Archive for the ‘recap’ Category
PlayStation Around the Web: What We Read
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in PlayStation Community, recap, What We Read on March 6th, 2011
It’s been a busy week of GDC festivities, and the media’s take on our announcements this week can be found in the many links below.
Now that the conference is over, I’m happy to actually have a chance to play some games (Killzone 3, PixelJunk Shooter 2, and Dead Space 2 specifically). However, the respite is all too brief, as we’re out to both Austin and Boston for SXSW and PAX East, respectively. (There’s a Road Trip joke in there somewhere)
Look for news on a Texas-sized meetup soon!
The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of February 28, 2011)
- GDC: The NGP in Action – IGN
- GDC: Why I Suddenly Care About Patapon 3 – IGN
- Review: PixelJunk Shooter 2- PSNStores
- Six things you didn’t know about ‘PlayStation Move Heroes’ – USATODAY.com
- GDC – Resistance 3 Session Report – PSNation.org
- Sony Move Creator Richard Marks on the Future of Motion Control (But He Doesn’t Call it That) – AllThingsD
- Xperia Play will be a serious gaming contender – Android app
- Sony touts its PlayStation Network, 70M and counting – VentureBeat
- Slam Bolt Scrappers Interview with Eitan Glinert – N4G
- Slam Bolt Scrappers hits PlayStation Network this month – Destructoid
- Okabu Preview – GamePro
- Resistance 3 multiplayer supports 16 players – Joystiq
- inFamous 2 Preview – GamePro
- Dates for ‘SOCOM 4′ beta launch revealed – USA Today
- SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs GDC 2011 Preview – G4TV
- ‘SOCOM 4′ Beta Launches For All On April 5, Bomb Squad Multiplayer Mode Detailed – MTV Multiplayer
- GDC 2011 Video Blog – Playstation Lounge – Gamereactor
- GDC: Resistance 3′s Focused Multiplayer – IGN
- Resistance 3 Video Game, GDC 11: Multiplayer Interview – GameTrailers
- Resistance 3 multiplayer detail, beta confirmed – Destructoid
- Resistance 3 Preview – GamePro
- Hands On With Resistance 3 Single And Multiplayer – Kotaku
- Infamous 2 Hands-On Preview – Custom Missions – GameSpot
- inFamous 2 will never end, thanks to user-created levels – Ars Technica
- inFamous 2 Allows Users To Build Their Own Missions, Beta – G4TV
- GDC: Infamous 2′s Mission Creator – IGN
- Players can create their own missions in ‘inFamous 2′ – USA Today
- Hands On: Sony Spices Up Infamous 2 With User-Created Content – Wired
- Review: ‘Killzone 3′ a wild, varied firefight – CNN
The PlayStation Recap
Posted by Sid Shuman in PlayStation Games, recap on March 5th, 2011
Another GDC in the can! We saw an avalanche of announcements including inFAMOUS 2‘s new user-generated missions, Resistance 3′s muscular new multiplayer offering, SOCOM 4‘s tense new Bomb Squad mode, the announcement of Move.me, the announcement of PSN title Rochard, (aimed at amateur game developers and researchers), and the launch of PSN exclusive PixelJunk Shooter 2.
Oh, and we played a ton of the new Mortal Kombat in stereoscopic 3D — look for the exclusive PlayStation Plus demo this Tuesday. I’ll definitely be brushing up on my Scorpion skills this weekend!
What was your favorite GDC announcement?
- I’m playing: Mortal Kombat PSN demo (at GDC 2011), BulletStorm, Marvel vs Capcom 3
- I’m watching: Mortal Kombat: Challenge Tower video, 127 Hours on PlayStation Video Store, Charlie Sheen
- I’m reading: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Axe by Donald Westlake
- This Week on the SingStore – Singstar fans sure are spoiled these days! Tons of new songs by Wolfmother, Lady Gaga, The Cardigans, The Killers and many more.
- Dead Space 2: Severed Hits PSN Tomorrow, Hands-On Details – Dead Space Extraction’s main characters return for two new chapters and a new story set aboard The Sprawl.
- ModNation: A Greatest Hit with Over 2 Million Creations! – The community has embraced this Play Create Share racer, and now you can too at a low, low price of $30.
- MLB 11 The Show: Pure Analog Throwing System – Pure Analog Throwing offers a new fielding experience, as you can now control both the accuracy and power behind your throws. Video tour inside!
- PixelJunk Shooter 2 Hits PSN Today With New Online Battle Mode – Q-Games’ latest PixelJunk is available now and boasts a tremendous amount of variety.
- PlayStation Home to Add Suite of New Developer Tools and Tech with Version 1.5 – Higher-quality games will now be possible in Home thanks to new technology featuring real-time multiplayer, improved physics, and more realistic graphics.
- Dead Space 2: Severed Hits PSN Today With Two New Chapters – Security officer Gabe Weller has gotten himself into a boatload of trouble in this new DLC chapter.
- PlayStation Store Update – PixelJunk Shooter 2, Vagrant Story, Top Spin 4 Demo, Major League Baseball 2K11 Demo, ModNation Racers and more.
- inFAMOUS 2: User-Created Missions Give Infinite Possibilities, Limited Beta in April – I saw inFAMOUS 2′s mission editor and it allows for an impressive degree of hands-on control over mission design. LittleBigInFAMOUS indeed.
- Aspiring Developers Take Note: Move.Me Unveiled at GDC – Researchers and academics have expressed strong interest in tapping into PlayStation Move, and soon they will be able to take full control.
- Spring Fever Heats Up With PlayStation Network Gamers’ Choice Award Winners – Check back on March 7th for a full list of winners for the PSN Gamer’s Choice Awards. The winning games get a 30-50% discount!
- Slam Bolt Scrappers: Brawling and Building Mash-up Coming to the PSN Store March 15th! – Fire Hose Games’s PSN exclusive is almost here, and it’s a riot!
- Home Mansion Expands, New PixelJunk Content Arrives + Weekly Update – Get the full download on Home’s weekly content update.
- Resistance 3 Multiplayer Revealed, Beta Later This Year – Insomniac Games unveils its new 16-player multiplayer mode, which features deep character customization and selectable skills.
- Digital Comics Store Update – Slaughterman’s Creed, Invincible Iron Man: World Most Haunted, World of Warcraft #4, Mercy Sparx and more.
- Coming to PlayStation Plus: Exclusive Mortal Kombat Demo, PSN Gamers’ Choice Award Winners, and Prince of Persia Full Game Trial – Good news for PlayStation Plus subscribers as a wealth of content and discounts flood in. Mortal Kombat demo hits this Tuesday!
- It Only Does Major League Hits –
- PlayStation Network Video Content Update – David Fincher’s new 127 Hours hits the Store, plus a sale on Jackass, a new Deal of the Week, a free rental from Toyota Highlander and more.
- Dead Nation Introduces Voice Chat Integration, New Development Diary – Additions include fan-requested online voice chat, mid-checkpoint saves, and more surprises for this powerful PSN zombie shooter.
- SOCOM 4 Bomb Squad Revealed, Beta Release Details – SOCOM 4′s fourth and final competitive mode is a blast — literally. Also, full details on timing for the PSN multiplayer demo.
- Experience MLB 11’s New Pure Analog Hitting System – Pure Hitting controls let you stride, swing, and bunt using the right analog stick. Watch the new video to see it in action.
- LittleBigPlanet Community Update – Too Much Sackboy?!?! – A playlist of sweet user-created LBP2 levels to play this weekend. Check LBP.me for many more!
- Design Your Ultimate God of War Monster – What’s your dream God of War monster? I’d like to humbly propose Cthulu.
- Mortal Kombat Demo 3D Hands-On: What You’ll Get On Tuesday – Four characters, two stages, and a boatload of fatalities. Kombat begins on Tuesday for PlayStation Plus subscribers!
Courtesy of Arne Meyer
- GDC 2011 – Day One – Our GDC panel was called “Microtalks 2011: One Hour, Ten Speakers, Hundreds of Fun New Ideas,” and collected a diverse group of industry notables.
- GDC 2011 – Day Two – Some of you were able to attend the absolutely packed GDC Microtalks session yesterday. Here are several sessions we recommended for Naughty Dog fans.
PlayStation Around the Web: What We Read
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in PlayStation Community, recap, What We Read on February 27th, 2011
We really want to meet you.
How badly? Over the next 2 weeks, we’ll be fanning out across 3 of this great nation’s 4 major time zones (sorry Hawaii), equipped with not-yet-released titles for your gaming pleasure. We’ll talk more about our PAX East and SXSW plans shortly, for now we are focused on GDC, where we hope to see you TOMORROW. Click here for details. Then RSVP.
Oh, and we had a great time at Friday night’s engadget reader meetup. We gave out a PS3. We’ll do more such things in our upcoming events.
SF. Tomorrow.
The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of February 21, 2011)
- Crysis 2 multiplayer demo also coming to PS3 – Joystiq
- Plants vs. Zombots: a LittleBigPlanet 2 re-creation – Joystiq
- Second PixelJunk Shooter 2 ‘survivor’ video just as weird as the first – Joystiq
- Gran Turismo 5 ships 6.37 million – GameSpot
- Killzone 3 Review – Shacknews.com
- MotorStorm Apocalypse: Does 3D Finally Matter? – IGN
- 3D games could give sales of 3D TVs a lift – USATODAY.com
- PlayStation 3 Video Game ‘Killzone 3′ Aims to Ramp Up 3D Action Experience – The Hollywood Reporter
- Blu-View: Killzone 3 Single Player – Sarcastic Gamer
- SOCOM 4: Friends Helping Friends – IGN
- Crysis 2 Video Interview: New York in Ashes – PlayStation Universe
- Mass Effect 2 Upgrades and Polishes Hull in v1.01 Update – PlayStation LifeStyle
- Killzone 3 review – PS3 Attitude
- NBA All-Star 2011: Basketball Greats Get Custom PlayStation 3 Consoles from Sony – GamerLive.TV
- Infamous 2: Building a Better Sequel – IGN
- Journey: A Trip Worth Taking – IGN
- Swagtacular: Unboxing Killzone 3 Helghast Edition – Destructoid
- David O. Russell Responds To The Internet’s Response To The Fact That He’s Making ‘Uncharted’ – /Film
- Free movies available weekly on PSN via Toyota Highlander promo – Joystiq
The PlayStation Recap
Posted by Sid Shuman in PlayStation Games, recap on February 26th, 2011
Ugh. I feel like crap. I’ve been locked in a grueling battle with sinusitis and I think I’m losing. On the bright side, being sick gives me a good excuse to stay out of the cold and catch up on some new PS3 releases. I’m several chapters into Bulletstorm — a rollicking good time so far — and I’m creeping ever closer to the end of Killzone 3‘s epic single-player campaign (using PlayStation Move, no less).
In other news, we’re just days from the 2011 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Jeff, Rey and I will be on-hand to report on any breaking industry news, share hands-on gameplay details, shoot videos, and generally give you an inside look at this year’s latest-and-greatest. Any special requests? Oh, and if you’re in the San Francisco area, you’re joining us for Monday’s community meetup — right?
- I’m playing: Bulletstorm, Killzone 3, Plants vs Zombies
- I’m watching: This jaw-dropping piece of work
- I’m reading: The Hunger Games, The Secret History of Killzone on 1UP.com
Courtesy of Arne Meyer
PlayStation Around the Web: What We Read
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in PlayStation Community, recap, What We Read on February 20th, 2011
Fellow Americans, I hope you’re enjoying your long President’s Day weekend. I ran into a Canadian colleague earlier this week at our Motorstorm Apocalypse event (video upcoming), and while she was unable to explain “Family Day” to me, I’m glad you’ll likely have time off as well.
Tuesday’s a holiday in its own right around the PlayStation offices: Killzone 3 launch day. I’m currently playing through the campaign utilizing the PlayStation Move. As a longtime console shooting fan, I was a bit hesitant to try out the new controls, but they’re accurate enough to earn me the “Eagle Eye – Every Sniper Rifle bullet is a kill” Trophy the very first time I picked up a sniper rifle. And I do enjoy stabbing the Move controller forward to engage a brutal melee.
I expect a lively debate about what settings are the best with Move controls post release. If you want my suggestion, I go with a max vertical dead zone, and zero horizontal, turning the sensitivity all the way down, and the rotation speed at about 40%. Been working well for me so far!
The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of February 14, 2011)
- MLB The Show 2011 interview with Sony’s Scott McCarthy – GamerFitNation.com
- End of Open Beta – Killzone.com
- A Million Demo Downloads Unlocks Dragon Age II Prizes – Kotaku
- Dance on Broadway comes to the PS3 with Move support – Destructoid
- Hold On To Your PS3: Sony Not Developing PS4 Yet – Techland
- Killzowned in Toronto – KZ3 Canadian Launch Event – PSNStores
- Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – MLB 11 The Show with Joe Mauer (2/15/11) – NBC.com
- Killzone 3 Move Tips - PSNation.org
- Mass Effect 2 for PS3 Video Review – G4tv.com
- Vote or Die: PSN’s Best – PS3 Feature at IGN
- Batman: Arkham City Gotham on Lockdown – PlayStation 3 Feature at IGN
- PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter Review – Gear Review at IGN
- Sandwich Monday: The Kevin Butler – NPR.org
- Sony’s undead game console: PlayStation 2 sales hit 150M after 10 years – VentureBeat
- Killzone 3 chocolate and army men make our day special – Destructoid
- Xperia Play’s Specs Break Down Battery Life, In-Box Freebies and More – Kotaku
The PlayStation Recap
Posted by Sid Shuman in PlayStation Games, recap on February 19th, 2011
Some pretty major updates this week, from inFAMOUS 2′s June 7th launch date confirmation to the new PS3 Killzone 3 bundle ($299) to the new GT5 update that adds multi-monitor support (up to 5 monitors and 180 viewing degrees) to Kevin Butler’s Killzone 3 TV spots to a rare look at the Mortal Kombat team’s approach to fatality creation. And man, that’s just a drop in the bucket — what a week!
What are you playing over the long holiday weekend?
- I’m playing: Killzone 3, Dead Space 2 Multiplayer, Lumines Supernova
- I’m watching: In Treatment Season 1
- I’m reading: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, PlayStation: The Official Magazine (Killzone 3 cover story)
Courtesy of Arne Meyer
PlayStation Around the Web: What We Read
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in PlayStation Community, recap, What We Read on February 13th, 2011
A Sunday with no football. So… what are you playing this weekend? I’m trying to beat Mass Effect 2 – 30 hours in at this point.
Got any good links we missed? Send ‘em over.
The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Weeks of February 7, 2011)
- SCE President Discusses PlayStation Suite Service — Tech-On!
- Ar Tonelico Qoga Trailer Makes Me Scared And Confused – Destructoid
- SCEA, Intel wave at motion controls – News at GameSpot
- Killzone 3 Kill of the Day – IGN
- Appliances For The Nefarious Home – Penny Arcade!
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together Review for PSP – GameSpot
- Tales from Space: About a Blob Review – IGN
- What if Kratos were in every game? – Joystiq
- PlayStation Network Sales Surge By 40%, PlayStation Plus Subscriptions Exceed 100k – PushSquare.com
- It’s Official: PS3 Has Best Software Library of 2010 – 1up
- LittleBigPlanet 2 review – Everyday Gamers
- Counterpoint: Why Sony’s PSP2 (NGP) will succeed – Destructoid
- So Many Japanese People Desire The NGP – Kotaku
- LittleBigPlanet custom shoes being auctioned for Child’s Play – Joystiq
- PSP News: Sony NGP: Aliens vs. Predator engine ‘fully playable’ on PSP2 – ComputerAndVideoGames.com
- Yakuza 4 hits the US with free DLC packed in – SEGA America Blog
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together Review – IGN
- Street Fighter IV Producer Attacks Namco USA Headquarters – Siliconera
- Sony’s Sustainable Style – EcoPop TV
- Why the Next Generation Portable may be the end of consoles as we know them – MercuryNews.com
- In-Game – Super Bowl ad reveals Sony’s gaming smart phone – msnbc.com
The PlayStation Recap
Posted by Sid Shuman in PlayStation Games, recap on February 12th, 2011
This weekend is all about the simple pleasures in life: Stomping through Necromorph in Dead Space 2′s New Game Plus mode (I highly advise maxing out the Javelin gun) and mowing down Helghast in Killzone 3′s Campaign Demo. I’m also infatuated with the charm and whimsy of Stacking, the adorable new adventure game from the minds of Double Fine’s Tim Schafer and Lee Petty. If you’re a PlayStation Plus user, you have no excuse — it’s free for a limited time.
I’m also hoping to sink my teeth into two PSN exclusives this weekend: Explodemon and Tales From Space: About a Blob. Oh, and I’ve got to see how Plants vs Zombies translates to the DualShock 3. Guess I shouldn’t plan to leave the house…
What are you playing this weekend?
- I’m playing: Stacking, Dead Space 2 (New Game Plus on Zealot!), Killzone 3
- I’m watching: Fringe, Alien on Blu-ray, Liu Kang Mortal Kombat trailer, Ken Levine Interviews Randy Pitchford (listening?) on IrrationalGames.com, X-Men: First Class trailer
- I’m reading: Closing the Loop: Fostering Communication In Single Player Games on Gamasutra.com
PlayStation Around the Web: What We Read
Posted by Jeff Rubenstein in PlayStation Community, recap, What We Read on February 6th, 2011
So, um… Green Bay or Pittsburgh?
The Packers bookended my Eagles season by beating Philly in Week 1 and in the playoffs (costing me an embarrassing wager with Torgo from PSNation), so I guess I’ll pull for them. Also, I just couldn’t ever bring myself to root for Ben Roethlisberger.
The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Weeks of January 31, 2011)
- The PS2 Just Will Not Die! – Kotaku
- Preview: Naruto Shippuden: Kizuna Drive for PSP – Destructoid
- Viz To Publish Ico Novel In The U.S. – Siliconera
- Sony posts strong Q3 profits (+135%!) in PlayStation group – Joystiq
- Explodemon! Review – IGN
- NGP will ‘easily best’ North American PSP sales – Analyst – GameSpot
- Killzone 3 review – Everyday Gamers
- Killzone 3 Review – Zeitgeist Game Review
- Review: Killzone 3 – Destructoid
- Sony Profit Beats Estimates After Earnings From PlayStation Games Double – Bloomberg
- Catwoman Claws Her Way Into ‘DC Universe Online’ – ABC News
- Next Generation Portable interview with Kaz Hirai – Telegraph
- Final Fantasy IV PSP Heads West on April 19 – Wired.com
- Videogames Need Auteurs, But Good Luck Finding Them – GameLife | Wired.com
- “Chuck” Actress Voices Aya Brea In The 3rd Birthday – Siliconera
- How To Control SOCOM With The PS3′s Gun – Kotaku
- Review – Tales From Space: About A Blob – PSNStores
- Interview: Insomniac Talks Ratchet: All 4 One – PSXExtreme
- 10 reasons to be excited about Sony’s Next Generation Portable – TG Daily
- The Expanding World of LittleBigPlanet 2 – Review – NYTimes.com
- How A Video Game Made Him Into A Major Leaguer – Kotaku
- Little Big Planet 2: 2011′s Best New Game (So Far) – WSJ.com
- Killzone 3 may be Move’s killer app, makes case for exclusivity – ars technica
- Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia HD trilogies coming March 22 on PS3 Blu-ray disc – Joystiq
- Is Everyone Going To Go Back-Touching Bananas? – Kotaku
- Did PSP Gaming Result In Japan’s Big Soccer Wins? – Kotaku
The PlayStation Recap
Posted by Sid Shuman in PlayStation Games, recap on February 5th, 2011
Europe was the epicenter of PlayStation news and announcements this week, and fortunately the EU PlayStation.Blog‘s James Gallagher has been keeping us updated with new interviews for Resistance 3 and Journey. inFAMOUS 2 developer Sucker Punch Productions also revealed two new companion characters that will serve as moral touchstones for Cole’s adventure in New Marais.
As for me, I’m consumed by Dead Space 2. I’m currently creeping my way through the flickering corridors of the Sprawl, carefully counting bullets and stomping Necromorph corpses. Because I’m playing on the Survivalist difficulty, I’ve been struggling to stay one step ahead of certain death — with mixed results. Has anyone been brave enough to take on the Hardcore mode?
- I’m playing: Dead Space 2 (chapter nine!), Killzone 3 Multiplayer Open Beta, Call of Duty: Black Ops
- I’m watching: New Resistance 3 gameplay video, Dark Souls reveal trailer
- I’m reading: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


