creative director.

Mortal Kombat Vs Dc Universe has been a popular title for Midway as it became the most pre-ordered game in Midway's history and more than 3.6 million Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe matches have been played online worldwide for the PS3 so far.

"Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was the result of countless hours ofhard work by many people, and seeing the game surpass themillion-seller plateau makes it worth all the effort" added Boon.

Source... www.incgamers.com

PS3 Fallout 3 post-campaign play unlikely

2009-01-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

Bethesda has no plans to let PS3 owners play Fallout 3 past the conclusion of the main quest.

All versions of the post-apocalyptic RPG currently end at this point. However, PC and Xbox 360 fans will be able to continue their adventures with downloadable content Broken Steel in March.

But when asked by MTV Multiplayer whether a PS3 patch re-opening the content might be offered, Bethesda's Todd Howard was clear: "Not at this time, no."

Broken Steel will be the third lump of extra content for PC and Xbox 360. The first batch, Operation: Anchorage, goes live tomorrow for 800 Microsoft Points (GBP 6.80 / EUR 9.60).

This transports adventures back to a pre-apocalypse Alaska through a military simulator designed to teach soldiers how do deal with Chinese invaders.

As such, the battle of Anchorage will be the setting and there will be strict simulation rules to abide by, such as a pre-determined set of equipment. But, as a reward, there will be unique weapons and items to collect and keep, plus a fancy perk to perk you up.

Source... www.eurogamer.net

'Call Of Duty' retains PS3 top spot

2009-01-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

Call Of Duty: World At War has held on to the PS3 top spot for the fifth week running, with LittleBigPlanet its closest challenger in second.

Skate 2 makes its debut in third, ahead of fourth placed FIFA 09 and last week's number two Lord Of The Rings: Conquest, which drops to fifth.

Guitar Hero: World Tour re-enters the top ten in tenth, behind GTA IV and Need For Speed: Undercover, which swap places in eighth and ninth.

The top ten in full:

1. (1) Call Of Duty: World At War (Activision Blizzard)
2. (3) LittleBigPlanet (Sony)
3. (-) Skate 2 (Electronic Arts)
4. (4) FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts)
5. (2) The Lord Of The Rings: Conquest (Electronic Arts)
6. (6) Resistance 2 (Sony)
7. (5) Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks)
8. (7) Need For Speed: Undercover (Electronic Arts)
9. (8) Grand Theft Auto IV (Take 2)
10. (11) Guitar Hero: World Tour (Activision Blizzard)

Source... www.digitalspy.co.uk

YouTube Launches TV Channel for Wii and PS3

2009-01-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

Want to lie back and watch YouTube videos from your sofa or bed? The video sharing website has launched a special TV website for browser-enabled devices like the Wii and PS3.

Google representatives today revealed one of their first "products built specifically for the TV." YouTube for Television is being made available initially for Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PS3.

As opposed to the experience a viewer gets watching videos on a PC or laptop, this website (currently in beta) has been designed to provide a "dynamic, lean-back, 10-foot television viewing experience through a streamlined interface that enables you to discover, watch and share YouTube videos on any TV screen with just a few quick clicks of your remote control."

YouTube is planning on making this new TV website available internationally across 22 geographies and in over 12 languages. This is just another step in Google's plan to invade the living room. The company has already partnered directly with major TV and set-top box manufacturers to bring YouTube into the living room, but because there still aren't many devices on the market with built-in web browsers, YouTube is hoping the Wii and PS3 will be a good start.

"Our hope is that this site may help to accelerate an industry evolution towards open television access to Web video. Over time, we plan to add support for additional TV devices that provide Web browsers," the company stated.

Source... www.gamedaily.com

Sony announces Killzone 2 PS3 bundle

2009-01-25T07:33:00.000-08:00

The first Killzone on the PS2 back in 2004 was a bit of a disappointment, but there's an agreeable amount of buzz about the PS3 sequel. Now Sony has thrown their weight fully behind the title by announcing that a Killzone 2 PS3 bundle will be available once the game hits.

The bare-bones package will offer you an 80 GB console, a Dual Shock 3 controller and a copy of the game for £299.99 - the same price an 80 GB console is currently fetching on its own. Not too shabby, then.

Killzone 2 is currently prepped for a February 27 release date in North America. The European launch day remains a mystery, but we'd think it'd be close if not the same day.

Source... www.absolutegadget.com

‘Skate 2′ Review (360, PS3)

2009-01-25T07:28:00.000-08:00

When the first "Skate" title came out in late 2007, it was an unknown property directly challenging the King of the Genre: "Tony Hawk." Needless to say, the new franchise soundly handed the Hawk man his skateboard, declared the skate park its own, and became recognized as the new premiere skateboarding franchise. It is with that kind of success and expectations that EA Black Box releases one of their final games, "Skate 2." While the first title put the emphasis on re-imagining the skateboarding genre by mapping controls fully to the two analog sticks, "Skate 2" does less to redefine and innovate, and more to fine-tune what was already available, and fill in some holes previously left in the blueprint.

Just as in the first title, "Skate 2" controls primarily using the left and right analog sticks. The left analog stick controls your skater, and the general direction he or she wants to move; the right analog stick is used to perform or modify any and all tricks. They worked in the first title and helped breathe life into a genre on its deathbed, so unsurprisingly things don't change much in that department.

That's not to say "Skate 2" isn't without new features, though. Handplants, footplants, and nearly double the repertoire of moves in the original make their debut in the game. One of the biggest (and most needed) changes is the ability to hop off your skateboard and hoof it on foot. No longer will a staircase stand between you and skating glory! Unfortunately, the on-foot controls of the game obviously didn't get as much attention as the skating, and thus the controls and aesthetics of moving on foot look like an entirely different -- and lower budget -- game.

Also new is the ability to move objects in the environment while you're on foot. This allows you to drag ramps, boxes, and other similar environmental hazards to wherever you please. See a jump too big to make? Maybe you can create a makeshift ramp and fly across it. Maybe not. Experimenting and seeing what can and can't be done is what "Skate 2" is all about.

It's the better-developed open nature of the game that makes it feel fresh, even if it is just a bunch of minor changes here and there. The first game told you to do something, and do it in a very specific way with a specific move; "Skate 2" tells you to do something, but how you do it is up to you. The off-board abilities also open up the city of New San Vanelona, making this game feel very much like "Burnout" on much smaller, non-powered wheels. This is especially true during cooperative online play.

My favorite new feature only helps to further cement the comparison: the Hall of Meat. Like "Burnout's" Crash Mode, the Hall of Meat revolves around you trying to make your skater crash in the most spectacular way possible, and break as many bones as you can. Call me a psychopath, but it's very fun seeing how many bones I can break as I force my skater to hang on to a car downhill, build up speed, and then jump straight into oncoming traffic.

Is "Skate 2" as revolutionary as the original was when it came out? Not close. It has just enough new features for this sophomore attempt to be a true upgrade in the franchise, though. Not a whole lot is different in New San Vanelona, but what is different should be more than enough to please fans of the original.

Source... www.gamecyte.com

[PS3, Xbox 360] Motley Crue Album Coming to Rock Band

2008-10-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

Dr. Feelgood becomes the newest album to hit the RB Music Store.

Harmonix and MTV Games announced today Mötley Crüe's album Dr. Feelgood will become the sixth album to join the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content starting October 14, 2008, for the Xbox360 and the PlayStation 3.

Full track list:

"Dr. Feelgood"
"Slice of Your Pie"
"Rattlesnake Shake"
"Kickstart My Heart"
"Without You"
"Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)"
"Sticky Sweet"
"She Goes Down"
"Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)"
"Time for Change"

Dr. Feelgood will be available for $15.99 (1280 Microsoft Points) for the album, or $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) per track. Purchasing the album will provide the user with the ability to play through the entire album in Rock Band 2's different modes, including Quickplay, where the album will be called out in its own subheader, and Tour Challenges, where users will be prompted to play through all of the tracks in a standalone setlist. These tracks join "Saints of Los Angeles", "Down at the Whisky" and "Face Down in the Dirt" previously offered as DLC, to bring the total of Mötley Crüe songs in the game to 13.

Screenshots

Uncharted Waters Confirmed For PS3

2008-10-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

By now, it should be clear that genres that were once limited to the PC are beginning to flock to the more popular consoles. Sony Online Entertainment has already announced that all their future projects will come to the PlayStation 3, and now, another MMORPG - if it can be accurately described as such - is coming: it's Koei's Uncharted Waters.

If you're not familiar, you assume the position of a character from a European nation (you can choose between England, Spain, Portugal, France, etc.), and then you decide if you want to be an adventurer, merchant or soldier. According to information at PSU.com, the game should arrive some time next year and it will run on the same servers used for the PC version, which is good news. Obviously, a later released version is expected to boast a few extras and advancements, and we're getting exactly that: the PS3 version will feature the appropriate enhanced graphics and an all new interface, presumably designed specifically for consoles. Those of you who are looking for online, in-depth role-playing experiences don't need to limit yourselves to the PC any longer, especially if the games in question are better on the PS3. How this will compete with SOE's projects, including The Agency and DC Universe, remains to be seen.

We'll bring you more on Uncharted Waters as the information becomes available. But just don't get it confused with Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune or the sequel they're currently working on; we're talking about entirely different projects, here.

Source... http://www.psxextreme.com

Konami Whips Up Castlevania For Xbox 360, PS3

2008-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Konami has both Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia and Castlevania Judgment on display at Tokyo Game Show this year, but it brought a tiny, tiny bit more with it, just to start messing with our heads. A new Castlevania has been announced for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3... at some point in the future. That is absolutely all that we know at this point, as both Konami reps and series lead Koji Igarashi are being mum on what we can expect.

We asked Konami reps the burning question: will it be 2D or 3D? The answer: "That's up to Iga."

We're told we can expect more information in the coming months, but inquiries about locking down a date for further updates were met with shrugs. Hopefully, Konami will look at titles like Bionic Commando: Rearmed and Mega Man 9 for inspiration on just how many dimensions this things going to need.

Source... http://www.kotaku.com.au

PSP Plus lets you play PSP games with your PS3 controller, eventually

2008-10-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

Sony is bringing Sixaxis and Dual Shock 3 compatibility to the PSP, albeit in a very long-winded way. The new PSP Plus system announced at TGS 2008 will let you drop the PSP’s dodgy analogue button thing in favour of proper console controls.

Resistance: Retribution, the PSP version of the PS3 shooter franchise, looks like it will be the first to demonstrate the technology

We’re really not kidding when we say ‘long-winded’. Here’s what you’ll need: one copy of Resistance: Retribution, one copy of Resistance 2 for PS3, one PS3, a USB cable and A/V output cable. We assume that means it’ll only work with the PSP Slim and Light and the new PSP-3000.

Once all that’s hooked up you can play R:R through your big telly using a proper controller. If you’ve splashed out on a DS3, the rumble function even works.

However, now that you’re no longer squinting at a tiny screen and you’ve got the accurate controls of a proper console, you’ll have a significant advantage over the unfortunate Chimera. So R:R will automatically launch into Infected Mode, which disables aim assist and toughens up the game.

So, we’re wondering two things: 1) why is the PS3 even necessary other than to force you to buy Resistance 2, and 2) why you wouldn’t just play Resistance 2 if you already had a PS3 and the game running? Thoughts, anyone?