Archive for the ‘Featured Post’ Category
Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! for PSP Coming January, 2011!
Posted by Nao Zook in Featured Post, nis, PlayStation Games, prinny 2: dawn of operation panties dood, PSN, psp on October 8th, 2010
Happy Friday, dood! Oh my gosh, yeah, dood! We are releasing Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! for PSP on *UMD* and PSN this coming January!
Prinny 2 is a side scrolling hack-and-slash action game, and you can play as Prinny. Your mission this time is to find the precious panties of Demon Lord Etna! Yes, you have to search for Etna’s panties… or Etna swears that she will skin all Prinnies and make them into panties! Well, now that I think of it, Prinny panties would be kind of cool… but not for the Prinnies! You must find her panties by the following morning in the game, so you don’t have any time to dilly-dally! Let’s get to it, dood!
So, what’s new with Prinny 2 besides Etna’s panties? There are new skills, new stages, new story, and a bonus story with a new main character! We only have some screenshots to share this time, but I will be back here again in the near future to share more stuff with you guys. So please look forward to it!
We are launching the official Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! website today, so please check it out at www.NISAmerica.com! Also, we are cooking up some crazy fun campaigns for Prinny 2! All I can say about that right now is… it involves Etna’s panties… heh heh heh.
Before I let you go, I would like to introduce Ryan from NIS America. He joined our PR team recently, and he will be back here and talk to you guys more about Prinny 2!
Thank you for reading my post again. And I have to say… I am really sorry that I couldn’t reply to any of your comments on my post about Atelier Rorona. Today, I will reply to your comments though! Thank you, everyone! Have a great Friday and weekend, dood!
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit – Social Modes and EA Answers Your Questions
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in criterion, EA, Featured Post, need for speed hot pursuit, PlayStation Games, PS3 on September 29th, 2010
Recently, the Need for Speed caravan rolled into town for a media/community event bringing PS3s loaded with Hot Pursuit, a free rap show, and the Boston Celtics’ Paul Pierce.
With the game only about 2 months away, the team from EA was eager to talk about the social elements of Hot Pursuit. Watch this video, then read my conversation with Need for Speed producer Jesse Abney, who not only answered my questions, but yours as well.
Jeff Rubenstein, PlayStation.Blog: How did Criterion end up at the wheel on Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit?
Jesse Abney, EA: Criterion’s a AAA developer of action-racing games, with many years of doing great designs, great innovations, and platform technologies – especially for PlayStation 3 and online connectivity. And they kind of just waited patiently for their turn to get the keys to develop their favorite Need for Speed – and revive Hot Pursuit. Hot Pursuit really is a milestone in the Need For Speed ethos of “grab an exotic car, pick an exotic location, and hit the pavement.” And that really is a core tenet of Criterion’s expertise. It was really their interest and their call to revive Hot Pursuit.
PSB: What fundamentally makes NFS NFS, as opposed to say, Burnout? Will elements of NFS: Hot Pursuit look familiar to Burnout vets?
EA: Need for Speed’s always been about licensed vehicles. Criterion made the call to throw back to Hot Pursuit… no distractions, no customization, no real performance tweaking. It’s all about car, pavement, location, the competition of the race, and in this particular game, it’s all about social connectivity.
Autolog is an innovation, really a step up from what we saw in Burnout [Paradise]. It’s a total social experience. Always connected, always exchanging information, and always establishing where you’re at in the product versus your friends.
And instead of the Blacklist like you saw in Most Wanted, Criterion has brought in the Blacklisted Speed Wall. Autolog Recommends is a facet of that, whereby it’s always listing where your friends are in their career versus your career, event for event, and giving you recommendations based on the scores you’re laying down both online and offline.
PSB: Criterion won over a lot of fans with its community involvement, and the feeling that the game stayed alive long, long after if came out, thanks to its “Year of Paradise” DLC and update rollout. Will that happen with NFS: HP?
EA: Absolutely. We give all the credit in the world to Criterion for really proving out this model at EA; doing telemetry gathering, and establishing which core features people are really attached to, what things we can go bigger on, and dedicating people to work on that 3, 6, even 12 months into a product’s life cycle. It’s no longer “ship and forget” for us; we really want the product to have a life, we want it to evolve, we want to continue to improve it. With such short development cycles, we really want that post-launch development to not only address potential problems, but also to improve gameplay features and modes. It’s an absolute commitment from the NFS franchise.
PSB: What have you learned about player behavior – especially in the multiplayer arena – that we’ll see in NFS: Hot Pursuit?
EA: They’ve been taking a ton of lessons from online telemetry gathering: what people love to play, how they compete, and how that metadata is conveyed online. We have a very in-your-face approach to the connected generation. And that is multiple points of data, always streaming in information, always giving the player updates through messaging. “I’m going to throw down the best time I can and all my friends are going to get this message,” and it’s going to challenge them to do it.
That’s the lessons, like the refinement of the experience, that Burnout really paved the way for. And Criterion has really been at the forefront for all of EA in a lot of ways in how they turn that data into actual gameplay feature sets. Hot Pursuit is really a culmination of all those lessons over the past 2 or 3 years, especially for the connected platforms.
PSB: Do you see the reach of NFS Hot Pursuit extending beyond those times when you’re on the PS3 to places like Facebook or Twitter?
EA: Absolutely, there’s interactivity based on Facebook Connect and other elements that they’ll be working on. You have a ton of connectivity through the web and then back to your platform. Don’t discount any medium that Criterion has at their disposal. They’re supporting the PlayStation Eye to do in-game captures of player profiles; fans of Burnout will remember that. Every action point in the race is capturable and uploadable via Autolog.
Question via Twitter (@Y_AlAnsari): Is Hot Pursuit gonna be like “NFS Underground” style? The one with all the blacklist stuff :D
EA: There’s aspects of the Blacklist. Criterion really wanted to bring in elements of both Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted. Instead of the Blacklist being a grouping of AI players, our Blacklist is your friends list. You’re ranking up through the friends that you have via the Autolog, event for event, and knocking your friends off of the Blacklist. So you’re actually racing against real people, not just NPCs.
Question via Twitter (@RustyFirestar): What types of events are there? The gameplay seems fun, but not varied.
EA: Criterion is a great studio for creating dynamic game modes, and the introduction of cops and racers at high speeds, and exotic cars and exotic locations, for us it’s a playground. What we have are online modes where it’s 4 vs 4 where 4 of your friends are playing a career as a cop, and they’re entering into a Hot Pursuit with 4 of your friends who are running careers as racers.
General categorization of race events aside, Hot Pursuit is not about drag racing, it’s not about drift racing, it’s kind of a culmination of all those elements of driving within an action-driving design.
Question via Twitter (@BenSDixon): I’d like to know what games they would compare the handling to and whether it’s like Burnout Paradise. (does real cars = realistic handling?)
EA: Criterion is not a company to design a real-world physics simulator. One of the core tenets of Need for Speed is that action-driving experience. You don’t need a drivers license to play this game. That said, these are cars built upon a real-world-style physics simulator, and then amped up for arcade action. So this isn’t that you need to know how to drive, that you need to hit the apex of a corner, it’s much more in the vein of Burnout. It really is an action-arcade, pick-up-and-drive experience.
Question via Twitter (@DMax901): How many cars will there be? And what will the Racer’s equipment be like? Thanks PS!
EA: Over 65 top-end exotics, and maybe a few real key surprises. There are cars in our game you’ll never play anywhere else. And Criterion’s done a great job creating a career as a cop, so every car in the game comes in lovely cop colors. There’s always the idea that more cars can come via post launch development all the time.
Thanks go to those of you who asked us questions via Twitter, and to Jesse for answering them. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit comes to PS3 on November 16th.
Team Ico Talks: Fumito Ueda on The Last Guardian, Shadow of The Colossus
Posted by Sid Shuman in Developer Corner, Featured Post, PlayStation Games, PS3, team ico, team ico collection, tgs10, the last guardian on September 24th, 2010
Fumito Ueda is a name well known to most PlayStation fans. After directing the iconic PS2 games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, Ueda-san fast became one of the most celebrated figures in international game development. Now he’s working on a new game, the boy-beast buddy adventure The Last Guardian. If you missed the new trailer released one week ago at the Tokyo Game Show, you can watch it below.
While in Tokyo, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ueda-san about The Last Guardian and his upcoming PS3 compilation Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection. I knew that getting a lot of firm details about a game as enigmatic and ambitious as The Last Guardian would be no easy task, so I decided to focus my questions on learning more about how the game plays, its core mechanics, and nuances I spotted in the trailer. Ueda-san’s replies provide a rare glimpse into one of 2011′s most intriguing games.
Sid Shuman: How would you describe The Last Guardian to somebody who had never seen it before?
Fumito Ueda, Director, The Last Guardian: It’s not a pet game, but there is a live animal in the game. I would describe it as an adventure game that you play with this animal.
SS: Will you control the boy, Trico, or both?
FU: You can only control the boy.
SS: What can you tell us about the boy? Does he have a name? Is he on a quest of some sort?
FU: The boy does not have a name…yet. The goal of the boy is to escape from the location you see in the trailer.
SS: Judging by the video, Trico (the beast) appears to be be a powerful force in combat situations. Is there a combat element to The Last Guardian? How does it work?
FU: As you saw in the video, Trico is able to defeat an enemy with one swipe. So in that sense, he functions as a guardian of sorts. But the boy is unable to defeat the enemies on his own — that’s the gameplay element involved.
SS: What can you tell us about the enemies we’ve seen in The Last Guardian? In the trailer, they appear to almost fall apart like statues…
FU: I can’t give you any details about the enemies. But I will say that they are not acting fully out of their own intentions.
SS: Is Trico the only creature of that size in The Last Guardian’s world?
FU: Again, I can’t give you any specific details. But there may be something like that out there…
SS: Shadow of the Colossus was known for its unusual control scheme. Will The Last Guardian follow suit with its controls, or will the controls feel familiar to players?
FU: The actual method of controls and button layouts have not been decided yet, because it doesn’t take much time to change the control scheme. But because we’re using the theme of an animal for The Last Guardian, I also want people who are not serious game players to try out this game. So I want the controls to be simpler than before.
SS: Many game journalists — and even the entry on Wikipedia — have described Shadow of the Colossus as one of the best examples for video games being an art form. How does that make you feel? Do you agree?
FU: I’m happy about it, I’m flattered. But I wonder what part are they are referring to when they make that comment, that it’s art. What part are they looking at? Because I think it’s possible to make it even more artistic. But because it’s a video game, those possibilities have been subdued somewhat — it’s a game. So I’d be interested to know what part, exactly, they mean when they refer to it as art.
There are games out there that are much more artistic than Shadow of the Colossus. And personally I also believe that it would be possible to make it even more “arty,” so to speak.
SS: What other games do you think represent a good argument for games as art?
FU: I guess it depends on how you define art, of course. But in a Japanese conception of the term “art,” it’s thought that it might be something that’s difficult to understand, or complex. Or something unique or uncommon.
So given that definition of art, maybe it’s a little detrimental to actually name any titles.
SS: You were asking why so many people name Shadow of the Colossus as an example of art. I think many people would answer that it’s because players begin to sympathize with the Colossi…
FU: So it makes you think — I understand.
The PlayStation Recap
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in Featured Post, MAG, PlayStation Games, recap, uncharted 2 on September 18th, 2010
Sid and Rey are en route back to the Bay Area after a week in Japanland for Tokyo Game Show. While they prep the next batch of TGS content for you (an interview with Ueda-san and more), I’ll step in for Mr. Shuman with this week’s recap.
He does also like to share what he’s up to, doesn’t he? Here goes.
- I’m playing: Tumble, Sports Champions, Valkyria Chronicles II (you can download Selvaria now!), Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
- I’m watching: The Phillies re-take 1st place in the NL East on MLB.tv, Football – both NFL (Eagles) and EPL (Arsenal), looking forward to the season premiere of HIMYM on Monday.
- I’m reading: the new Game Informer with BioShock Infinite on the cover (great art)
- Introducing Tumble for PlayStation Move — Available now for $9.99, Tumble is a great purchase for new PlayStation Move owners.
- Hustle Kings – On the Move and More! — Already own Hustle Kings? Picking up PlayStation Move this weekend? You’re only a liquor license away from opening up your own billiards hall.
- Heavy Rain on PlayStation Move Comes 9/22 — Enjoy the light fun of Sports Champions and Kung Fu Rider this weekend, descend into a vision of Philadelphia even darker than after an Eagles loss (I’m from there, so I can say that ^_^).
- Dead Space 2 for PS3: Multiplayer Screens and First Info — Taking control of a Necromorph, finally feel what it’s like to have your limbs removed by pinpoint plasma cutter blasts. Not so fun now, is it??
- PAX Encounters: Hoard Multiplayer Dissected in New Videos — When we met with the devs at PAX, we complained that the trailers didn’t do a good job of explaining how the game works. Hence this new video of complete rounds being played. BTW, multiplayer is hella fun.
- ModNation Monday: The Artist Spotlight Returns! — Tanner and Tyler bring their real-life trick driving experience to the ModSpot.
- Meet the Complete Season 2 Cast of The Tester! — You may have picked your favorite to become the next Tester, but the more pressing question is: Who’s going to be this season’s Barmy?
- Sports Champions Week: Archery — Remember that E3 2009 demo where Anton was shooting arrows at zombie skeletons? That made it into Sports Champions.
- PlayStation Store Update — Worms 2, Move demos, Soviet Strike, a Castlevania sale, Phantasy Star Portable 2… a pretty damn good selection this week, it’s got to be said.
- Six Reasons to Pre-Order God of War: Ghost of Sparta! — I think most of you only need one reason to pre-order God of War: Ghost of Sparta: It’s God of War: Ghost of Sparta.
- Fallout: New Vegas for PS3: Meet the Companions — What, you thought you were going to be trekking around post-apocalyptic Vegas by yourself?
- Enter the Dragon’s Green – PlayStation Home’s Newest Full-Length Game — PlayStation Home adds yet another full-on gaming experience.
- DmC: Devil May Cry for PS3 Revealed in New Trailer — Capcom’s big reveal at TGS, this one has proved divisive among you readers. Some of you don’t seem to like a dark-haired, younger Dante, but personally I’m excited to see what Ninja Theory will do with the Devil May Cry universe.
- Sports Champions Week: Gladiator Duel — Here’s the move you need to master: headshot>launcher>air-hit combo>follow-up jump attack.
- Kevin Butler: “There’s a New Pet in Town” — Puppies: your days are numbered. Eyepet will *never* soil the carpet.
- Digital Comics Store Update — New Locke & Key, Sandman, and Silent Hill join a couple dozen new comics available for download.
- Blu-ray 3D Disc Playback Support Coming to PlayStation 3 System Next Week — If you own a PS3, you already own a 3D-enabled Blu-ray player. The functionality-enabling firmware update hits next week.
- Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection hits PS3 Spring 2011 with 3D — You demanded it; HD, 3D versions of these classics are mere months away!
- The Last Guardian Coming to PS3 Holiday 2011, Watch the New Trailer — See another tantalizing bit of Fumito Ueda’s upcoming opus; we’ll have an interview with him on the Blog next week.
- SingStar Dance Track List — La Roux’s “Bulletproof?” Yes, please.
- Sports Champions Week: Disc Golf — Someone asked if it’s impossible to get a hole-in-one (and the corresponding Trophy). I’m living proof, it can be done (twice)!
- ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West Coming to the PS3 on October 5, Win a Limited Edition Statue — The team that brought you Heavenly Sword are starting to receive some excellent buzz on this game, which now has a release date.
- Gran Turismo 5 at Tokyo Game Show: Community Features, Legacy Tracks, Weather Effects, X1 Prototype — It’s real, and its spectacular.
- PlayStation Move Launches at Stores Across North America — It’s all been leading up to this: pick up your PlayStation Move this weekend!
- PlayStation Network Video Content Update — Download your free pilot episode of Outlaw today.
- Swords & Soldiers Coming Soon to PSN — Make sure to watch the trailer of this upcoming 2D RTS (what?), it looks like this could be a fun one.
- PSN-Exclusive Rock Band DLC Sale Next Week — We know you were looking for an excuse to download that REO Speedwagon/Styx Tour ’09 track pack. Your time is nigh.
- Sports Champions Week: Table Tennis — Learn how to fend off a robot attack with nothing but plastic balls and a paddle. Thank us later.
- TGS 2010: Tour the PlayStation Booth — Rey jams a few hundred shots of Tokyo Game Show into 90 seconds. We love this guy.
- Dead Space Extraction: Hands-on (and Limbs off) with PlayStation Move — Extraction is shaping up to be a hell of a bonus for PS3 owners. Don’t forget: it comes with your copy of Dead Space 2 this January.
Courtesy of Jeremy Dunham
- Influence MAG: Should Domination Go “Faction-Neutral?” — DESCRIPTION
- MAG 2.0 Coming Soon — DESCRIPTION
- REMINDER: The Lab – Desert – 5 Shootout — DESCRIPTION
PlayStation Store Update
Posted by Grace Chen in Featured Post, PlayStation Network, PlayStation Store, PSN on September 14th, 2010
Hi Everyone – It’s time for the weekly PlayStation Store Update.
PlayStation 15th Anniversary PSone Classics Sale – Castlevania: SotN (now $4.99, original price $9.99) & Castlevania Chronicles (now $2.99, original price $5.99)
Updates
Monkey Island Special Edition 2: Lechuck’s Revenge – Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
Age of Booty – Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X – Sale (now $9.99, original price $19.99)
Megaman 9 – Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars – Permanent Price Drop (now $19.99, original price $29.99)
Downloadable Games
My Aquarium ($4.99)
My Aquarium is a relaxation software that let’s you create your own Aquarium without the hassle of dealing with changing filters or making a mess! Cultivate and admire your very own tank of tropical fish on your PlayStation 3 system!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 231 MB
Space Invaders Infinity Gene ($9.99)
Space Invaders, the game that defined video games for generations, is back with a new twist! The game starts off looking like the classic Space Invaders, but as you play through the game, it evolves. Featuring a total of 143 stages, the possibilities are endless. You can even blast your way through unique stages evolved from your very own music! The more you play, the more the game evolves!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 92 MB
Worms 2: Armageddon ($14.99)
Worms 2: Armageddon is the latest turn-based-strategy blast-a-thon to come to the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, and is packed with features set to satisfy both new and older generation of Worms players alike. With fresh visuals, hilarious new weaponry as well as returning iconic favorites, this online and offline destruction-fest is set to grab players across the globe with its unique brand of easy to learn, but hard to master gameplay.
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 271 MB
Tumble ($9.99)
Welcome to the world of Tumble; a 3D puzzle/brain teaser for 1 – 2 players. Grab your PlayStation Move motion controller and get ready to test your mental and physical agility as you build, balance, solve & destroy your way through a vast array of challenges. Whether playing single-player, collaboratively or competitively in multiplayer, Tumble will challenge you, entertain you, and keep you coming back for more.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 456 MB
PSone Classics
Soviet Strike ($4.99)
We are looking at a worst case scenario. As an ace Apache pilot you must stop an ex-KGB general looking to heat up the Cold War. Download this PS one classic today!
ESRB Rated T
File size: 484 MB
Game Demos (free)
NBA 2K11 Demo
Get a taste of the most anticipated basketball simulation videogame of the year with the NBA 2K11 online multiplayer only demo. Log on and play one quarter of a 2010 NBA Finals game between the Lakers and the Celtics in either head-to-head or 5-on-5 Team Up online only modes. In addition to being the only game featuring Michael Jordan, NBA 2K11 also includes improvements to core gameplay elements – including an all-new IsoMotion dribbling controls, all-new breathtaking visuals, and much more. This year BECOME THE GREATEST with NBA 2K11.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 710 MB
FIFA Soccer 11 Demo
FIFA Soccer 11 delivers a true soccer experience with authentic club and leagues licenses as well as gameplay refinements and innovations, such as Be A Goalkeeper and Personality+, that combine to create the complete soccer simulation. Download the demo now!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1.51 GB
Space Invaders Infinity Gene Network Demo
Free Demo of the latest Space Invaders game!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 60 MB
Worms 2: Armageddon Demo
A purpose-designed, sample section of Worms 2: Armageddon, the latest turn-based-strategy blast-a-thon to come to the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. This free introduction to the game features a select few single-player campaign levels and one offline two-player game, all with the Worms unique brand of hilarious weaponry and easy to learn, but hard to master gameplay.
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 271 MB
Racquet Sports – Network Demo
Experience perfect, natural control of your shots in Racquet Sports developed exclusively for the PlayStation Move motion controller. Try 10 different characters and choose between Tennis and Badminton out of 5 racquet sports (also included in final game: Squash, Ping Pong, Beach Tennis). Play in 4 iconic locations out of 30 in the game (Shanghai tournament, Paradise Island, Oslo Tournament and Ha Long Bay)
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1.22 GB
Eye Pet Move Demo
Say hello to EyePet, the newest member to your family. Grab a PlayStation Eye camera(required) and your PlayStation Move motion controller (required) and watch as he comes to life right in your living room!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 760 MB
Tumble Demo
You’ll need a steady hand to build the highest tower possible in the Tumble demo. Test your skill and dexterity in the single player challenges or try to out-build your opponent in multiplayer mode, then upgrade to the full game to take your constructions even higher.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 456 MB
Add-on Game Content
Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.
- “Holy Diver″ – Dio ($1.99)
- “Stand Up and Shout” – Dio ($1.99)
- “Nirvana” – Juliana Hatfield ($1.99)
- “Irish Blood, English Heart” – Morrissey ($1.99)
- “Straight Lines” – Silverchair ($1.99)
- “This Charming Man” – The Smiths ($1.99)
- “Writing on the Walls” – Underoath ($1.99)
Rock Band Network
- “Africa” – Quartered ($0.99)
- “Nightlife Commando” – Bang Camaro ($1.99)
- “Shop Vac” – Jonathan Coulton ($1.99)
- “Swallow The Razor” – Bang Camaro ($0.99)
- “The Final Episode (Let’s Change The Channel)” – Asking Alexandria ($1.99)
File size: 20 – 33 MB (singles)
Bundle
Megaman 9 – DLC Bundle ($4.99)
Purchase all five DLC items for Mega Man 9 with this Mega DLC Bundle.
(Includes Endless Attack Mode, Hero Mode, Superhero Mode, Proto Man Mode, and the Special Stage).
File size: 620 KB
Megaman 9 – Themes Bundle ($5.99)
Purchase all five Themes for Mega Man 9 with this Mega Theme Pack (Includes Themes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).
File size: 7.71 MB
Monkey Island Special Edition: 1 and 2 Bundle ($7.49)
For the first time ever, enjoy The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition and Monkey Island 2 Special Edition LeChuck’s Revenge together in one great digital bundle.
File size: 1.56 GB
Cuboid Ultimate Bundle ($12.99)
Cuboid is a stunning 3D puzzle game in which players navigate ancient ruins and lush environments, maneuvering a rectangular block through mystical exits.
File size: 102 MB
Magic Orbz Extreme Bundle ($12.99)
Get the Magic Orbz Extreme Bundle and enjoy the Magic Orbz game and three add-on level packs for one low price.
File size: 321.3 MB
Magic Orbz Level Bundle ($4.99)
Already own Magic Orbz? Then get the Magic Orbz Level Pack and enjoy three add-on packs for one low price.
File size: 300 KB
Mahjong Tales Wisdom Bundle ($10.99)
The Mahjong Tales Wisdom Bundle features the full game of Mahjong Tales, 25 extra layouts, and a Level Editor that allows you to create and share your own layouts.
File size: 262 MB
Smash Cars Extreme Bundle ($12.99)
Get both Smash Cars and Virus Run for one low price.
File size: 344 MB
Avatars
Mega Man 10 Avatars ($0.49) (x4)
File size: 100 KB
Street Fighter Avatars ($0.49) (x3)
File size: 100 KB
Game Videos (free)
Deus Ex 3: Human Revolution Gamescom Trailer
File size: 104 MB (HD)
Shaun White Skateboarding – Announcement Live Action Trailer
File size: 86 MB (HD)
Shaun White Skateboarding Dev Diary #1
File size: 121 MB (HD)
Athlete Profile – Dennis Enarson
File size: 96 MB (HD), 161 MB (1080)
Athlete Profile – Jamie Bestwick
File size: 87 MB (HD), 145 MB (1080)
Athlete Profile – Ryan Nyquist
File size: 97 MB (HD), 162 MB (1080)
PlayStation Pro Moments Chicago
File size: 58 MB (HD), 97 MB (1080)
LittleBigPlanet 2 – GamesCom Trailer
File size: 95 MB (HD)
The Fight: Lights Out GamesCom Trailer
File size: 68 MB (HD)
No Heroes Allowed! – Announcement Trailer
File size: 63 MB (HD)
PS3 Themes
SPACE INVADERS INFINITY GENE XMB Theme 1 (free)
File size: 4.36 MB
SPACE INVADERS INFINITY GENE XMB Theme 2 (free)
File size: 1.70 MB
SPACE INVADERS INFINITY GENE XMB Theme 3 (free)
File size: 2.19 MB
MLB 10: The Show Theme (free)
File size: 2.69 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Nebraska ($2.99)
File size: 3.15 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Kansas ($2.99)
File size: 3.35 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Arkansas ($2.99)
File size: 3.2 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Arizona ($2.99)
File size: 3.31 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Clemson ($2.99)
File size: 3.26 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Illinois ($2.99)
File size: 3.28 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Connecticut ($2.99)
File size: 3.05 MB
NCAA Dynamic Theme – Air Force ($2.99)
File size: 3.09 MB
Play On Words Theme ($1.49)
File size: 17 MB
Wallpapers (free)
PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap Wallpaper #2
File size: 142 KB (SD), 602 KB(1080)
PlayStation Store for PSP
Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 Storefront)
Phantasy Star Portable 2 ($39.99)
The Phantasy Star series returns to the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system for an exciting new adventure, bringing all-new content and returning the series to its online roots. Phantasy Star Portable 2 offers a gigantic dose of original content from new combat moves, weapons and character customization options as well as online play.
ESRB Rated T
File size: 942 MB
UFC Undisputed 2010 ($39.99)
So you want to be a fighter? This is how! Step into the Octagon in UFC Undisputed 2010 to see if you have what it takes to be the best of the best. UFC Undisputed 2010 features the most authentic MMA action while boasting the best fighters in the world. After one round with all the new features and key improvements, you’ll embody the essence and spirit of a real fighter. Are you ready to be one?
ESRB Rated T
File size: 1.32 GB
Cabela’s North American Adventures ($19.99)
Bring your A-game on this hunt – you’re on camera. Your search for trophy game is captured on film as an expert cameraman records your adventures. It’s hunting taken to the extreme with record-class opportunities in situations meant only for the pros. You’ll hunt more than 30 game species across ten North American regions from Alaska to Mexico. Also featured are arcade-style shooting galleries and a Big Trophy Tournament with record-sized racks.
ESRB Rated T
File size: 241 MB
Gladiator Begins ($34.99)
Gladiator Begins lets you create and customize your own gladiator (male or female) to battle it out in the colosseum to try and earn enough money to buy your freedom.
ESRB Rated M
File size: 343 MB
PSP Minis (also available from PS3 Storefront)
Caterpillar – Minis ($4.99)
ESRB Rated E
File size: 11 MB
Panda Craze – Minis ($4.99)
ESRB Rated E
File size: 12 MB
Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 Storefront)
LittleBigPlanet PSP – Lunar Landing Costumes (free)
PLAY, CREATE, SHARE…Everywhere.
LittleBigPlanet’s critically acclaimed “PLAY, CREATE, SHARE” experience, makes its way to the PSP system with a completely new Sackboy adventure. Celebrate the exploration of the final frontier with these cosmic costumes!
File size: 2.2 MB
Game Videos (free)
Knights in the Nightmare Trailer
File size: 8.53 MB
Valkyria Chronicles 2 Launch Trailer
File size: 8.38 MB
No More Heroes Allowed! – Announcement Trailer
File size: 9.68 MB
PSP Themes (also available from PS3 Storefront)
MLB 10: The Show PSP Theme (free)
File size: 600 KB
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs PSP Theme (US/CA Only) ($1.49)
File size: 530 KB
Family Guy PSP Theme (US/CA Only) ($1.49)
File size: 370 KB
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia PSP Theme (US/CA Only) ($1.49)
File size: 580 KB
PSP Wallpapers (free)
Gladiator Begins – Wallpaper 1
File size: 74 KB
Gladiator Begins – Wallpaper 2
File size: 77 KB
gamescom 2010 Live Blog
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in Events, Featured Post, gamescom10, Inside PlayStation on August 17th, 2010
I’m not in Cologne, Germany, for gamescom. You’re not either. But that’s OK; James Gallagher from PlayStation Blog Europe is – and he’s liveblogging today’s PlayStation press conference for all of us.
The event gets underway at 9am Pacific/noon Eastern/6pm CET.
Once the press conference is over, the fun begins – make sure to refresh the Blog at approximately 11:30am Pacific to see some of the trailers James was just describing to you.
The PlayStation Recap
Posted by Sid Shuman in Featured Post, MAG, PlayStation Games, recap, uncharted 2 on August 7th, 2010
Not a bad week, despite the fact that we’re in a traditionally quiet season. But with Madden NFL 11 coming out next Tuesday, and PlayStation Move and major game releases in the following weeks, the craziest time of the year is nearly upon us. The excitement builds!
Speaking of which, if you have game suggestions for future PlayStation.Blog posts, let me know in the comments. Where possible, we’ll try to make it happen.
- I’m playing: Deathspank, Red Dead Redemption, Tekken 6, Mortal Kombat II
- I’m watching: The Descent Part 2, Up in the Air, True Blood Season 3, Fringe Season 2
- I’m reading: Wired July issue (“Sergey’s Search”), The Walking Dead Book 5
- NEW Madden NFL 11 PSP Bundle – Available starting August 10th, get a piano black PSP-3000 with Madden NFL 11 for $169.99.
- God of War: Ghost of Sparta Official Release Date and Pre-Order Pack – A red-and-black PSP bundle, plus extensive pre-order DLC bonuses for the UMD and digital versions of God of War: Ghost of Sparta.
- ModNation Monday: Title Update 1.02 Releases August 4th, Brings Improvements – Load time improvements, exploit fixes, and more. Also, get an update on the issue affecting XP Race and XP Series here.
- PlayStation Network Summer Sale: Fat Princess, PixelJunk, Chinatown Wars and More – A full list of PSN game discounts, with up to 50% off Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and PixelJunk Shooter for a limited time.
- NBA Elite 11 for PS3: New Controls and NBA Jam Confirmed – NBA Jam modes come to NBA Elite 11, and the EA Sports team gives us the full rundown on the new control scheme.
- Pulse 8/3 Edition Now Available – Christina Lee digs deep into the PlayStation Store Summer Sale, and makes a couple of Clash of the Titans jokes for good measure.
- Coming Next Week to PlayStation Plus: Red Faction Guerrilla Game Trial and More – Updates next week include new games and new discounts, plus early access to PixelJunk Racers: Second Lap and TerRover.
- PlayStation Store Update – Earthworm Jim HD? Groovy! Shiny Entertainment’s classic hits PSN with new co-op modes and revamped graphics, plus a free demo.
- Coming Soon to PSN: Who’s That Flying?! for PSP and PS3 – The creators of the cult hit Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess return with another offbeat gem for PlayStation minis. First screens inside!
- Mos Eisley Cantina Comes to PlayStation Home + Exclusive Star Wars Events & Items! – Hang out in a wretched hive of scum and villainy during the 30th anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
- Digital Comics Store Update – General Zod returns in the free comic Superman: War of the Supermen, plus new Vampire Hunter D Volume 2 and Captain America.
- Ys Seven Comes to PSP in August – Falcom’s classic action-RPG comes to the PSP this month, and we’ve got a full details. Protip: Ys pronunciation rhymes with “freeze.”
- Euro Event Report – James Bond: Blood Stone for PS3 – Bizarre Creations is prepping a new 007 adventure for 2010, and the new trailer is *well* worth watching.
- LittleBigPlanet 2: Adventure Trailer Revealed – The Grappling Hook, Power Glove, and bounce pads take center stage in this peek at the universe-spanning Story mode.
- Maximizing minis: Young Thor & Frima’s Love for All Things Tiny – The concept art in this behind-the-scenes PSN peek is well worth a look.
- Flower Power: Art Contest Winners, New Demo – We showcase the five winners of the Flower art contest, and add a quick reminder about the new Flower PSN demo.
- PlayStation Move: The Precision Swing In John Daly’s ProStroke Golf – Learn how the development team has harnessed the precision of the PlayStation Move to create an authentic golf swing.
- PlayStation Network Video Content Update – New movies include Kick-Ass and The Ghost Writer, plus new discounts on action and martial arts flicks.
- Mafia II’s PS3-Exclusive DLC: The Betrayal of Jimmy – PlayStation 3 owners get free, exclusive DLC on launch day with “The Betrayal of Jimmy,” a fast-paced side story for Mafia II.
Courtesy of Jeremy Dunham
- Zipper Profile: Mary Olson – Mary works to make sure that everything your speakers pump out is music to your ears. She has a lot to say, so get reading.
- Zipline Podcast – Episode 14 – This week we’re joined by Cade Myers, Assistant Producer on SOCOM 4, who also had a hand in MAG’s production.
Courtesy of Arne Meyer
- REMINDER: The Lab – Co-op Crushing – With only 80% of your normal health, you’re a softer target for the waves of enemies trying to dispatch you in Survival and Gold Rush.
- “The Lab” – August 2010 Schedule – During the weekend of 8/20, “The Lab” will be running No Power Weapons in Team Deathmatch, i.e. no M-32 Hammer, GAU-19, SAS-12, or Pistole.
Mafia II’s PS3-Exclusive DLC: The Betrayal of Jimmy
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in 2k games, dlc, Featured Post, mafia ll, PlayStation Games, PS3 on August 6th, 2010
Last month, the name “Jimmy’s Vendetta” leaked out, along with a list of PlayStation 3 Trophies that appeared to be from the previously-confirmed PS3-exclusive Mafia II downloadable content.
As it turns out, that DLC will be coming down the line. Before Jimmy can get going on that vendetta – he’s got to be double-crossed. That, as it turns out, is the source material for The Betrayal of Jimmy DLC, available at free at launch, exclusively for the PS3 version of Mafia II.
The Betrayal of Jimmy is almost an arcade-style take on the Mafia II experience. The team took the most fun elements from the game: shooting, driving, stealing, etc in a open world, and made it a point-based romp, complete with leaderboards. It’s all about fast cars, blowing stuff up, hitting top speeds, and really taking advantage of the open city. If Mafia II is an expansive story, then The Betrayal of Jimmy is instant gratification.
Unlike in the main Mafia II storyline, you’ll rack up points for drifting, high speed driving, headshots, kill combos and more. Points pop up right on the screen, arcade style and giant, flashy icons like arrows point at targets – something you’d never see in the more authentically 1940s and 50s setting from the primary game mode.
That’s not to say it’s all run and gun – there’s some story to give the mode substance to bring it together. 2K included new cut-scenes and voice acting to keep production quality consistent from the main game.
About that story… Jimmy’s a lot different than Vito, the protagonist in the main game’s plot. While Vito is more of a Henry Hill-esque character – a good guy that gets drawn into becoming a goodfella, Jimmy’s been getting his hands dirty for a long time. With a shaved head, all-black attire, and dark shades, Jimmy’s the kind of guy who you’d cross the street to avoid.
When Jimmy gets screwed over and doesn’t know what’s going on, he starts taking on missions from different crime families to try to uncover the truth. You’ll see some new families here, but some of the characters cross over the storylines, including the main character – the city of Empire Bay.
While you can download The Betrayal of Jimmy on August 24th, the day Mafia II hits shelves, you’ll definitely wanna play through the main storyline first. There’s not a lot of exposition in this content pack; you’re immediately dropped into a gunfight where you’re outgunned and outflanked. Unlike Vito’s slow introduction to the world of organized crime in the main game, Jimmy’s already “leveled up” and spawns initially with multiple weapons. The whole city is open to you right at the start.
Now I tried to anticipate a few questions you Blog readers would come up with when we visited 2K this week to see the game in action:
- The Betrayal of Jimmy is not included on the disc – new copies of the game will contain a voucher to download it. If you pick the game up used, you’ll be able to purchase the DLC for $9.99.
- While you can unlock Trophies during The Betrayal of Jimmy (we saw one earned during our playthrough for getting significant airtime in a car), there aren’t any mission-specific Trophies for this DLC.
- The Jimmy’s Vendetta DLC will become available post-launch. No word on price.
With over 25 different missions, The Betrayal of Jimmy promises a meaty additional gameplay experience, and a nice bonus for PlayStation 3 owners looking to pick up Mafia II later this month.
PlayStation Move: The Precision Swing In John Daly’s ProStroke Golf
Posted by Derek Hartin in Featured Post, gusto games, john daly’s prostroke golf, PlayStation Games, playstation move, PS3 on August 6th, 2010
A good swing is probably the single most important component in the entire game of golf. Professional golfers spend most of their lives trying to generate the perfect motion and the biggest challenge at Gusto Games over the course of developing John Daly’s ProStroke Golf has been to translate this key mechanic into something the end user can play with.
That’s where PlayStation and the Move motion controller came in. But let’s start with a bit of background to the problem.
Video games have always had a problem translating the swing, a fluid, analog motion, into something a gamer can work with. Three-click systems create a disconnect between the player and their avatar; they’re never really taking the shot. In fact, all they’re doing is setting up what will happen BEFORE their golfer takes a swing. Using an analog stick bridged a gap, but it’s still nothing like actually swinging a club. Golf games have been crying out for a way of letting gamers actually feel like they’re swinging a club and PlayStation Move has become that solution.
From booming drives off the tee to delicate approach chips, Move has allowed us to see actual golf swings translated directly into the game. If your swing pulls to the right, that’s what will happen. If you don’t swing hard enough, you’ll drop short. The level of accuracy we can achieve just wouldn’t have been possible without the swing information we can pull from the Move. It allows a player to take direct control of the club and combining it with ‘ProStroke View’ then puts them right into the game.
‘ProStroke View’ is something that’s been around at Gusto since the original ProStroke Golf: World Tour 2007. Looking down the club is just the most natural thing in the world to anyone who’s played golf before. It’s where you can see the path of the club as it swings, connects and follows through. When we first got hold of the prototype for Move, it was almost as if it had been made with the ProStroke system in mind. The two concepts were just so compatible! Of course, then we actually had to pair the software to this new hardware. We’ve worked with multiple iterations of the peripheral since then, tweaking and refining the system to get the most out of it. We’re almost there!
We’ve had plenty of positive feedback from the game’s outing to E3 this year. Gamers who picked it up loved the feeling of control it gave them and some of them even said it was the closest they’d come to feeling like they were actually swinging a club. High praise! Probably the biggest boost for us, however, was getting John himself to play with it. Having a professional golfer pick up your game and within moments being able to drive a ball 300 yards down the centre of the fairway, using the same type of motion he’d use on a real course, is pretty incredible.
Who’d have thought that in the world of golf video games it’d be a tiny white ball that solved the swing problem?
Euro Event Report – James Bond: Blood Stone for PS3
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in bizarre creations, Events, Featured Post, james bond: blood stone, PlayStation Games, PS3 on August 5th, 2010
Activision and Bizarre Creations unveiled their latest Bond game at an event in London (of course!) recently. Luckily, we had our own debonair English secret agent covertly in attendance. Here’s what SCEE’s Keating – Barry Keating – observed at the reveal James Bond: Blood Stone for PS3.
While we may have to wait a little longer for the next installment in the James Bond series, gamers and Bond fans can take a quantity of solace in the fact that the suave super agent is getting the videogame treatment from blur developer, Bizarre Creations with James Bond: Blood Stone, a wholly original 007 epic penciled in for release later in 2010.
While much of the plot – from a script by Bruce Feirstein, the writer behind GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough – is being kept under wraps for now, we do know that Blood Stone’s globe trotting thrills and spills are set against a backdrop that involves the diamond trade, a missing scientist and a new Bond Girl: Joss Stone. Yes, Joss Stone. The lovely Miss Stone, who was in attendance at the announcement, has also co-written and performed the games’ theme song ‘I’ll Take It All’ with former Eurythmics man, Dave Stewart; it’s a catchy one!
At the swanky event, Activision and developer Bizarre Creations showcased the game’s opening mission, a self-contained pre-credit sequence that owes much to the way the movies are structured. Consider it a whopping great teaser for the level of wanton destruction that’s about to ensue as you hunt the bad guys across a slew of gorgeously designed locations in true Bond style.
Set in Athens, this sequence sees the fledgling agent with a license to kill hot on the heels of a bad guy holed up on a yacht. Parachuting from the back of passing plane, Bond quickly descends to the yacht taking out a few henchmen in quick succession with a combination of hand-to-hand combat and pistol action. As the action ramps up the pursuit turns into a speedboat duel as Bond guns it towards his goal, shooting bad guys in slo-mo and dodging collapsing buildings, before switching once again into a high speed car chase through the streets of Athens.
Then BAM! It ends as Bond rams his target off the road and the theme song kicks in. Although it was only a ten minute demo, the intent of which was to highlight the varying gameplay elements, I was hugely impressed – it’s just a shame that I didn’t get to play it; strictly hands-off at the moment.
What I did glean from the event was this: it’s a 70/30 split between on-foot and driving missions (there are six according to the developer). By performing melee attacks through a simple button tap you can earn up to three Focus Kills, which allow you to mark and execute villains in quick succession – ideal for sticky situations, then!
There was no mention of multiplayer, but being that this is a Bond game, and Bizarre Creations are known for weaving superb multiplayer components (check out Blur and The Club and you’ll see what I mean) into their titles, I’m assuming it’s a given. I’m definitely excited to see where this one goes, and what kind of missions Bizarre and Activision will reveal before the game arrives later in the year.