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When we launched PlayStation Blogcast just a few months ago, we promised that we’d deliver big PlayStation personalities. And there may be no bigger personality than David Jaffe, the outspoken co-director for next week’s PS3 revival of Twisted Metal. Jaffe is a fixture in the often-tumultuous world of videogame development, playing a key role in 1995’s Twisted Metal as well as serving as director of God of War and creative director for God of War II. In our lengthy discussion, Jaffe sounds off on a host of topics: his development plans after Twisted Metal, the game’s 90s-licious soundtrack, incorporating fan requests, finding the game’s unique visual identity…and why he loves Oprah and Doctor Phil (seriously).

As always, we reveal next week’s PSN game lineup, answer a slew of user questions, and share a user tip (actually, two tips). This week also sees us discussing our favorite PSone games, sharing our favored strategies for Twisted Metal combat, and providing some details on PS Vita memory cards and game storage. Not a bad show, even with Nick Suttner out on a travel assignment…but as always, we insist on hearing your thoughts and feedback!

How’s our driving? We want your feedback, comments, questions, and suggestions, so leave ‘em in the comments below!

Action Items

• PS Vita First Edition Bundle
• Twisted Metal University
• Zen Pinball: Epic Quest table
• Lumines: Electronic Symphony for PS Vita

The Cast

I’m quietly stunned by how quickly 2012 has kicked into gear: This week gave us major new releases in the form of Soulcalibur V and Final Fantasy XIII-2; next week sees the release of The Darkness II and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, followed by Twisted Metal and the PS Vita First Edition Bundle the following week. What upcoming release are you most interested in playing?

This week saw a deluge of information for 2012′s gaming crop: Game Informer revealed its The Last of Us cover story, Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford discussed Aliens: Colonial Marines and what he knows about Prometheus, Drinkbox Studios showed off Mutant Blobs Attack for PS Vita, the team behind MLB 12 The Show served up two new videos devoted to the improved batting and pitching gameplay, a new video revealed MotorStorm RC’s online features and PS3-to-PS Vita competition, Starbreeze Studios gave us a tour of its well-received Syndicate co-op demo, The Tester 3 revealed a sneak peek of its first episode, NIS America showcased Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention for PS Vita, and Team 17 revealed its PSN release plans for Worms Ultimate Mayhem.

• I’m playing: Mortal Kombat for PS Vita, Twisted Metal Multiplayer Demo, Soulcalibur V
• I’m watching: Homeland
• I’m reading: The End of Business as Usual by Brian Solis
• I’m listening to: Official PlayStation Blogcast 010: The Curious Case of Final Fantasy XIII-2

Most-Watched Video of the Week: Mortal Kombat on PS Vita

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

The Alien films have always held enormous power over me, occupying the same sphere of significance that Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings do for many others. So it’s been with great interest and no small amount of hope that I’ve watched the development saga of Aliens: Colonial Marines. This Gearbox Software-developed first-person shooter promises to pick up where James Cameron’s 1986 classic Aliens left off — an irresistible premise for any diehard fan of the series. A recent trailer (watch it below) presented a convincing succession of sound and images, yet carried the sadface news of a new fall 2012 release date. What’s an impatient Alien fan to do?

Well, I went to Randy Pitchford to get some answers. The gregarious CEO of Gearbox Software was all too happy to share new insights into the studio’s plans for Aliens: Colonial Marines, including multiplayer concepts, the control scheme, play style…and, perhaps most tantalizing, what he knows about the upcoming Ridley Scott-directed origin tale Prometheus.

Alien fans: Something tells me that 2012 is going to be a mighty fine year.

PlayStation.Blog: Aliens: Colonial Marines was recently confirmed to be a fall 2012 title. How will the game’s new fall 2012 release date benefit the final product?

Randy Pitchford, CEO, Gearbox Software: Aliens: Colonial Marines has been a dream project – a labor of love. We’re fully committed to our vision for the game. Creating deadlines is helpful to the process, but we do regret where it creates expectations that cause us to choose between changing expectations or compromising the vision.

PSB: Are you excited to see Prometheus? Will any of the Space Jockey lore hinted at in the film make it into Aliens: Colonial Marines?

RP: I’m very excited about Prometheus. 20th Century Fox invited us to read the script and check out production and ACM’s director, Brian Martel, had a discussion with Ridley Scott about the matter years and years ago, so it’s been a really interesting seat for us on this one. A bunch of our guys went out to read the script a while back. I chose to decline because I didn’t want the spoilers — I can’t wait to see the final film! Ridley is such a master storyteller and filmmaker and I’m thrilled that he’s spending some more time in science fiction. Oh, and I haven’t dodged your real question. Yes, ACM will bring you inside The Derelict on LV-426. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll leave it at that!

PSB: Would you describe the FPS feel as grittier and more realistic, or focused on arcadier accessibility?

RP: I would say that the player’s experience for Aliens: Colonial Marines will tend closer to the gritty realism side. I say that because sometimes the gameplay footage we use for marketing will tend to focus more on the action — which is definitely in there — but you can’t really feel difficulty and challenge as well when you’re trying to promote and market the game using promotional footage.

PSB: How are you approaching the control scheme? Does the game feature aim down the sight and a two-weapon limit? Are there any equipment slots or ways to customize your character?

RP: Looking down the sights properly is a big deal. Gearbox is really proud of its heritage in the evolution of down-the-sights views having really pushed that feature forward in the first Brothers in Arms game. Since then, every shooter we’ve created has featured direct down the sights views with ballistic weapons — including Borderlands. There are still some things we’re bouncing around between with respect to how we’re managing weapon slots and equipment with ACM, so I’ll reserve making a commitment on that right now.

Peer review and testing with customers is really important to us in the tuning process. If any of your readers are in Dallas, TX and want to be part of our user testing program, they should check out our website for more information.

PSB: Displaying the aliens themselves is a tricky balance between showing too much and showing too little. What’s your philosophy when it comes to showing them in the game?

RP: It’s been fun for us to dream up the presentations, but we’re not approaching it like no one knows what a xenomorph looks like. We do have some awesome new variants to reveal for the first time, so we try to get value out of those moments for the experience when you’re playing the game.

PSB: Finally, how important is the multiplayer experience to Aliens: Colonial Marines? Can you give us any hint as to the way it will play?

RP: Multiplayer is a big deal for us. It’s getting a huge amount of attention. I think we’ll be looking for some opportunities very soon to get some people outside of our studios, including some journalists, to have a chance to preview the multiplayer game and play a bit of it. We’re really looking forward to testing it against other eyes and getting some feedback from that, so it shouldn’t be too long before we make that happen.

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This week, we tackle one of this winter’s biggest PS3 releases: Final Fantasy XIII-2. We invited IGN editor, renowned JRPG expert, and K-pop enthusiast Ryan Clements to give us his detailed analysis of a game that Square Enix has described as “exceed[ing] Final Fantasy XIII in every aspect.” Ryan wrote IGN’s FFXIII-2 review, so he was able to lead a deep and thought-provoking discussion of how Square Enix incorporated fan requests to make a nonlinear, exploration-focused RPG, how Eastern RPG design differs from Western RPG design, and much more. Definitely worth a listen!

We also reveal the new PSN game lineup for Tuesday, February 7th, serve up a new PSN Gem of the Week, and answer a slew of user questions related to PS Vita: the PSN launch-day game lineup, Bluetooth capabilities, and where to go to play it right now (hint!).

In other news…Woo-hoo! PlayStation Blogcast has hit the big 1-0! Frankly, I’m shocked: it feels like only yesterday that we were taking crash courses in Garage Band and cobbling together audio gear in order to get our long-promised podcast off the ground. And now, 11 weeks and 10 shows later, we’re in a regular weekly recording routine. It just goes to show that if you work hard, take your vitamins, and trust in Nick Suttner, anything is possible. Thanks to PlayStation.Blog readers for your support and feedback!

How’s our driving? We want your feedback, comments, questions, and suggestions, so leave ‘em in the comments below!

Action Items

-Twisted Metal community event in San Francisco tonight!
-Final Fantasy XIII-2 IGN review by Ryan Clements
-Vita Hill social clubs now open in eight US cities
-Soul Calibur V
-Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (aka Jeff’s post-Skyrim obsession)

The Cast

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

I’ve got good news, and I’ve got good news. First, the good news: Based on my recent hands-on play sessions, Mortal Kombat on PS Vita plays identically to its PS3 counterpart. That means fluid 60 frames-per-second fighting, lush presentation, and every bit of content from the console version. That includes the critically acclaimed Story mode, a full character roster, the Krypt, the works. It’s all here, baby.

I also tried out a series of local (non-internet) Wifi multiplayer matches, and I’m happy to report that the game felt smooth and responsive with no perceptible lag. If you’re skeptical, watch the video above to see local multiplayer — and my hairy, hairy paws — in action. One thing to note is that the PS Vita version supports up to two players in Wifi multiplayer, not four as in the PS3 version.

Now for the good news: The PS Vita version adds an ambitious array of extra content, starting with every piece of DLC ever released on PS3. That means you’ll be able to play as Freddy Krueger, Kenshi, Rain, and Skarlet from day one, and select MK1 and MK2 retro-styled costumes to drape over your male and female ninja characters. The Vita version sweetens the pot with 15 more exclusive costumes, including MK3-styled garb for the ninjas. Not a bad start, but it gets better.

If you read PlayStation.Blog’s exclusive interview with Ed Boon, you’ll know that Netherrealm Studios has prepared an all-new Challenge Tower II mode that’s exclusive to PS Vita. I went hands-on with four of the 150 total new challenges, more than half of which take advantage of PS Vita’s touchscreen and sixaxis motion sensors in novel (and challenging!) ways:

One challenge tasked me with juggling a character using ground-based missile launchers, which I activated by tapping the touchscreen. It felt a bit like hacky sack combined with the old Atari game Missile Command, and it’s a lot of fun.

In another challenge, Raiden’s head inflated every time my opponent landed a blow. To win the match, I had to conquer my attacker while deflating Raiden’s head via the touchscreen. If Raiden’s head grew too big, or I tapped it too much, it popped. Fail!

The tougher challenges will strain your multitasking abilities. In Bloody Mess, I had to frantically wipe blood off the screen to avoid being blinded…not easy when you’re fending off the blade-slinging mutant Baraka.

In another challenge, I had to detonate lethal homing missiles using the touchscreen while dueling the cybernetic assassin Sektor.

Some of the new challenges will focus on the four new characters — Freddy, Kenshi, Rain, and Skarlet — who didn’t factor into the PS3 game’s Challenge Tower due to their release as DLC.

The final game will also include two new bonus modes in the spirit of the Test Your Might minigames. In Test Your Balance, you’re challenged with balancing on a beam and using PS Vita’s sixaxis motion sensor to adjust your balance…while you’re being pelted with body parts. Fail, and you’ll plummet to a gory death (which I won’t spoil here). There will be a second Vita-exclusive minigame as well, but Netherrealms Studios is keeping this under wraps for the
time being.

And yes, there will be new Trophies. What questions do you have about Mortal Kombat for PS Vita? Fire away in the comments and I’ll do my best to serve up answers.

Lots of news to keep track of this week, from the launch of Taco Bell’s exclusive PS Vita giveaway to first details on SSX’s PS3-only Mt. Fuji mountain, to the release of MLB 12 The Show’s first trailer. Ubisoft stopped by to give us a quick look at its PS Vita launch lineup: Michael Jackson The Experience, Asphalt: Injection, Rayman Origins, Lumines: Electronic Symphony, and Dungeon Hunter Alliance. The crew of The Tester Season 3 even released a video tour of the winner’s future workplace at Sony Santa Monica Studios.

What are you playing this weekend? Don’t forget: PS Vitas are ready and waiting for you now in eight major US cities as part of our Vita Hill social clubs. There’s no catch, no RSVP, and it’s open to everybody — just go! Most locations run from 2pm to 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 2pm to 6pm on Sundays.

• I’m playing: Starhawk Public Beta
• I’m watching: Breaking Bad (and I just finished Season Four…!)
• I’m reading: PS Vita: the inside story
• I’m listening to: Official PlayStation Blogcast 009

Most-Watched Video of the Week: Armored Core V Walkthrough

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

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After last week’s discussion on video game production with SCEA Senior Producer Kyle Shubel, we wanted to shed some light on the other side of the digital curtain — video game media. In this week’s five-way free-for-all, we’re joined by Joystiq’s Ludwig Kietzmann, who recently moved to San Francisco from South Africa (lekker!). In his new role as Editor-in-Chief of Joystiq, Ludwig now sits astride one of the biggest, most influential videogame blogs on the ‘net. In today’s episode, Ludwig gives some tips for would-be video game journalists, describes the South African gaming scene, names some of his most anticipated upcoming PlayStation titles, and even graces us with a new PSN Gem of the Week.

In addition to debuting the new PSN game releases for next Tuesday, January 31st (including a mysterious new demo…), we also highlight some of your most-anticipated 2012 games, answer a new batch of user questions, and serve up another farm-fresh user tip. Jeff, Rey and I also chat about our recent experiences at the PS Vita social clubs (now open for hands-on gameplay in eight US cities through late February) and why PlayStation fans are the best in the business. Seriously!

How’s our driving? We want your feedback, comments, questions, and suggestions, so leave ‘em in the comments below!

Action Items

-Joystiq
-Vita Hill Social Clubs: locations and info
-Starhawk Public Beta rollout schedule
-PlayStation Blogcast on iTunes (suscribe and rate us — pretty please!)
-UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss

The Cast

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Hold on to your butts: Twisted Metal is coming to San Francisco, guns blazing, this coming Thursday, February 2nd for an all-access community meetup and multiplayer tournament to celebrate the game’s launch on February 14th. The action will go down at a hip little establishment called Mezzanine (located at 444 Jessie St.) from 6:00 to 9:00pm. The man of the hour, Twisted Metal Co-Director David Jaffe, gives us the full details in his special video invite below.

Here’s what you need to know:

Who: You! This event is open to the PlayStation community, but you must be 21+ to attend. Bring ID!
What: Twisted Metal Multiplayer Tournament and Community Meetup
When: Thursday, February 2nd from 6:00pm to 9:00pm (Protip: Come early!)
Where: Mezzanine, located at 444 Jessie St. in San Francisco)
Why: Multiplayer competition and gameplay, plus sweet rare prizes
How: Participants can RSVP here or sign-up at on-site check-in.

I advise that you bring your A-game: The multiplayer tournament champion will win a very swanky and very rare Twisted Metal laser-etched PS3. But if you’re self-conscious about your skill level, never fear. Attendees will also be getting special Twisted Metal items (exclusive to this event!) all night long. You’ll need to be present to score them, though.

Oh, and a special treat for the Twisted faithful: Game Director David Jaffe will be in attendance, so bring those dusty old copies of Twisted Metal: Black and Twisted Metal 2…

To make things easy, why not RSVP? See you next Thursday!

This week, Jeff, Rey and I dispersed across the US to host a series of grand opening community events for our Vita Hill social clubs. I took on New York City and Boston, Jeff took Chicago, and Rey took Miami and Atlanta. The response was phenomenal: In NYC alone, more than 300 community members lined up to play PS Vita on Tuesday night; in Boston, more than 200 members braved icy winds for Wednesday’s showcase. As always, it was a treat to meet the PlayStation community (the best in the business, if you ask me) and quiz them on their favorite games. Thanks for coming out, guys!

Don’t forget: Vita Hill social clubs in eight US cities are open seven days a week through PS Vita’s launch on February 22nd (get details and info here). They’re open to the public and there’s no catch — come by and play PS Vita as many times as you want!

In other news this week, the team behind UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss showed off new motion-capture footage, Square Enix showed off its upcoming PSN release Scarygirl, our EU correspondent James Gallagher scored an outstanding interview with PS Vita designer Tokashi Sogabe, Jeff spoke with SCE President and CEO Andrew House concerning PS Vita, and The Tester teased first footage of Season 3 (Nolan North!).

What are you playing this weekend?

• I’m playing: Choplifter HD, All Zombies Must Die!, Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone
• I’m watching: Breaking Bad: Season Three on Netflix for PS3
• I’m reading: At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson
• I’m listening to: Official PlayStation Blogcast 008: So You Want to be a Game Producer

Most-Watched Video of the Week: Resident Evil 6 Announcement Trailer

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

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If you’ve ever dreamed of a career in video game development, you’ve got to listen to this week’s episode of PlayStation Blogcast! Our special guest host is SCEA Senior Producer Kyle Shubel, who has worked on litany of high-profile PlayStation titles, including Killzone 3, Heavenly Sword, and LittleBigPlanet. In today’s episode, Kyle explains what a “game producer” actually does, walks us through his day-to-day role on the PS Vita action-RPG Warrior’s Lair, and shares his tips for breaking into game design. Good stuff!

Afterwards, Kyle sticks around for another monster segment as we discuss some of our most-anticipated games of 2012, from Starhawk to Sorcery to Hitman: Absolution to PS Vita’s launch lineup and more. Be sure to leave your top picks for 2012 in the comments below!

You’ll also hear a new batch of user questions, a new PSN Gem of the Week, and of course, the first details on next week’s PSN software lineup. So listen up!

How’s our driving? We want your feedback, comments, questions, and suggestions, so leave ‘em in the comments below!

The Cast

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]