Samsung's 2009 Blu-ray player lineup officially priced

April 1st, 2009, 10:53 Posted By: wraggster

When Samsung's 2009 Blu-ray player lineup was outed at CES this year, all pricing and release date information was conveniently omitted. At long last, Sammy has pushed out the details we've been waiting for at its Spring Fever event in New York City. Granted, the BD-P3600 and BD-P1600 are already on store shelves for $399.99 and $299.99, respectively, but we figured it prudent to pass along those official numbers straight from the source. Of note, we're also told that the ultrathin BD-P4600 will indeed be coming in April for $499.99, and if Best Buy's website is to be believed, it'll be April 19th if we're talking specifics.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/s...cially-priced/

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World at War DLC hits 1m downloads

April 1st, 2009, 11:02 Posted By: wraggster

Call of Duty: World at War's Map Pack 1 has been downloaded over one million times within its first week on sale for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, according to Activision.

Treyarch's downloadable content features four maps and is available on Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points and on the PlayStation Store for USD 9.99.

"I'm proud that the team at Treyarch delivered an experience that so many people are enjoying," said Mark Lamia, studio head for Treyarch.

"We're excited that the success of Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 1 will continue to drive the popularity of the game's Nazi Zombie mode, competitive multiplayer and chart-breaking success online."

Maria Stipp, Activision's EVP and GM of owned properties, added: "The success of Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 1 speaks to Treyarch and Activision's ability to provide fans with quality content during a time when people want to get the most out of their Call of Duty experience."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...lion-downloads

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PS2 Took Twice As Long To Hit $99 As PSOne, Sold Triple The Games

April 1st, 2009, 11:06 Posted By: wraggster

The numbers behind the PS2 and PSOne’s price drops to $99 are radically different — and show how the machine’s 10-year-cycles have been nothing alike.
***
The PSOne was released in Japan in December 1994 and in North America in September 1995 (for $299).
Less than four years later in the U.S.…
The PSOne dropped to $99 on August 16, 1999
By that point, Sony had shipped more than 58.4 million consoles and more than 462 million games worldwide.*
***
The PS2 launched in Japan in March 2000 and in North America in October 2000 (for $299).
More than eight years later in the U.S.…
The PS2 will drop to $99 in April 2009.
By that point, Sony claims the system will have sold more than 138.7 million consoles and almost 1.5 billion games worldwide. *
So it took the PS2 twice as long to get down to $99 as did the PSOne, in which time the PS2 sold more than twice as many consoles and three times as many games.
Imagine what the PS2 sales could have been had the system dropped to $99 four years ago. Then again, Sony didn’t have to do that. In the PSOne era, the Nintendo 64 was a solid competitor for a few years. In the PS2 era, the Xbox and GameCube put up a meeker fight.
Note that the PSOne sold more units after the $99 price drop than it did before, as the system now has sold more than 100 million units.
One other conclusion that’s too obvious to ignore: Sony dropped the PSOne to $99 before the PS2 was released. The PS2 has dropped to $99 more than two years after the launch of its successor.
Two consoles. Two alleged 10-year-cycles. Big differences.

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/...ple-the-games/

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New Singstar trophies give Home rewards

April 1st, 2009, 11:11 Posted By: wraggster

A patch that adds Trophy support to Singstar on PS3 has been released today, according to reports.

Not only can virtual vocalists prompt that satisfying 'bling' sound with there voice box, but unlocking some of the 35 new trophies will, for the first time in a PS3 title, earn you rewards in Home.

The trophy lists hitting the internet don't specify exactly what goodies are unlocked, but at least the trophy crossover is a positive step towards the full 3D trophy cabinets Sony promised when Home was first announced.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=212260

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Is This A Partial Rock Band PSP Setlist?

April 1st, 2009, 11:22 Posted By: wraggster

Probably. It's on GameStop's website, after all, and last I checked big corporations aren't as prone to throwing up April Fool's jokes as common folk.

As you can see from the image below, there are 15 artists/songs specifically named, out of a promised 40+. And if most of them look familiar, that's because they are, as they're already available on the home console versions.

Shame. On the bright side, the PSP version will have its own in-game store where you can purchase downloadable content, which is something we figured Harmonix wouldn't bother with.

You can see the partial tracklist via comments

http://kotaku.com/5193023/is-this-a-...nd-psp-setlist

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Man Stabs Mother of His Children "Hooked" On PlayStation

April 1st, 2009, 11:24 Posted By: wraggster

Malcolm Palmer stabbed the mother of his three children and partner of 30 years after having to sleep on the sofa so she could play Grand Theft Auto on a plasma TV in their bedroom.

That, and the 62-year-old Palmer, who is a retired Heathrow airport employee, had become convinced his 46-year-old partner Carol Cannom was having an affair.

The two had purchased a PlayStation (doesn't specify which one — ditto for GTA) for their 10-year-old son, but Cannom apparently started regular gaming marathons. According to prosecutor John Pini QC, "Carol quickly became hooked. He was very unhappy about the amount of time she was playing on the PlayStation."

He wielded two knives during the attack, stabbing her in the chest 20 times. Their son James called the authorities, and Palmer snatched the phone, saying, "I'm sorry. I think I've killed her."

Defence lawyer Timothy Spencer QC stated to the court, "The genesis of this tragedy bizarrely lies with the purchase of the PlayStation."

No, the genesis did not lie in the purchase of the PlayStation — otherwise, we'd have millions of PlayStation domestic murders. More relevant to the motive, Palmer went berserk last November when Cannom threatened to move out, telling him he'd never see his children again.

http://kotaku.com/5192941/man-stabs-...on-playstation

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PS3 Motion Sensing Remote Is Done, Some Unknown Dudes Say

April 1st, 2009, 11:35 Posted By: wraggster

According to some site we didn't know at all until now, the PS3 Wii-style motion sensing remote is not only not a rumor but a done deal. It's already finished, they say:

Sony is reaching out to key third-party publishers and asking them to implement last minute functionality into their soon-to-be released games and of course compatibility with select future games.

We don't know if it's true or not (heck, I don't even know if it makes any sense at all for Sony to release a Wiimote, although it's entirely possible they would, given Nintendo success). They don't provide any details, however, so remember our first rule of rumors: Fried them until they are golden brown before serving along some veggies and red pepper sauce. Or don't trust them. I keep confusing this one.

http://i.gizmodo.com/5191104/ps3-mot...nown-dudes-say

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ESRB rates Ghostbusters game for PSP

April 1st, 2009, 11:36 Posted By: wraggster

Looks like the Ghostbusters are heading to PSP, if this ESRB listing is to be believed. According to the ratings bureau, the PSP will receive its own version of Ghostbusters, based on the PS2 and Wii versions of the game. The game has been announced for pretty much every platform including the DS and iPhone, so it's unsurprising that Atari would want to make a quick buck by releasing a PSP port as well.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/31/es...-game-for-psp/

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Analysts: PS2 sales to increase 30% after price drop, others question effect

April 1st, 2009, 11:37 Posted By: wraggster

Analyst Jesse Divnich of EEDAR believes that the PS2 price drop to a Franklin will boost US sales of the console by 30 percent. Divnich's report also estimates that PS2 software will maintain an 18 percent market share, rather than drop down to 16 percent had there not been a cut.

Gamasutra also spoke with analyst Matt Matthews, who points out that any consumer waiting for the PS2 to reach $100 is "cost-conscious" enough to buy games from the used bin at GameStop, meaning those consumers aren't likely to help new software sales. Apparently, Sony's Jack Tretton agreed with this notion last summer in an Edge interview, when he asked, "If that $30 was the difference between buying a console and not buying a console, how many games are you going to sell to that person?"

At the time, he questioned how strategically important that consumer really is. Apparently, nine months and a fiscal crisis at the company is enough to change some minds.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/31/an...op-others-que/

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Rumorang: Riddick dev helming new Syndicate game

April 1st, 2009, 11:40 Posted By: wraggster

A new report suggests that Starbreeze Studios is working on a new Syndicate game, with Electronic Arts set to publish. Word of the Riddick and The Darkness dev's involvement with the title first made the rounds last October. Possibly related is a new casting call posted on superannuation for actors in an upcoming "futuristic" Starbreeze/EA title called "DART," which according to the post will be set in a "high tech city."

Though nothing has been formally announced, sources tell GI.biz that the Syndicate series is behind EA and Starbreeze's mysterious Project RedLime, which was originally referred to as a "classic franchise" for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

While that project was said to be "already deep in development" in February 2008, don't expect to revisit the classic cyberpunk series anytime soon. According to the report, the new Syndicate title won't be released until Starbreeze finishes up its current project based on Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne. Until then, the four gentlemen in the corner giving us the crazy eyes will just have to wait.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/31/ru...yndicate-game/

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Sony rep warns against poor marketing for self-published games

April 1st, 2009, 11:43 Posted By: wraggster

High-profile publishers tend to kick off massive marketing campaigns for their titles years before said titles hit store shelves (did you guys see that trailer for Halo 6 yet?), but preemptive advertising is rarely the strong suit of independent publishers. Speaking at GDC, Sony development relations manager Chris Eden warned self-publishers of downloadable titles about the perils of poor marketing, saying promotion-shy developers often send their brainchildren "out to die lonely and unloved."

Eden suggested that PSN developers take advantage of the official PlayStation Blog and Playstation.com to spread the word about their projects. Of course, success in this venture would require having a title worth talking about, and not a Q*Bert clone with updated visuals and a new protagonist who possesses overwhelming levels of 'tude.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/31/so...blished-games/

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PCSX2 beta 872 - PS2 Emulator for WIndows

April 1st, 2009, 20:41 Posted By: wraggster

News via emurussia

New beta version of Sony Playstation 2 emulator for Windows has been released.
Changes:
- Various fixes to MMI and more changes to opcodes to mimic ps2 behavior, thanks to Nneeve.
- Brought back a gamefix for Persona games. They still have missing geometry without it (VU clip flag problem).
- Included Nneeve's recent fixes to DIV / DIVU instructions, regarding MIPS
specific behavior in div by 0and div by -1 scenarios.
- Nneeve fixed the Tri-Ace gamefix so Gradius5 doesn't crash with it enabled
anymore.
- Set Flush to Zero for FPU and VU back to on. Let's see how long it lasts this time.
- Removed the FFX hack from pcsx2! It's still toggled in the GS plugins, the
correct behaviour is having it always on.
- usual code cleanups and optimizations.

Also new versions of plugins.
Particularly, lilypad introduces a new, experimental multitap support and improve the savestates handling, while gsdx solves a few very old and annoying bugs (like the ones in persona...).

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Project Ring is Puyo Pop

April 1st, 2009, 22:00 Posted By: wraggster

Sega of Japan has been teasing about a mysterious "Project Ringo" for over a month now. At long last, the project saw a full reveal in this week's Famitsu. As many had speculated, it's an all new Puyo Puyo game.

Titled Puyo Puyo 7 (the "247" from the teaser campaign is a play on the name's sound), this latest entry in Sega's classic falling blocks series is coming to the Japanese DS, PSP and Wii. DS will lead the way with a Japanese release for July 30. The PSP and Wii versions are due out this Winter.

Based off the DS version, which is featured in this week's Famitsu, Puyo Puyo 7 looks a lot like past Puyo Puyo games, with the basic rules in tact. Sega is adding new rules to the game, however, most notably the "Daihenshin" (big transformation) rule where your character can transform to mini or super sized forms. The former brings out tiny Puyo Puyo blocks which allow for greater ease with creating chains. The latter releases giant Puyo Puyo pieces onto the stage. These can be made to disappear by connecting just three together, rather than the standard requirement of four blocks.

Also set for the DS version is wireless play. The game will support play for between two and eight players, both locally and over Wi-Fi Connection. Sega is also including download play support.

So was this worth a month of teaser site updates? Puyo Pop tends to be an addictive experience no matter how many times you play it, so we'll respond with a "possibly" for now.

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JAW drops Project V details

April 1st, 2009, 22:46 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Developer Just Add Water has announced Project V, a first-party Sony game for PSN.

JAW, via Twitter, says a full reveal is scheduled for E3. Sony UK has declined to comment.

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PS3 2.70 firmware Released

April 2nd, 2009, 08:40 Posted By: wraggster

Sony's just released the details for its upcoming PlayStation 3 2.70 firmware update, and while it's nothing that'll knock your socks off, they are some goodies here to look forward to. Additions include text chat for letting you make the best of that new Wireless Keypad -- or some other physical / on-screen keyboard -- with up to fifteen online friends and / or three chat rooms, in-game or out. Speaking of online friends, those can now be sorted by online status to see who most recently logged on, and the file attachment size cap has been upped from 1MB to 3MB. Additionally, you can now back up your PS Store video purchases to an external drive and restore later for playback, and similarly your PSP video purchases can now be transferred to PS3 for a larger-screen experience. No word on the release date for now, but in the meantime, check out video demonstration after the break.

Update: Well that was fast. Firmware's available now, let us know what you think.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/01/p...-video-backup/

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Netflix notches 2 billionth delivery with a Blu-ray disc

April 2nd, 2009, 10:12 Posted By: wraggster

2,000,000,000. That's how many movies Netflix has shipped out since coming on the scene in 1999. Lucky number two billion -- Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist on Blu-ray) snagged Clay Shannon a complimentary lifetime subscription (guess he's not too concerned about the new, higher Blu-ray rates.) It took the company eight years to cross the one billion milestone, and only two for the next billion. While there's little indication of a slowdown in the two million movies shipped out every day from 58 distribution centers, we wouldn't be surprised if number 3 billion were just as likely to come as a download than anything else.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/02/n...-blu-ray-disc/

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Over 725,000 LittleBigPlanet levels created

April 2nd, 2009, 10:14 Posted By: wraggster

Two million players have joined the LittleBigPlanet community since its launch in November 2008, creating 725,000 unique levels.

Media Molecule's title has been played more than 125 million times, while players have posted more than four million comments on user-generated levels.

"LittleBigPlanet is giving people from every walk of life the opportunity to express themselves creatively. The game is just the start. This is creative gaming; never ending experiences that take on lives of their own through their players," said Mark Hardy, MD of content and platforms at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

"LittleBigPlanet appeals to a generation shaped by their networks and thirsty for great experiences to share with friends. Where LittleBigPlanet goes from here is up to its community; it is theirs to shape however they like. This makes it much more inclusive than gaming has ever been before."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-levelscreated

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PlayStation Store Lets You Import PSP Shooters At Half The Price

April 2nd, 2009, 10:32 Posted By: wraggster

The recent release of Rei Cho Aniki—a remake of the original homoerotic side-scrolling shooter for the PSP—wasn't cheap. But thanks to the PlayStation Store, cash-strapped importers can have it for a song.

As Siliconera points out today, the digital download of Rei Cho Aniki, via the Hong Kong version of the PlayStation Store, is selling the PSP game for $220 HKD (less than $30 USD). That's about half of what the retail version goes for at 6,040 yen plus import mark ups. Not a bad deal for such a niche shooter.

Setting up a new account for the Hong Kong PlayStation Store is a breeze. While I've personally done that portion of the process, I've yet to actually drop the cash. Siliconera says it can be done with any credit card—no PlayStation Store Ticket required.

This could be a good step in the right direction, bringing import-only titles that are likely never to see the light of day outside of Japan or the rest of Asia to a global audience. More digital downloads, please!

http://kotaku.com/5194312/playstatio...half-the-price

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Pandemic finds The Saboteur, launches official site

April 2nd, 2009, 10:45 Posted By: wraggster

Announced sometime around the end of WWII itself, The Saboteur has managed to survive EA Pandemic's recent shake-up and is on track for 2009 release on 360 and PS3. We never really saw much of the game to begin with, so comparisons between how it looks now and did back then are difficult to draw. According to info on the newly launched official site, though, the core gameplay is still very much same as it ever was.

By that, we mean the "Will to Fight" mechanic, where more Parisians will join the player's fight against the Nazis as the city is gradually liberated. The site also makes a bullet-point out of the fact the game is the first to feature an open-world recreation of Paris. Hmm, we'll go with the former as the more exciting of the two "features." Unfortunately, all of the site's screenshots are tragically small and low-quality. Sabotage perhaps?

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/02/pa...official-site/

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Fracture for PlayStation3 US$ 9.90 only

April 2nd, 2009, 10:49 Posted By: wraggster

New special offer from Play Asia:



Fracture advances players to the year 2161, where the effects of global warming have altered the planet’s landscape, and a clash in ideologies over human enhancement places society on the threshold of war.

In utilizing the core gameplay mechanic of Fracture, a destructive next-generation technology known as Terrain Deformation, players are equipped with an arsenal of futuristic weaponry to strategically reshape their surroundings on the fly.

Every action they perform dynamically reshapes the earth in ways no videogame has.

Sate your desires for destruction in Fracture, split the ground, erect barricades with lose soil, the future is in your hands, shape it to anyway you like. The game is available as a PlayStation3â„¢ Austral-Asian version, at an unbeatable bargain price of US$ 9.90 only

The maximum amount of purchase is set to 3 units per customer, so be sure to get a copy for your friend.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...-1zz-84-n.html

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PixelJunk 3in1 Pack

April 2nd, 2009, 10:52 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released



features
Contains three PixelJunk games on one disc
Includes PixelJunk Eden, PixelJunk Monsters and PixelJunk Racers

description
The PixelJunk 3in1 Pack contains three popular PixelJunk games previously released only on the PlayStation®Network on one Blu-ray disc. The ultimate collection for all PixelJunk fans.

PixelJunkâ„¢ Racers

PixelJunkâ„¢ Racers is an addictive slot car racing game that supports 1080p and features single player and multiplayer fun (up to 7 players simultaneously offline!). Intuitive controls, 32 different race modes, and online rankings will provide countless hours of racing mayhem.

PixelJunkâ„¢ Monsters

Inspired by the popular and addictive "tower defense" genre, PixelJunkâ„¢ Monsters takes the simple real-time strategy concept of building, researching and base defending and presents it in a uniquely attractive style. With meticulously hand-drawn 2D art, PixelJunkâ„¢ Monsters recreates the look of a classic with crisp graphics designed for optimal viewing in Full 1080p HD.

In PixelJunkâ„¢ Monsters, the player controls a defender-of-the-forest character in a lush 2D environment. The player's goal is to strategically defend the pathway to his homebase from an onslaught of various threatening monsters. In between waves of monster attacks, the player scrambles to reinforce his defenses by collecting gold coins and jewels from fallen enemies to finance new towers and research deadlier weapons. Eventually, the player can harness the elements throughout the 20 different stages to cast lightning storms across the forest. Gamers can enjoy PixelJunkâ„¢ Monsters with a friend in offline co-op mode, which requires careful strategy and communication.

PixelJunkâ„¢ Eden

PixelJunk™ Eden is the third PSN title from the addictive PixelJunk series by Japanese developer Q-Games. Utterly unique and spell-bindingly beautiful, PixelJunk™ Eden welcomes you to a psychedelic world unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. As a tiny, silk-spinning ‘grimp’, it is up to you to collect the lost “Spectra� that have been scattered across all the gardens of Eden. You grip, jump and swing, destroying “Prowlers� and collecting their pollen which lets you grow more plants to take you further and deeper into the garden to locate the precious ‘Spectra.’ Lush visuals, slick controls and amazing music make it an incredibly atmospheric and addictive experience.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-36px.html

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PSPluginInfo V0.5

April 2nd, 2009, 11:21 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from Mickael2054

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Ghostbusters PSP Not Coming

April 2nd, 2009, 11:26 Posted By: wraggster

When you think of classic perpetrators of April Fools Day jokes, the Entertainment Software Rating Board usually doesn't spring to mind. However, the ESRB's latest listing has a tidbit so juicy some might just chalk it up to April 1st shenanigans.

Apparently, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is coming to the PSP. No, it's not. See update below.

Although the game's been announced on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 2, Wii, and Nintendo DS, this Everyone 10+ rating is the first time the game has ever been mentioned for Sony's platform. A message left with Atari about this craziness was not immediately returned.

If it's true, the PSP joins the PS2 and Wii in the Everyone 10+ rating while the PC, 360, and PS3 are going with a "Teen" and the DS gets a flat "Everyone." We'll keep you updated as details become available.

UPDATE: Atari says the PSP version is not happening.

"Currently a PSP version is not a part of the release plan for Ghostbusters: The Video Game," a reprsentiave said. "Atari will release the Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation 2 system, the Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC, Wii and Nintendo DS. Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be available around the globe as Sony marks the film's upcoming 25th anniversary."

http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/968/968619p1.html

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Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier Confirmed

April 2nd, 2009, 11:28 Posted By: wraggster

Jak and Daxter are back. No, this isn't an April Fools Day joke; no, this isn't another racing game; and no, this isn't another spin-off. This is Jack and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, the next chapter in the storied franchise.

Set for a simultaneous release this fall on the PSP and PlayStation 2, the Lost Frontier picks up where the series left off and puts you back behind the controls of Jak in a third-person platforming/action/vehicle adventure. It's being developed by High Impact Games -- the folks behind Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters and Secret Agent Clank -- and described on the PlayStation Blog as a tale that takes our heroes "all the way to the edge of the world. There they must battle their way past air pirates and sinister creatures in their quest to find a cure for the world's eco shortage."

http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/968/968602p1.html

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Sony: PSP sales to rise 15 per cent in the coming year

April 2nd, 2009, 19:15 Posted By: wraggster

Despite a turbulent couple of years and the global economic downturn, Sony marketing head John Koller has revealed to VG247 that Sony expects PSP sales to go up 15 per cent over the coming year.

Why so confident? "It's for a number of reasons," says Koller, "but primarily because of the entertainment packs and line-up of software that's coming. The software line-up alone should drive a lot of hardware sales."

True enough - this year sees the release of a number of high profile titles on PSP, including Assassin's Creed, Ghostbusters, LittleBigPlanet, Army of Two: The 40th Day, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, and a bevy of others. In terms of quality, you can't fault Sony's efforts.

However, this year also sees the release of the DSi (out tomorrow) and the iPhone 3.0 software, both of which will give impetus to Sony's already dominant rivals. Koller's probably right: this year's line-up will drive sales. But a significant hardware update is pretty much due.

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/PSP/P...ws.asp?c=12557

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2ube v0.0.3

April 2nd, 2009, 19:58 Posted By: wraggster

News via PSPita (although i cant clarify if this is the source or not)

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Tales Fighting Game Set for PSP

April 2nd, 2009, 20:14 Posted By: wraggster

Namco Bandai is going crazy with the Tales games. Debuting in the latest issue of Weekly Shounen Jump are three Tales titles for three different platforms.

For the PlayStation 3 comes the much expected port of Tales of Vesperia. But not just a direct port! Namco Bandai is adding a new character to the mix, a young pirate girl named Patty Fruel. Patty has a unique way of talking -- she apparently speaks like an old person! In battle, she makes use of knives and guns and is said to resemble the pirate class from Radiant Mythology 2.

Vesperia's PS3 conversion will hit Japan in 2009. It will be joined by a new Tales of Vesperia movie now in production at Production I.G.

PSP is getting an all new Tales game that appears to have taken some influence from Dissidia Final Fantasy. Set for release this summer is Tales of VS, a fighting game featuring characters from past Tales games. The game offers fights for four characters simultaneously, although there's no word just yet on four player simultaneous play. Confirmed characters include Vesperia's Yuri, Hearts' Shing, Symphonia Dawn of the New World's Richter, and Abyss' Luke.

Finally, the main event: Tales of Graces. This is the Wii "mothership" title that Namco Bandai debuted through a video last year.

In Graces, players take control of Aspel Rant, an 18-year-old who resides on the outskirts of a kingdom. Some unspecified event takes place that leaves Aspel desiring strength. A catch phrase for Aspel listed in the magazine says "I don't want to lose anyone again," suggesting that the unspecified event involved someone's death.

All the other details in the magazine are on the vague side. The game will have the theme of "Protect" or "Defend." Players can look forward to a large scale story along with new gameplay systems.

Graces hits Japan this Winter, closing off what looks like another crowded year for Namco Bandai's flagship RPG series.

http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/968/968625p1.html

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PSPLBreakout2 v1.0.0

April 2nd, 2009, 20:21 Posted By: wraggster

News via gxmod

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Guitar Star MOD - Guitar Hero for PSP

April 2nd, 2009, 20:21 Posted By: wraggster

News via PSPita (although i cant clarify if this is the source or not)

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Sony launches LBP on YouTube

April 2nd, 2009, 21:40 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Sony has made and launched an official YouTube channel for LittleBigPlanet.

Here be videos of user-created content and community shenanigans, as well as tutorials from developer Media Molecule, cultural collaborations, challenges and all sorts of hints and tips.

Sony also plans to run special weekly giveaways for the community. The first of these challenges players to pick a country or area of the world, base a level on it, film the level, write the theme tune, sing the theme tune, then submit the film. Grand prize is a pair of around the world tickets, 14 nights accommodation and GBP 1000 spending money.

Sony announced earlier that there are over 750,000 user-created levels for LittleBigPlanet now, and over 2 million players.


Visit the official LittleBigPlanet Youtube channel here

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More tower defence for PS3 today

April 2nd, 2009, 21:58 Posted By: Shrygue

via Computer and Video Games


It seems the brilliant PixelJunk Monsters has really started a trend for tower defence games on PSN, with the third game of that kind, Comet Crash, arriving on PSN today.

In Comet Crash, however, you're not restricted to defence because the ultimate aim is to launch your army swarm to conquer your enemies' base.

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Killzone 2 tech demo on PSN

April 3rd, 2009, 13:55 Posted By: wraggster

One for tech geeks, this. Guerrilla released on PSN a playable version of the 'Killzone in 4-D' tech demo, apparently used in a US TV commercial (featured below) to show off the game's impressive visuals.

The download, now entitled Behind the Bullet, gives you "an inside look at the making of the commercial, enabling you to take control and slow down the action, move the camera axis and pivot, hear audio commentary from multiple selectable sources such as the art director or technical director at Guerrilla Games."

And if you're a real geek, you can fiddle with "a variety of buffers and filters to see how every single frame of the commercial was created using the game engine technology," explains Sony. Screens of it in action are below.

What? I think it's cool. Don't judge me.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=212422

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The Top-Selling PS1 Games In The PSN Store

April 3rd, 2009, 14:07 Posted By: wraggster

[How have downloadable PS1 titles fared in Sony's PS3 PlayStation Store? Gamasutra's Matt Matthews reached out to Sony and came away with an exclusive top ten of titles to date, with some surprising results.]

Among the software that Sony offers on the U.S. PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 are about 30 titles which originally appeared on Sony's first PlayStation console.

These games are generally playable on both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable and range in price from $6 to $10.

All of PS1 titles on the PlayStation Store to date have been published by Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA).

Even games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, originally published by Konami, were published on the Store by SCEA.

With Capcom expressing interest in bringing more of its PS1 catalog to the PlayStation Store, I thought it would be helpful to see which classic games have sold well so far.

Sony graciously provided me with the top selling PS1 games since the PlayStation Store launched in 2006, as follows:



Having seen this list, it becomes a bit more clear why Capcom is eager to get more of its games on the Store. Even though its Street Fighter Alpha has only been available for only seven months, it is already the best-selling PS1 game on the service.

The second and third Crash Bandicoot games are the only other games from 2008 which made the top 10, but each has has been available for nearly twice as long as SFA.

Another popular third-party title, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, took the #2 spot in the top 10. The lesser-known Castlevania Chronicles, originally by Konami but published on the PlayStation Store by SCEA in December 2008, did not make this top 10.

Fans have long hoped that Konami would release the seminal Metal Gear Solid as a download on the store, but Konami has been content to release it only in its home territory of Japan.

All other titles in the top 10 are games originally published by Sony.

Some notable third-party titles available on the PlayStation Store that didn't make it into the top 10 are Tekken 2 (originally published by Namco) and Rayman (originally published by UbiSoft).

So far in 2009, no PS1 games have been released on the PlayStation Store, although there have been assurances from Sony that more are coming.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=22842

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The Top-Selling PS1 Games In The PSN Store

April 3rd, 2009, 14:07 Posted By: wraggster

[How have downloadable PS1 titles fared in Sony's PS3 PlayStation Store? Gamasutra's Matt Matthews reached out to Sony and came away with an exclusive top ten of titles to date, with some surprising results.]

Among the software that Sony offers on the U.S. PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 are about 30 titles which originally appeared on Sony's first PlayStation console.

These games are generally playable on both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable and range in price from $6 to $10.

All of PS1 titles on the PlayStation Store to date have been published by Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA).

Even games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, originally published by Konami, were published on the Store by SCEA.

With Capcom expressing interest in bringing more of its PS1 catalog to the PlayStation Store, I thought it would be helpful to see which classic games have sold well so far.

Sony graciously provided me with the top selling PS1 games since the PlayStation Store launched in 2006, as follows:



Having seen this list, it becomes a bit more clear why Capcom is eager to get more of its games on the Store. Even though its Street Fighter Alpha has only been available for only seven months, it is already the best-selling PS1 game on the service.

The second and third Crash Bandicoot games are the only other games from 2008 which made the top 10, but each has has been available for nearly twice as long as SFA.

Another popular third-party title, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, took the #2 spot in the top 10. The lesser-known Castlevania Chronicles, originally by Konami but published on the PlayStation Store by SCEA in December 2008, did not make this top 10.

Fans have long hoped that Konami would release the seminal Metal Gear Solid as a download on the store, but Konami has been content to release it only in its home territory of Japan.

All other titles in the top 10 are games originally published by Sony.

Some notable third-party titles available on the PlayStation Store that didn't make it into the top 10 are Tekken 2 (originally published by Namco) and Rayman (originally published by UbiSoft).

So far in 2009, no PS1 games have been released on the PlayStation Store, although there have been assurances from Sony that more are coming.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=22842

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SCEA: PS2 Price Drop Will Cut Into Wii, Eventually Help PS3 Sales

April 3rd, 2009, 14:09 Posted By: wraggster

With a price drop to $99, the Playstation 2 is being repositioned as a family friendly video game console for the casual gamer.

Something that could put the Playstation 2 directly in the Nintendo Wii's big blue ocean, says John Koller, SCEA's director of hardware marketing.

"I think you can look at the PS2 as the competitor to the Wii," he said. "If you look at the technology and types of games launching for the Playstation 2, it lines up much closer to the Wii than the Wii does to next generation consoles And the Playstation 2 has a significant advantage in terms of broader consumer appeal."

Koller went on to congratulate Nintendo on what he called a "tremendous success story", but added that he thinks that there is an opportunity for the Playstation 2 to "steal some share base with this price and game line up."

While the Playstation 2 already has a more than 1,900 game library, both third-party party developers and Sony Computer Entertainment itself plan to continue to make games for the console, Koller said.

"Seventy to 80 titles will be launching this year and about the same next year," he said. "We are going to support it extensively."

But that doesn't mean that triple-A Playstation 3 titles, like God of War III, would be getting the PS2 treatment. Instead Sony will be focusing on social gaming and sports titles for the console with games like Sing Star, Buzz and MLB.

Koller added that there are "strong game franchises" coming to the Playstation 2 in the latter half of the year which will excite core gamers.

Because the Playstation 2 is the fourth console in a crowded market, Koller said that SCEA has been talking to national retailers to ensure that the console gets shelf space.

"This price drop helps in keeping or expanding shelf space," he said. "There is always pressure for shelf space."

And Sony doesn't think that this price drop will dig into potential Playstation 3 sales.

"We don't at all," he said. "These are different consumers. The Playstation 3 appeals much more to early tech adopters than the PS2 and the PSP attaches to mobile consumers."

Though, it's interesting to note that almost 80 percent of Playstation 3 owners own or owned a PS2, according to Koller.

"Do we think that someone who purchases a PS2 on April 1 is going to buy a Playstation 3 on April 2?" he said. "Probably not, but they eventually will."

http://kotaku.com/5192861/scea-ps2-p...help-ps3-sales

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SCEA: PS2 Price Drop Will Cut Into Wii, Eventually Help PS3 Sales

April 3rd, 2009, 14:09 Posted By: wraggster

With a price drop to $99, the Playstation 2 is being repositioned as a family friendly video game console for the casual gamer.

Something that could put the Playstation 2 directly in the Nintendo Wii's big blue ocean, says John Koller, SCEA's director of hardware marketing.

"I think you can look at the PS2 as the competitor to the Wii," he said. "If you look at the technology and types of games launching for the Playstation 2, it lines up much closer to the Wii than the Wii does to next generation consoles And the Playstation 2 has a significant advantage in terms of broader consumer appeal."

Koller went on to congratulate Nintendo on what he called a "tremendous success story", but added that he thinks that there is an opportunity for the Playstation 2 to "steal some share base with this price and game line up."

While the Playstation 2 already has a more than 1,900 game library, both third-party party developers and Sony Computer Entertainment itself plan to continue to make games for the console, Koller said.

"Seventy to 80 titles will be launching this year and about the same next year," he said. "We are going to support it extensively."

But that doesn't mean that triple-A Playstation 3 titles, like God of War III, would be getting the PS2 treatment. Instead Sony will be focusing on social gaming and sports titles for the console with games like Sing Star, Buzz and MLB.

Koller added that there are "strong game franchises" coming to the Playstation 2 in the latter half of the year which will excite core gamers.

Because the Playstation 2 is the fourth console in a crowded market, Koller said that SCEA has been talking to national retailers to ensure that the console gets shelf space.

"This price drop helps in keeping or expanding shelf space," he said. "There is always pressure for shelf space."

And Sony doesn't think that this price drop will dig into potential Playstation 3 sales.

"We don't at all," he said. "These are different consumers. The Playstation 3 appeals much more to early tech adopters than the PS2 and the PSP attaches to mobile consumers."

Though, it's interesting to note that almost 80 percent of Playstation 3 owners own or owned a PS2, according to Koller.

"Do we think that someone who purchases a PS2 on April 1 is going to buy a Playstation 3 on April 2?" he said. "Probably not, but they eventually will."

http://kotaku.com/5192861/scea-ps2-p...help-ps3-sales

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Mega Man Meets Half-Life 2?!

April 3rd, 2009, 15:08 Posted By: wraggster

Developer Curve has announced a downloadable game called Explodemon, headed for WiiWare, PC, and PlayStation Network this year. Described as a mix of classic platformers like Mario and Mega Man with a modern Halo or Half-Life 2 twist (!), Explodemon will be presented in 2.5D. Curve is apparently a big fan of Super Nintendo-era Japanese platformers. Explodemon himself looks like a super-deformed Iron Man.

The developer previously delivered Buzz! Master Quiz and Buzz! Brain Bender to the PSP. Screenshots of Explodemon have definitely caught our attention and we'll be keeping an eye on this one.



http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/969/969245p1.html

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Stormrise

April 3rd, 2009, 15:25 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



features
Control units and issue commands while viewing the battle from the 3rd-person POV of any unit on the battlefield. The 3rd-person camera offers unprecedented immersion in the game world and presents warfare in a more visceral, emotional, and epic manner than ever before
Gone are the flat levels of traditional strategy games. Engage in warfare on battlefields comprised of sprawling cities and towering skyscrapers that let you play in a truly 3D environment
Groundbreaking control method for quick and intuitive controls. ‘Tactical Playbook’ which gives players all the strategic choice they get from a traditional RTS, but with the simplicity and accessibility of a playbook
Multiplayer modes feature “join anytime� functionality, previously only seen on First Person Shooters and a breakthrough for console strategy titles

description
Lead from the front in the world’s most immersive and first truly 3D RTS

Assume command on the frontlines of battle! Experience the rush of battle in ways no other real-time strategy game has ever offered. Stormrise is the first truly 3D, next-gen RTS that, via the 3rd person camera perspective, puts you directly in the action. No other RTS game combines this level of immersion and emotional intensity with the scale and depth of a strategy game. Designed for next generation consoles (PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360), Stormrise puts you on the frontlines of battle as the heroic leader of your troops, allowing you to lead from the front in the world’s most immersive RTS.

Earth’s protective atmosphere has been stripped away by a catastrophic event centuries ago. In a bleak and barren landscape, the planet’s inhabitants have had to adapt radically in order to survive, resulting in the creation of two distinctly different races; the Echelon and the Sai. With both factions constantly battling for supremacy, the rebuilt civilisation is on the brink of another catastrophe…

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-2zsd.html

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Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 4

April 3rd, 2009, 15:33 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



features
Master the largest roster of ninjas that are more mature and powerful! NARUTO SHIPPUDEN has arrived. Your favorite characters are more mature, faster and stronger! Brand new SHIPPUDEN characters such as Sasori, Deidara and Chiyo are available for you to control! There are a total of 52 playable ninja!
Explore the massive world of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN! Freely explore and engage in missions in various locations such as vast deserts, secluded forests, and crystalline caves.
Experience the major moments from Naruto Shippuden! Actively engage in major battles from the SHIPPUDEN saga and experience firsthand its dramatic storyline in brand new Master Mode!
Discover an original storyline! Discover a series of tales called The Black Shadow that take place between Sasuke Retrieval Arc and the SHIPPUDEN Arc.
Discover Brand New Action game Mode! Experience Master Mode where you can accomplish a variety of challenging missions by exploring the world of SHIPPUDEN, leveling up Naruto and battling against multiple enemies at once!
Unleash new Ultimate Jutsu! Unleash powerful new Ultimate Jutsu at an unprecedented scale!

description
Ultimate Ninja® 4: NARUTO™ SHIPPUDEN will be the first game to bring SHIPPUDEN, the new grand chapter of Naruto saga to North America. Armed with a brand new combat system and massive storyline, the game delivers the largest roster of more mature, faster and stronger ninjas to master and a brand new world of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN to discover!

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-38ni.html

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Samurai Shodown Anthology

April 3rd, 2009, 15:34 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



features
Six incredible SAMURAI SHODOWN games on one disc
SAMURAI SHODOWN 6 available for the first time in North America
Tons of unlockable bonus content material
Wireless Ad-Hoc 2-player support (PSP version)
Arcade perfect port of each title
Pick-up-and-play, non-stop action

description
The complete collection of the SAMURAI SHODOWN series, containing 6 games: Samurai Shodown, I, II, III, IV, V, and VI.

Celebrate the history of SAMURAI SHODOWN by battling as one of the greatest Samurai of all time. Six separate adventures that span across the life of the franchise in this incredible collection.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-39be.html

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Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

April 3rd, 2009, 15:35 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



features
Use 17 historically accurate ninja weapons and tools
Manipulate your environment to hide and to sneak in behind your targets
Unlock special artifacts including Rikamaru’s original costume
Experience the epic adventures of Rikimaru and Ayame and put your true ninja skills to the test in a world of fierce combat and authentic tradition

description
Master the art of death on the PSP playing as Rikimaru and Ayame, elite ninjas who must use their lethal skills to keep the peace in feudal Japan. The accuracy of the PSP system’s control buttons lets players battle enemies quickly and attack them with katanas, throwing stars, smoke bombs and more. Expect to find the original Tenchu villain Onikage wreak havoc through dangerous territories.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3aup.html

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The Wheelman Official Strategy Guide

April 3rd, 2009, 15:36 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



features
This strategy guide features a comprehensive walkthrough of every mission.
Exhaustive listing of vehicles and equipment.
Detailed enemy data.
Expert stunt and vehicle combat strategies.
platform: Xbox 360, PS3

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-2frg.html

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PlayTV update adds SD upscaler

April 3rd, 2009, 22:57 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Sony has released a free update for PlayTV that introduces an SD upscaler among other new features.

Perhaps most exciting (relatively speaking) is the new ability to go directly to watching TV from the XMB, rather than having to click through menus.

Producer Mark Bunting announced the new features in a Three Speech video blog, adding that there are also new fast-forward and rewind speeds, and new volume controls.

The SD upscaler is "basically magic with maths", he said, providing "sharper pictures" and "improved contrast" to normal TV images.

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Valhalla Knights 2 Update Detailed

April 3rd, 2009, 23:02 Posted By: Shrygue

via IGN


Marvelous Entertainment's announcement last week of Valhalla Knights 2: Battle Stance was just a bit on the mysterious side, with no solid details on the game. Those details came today with a major update to the game's official site and a few new screenshots.

Battle Stance offers up some major differences to Valhalla Knights 2. Most notably, the game has a new battle system, known as the "Active Action Battle" system. As part of this system, the battle party count has been dropped from six to four, and you can now team all your characters together for a simultaneous attack.

Outside of battle, you'll find some neat little features that make the game more user friendly. Gate Crystals can now be found around the world and help you instantly transport to past regions of play. The game also has improved status screens and an updated tutorial mode.

In terms of content, there's plenty new on offer, it seems, including over 40 new items and weapons, new boss-level beasts, and a variety of quests. There's also a gallery mode which links up to parts 1 and 2 of the series and unlocks movies as you progress through those titles.

All these updates are being made available for a pseudo budget price point of 3,990 yen (most PSP games in Japan cost about 1,000 yen more). We're not sure if this game has a chance of American release, so importers looking for an RPG experience on the PSP should check with their favorite sources on June 25.

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Street Fighter tops PSone chart on PSN

April 3rd, 2009, 23:21 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Street Fighter Alpha has been revealed as the best-selling PSone game on the PlayStation Network.

That's according to Gamasutra, which obtained a list of the top ten titles from Sony. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is in second place, followed by Crash Bandicoot in third.

Funnily enough, there haven't been any new PSone titles on PSN this year - but Sony promises more in the future. Here's that top ten list in full:

• Street Fighter Alpha
• Crash Bandicoot
• Twisted Metal 2
• Spyro the Dragon
• Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
• Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
• Wild Arms
• MediEvil
• Hot Shots Golf 2

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More Games Need To Have ‘Resistance: Retribution’’s Control

April 4th, 2009, 17:31 Posted By: wraggster

I often daydream of a world where the PSP has two analog sticks. But I’m not sure if that dream will ever become a reality.
Until then, Sony Bend is the closest developer to date to get as close to the feeling of having two analog sticks as possible. The studio tossed aside the traditional use of certain buttons and created a control scheme that works for the game, and not just the system. The studio’s latest game, “Resistance: Retribution“, follows the same overall control scheme Bend used in its “Syphon Filter� games. Using the “shape� buttons for something other than changing weapons or other actions, Bend added a level of fluidity to “Retribution� not found in other PSP shooters.
Using the Triangle, Square, Circle, and X buttons for aiming and the analog stick for movement, “Retribution� does the best with what the PSP has. Fortunately, this isn’t a bad thing. The aiming controls are easy to get used to thanks to the addition of an aim assist function that locks on to enemies and a useful “cover� mechanic reminiscent of “Gears of War.�
When these three features come together, the result is an intense third-person shooter for the PSP. If no second analog stick is in the works for the PSP, other third-person shooters such as the “SOCOM� franchise (of which I was a huge fan) would be received much better if it adopted these controls. Then again, if PSP shooters all together adopted these controls, we could possibly have the first great PSP first-person shooter. I would happily by a portable version of “F.E.A.R.� or “Far Cry� if the game used these controls.
I tip my hat to Sony Bend. But what do you guys think?

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/...ontrol-scheme/

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Prototype dev diary surprisingly light on explosions

April 4th, 2009, 17:47 Posted By: wraggster

A new developer diary has been released explaining the story elements in Radical Entertainment's Prototype. According to the video, the game's main character, Alex Mercer, wakes up on an operating table as doctor's are beginning to autopsy his body. Not one to let himself be autopsied alive, Alex gets the hell out of there only to discover that he has lost his memory and gained inhuman abilities. Alex's task is to find out what happened to him, meeting friends and enemies along the way, by using his newfound abilities.

One such ability allows Alex to consume people. When Alex consumes someone, he not only gains their appearance but also their memories. He can then piece these memories together using the 'Web of Intrigue' system. It uses an interesting visual style, offering what appear to be stream-of-consciousness snapshots of memory. Hopefully the story it reveals will be worth the effort. Of course, if it isn't, you can always drop elbows on tanks.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/04/pr...on-explosions/

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Puyo Puyo Seven Gels To DS, PSP, And Wii

April 4th, 2009, 18:07 Posted By: wraggster

Two months of Project Ringo teases were for a Puyo Puyo Seven announcement. Sega’s latest Puyo Puyo game and its small to giant pyo transformation combo system comes out on the Nintendo DS first on July 30. Don’t like the new rules? You can play Puyo Puyo Seven with rules from Puyo Puyo Puzzle, Puyo Puyo Tsuu (�Two�), Puyo Puyo, or Puyo Puyo Fever.

Other features include one cart game sharing for 2-8 players and countrywide Wi-Fi play. First time Puyo Puyo players can learn how to chain blobs in a school mode. Experts can refine their chaining skills in a practice mode.

After the Nintendo DS version comes out Sega will bring Puyo Puyo Seven to the PSP and Wii in winter 2009. It’s too early to tell if Sega USA will pick up Puyo Puyo Seven, but they passed on Puyo Puyo Fever for the DS which was picked up by Atlus USA.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/04/03...s-psp-and-wii/

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RACE! PSP v2.16 - NeoGeo Pocket and Pocket Color emulator for PlayStation Portable

April 4th, 2009, 18:13 Posted By: wraggster

Uberjack has released a new version of the NeoGeo Pocket and Pocket Color emulator for PlayStation Portable:

heres whats new:

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Which is the Best Version of PSP ?

April 4th, 2009, 19:26 Posted By: wraggster

Im sure many of you have owned multiple versions of PSP and im sure Sony would say that the PSP has improved but has it, is the PSP 3000 aka PSP Brite better than the PSP2000 aka PSP Slim or even the PSP 1000 aka PSP Phat

So Which is the Best Version of PSP and Why?

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How Would You Change the PS3?

April 4th, 2009, 19:46 Posted By: wraggster

For those of us who are PS3 Owners im sure you all cherish the system you brought but if Sony were listenning what would you ask them to change, Sonny are to be commended on the fact that their console is the only region free console but surely it would be better if the console also made PS2 and PS1 games worldwide region free too, surely theres no need for it now?

But what would you change?

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SMS version 2.9 (rev. 3) - Media Player for PS2

April 4th, 2009, 19:51 Posted By: wraggster

News via psxscene

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Playstation homebrew goes to music festival

April 5th, 2009, 16:03 Posted By: plikita

A video report of the last live visuals performance from Pikilipita in mid March 2009.
It took place during the BLOC festival (Butlins, UK).
Music is performed by Skream & Benga, headlines of dubstep music.
All visuals are mixed on the PS2 homebrew "PS24VJ". No computer is involved during the performance



The video on Vimeo:

More infos on PS24VJ: http://www.pikilipita.com

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Sony says the DSi is for kids, the PSP is for winners

April 5th, 2009, 20:12 Posted By: wraggster

Well, chalk this up for out of the ordinary -- Sony's PR team just sent us a "Statement from Sony PlayStation on PSP and Competitive Landscape" that basically boils down to SCEA director of hardware marketing John Koller calling the DSi a kid's toy that "ignores significant gamer demographics" and has minimal third-party support compared to the library of "blockbuster" titles on the PSP. Seriously, it's so weird we're just going to reprint the whole thing:
If Nintendo is really committed to reaching a broader, more diverse audience of gamers beyond the "kids" market that they've always engaged, there isn't much new with the DSi to support that. Significant gamer demographic groups are being ignored, and there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi. Compare that with the PSP platform, where we have many blockbuster franchises from our publishing partners launching this year, representing a wide variety of genres and targeting diverse demographics. Games such as Rock Band Unplugged from MTV Games, Assassin's Creed from Ubisoft, Dissidia Final Fantasy from Square Enix, and Hannah Montana from Disney demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the PSP. From our own first-party studios, we're launching unique versions of LittleBigPlanet and MotorStorm, and we're also planning a steady stream of downloadable games -- both new titles and PSone classics -- to add to the content that PSP owners can already purchase wirelessly through PlayStation Store.
Pretty strong words in response to the fairly un-hyped US launch of the DSi tomorrow -- especially since Ninty's sold just about twice as many total DS units than Sony's 50m PSPs, hard numbers from which no amount of marketing bluster can really distract. In fact, if we were in charge at Sony, we'd be more worried about the emergence of the iPhone and iPod touch, which have sold over 30m units total and attracted a ton of buzz from game developers while the PSP seems to be stagnating in the face of endless rumors of a UMD-less PSP2. Harsh truth? Maybe, maybe not -- you tell us.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/04/s...s-for-winners/

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Vendetta Marvel vs DC.

April 5th, 2009, 20:53 Posted By: wraggster

News via dreamcast.es

GoreSicknessy & Kyo23 have released a new Beats of Rage Mod that should be compatible for Dreamcast, PSP and GP2X with some tinkering..

Heres a video



Download here

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Ultimate VSH Menu v1.07 - Full VSH Menu

April 5th, 2009, 22:19 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from Total_Noob

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Netfront Internet Browser - HighMemoryMod Beta 2 / By Team P86

April 5th, 2009, 22:21 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from ardatan

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The PSP Show #93 - Pipe Mania

April 5th, 2009, 22:29 Posted By: wraggster

TPN have released a new podcast for the PSP:

Back from the USA and the Game Developer Conferece, I thought I’d take a longer look at the puzzler Pipe Mania which kept me entertained on the transatlantic flight, as well as comments from Sony at GDC about the future of the PSP

http://psp.thepodcastnetwork.com/aud...0090401_93.mp3

http://psp.thepodcastnetwork.com/200...93-pipe-mania/

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Fuse PSP Version 0.10.0.2 - Sinclair Spectrum emulator for PlayStation Portable

April 6th, 2009, 16:36 Posted By: wraggster

Uberjack has posted a new release of his Sinclair Spectrum emulator for PlayStation Portable:

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jpcsp v0.2 revision 990 (update 2009-04-06)

April 6th, 2009, 19:43 Posted By: wraggster

Shadow and the rest of the jpcsp team have released a new version of the PSP Emulator for Windows written in Java.

Whats New:

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Silent Hill Reimaging Official

April 6th, 2009, 19:50 Posted By: wraggster

Following relentless internet chatter, Konami has finally confirmed the existence of its Silent Hill reimagining, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, scheduled to release on Wii, PS2 and PSP this autumn.

Developed by Climax UK, the team responsible for the diminutive Silent Hill: Origins on PSP, Shattered Memories shares basic plot elements with Team Silent's classic original PlayStation survival horror outing. Once more, you fill the shoes of protagonist Harry Mason as he searches the fog-shrouded - and apparently now snowy - streets of Silent Hill in a bid to locate his missing daughter Cheryl.

However, Konami claims that NPCs now frequent different locations and offer new responses, with new paths and clues altering the original experience. What's more, while PS2 and PSP versions feature traditional control schemes, Wii owners can enjoy motion control elements attempting to increase immersion in Silent Hill's unsettling world. Your remote now serves as both a torch – to scour the darker corners of town – and a mobile phone. This latter element serves as a secondary interface for accessing GPS maps and photo-taking. Motion controls also enable players to interact with puzzles and examine objects on their journey.

Furthermore, Shattered Memories features something Konami is calling Psyche Profiling. As you play, the game monitors your actions – where you explore first, items you examine and your reactions to other characters – then adapts the unfolding experience accordingly. Konami also promises subtle visual alterations as you play, adding to the overall oppressive atmosphere. Long-time fans will be relieved to hear that – despite Konami's much-welcome attempts to overhaul the franchise – series stalwart Akira Yamaoka is back on board to serve up another sinister soundtrack helping.

We'll have more on Silent Hill: Shattered Memories very, very soon.

http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/969/969864p1.html

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Silent Hill Reimaging Official

April 6th, 2009, 19:50 Posted By: wraggster

Following relentless internet chatter, Konami has finally confirmed the existence of its Silent Hill reimagining, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, scheduled to release on Wii, PS2 and PSP this autumn.

Developed by Climax UK, the team responsible for the diminutive Silent Hill: Origins on PSP, Shattered Memories shares basic plot elements with Team Silent's classic original PlayStation survival horror outing. Once more, you fill the shoes of protagonist Harry Mason as he searches the fog-shrouded - and apparently now snowy - streets of Silent Hill in a bid to locate his missing daughter Cheryl.

However, Konami claims that NPCs now frequent different locations and offer new responses, with new paths and clues altering the original experience. What's more, while PS2 and PSP versions feature traditional control schemes, Wii owners can enjoy motion control elements attempting to increase immersion in Silent Hill's unsettling world. Your remote now serves as both a torch – to scour the darker corners of town – and a mobile phone. This latter element serves as a secondary interface for accessing GPS maps and photo-taking. Motion controls also enable players to interact with puzzles and examine objects on their journey.

Furthermore, Shattered Memories features something Konami is calling Psyche Profiling. As you play, the game monitors your actions – where you explore first, items you examine and your reactions to other characters – then adapts the unfolding experience accordingly. Konami also promises subtle visual alterations as you play, adding to the overall oppressive atmosphere. Long-time fans will be relieved to hear that – despite Konami's much-welcome attempts to overhaul the franchise – series stalwart Akira Yamaoka is back on board to serve up another sinister soundtrack helping.

We'll have more on Silent Hill: Shattered Memories very, very soon.

http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/969/969864p1.html

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Tales Update

April 6th, 2009, 20:52 Posted By: wraggster

Following up on last week's early leak, Namco Bandai gathered the press in Tokyo today to formally unveil its lineup of Tales series games for the year 2009. As previously detailed, PS3, PSP and Wii are getting games in the series, to be joined by the latest Tales series anime adaptation.

The Wii game is the "mothership" game that was first announced last year. Now known as Tales of Graces, the game is an RPG in the classic Tales series style, featuring another take on the Linear Motion Battle system.

As detailed last week, players take control of 18-year-old Asbel Lhant. Namco Bandai still hasn't shared specifics on the story, but did clarify today that the game takes place in a world split into three kingdoms whose civilizations were built around some sort of material known as Eris.

The game's battle system is known as the "Style Shift Linera Motion Battle" system. The "Style Shift" part of the name comes from the fact that you can switch your characters between multiple stances during the fight. Combat also allows players to pivot around their targeted opponent like in a fighting game.

One note for those expecting some wacky Wiimote motion controls. The game will apparently be playable both with the Wiimote/nunchuck combo or with just the Classic Controller Pro. It's unclear if the Pro is required or if the standard Classic controller will work just as well.

Before Wii gets its second Tales game through Graces, PS3 get will get its first one through an updated port of Tales of Vesperia. As detailed last week, this update adds a new character, the pirate girl Patty Fleur.

Patty is voiced in the Japanese version by Chiwa Saito. The area of voice looks like a major point for the PS3 version, which apparently features twice as much voice as its Xbox 360 counterpart! Hopefully that doesn't mean the PS3 version's English release will arrive too far beyond the Japanese version!

The PS3 version also promises a number of other updates, including new scenarios and events. It will also have some form of tie-up with the Tales of Vesperia animated movie that was also announced next week.

Namco Bandai shared final details on that movie today. Fully titled "Tales of Vesperia The First Strike," the movie follows main character Yuri during his time as a member of the Imperial Knights prior to the start of the game. Outside of Yuri, a number of other characters will appear in the movie.

Production I.G. is producing the anime, with Kanta Kamei directing and Reiko Yoshida providing a script. A Japanese theatrical release is set for some time this year.

Back to the game side of things, Namco Bandai also shared solid details today on Tales of VS. As we detailed last week, this four player PSP fighter puts characters from past Tales games together on the battle field for a crossover fight. The game's combat system is based around the series' Linear Motion Battle System with 2D plane-based combat. Ground height and walls also apparently have an effect on battle.

VS looks like it's going to have a lot of depth for a fighter. In addition to 35 characters taken from 13 Tales games, the game features a fully voiced story mode that places the characters in four kingdoms. Production I.G. will be providing a new animated intro for the game.

The 2009 Tales fun kicks off in Japan with Tales of VS this summer, followed by Vesperia PS3 in the Fall, and Graces in the Winter.

http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/969/969973p1.html

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PSP Lua Connect Four

April 6th, 2009, 20:56 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from qwikrazor87

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Curve announces Explodemon! for PSN

April 6th, 2009, 21:25 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Curve Studios' has announced the development of Explodemon!, a 2.5D platform game inspired by SNES-era Japanese games.

The game's due out for PlayStation Network in Q4 2009, with PC and WiiWare versions planned for release later.

Explodemon! puts you in the pyrotechnic boots of a hero who uses his explosive skills to fight enemies, blow away obstacles, fly through the air and solve puzzles, and promises a solid physics base.

It's "a loving parody of badly translated action games and everything they embody", according to the independent developer, who would do well to mind how things went for Matt Hazard in which case.

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Resident Evil 5 Versus Mode For Sale Tomorrow

April 6th, 2009, 22:00 Posted By: Shrygue

via Kotaku


Now that you've played Resident Evil 5 with each other, it's time to play against each other, as Capcom puts Versus mode up for sale tomorrow on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The Versus mode contains two different game types. Slayer's Rule sees players trying to down the most Majinis within the time limit, while Survivor's Rule has players trying to down the most other players. Versus will be available for purchase tomorrow on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, costing either 400 Microsoft points or $4.99, depending on how your platform chooses to represent money.

So who's buying?

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First MAG shots leaked?

April 6th, 2009, 22:23 Posted By: Shrygue

via Computer and Video Games


If real, these are the first screenshots of Zipper Interactive's MAG: Massive Action Game, and it looks pretty good.

Details for the FPS have been scant, except for the much-touted promise of smooth, 256-player action on PS3, which will be a feat within itself.

According to reports, these images appeared on Flickr over the weekend, giving the world an unexpected first glimpse of the shooter. And they're massive.

There's loads more art where these came from too over on Destructoid.

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PSP 2 coming pre-Christmas will be an iPhone beater

April 7th, 2009, 11:14 Posted By: wraggster

Whether it's labelled the PSP 4000 or the PSP 2, there's been a lot of rumour recently about an imminent successor to Sony's handheld console. There's also been a lot of talk about how Sony might react to the competition on offer from the phenomenal success of Apple's iPhone and iPod touch.

Unsurprisingly the console manufacturer has been comparatively mute in both cases, denying the existence of a PSP sequel and any threat from Apple. However, having spoken to an insider source – who's not Dave Perry, but is a developer working on the new hardware – we can reveal that the new handheld will arrive before Christmas and will be far more similar to the iPhone than the current device.

Like Apple's newcomer, the PSP 2 will be a compact device with a large touchscreen. However, where Sony's machine has the edge is when the touchscreen is slid open as it reveals familiar buttons, D-pads and – praise the Lord of Handhelds – dual analogue controls.

This new format should allow for both existing hardcore console titles as well as simpler touchscreen games along the lines of those currently available in the App Store. And like the App Store, (and in the absence of UMD), the games will all be available for digital download via the PlayStation Store.

Although this hasn't been confirmed, our speculation is that Sony's initial plans for a small upgrade to a PSP 4000 model have since been accelerated by the success of the iPhone and arrival of Nintendo DSi.

As yet those are all the details we have, but we understand the full specs and pricing will be unveiled at E3 in June.

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/PSP/P...ws.asp?c=12612

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Bandai Namco PSP Game Makes Suggestive Use Of Milk

April 7th, 2009, 11:20 Posted By: wraggster

Simulation RPG Queen's Blade Spiral Chaos is going on sale this winter in Japan. And it's bringing its suggestive imagery with it!

Queen's Blade is originally a Lost Worlds style "combat picture book game" and has been published in Japan for the last couple of years. Queen's Blade features only female characters, and its spin-off series Queen's Gate has showcased the likes of Iroha (Samurai Shodow), Mai Shiranui (The King of Fighters) and Dizzy (Guilty Gear). Queen's Blade has also been spun off into an anime.

Pictured are cutscene images of the character's body armor been ravaged — among other things. And remember, that's only milk. We know this because we can see the milk bottle, and there's nothing wrong with milk. Nothing wrong with milk bottles, either.

http://kotaku.com/5199569/bandai-nam...ve-use-of-milk

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Dragon Age: Origins DLC could span two years, says BioWare

April 7th, 2009, 11:24 Posted By: wraggster

Speaking with MTV Multiplayer, BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk revealed the developer has plans to support its upcoming RPG, Dragon Age: Origins, with DLC spread out over as many as two years post-release.

Zeschuk opined "video game consumers are some of the smartest, most connected people on the planet," saying, You can't trick them with anything, so don't even try. I don't think it's so much as to trick them, as it is the strategy behind it has to be fully thought out." Greg, could that be a subtle dig at another company's DLC offering?

He adds that BioWare's "DLC strategy is doing it in maybe a year and-a-half or two years, planning exactly when you're going to do it and how you're going to do it," concluding, "The key is to make players feel like they're getting good value, and if you have to pay something extra for it, they should feel like they're getting something that really enhances the experience." Perhaps the company has learned a lesson or two after promising further expansions to Mass Effect which have yet to see the light of day.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/dr...-says-bioware/

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Sony spins out of control, says DSi ignores 'significant gamer demographic groups'

April 7th, 2009, 11:28 Posted By: wraggster

Trying his very best to minimize the impact of the Nintendo DSi launch, Sony's John Koller sent out a statement that basically says that the new product isn't a big deal compared to the PSP. That's expected, right? What isn't expected is how far he has to travel outside of reality to get to that conclusion.

"Significant gamer demographic groups are being ignored," Koller said, "and there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi." We suppose that the new options for third-party games are somewhat limited by the fact that it's the same platform, although there is that whole downloadable game store thing now.

But here's where it gets really weird: "Compare that with the PSP platform, where we have many blockbuster franchises from our publishing partners launching this year, representing a wide variety of genres and targeting diverse demographics. Games such as Rock Band Unplugged from MTV Games, Assassin's Creed from Ubisoft, Dissidia Final Fantasy from Square Enix, and Hannah Montana from Disney demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the PSP."

The same franchises demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the DS! Assassin's Creed came out on DS last year. Doesn't that say something about Ubisoft's priorities? In addition, a Final Fantasy game came out on DS just last month, adding to the rather large lineup of Final Fantasy games. Hannah Montana has been out on DS forever, in multiple iterations. And as for Rock Band ... well, okay. The DS doesn't have a Rock Band game. Just three Guitar Heroes.

So who's being ignored? People who really love God of War, perhaps.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/so...icant-gamer-d/

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Dragonball Z World Collection Figure Vol 2

April 7th, 2009, 11:44 Posted By: wraggster

New from Divineo China



- Official licensed product
- 8 characters from Dragonball
- Approximately 2.5 – 3.5 inches tall
- Shipped randomly

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NIS America Teases New PSP Game

April 7th, 2009, 11:49 Posted By: wraggster

Look, it’s another domestic PSP game! We’re hearing about a lot of those lately, but NIS America won’t tell us what this one is yet.

“NIS America will announce a new PSP title tomorrow. It’s such a unique and fun game, and I know you all will love it! Please look forward to it,� Nao Zook, Public Relations Coordinator, teases.

We’ll know more about the game in question tomorrow, but hearing the word “unique� piqued my interest. Currently, Nippon Ichi, their parent company, finished two PSP games Musou Tourou and Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days which has been subtly confirmed by the ESRB. A text adventure game would fit the definition of “unique�, but I don’t think NIS America will risk localizing one of those. Would you consider an enhanced port of Disgaea 2 “unique�?

Perhaps, this PSP game isn’t a Nippon Ichi title. With games like Class of Heroes, Crimson Gem Saga, and Pangya accounted for there aren’t many “unique� PSP games left. Hmm… Mimana Iyar Chronicle? Zill O’ll Infinite Plus? Hatsune Miku: Project Diva?

What’s your guess?

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/04/06...-fun-psp-game/

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New Blueray Films Released This Week

April 7th, 2009, 11:59 Posted By: wraggster

Heres the list of this weeks releases:

American In Paris (~Leslie Caron, Gene Kelly) US US$ 28.99
Asia: Fantasia Live in Tokyo (~Asia) US US$ 24.97
August Rush (~Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Freddie Highmore, ...) HK US$ 32.90
Beast Stalker [Blu-Ray + DVD Edition] (~Nicolas Tse, Nick Cheung Kar Fai, ...) HK US$ 27.90
Blindness JPN US$ 52.90
Breaking News (~Richie Yin, Kelly Chen, ...) HK US$ 27.90
Chris Botti in Boston (~Chris Botti) US US$ 29.97
Chronicles of Riddick (~Vin Diesel, Thandie Newton, ...) US US$ 29.98
Chronicles of Riddick & Pitch Black (~Vin Diesel, Thandie Newton, ...) US US$ 59.98
Come Hell Or High Water (~Mike Hagan, Mark Redfield, ...) US US$ 69.99
Dragon Ball Z: Broly Triple Feature (Broly/Broly Second Coming/Bio-Broly) US US$ 34.98
Dreams Of Tokyo Disney Resort 25th Anniversary Year Magic Collection JPN US$ 71.90
Ghosts Of Mars (~Joanna Cassidy, Pam Grier, ...) US US$ 28.95
Gigi (~Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, ...) US US$ 28.99
Ichi (~Haruka Ayase, Shido Nakamura, ...) JPN US$ 74.90
Immortel Ad Vitam (~Thomas Kretschmann, Charlotte Rampling) JPN US$ 51.90
Lady Cop & Papa Crook (~Sammi Cheng, Eason Chan, ...) US US$ 29.95
LCD/Plasma Ultimate HD Experience: Africa US US$ 19.98
Look For A Star (~Andy Lau Tak Wah, Shu Kei, ...) HK US$ 27.90
Marley And Me (~Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson) HK US$ 32.90
Marley and Me (Bad Boy Edition) (~Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, ...) US US$ 39.99
National Geographic: Journey To The Edge Of The Universe US US$ 28.99
National Geographic: Kingdom Of The Blue Whale US US$ 28.99
Paul Rodgers: Live in Glasgow (~Paul Rodgers) US US$ 24.97
Performing This Week: Live at Ronnie Scott's (~Jeff Beck) US US$ 24.97
Pitch Black (~Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, ...) US US$ 29.98
Pretty Woman (~Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, ...) JPN US$ 51.90
Rahmens Dai 16 Kai Koen - Text JPN US$ 47.90
Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection (~Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alec Baldwin, ...) US US$ 29.98
Serenity Travel Series Volume One US US$ 9.98
Seven Pounds (~Rosario Dawson, Michael Ealy, ...) US US$ 39.95
Shigurui: Death Frenzy US US$ 69.98
Sleepy Hollow (~Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, ...) JPN US$ 51.90
Slumdog Millionaire (~Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, ...) US US$ 39.99
South Pacific (~Mitzi Gaynor, Rossano Barazzi) US US$ 34.99
Tell No One (~Francios Cluzet, Kristin Scott Thomas) US US$ 34.98
The Day The Earth Stood Still (~Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, ...) HK US$ 32.90
The Italian Job (~Michael Caine, Noel Coward, ...) JPN US$ 51.90
The Matrix (~Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, ...) US US$ 34.99
The One (~Carla Gugino, Jet Li, ...) US US$ 28.95
The Other Boleyn Girl (~Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, ...) JPN US$ 51.90
The Pink Panther (~Peter Sellers) JPN US$ 51.90
The X-Files Theatrical Feature Blu-ray Box [Limited Edition] (~David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, ...) JPN US$ 94.90
The X-Files: I Want To Believe Director's Cut Edition (~David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, ...) JPN US$ 51.90
Tinker Bell (~Mae Whitman, Kristin Chenoweth, ...) JPN US$ 51.90
Tropic Thunder (~Ben Stiller, Jack Black, ...) HK US$ 32.90
Tropic Thunder (~Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr, ...) JPN US$ 51.90
Twentieth Century Boys - Chapter 1 (~Takako Tokiwa, Etsushi Toyokawa, ...) HK US$ 33.90
Twilight (~Robert Pattinson, Kristin Stewart) HK US$ 33.90
Two Evil Eyes (~Harvey Keitel, Adrienne Barbeau, ...) US US$ 34.95
UFC: Best of 2008 US US$ 19.98
Way of War (~Cuba Gooding Jr., J.K. Simmons, ...) US US$ 34.98

Details here --> http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...-204-84-n.html

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Monster Hunter CG Artworks

April 7th, 2009, 12:04 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



This is the first release in the Monster Hunter 5th year anniversary series! To celebrate this occasion, all CGs from the franchise will be collected and compiled into this one book.

All pictures on the packagings and book covers etc will be included along with newly drawn illustrations and hidden CGs. Besides pictures, staff interviews, snippets of what happened during the production are put into the pages. Illustrations of posters, packagings, monsters, weapons and characters will be categorized for an easy search.

The CGs in this book comes from the PS2 versions of MH, MHG, MH2 and the PSP versions MH Portable, MH Portable 2nd and MH Portable 2nd G.

Come see the pictures and see what you have, or have yet to achieve in your hunting trips. Monster Hunter CG Artworks is available for:

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-39qr.html

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The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

April 7th, 2009, 12:15 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



features
An intense original storyline reveals secrets of Riddick's past and epic destiny
Groundbreaking "Normal mapping" graphics technology creates vivid, ultra-realistic harsh environments
Revolutionary game design fuses frenetic 1st Person Shooter action, stealth and brutal hand-to-hand combat
Fight up close and personal with fists or knives or use stealth to defeat your enemies
Seamless transition to stealth moves and tactics for a deeper, more cohesive adventure
Riddick's trademark "eye-shine" enables players to see in the dark and provides a whole new element of stealth
Featuring the likeness and voice-over talent of Vin Diesel as Riddick
Also featuring the voice-over talent of Cole Hauser as Johns, Kristen Lehman as Shirah, Ron Perlman as Jagger Valance, Willis Burks as Pope Joe, and Xzibit as Abbott
More than 30 levels set across three unique Maximum Security, Double-Max, and Triple-Max prison areas
More than 20 different enemy types each unique to specific areas of the game
More than 15 different weapons including home-made shivs, and high-powered Assault rifles
Additional graphic enhancements with per-pixel shading/dynamic lighting, and realistic shadows

description
The most wanted man in the universe slams into gaming!

Become Riddick and break out of the galaxy's most deadly prison in this compelling 1st person action experience - The Chronicles of Riddickâ„¢: Escape from Butcher Bay.

Set before the events of both Universal Pictures' upcoming summer release, The Chronicles of Riddick, starring Vin Diesel, and the 2000 breakout hit Pitch Black, which first introduced Diesel as enigmatic anti-hero Riddick, the game tells the story of Riddick's dramatic escape from the previously inescapable triple max security slam Butcher Bay, home to the most violent prisoners in the universe.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-39zo.html

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The Godfather II

April 7th, 2009, 12:18 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



features
Build Your Family—Recruit, develop, and promote members of your crime family.
Command a Crew— Bring up to three crew members along on jobs, including an arsonist, demolitions expert, safecracker, and more. Command their actions in battle and unleash their specialties on your enemies.
The Don’s View— Be a true Don as you coordinate all the action using a 3D world map: survey your turf, place defenses on businesses, analyze crime patterns, identify new illicit racket monopolies, and choose the target of your next attack.
Blackhand Brutality— Act like a mobster to command respect, intimidating and extorting business owners and rival families with devastating new attacks and executions.
Bring Your Family Online— Recruit your friends to join your family and take them into battle online to find out who is the Don of Dons. (See online sell sheet for more info)
‘Its Only Business’— Relive the greatest moments from The Godfather II in an open-world action experience inspired by the movie.

description
On the eve of the Cuban revolution, a major mob meeting in Havana takes a bloody turn. The Don of your family is killed, and you must take the reigns and lead your battered organization. Success breeds opportunity, so when Michael Corleone comes under investigation by a Senate Committee on Organized Crime, the Corleone Family calls upon you to reestablish its operation in New York and expand into a new territory—Miami. Build up your arsenal, build alliances, and make whatever deals you need to as you fight off attacks and strike back at your rivals. There’ll be a price on your head and a target on your back, but don’t take it personally. After all, it’s only business.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-350b.html

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Monster Hunter Coming to PSP

April 7th, 2009, 12:38 Posted By: wraggster

It’s a rare treat to be able to tell people that I’m working on the best selling game in Japan last year. To those who are unaware, they immediately think of PS3 games like Metal Gear Solid 4. Nope, my game outsold that and every other console game on the market.

The game? Monster Hunter for the PSP.

The latest version (Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G) was the top selling game in Japan last year and no amount of giant robots can change that. With over 3 million copies sold to date in Japan, about one in four Japanese PSP owners have the game. To be able to work on bringing a game of that caliber to the US is both a pleasure and an honor. It’s also the best game you’ll ever play on the PSP.

Yup, I’m a little biased…but, it’s hard not to be.

The upcoming release of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is exciting to everyone involved in the title. For those who don’t know, Monster Hunter puts you on the hunt for a variety of majestic beasts that you have to defeat in order to become the ultimate hunter. With thousands of different types of weapons and armor, as well as over 500 hours of gameplay, this is the most engrossing action/RPG title for the PSP ever created.

What really makes the game shine, however, is the excellent multiplayer that makes use of the PSP’s built-in Ad-hoc multiplayer. Join with three of your friends to hunt monsters that you simply couldn’t defeat on your own. Playing the game with friends is truly the best way to play it, and with the PSP’s network abilities, everyone has their own screen to play on.

Though we’ve had an awesome group of core fans in the US, our goal is to let everyone experience the adventure with Monster Hunter this time around. To introduce you all to the world of Monster Hunter, we’ve put together this “newscast� with our intrepid reporter covering the imminent onslaught of monsters into the west and the phenomenon they caused in Japan. Ever go on a weekend getaway in order to learn new strategies and play new games with friends? Well, 5000 Japanese gamers did that very thing with Monster Hunter.

This initial video is just the tip of the Narugakuruga’s tail when it comes to what we have in store for you with Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. In upcoming weeks, we’ll have numerous videos to teach you about some of the weapons, monsters, and strategies you’ll need when Monster Hunter Freedom Unite ships. We’ve also planned a surprise for all PSP gamers in June to let as many of you experience the game as possible.

In the meantime, sharpen your swords, join your friends and equip yourself to hunt down some of the most majestic monsters you’ve ever seen. I’ll be hopping on the PlayStation boards from time to time to fill you guys in on the latest and try and answer all the questions you might have.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/...coming-to-psp/

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Gran Turismo 5 coming to PS2, PSP?

April 7th, 2009, 12:40 Posted By: wraggster

VG247 talked to John Koller, SCEA's Director of Hardware Marketing, at this year's Game Developer's Conference where they cornered him about a possible release date for Gran Turismo 5.

Koller would not comment on a release date for the oft-delayed PS3 racing sim, instead saying that Polyphony Digital is a developer who makes a lot of their own decisions. However, he did mention that they were looking into releasing GT5 "across all platforms":

"But we are looking at GT5 across all platforms, just to see what makes the most sense."

This quote could refer to any number of possible games, including a downscaled version for the PS2 or a portable version for the PSP. Polyphony already has a version of Gran Turismo in development for the PSP, Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, which was first announced in 2004 and was last talked about at E3 08. At this point in time, it would be unsurprising if it morphed into Gran Turismo 5 Mobile by the time it's released.

Of course, there's also the possibility that Koller is referring to a dual release for Gran Turismo 5 across the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. That's a scary thought.

We'll have more soon.

http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=9660

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Gran Turismo 5 coming to PS2, PSP?

April 7th, 2009, 12:40 Posted By: wraggster

VG247 talked to John Koller, SCEA's Director of Hardware Marketing, at this year's Game Developer's Conference where they cornered him about a possible release date for Gran Turismo 5.

Koller would not comment on a release date for the oft-delayed PS3 racing sim, instead saying that Polyphony Digital is a developer who makes a lot of their own decisions. However, he did mention that they were looking into releasing GT5 "across all platforms":

"But we are looking at GT5 across all platforms, just to see what makes the most sense."

This quote could refer to any number of possible games, including a downscaled version for the PS2 or a portable version for the PSP. Polyphony already has a version of Gran Turismo in development for the PSP, Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, which was first announced in 2004 and was last talked about at E3 08. At this point in time, it would be unsurprising if it morphed into Gran Turismo 5 Mobile by the time it's released.

Of course, there's also the possibility that Koller is referring to a dual release for Gran Turismo 5 across the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. That's a scary thought.

We'll have more soon.

http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=9660

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PCSX2 Logo Design Contest!

April 7th, 2009, 13:44 Posted By: wraggster

News from the PCSX2 Team:

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unofficial LaunchELF v4.39y beta

April 7th, 2009, 13:49 Posted By: wraggster

E P has released a new beta of Launchelf for the PS2. heres whats new:

LaunchELF v4.39y beta (2009.04.06)
-Merged in new MCMAN and MCSERV modules by jimmikaelkael
-Modified FileBrowser to allow renaming of all MC file/folder objects
-Fixed "DEVICE_UNITS" again, to really allow 10 USB drives/partitions in FTP

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Decrypt

April 7th, 2009, 13:54 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from Caux

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SPARTA AppUI 0.8PB

April 7th, 2009, 13:59 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from KylBlz

About
__________________________________________________ ________

-A small shell with a windows-like interface, windows-like meaning with a task bar and desktop type environment.
features a task bar on the bottom, letting you close and minimize programs.
-The lack of memory for the sparta exploit means i could only include 2 programs. I have programmed Notepad
with a danzeff keyboard, and Draw which is my own design.
-This app works by getting the color of where you click to conserve memory, [so it doesnt have to keep
track of locations/bounds] so dont click directly on text, but the block of color around it.

Works on all PSP models [Phat 1000, Slim 2000, and Brite 3000] on all OFW up to 5.02.
Also, it works on all current M33 firmware [most recent is 5.00 M33 - 6]

Im open to suggestions, input, and bug reports! Just tell me and ill try to fix it, however if its about a file browser,
save/load capability, or a bug where PSPDraw looses the picture, im already on it!
__________________________________________________ ________

Install
__________________________________________________ ________

-Get the gamesave exploit [i cant include it] and put it in MS>PSP>SAVEDATA
-Move h.bin to the root of your memstick
-DONE!
__________________________________________________ ________

Credits
__________________________________________________ ________

App by KylBlz
Exploit by MaTiaZ
SDK by Freeplay

Thanks to:
-Cory1492
-the M33 team
-everyone involved with the PSP toolchain
-Lan.St programming community
-forums on PS2dev.org
-Eddie
-PSPSokoban

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PSP FartiNator V1.0

April 7th, 2009, 14:08 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from oNeJeZ

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OPM details FFXIII battle system

April 7th, 2009, 21:38 Posted By: Shrygue

via Computer and Video Games


Official PlayStation Magazine UK has published its thoughts on the new active battle system from Final Fantasy XIII.

The mag compares it to FFXII "in that the battles take place in real time (with characters operating on a timer), but you can now input three commands at once."

Lightning, the main female character, has four techniques which appear on the menu along with the number of attack points needed to use them. Attack points, says the mag, correspond to a timer bar made up of three segments, each segment correlating to an attack point.

So you can either chain up three attacks with a technique that only takes one attack point, or you can deal a single blow with a technique that requires three attack points.

"Lift is a new command that launches foes onto the air and often leads to spectacular deaths," says OPM. It likens this to the mid-air battle scenes of the FFVII: advent Children movie.

Some enemies can't be lifted but the move still does damage. You're rated at the end of fights based on your largest attack chains and other stats, which will effect gameplay in an as yet unspecified way.

Also interesting is that director Motomu Toriyama says: "Unlike other FF titles the story is told from different viewpoints and characters, not just Lightening", as the mag takes control of another character called Snow, using his guns and white magic.

The full preview is in OPM issue 31 on sale from April 14, which also features a huge 10-page preview on BioShock 2.

Note: OPM has issued a statement as to why there is a page missing from the FFXIII preview. "We're really sorry, but due to an issue with an advert that had been printed on the other side we had to remove the last page of the Final Fantasy XIII feature."

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Worms for Euro PSN this Easter

April 7th, 2009, 21:46 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Team17 has announced that the PlayStation Network version of Worms will be released in Europe over Easter, which presumably means we'll get it on Thursday, 9th April, before we all shut down to scoff chocolate.

The PSN release is an enhanced port of the Xbox Live Arcade version, which the developer says is among the best-selling games on the Microsoft service, and will cost GBP 7.99 / EUR 9.99.

So what's new? Well, on top of the traditional one-to-four player 2D turn-based shoot-'em-up strategy, there's 1080p graphics support, new effects, a more responsive physics engine, and new retro-styled landscapes.

Those who felt the XBLA version was a bit light on weaponry will also be pleased to hear that the PSN version includes the Holy Hand Grenade, Super Sheep and Concrete Donkey.

Check out our Worms PSN screenshot gallery to see how it looks, here.

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Latest PSP2 rumor covers familar ground, adds pre-Xmas release date

April 8th, 2009, 11:20 Posted By: wraggster

Not that we needed much more evidence that 2009 would be the year 'o PSP rumors, but Pocket Gamer is now reporting that it has heard from an "insider source" who says that the PSP2 will indeed be released before Christmas of this year. That source, who's supposedly a "developer working on the new hardware," also backs up some of the earlier rumors about the design of the device itself, saying that it will be more like the iPhone than the current PSP, and that it will boast a sliding touchscreen that conceals the buttons and dual analog controls when it's closed. Not much more than that, unfortunately, but who know's what next week's rumor will bring? We're personally hoping for a surprise Atari Lynx rebirth to really shake things up.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/07/l...mas-release-d/

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PlayStation 3 overtakes Wii in Japan, now about twice in a blue moon

April 8th, 2009, 11:23 Posted By: wraggster

With all the doom and gloom stories we've seen about PlayStation 3 getting beat by Nintendo Wii, it's refreshing to have some good news for a change. For the first time in 16 months, Sony's console managed to best its motion-controlled competitor, 146,948 to 99,335 this past March in Japan, according to gaming research group / Famitsu publisher Enterbrain. The sales are undoubtedly helped by PS3 heavy-hitters Yakuza 3 and Resident Evil 5 debuting last month, and at this point we don't expect the trend to continue, but for now Sony, enjoy your victory and bask in the knowledge that you're still totally kicking Xbox 360's rear in your home country.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/07/p...ice-in-a-blue/

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iPhone gaming sessions equal to DS and PSP

April 8th, 2009, 11:26 Posted By: wraggster

Users are playing games on the iPhone for the same amount of time as on traditional handheld devices such as Nintendo's DS and Sony's PSP.

That's according to the findings of ng:moco, the specialist iPhone publisher carving out a niche on Apple's handset, and proof for CEO Neil Young that the iPhone is a serious new-generation console.

While traditional mobile games are played for around six minutes at a time, ng:moco's own analytics show that titles such as the recently released Rolando are engaging consumers for far longer.

"You look at the other end of the spectrum with Rolando and the average play session is 22 minutes. The average player is playing the game ten times. That's a very different type of behaviour," said Young in an interview published today.

"That's the type of behaviour you'd expect to see from a DS or PSP or a traditional console gameplay experience. Why do I believe this is different? Because I believe people are playing the games differently. And that's enabled by what the device is able to do."

The iPhone is also a format that enables developers to approach game design differently, with those working with ng:moco able to assess user experience and tweak gameplay accordingly.

"We can see that people are stuck in Topple on world four, for example, and so we can change the level so players get to see world's five, six and seven," detailed Young. "We make little tweaks and tunes when we see people get stuck or a drop off in usage."

Before founding ng:moco, Young had been with Electronic Arts for 11 years, but has found that himself and other more traditional videogame makers are adapting to the iPhone format quickly.

"The biggest thing with the device is that it's got a unique set of functionalities and interface. The first place people go to is 'let's put some buttons on the screen.' We're always trying to encourage ourselves and others we work with to not think that way," said Young.

"I don't think Nintendo would go that way. They would think about making a Zelda game that entirely uses touch. We have to think the same way if we want the games to truly take advantage of the iPhone."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-to-ds-and-psp

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Nearly 100,000 SingStar videos uploaded

April 8th, 2009, 11:28 Posted By: wraggster

SingStar players have uploaded over 96,000 videos to the game's community pages using PlayStation Network.

Altogether those videos have been viewed over 10.7 million times, and nearly 160,000 pieces of content, including photos, have been uploaded in total, Sony told Eurogamer.

The company also offered a glimpse into the popularity of downloadable content, revealing that total downloads for the week ending 3rd April were over 10,000.

The most popular song download in the UK was "Run" by Leona Lewis. See below for a full top ten countdown.

SingStar has been available on PlayStation 3 since the end of 2007 in Europe, where Sony recently launched wireless microphones for GBP 34.99.

According to series director Dave Ranyard, speaking to Eurogamer, London Studio is likely to reveal new gameplay features later this year. Support for voice controls should launch as soon as this month - as part of SingStar Vol. 4 and as a free download via PSN.

The UK's top ten SingStar downloads for last week follows:

01. Leona Lewis - "Run"
02. Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
03. The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name"
04. Dizzee Rascal feat. Calvin Harris - "Dance Wiv Me"
05. Vanilla Ice - "Ice Ice Baby"
06. Billy Joel - "Tell Her About It"
07. Phyllis Nelson - "Move Closer"
08. Outkast - "Roses"
09. Elvis Presley - "Suspicious Minds"
10. P!nk - "Just Like A Pill"

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...eos-uploaded_8

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Rock Band PSP this June

April 8th, 2009, 11:38 Posted By: wraggster

Harmonix and Backbone Entertainment's PSP exclusive Rock Band Unplugged will release on June 9 for £24.99.


The game, which we knew was coming, will feature over 40 master-recordings, including nine timed-exclusive new tracks (listed below), and boast "the first fully-featured in-game store for downloadable content on the PSP".

"Rock Band Unplugged creates a full band experience in the palm of your hand by combining traditional beat match gameplay with key elements from both Rock Band and Rock Band 2, such as overdrive and chords," says the official blurb.

"Your hands are the "peripherals" in Rock Band Unplugged, allowing you to take direct control of the lead/bass guitars, drums and vocals. In addition, players can expect a rich Rock Band experience with fully functional modes like World Tour, Band Survival and Warm Up and a robust character creator for full customization."

Exclusive PSP tracks:

3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite"
AFI - "Miss Murder"
Alice in Chains - "Would?"
Audioslave - "Gasoline"
Black Tide - "Show Me the Way"
Blink 182 - "What's My Age Again"
Freezepop - "Less Talk More Rokk"
Jackson 5 - "ABC"
Tenacious D - "Rock Your Socks"

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=212747

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Badman! Officially Announced For PSP

April 8th, 2009, 13:40 Posted By: wraggster

NIS America has made an honest game of Holy Invasion Of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do To Deserve This? announcing the PSP game for a July release, confirming what we reported last week.

Holy Invasion Of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do To Deserve This? (or HIOPB!WDIDTDT? to be brief) is the English-language release of Yuusha no Kuse Ni Namaikida, a strategy game that has already spawned a Japanese sequel. As the Lord of Destruction, you'll have to save Badman from dungeon-crawling, fame-seeking heroes. And you'll do it with a pick axe.

With your enchanted pick axe, you'll have to dig tunnels for the budding heroes looking to dispatch Badman, the underworld's overlord, to quest through. This involves the player also sustaining a working food chain, the Demon Ecosystem, as it were.

Fear not, Yuusha no Kuse Ni Namaikida fans. We hear that the localized version of the PSP game is just as packed with in-jokes and pop culture references as the original.

The HIOPB!WDIDTDT? official web site is up, with plenty of screen shot action awaiting you at the U.S. PlayStation blog.

http://kotaku.com/5202919/holy-invas...ounced-for-psp

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WipeOut HD Update Brings Ranks And Badges

April 8th, 2009, 13:48 Posted By: wraggster

Releasing tomorrow on the PlayStation Network, the latest update for WipeOut HD brings a new ranking system to online multiplayer games, along with flashy new badges to celebrate your racing prowess.

Online multiplayer gets a bit more competitive tomorrow as Sony introduces 50 ranks to WipeOut HD, giving players a little something more to race for. Along with the rankings, a new podium screen appears after each race, where players regardless of placing can earn any of 33 different badges based on how they performed.

A bit more competitive, but a bit more friendly as well, with the addition of friend invites, finally allowing players to invite their pals or join them in their own matches, already in progress. Speaking of in progress, joining a game in progress now allows players to watch the action in spectator mode, rather than simply waiting in the lobby while everyone else finishes.

Some excellent changes, though arguably features that should have been in the game from the get go. Still, a free update is a free update, and if you've been on the fence about whether or not you should snatch up the game, perhaps these changes will push you off into oncoming traffic.

http://kotaku.com/5202259/wipeout-hd...nks-and-badges

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Capcom UK setting up Monster Hunter drop-in center this Summer

April 8th, 2009, 14:13 Posted By: wraggster

Capcom said that it would be giving Monster Hunter a massive marketing push in the west and, from the email we just received, it seems it wasn't lying. The UK branch is planning on opening up a Monster Hunter drop-in center this Summer in central London. The building will facilitate the playing of Monster Hunter Portable Unite in teams -- the way it's meant to be played.

One of the reasons the series has been so poorly adopted in the west is that we tend to play either alone or online. In Japan it's far more common to play together in the same room -- particularly with handhelds. The details have yet to be finalized but it looks as though an entire three story building will be made available throughout the month of July for gamers to drop by and play with other Monster Hunter players, enjoy free "sweets and fizzy pop" and charge up their PSPs.

The Monster Hunter den will be open until "at least 8 p.m." each evening, after which the games can continue down at the pub. Sounds like an ingenious (if costly) marketing ploy to us. We'll keep you informed of the details once they're finalized.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/ca...r-this-summer/

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Dragon Ball Evolution

April 8th, 2009, 14:20 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



Dragon Ball, one of the manga/anime series that represents Japan is now a well known franchise throughout the world.

Produced under the direction of Hollywood filmmakers, the anime/game has become a live action movie, and this is the first fighter which adapts this movie style.

All characters from the movie enter the battle roster, and because it follows the rhythm of the live action movie, battles are fast paced with dazzling graphics.

New skills and battles that never existed in the original are included for your enjoyment, experience the new fighting styles in the movie in all the different game modes.

Locations in the movie are re-created in the game as a background during scenes, battles and events, this is the Dragon Ball Evolution that you can participate in and more.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-37ru.html

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Neon Genesis Evangelion: Koutetsu no Girlfriend Tokubetsu-Hen Portable

April 8th, 2009, 14:21 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



Keep this visual novel in your pocket always and see which girl you end up with in the end. Written by the original Evangelion staff, this side story is a text based adventure game with a plot which you can alter according to the choices you made.

A mysterious explosion occured in Neo Tokyo, however Nerv is not commanded to investigate. Are the new enemies Angels or are there new menaces?

At the same time, a new girl, Kirishima Mana transfered to Shinji's school, despite Asuka's suspicions about her being a spy sent to steal information from Nerv, Shinji could not help but feel drawn to her unpretentiousness.

What is Kirishima Mana and what would she do to the fragile relationships between Shinji and the Nerv members, Asuka and Rei especially? Find out:

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-376l.html

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Sengoku Basara: Battle Heroes

April 8th, 2009, 14:22 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



The Sengoku warriors are back in the newest fighting game in the Sengoku Basara series. Not only are the characters present but their handy fighting skills, binding attacks and sengoku drive are available. It provides challenge that veterans would love and tutorials that beginners can enjoy.

180 storylines are available along with 150 missions to complete. You can set attributes to your player character as well as that of the CPU's character when you engage in free battles. Customize it to fit your skills, tastes, or moods.

All 30 warriors have their own stories and scenarios, even the ones who took minor roles in the previous installments have their own tales and fully voiced dialog that fans simply could not miss.

Aside from portability, another useful function of the PSP is utilized. Join up in your circle of like minded friends or get to know new ones through the game and fight them through the ad hoc networking mode.

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-3ahr.html

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Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2

April 8th, 2009, 14:25 Posted By: wraggster

Newly released:



The balance between the sacred and secular worlds are disrupted and it's time for the Arcana Hearts girls to act, again. Aside from the original cast, more girls are joining in the fray, expanding the list of playable characters to 20.

Each girl has their Arcana whom they cooperate with to launch attacks, and with 20 of these spirits, there are 400 combinations you can form and a large array of skills you can use against your enemies.

The system is upgraded with numerous add ons such as Arcana Blast and Critical Heart. Launch these in the right moment and take your enemies down.

The scenarios in the game are fully voiced and as you proceed with the girls' adventures you are rewarded with CG stills. Keep them stored in the gallery.

Arcana Hearts fights are back with even cooler elements and characters, come grab your game now!

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-36hh.html

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Tir Na Nog: The Final PS2 RPG Announced For Japan

April 8th, 2009, 14:27 Posted By: wraggster

Sony Computer Entertainment America continues to fuel the PlayStation 2 with new games, even if they are PSP ports. Things are different in Japan where SCEJ hasn’t released a PS2 game since 2007. Even third party publishers like Nippon Ichi and Gust moved on to the PS3, making this year’s PS2 line up heavy on visual novels.

One game from SystemSoft Alpha, creators of the Daisenryaku series, stands out. Tir Na Nog, slated for April 29, could be the last PS2 RPG. Looks like this PC port doesn’t have a high budget either. The shifty character sprites are reminiscent of Populous. At least the setting is offbeat. Tir Na Nog infuses Irish mythology and fantasy elements to craft the story. A PSP version is scheduled to come out the same day as the PS2 release.

There is still a healthy selection of PS2 JRPGs such as Devil Summoner 2, Mana Khemia 2, and later Sakura Taisen for us to enjoy this year, but the well is almost dry. Tir Na Nog might be at the bottom.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/04/07...ced-for-japan/

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Tir Na Nog: The Final PS2 RPG Announced For Japan

April 8th, 2009, 14:27 Posted By: wraggster

Sony Computer Entertainment America continues to fuel the PlayStation 2 with new games, even if they are PSP ports. Things are different in Japan where SCEJ hasn’t released a PS2 game since 2007. Even third party publishers like Nippon Ichi and Gust moved on to the PS3, making this year’s PS2 line up heavy on visual novels.

One game from SystemSoft Alpha, creators of the Daisenryaku series, stands out. Tir Na Nog, slated for April 29, could be the last PS2 RPG. Looks like this PC port doesn’t have a high budget either. The shifty character sprites are reminiscent of Populous. At least the setting is offbeat. Tir Na Nog infuses Irish mythology and fantasy elements to craft the story. A PSP version is scheduled to come out the same day as the PS2 release.

There is still a healthy selection of PS2 JRPGs such as Devil Summoner 2, Mana Khemia 2, and later Sakura Taisen for us to enjoy this year, but the well is almost dry. Tir Na Nog might be at the bottom.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/04/07...ced-for-japan/

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SDLMAME Version: 0.130u2 - Mame for PS3 Linux Released

April 8th, 2009, 21:36 Posted By: wraggster

Bill Blake has updated Mame for PS3 Linux:

MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator. When used in conjunction with an arcade game's data files (ROMs), MAME will more or less faithfully reproduce that game on a PC. The ROM images that MAME utilizes are "dumped" from arcade games' original circuit-board ROM chips. MAME becomes the "hardware" for the games, taking the place of their original CPUs and support chips. Therefore, these games are NOT simulations, but the actual, original games that appeared in arcades. MAME's purpose is to preserve these decades of video-game history. As gaming technology continues to rush forward, MAME prevents these important "vintage" games from being lost and forgotten. This is achieved by documenting the hardware and how it functions, thanks to the talent of programmers from the MAME team and from other contributors. Being able to play the games is just a nice side-effect, which doesn't happen all the time. MAME strives for emulating the games faithfully. NOTE: This version includes an unsupported patch that adds the ability to display games at their original (-nativeres) resolution in fullscreen mode. Users of this version are not eligible for support on the official forum. Get support for this version here: http://forums.ps3bodega.com

- Updated to 0.130u2

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Super Mario War Version: 1.7afe

April 8th, 2009, 21:40 Posted By: wraggster

Bill Blake has updated Super Mario War for PS3 Linux:

Super Mario War is a Super Mario multiplayer game

- First release for YDL 6.1 / PS3 based on spec from PLD Linux
- Includes patch to allow use of 32bpp mode for improved speed on YDL / PS3
- This breaks level previews, but the game runs much faster this way

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Fuse PSP version 0.10.0.21 released - Spectrum Emulator for PSP

April 8th, 2009, 21:44 Posted By: wraggster

Uberjack has updated his Spectrum Emulator for PSP:

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Rumors, rumors

April 8th, 2009, 21:49 Posted By: wraggster

News via sceners

Everyone raise your hand if you don’t like rumors.
Oh, well, we have more than one or two hands raised, what a surprise. Who hasn’t heared every single 88v3/3k rumors, PS3 OMFG-30GB-ISOZ rumors, or even that new PSP hardware revisions that never come; rumors that make you punch directly to the table and close the firefox tab?
So, there is another one, another PSP2 rumor that has come around the Pocket Gamer sources, with interesting stuff like a sliding touchscreen (what remembers me of the 0×89 project, what a pity it didn’t succeed), dual analog controls, and with a release date of before this Christmas.
Damn, not yet finished with 3k models and now a 4k model that might be a true competitor to even the iPhone? Well, i don’t believe in rumors as one of my principles, but anyway. If something is released, Sony will give it enough publicity and we’ll see it anywhere.
That reminds me of that PSP-Phone. Oh, and the 3000 model with built-in camera. Oh, and that tons of PS3 darkness-hacking-videos on Youtube. Oh, and … Well, everything that you can remember.
I just hope that if there is any revision, it’s at least as wide as the DS one.

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Air Conflicts: Aces of World War II Storms onto PSP

April 8th, 2009, 21:54 Posted By: wraggster

Signature Devices, Inc. (OTCPK: SDVI) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Graffiti Entertainment, Inc., has released its arcade flight simulation game Air Conflicts: Aces of World War II for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system to retail stores nationwide.

"Air Conflicts puts the greatest planes of WWII in the palm of your hand," says Kenneth Hurley, CEO of Signature Devices, Inc. and Graffiti Entertainment, Inc. "It features true to the time aircraft designs, 13 campaigns with more than 240 action-packed missions and incredible graphics that immerse players in a beautiful, rich and realistic world."

Air Conflicts is an arcade flight simulator game set in World War II featuring the aircraft of this period and historically inspired missions. The emphasis is on intense dogfights, daring bombing raids and exciting aerial missions.

As a pilot in World War II, players experience action-packed missions that progress on a historically based timeline, and features genuine medals and ranks. Choose to fly one of 17 authentic planes for the US Air Force, Royal Air Force, Luftwaffe or Red Army Air Force. In the gallery, players can also view rotating 3D models of every plane in the game and get specific information and stats about the real-world aircraft.

Air Conflicts: Aces of World War II key features:



Authentic historical timeline and missions

Easy control scheme that allows for fun aerial battles

17 historically authentic aircraft designs

Wireless capabilities include a multiplayer mode for up to 8 players


Developed by Cowboy Rodeo, Air Conflicts: Aces of World War II is rated T and retails for $29.99. For more information about Signature Devices, Graffiti Entertainment and their products, please visit www.signaturedevices.com.

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More Tales of VS Characters

April 8th, 2009, 21:56 Posted By: wraggster

The big Tales series press conference from earlier in the week brought about a bunch of screens and details on the three new Tales games in development, Tales of Graces for Wii, Tales of Vesperia for PS3, and Tales of VS for PSP. Today, we have even more details thanks to Famitsu.

First up, VS. Joining the previously announced cast of four, the magazine confirms four more characters: Stan and Mighty from Tales of Destiny, Kratos from Tales of Symphonia, and Anise from Tales of the Abyss. There are 35 characters in all, so expect to hear roster updates regularly.

The magazine also offers up a couple of mysterious screenshots of the game. These appear to depict fully 2D combat. The game's producer, Ryuji Odate, told the magazine that the screens are from a mode of play that's separate from the main fighting mode, but wouldn't get into specifics.

Next up, Tales of Vesperia. The big news here comes from a short interview with producer Yoshito Higuchi. Work on the PS3 version began after the release of the Xbox 360 version, said Higuchi. He also revealed one additional difference for the game: the event scenes will see different camera angles.

Finally, the Wii "mothership" entry in the series, Tales of Graces. Producer and Tales series brand manager Hideo Baba told the magazine that there are some major differences in the battle system. Previous titles could have their attacks categorized as one of standard attacks or skills. The relationship between the two will change greatly with Graces. Sadly, he wouldn't get too specific, saying only that it's possible to perform attacks that resemble skills using the button for standard attacks.

Baba also suggested that players look closely at the game's illustrations and logo for hints about the story. Feel free to do just that in our media pages as you wait for the next Tales update.

http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/970/970972p1.html

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Battle Fantasy v0.1 Demo

April 8th, 2009, 22:01 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from Dark_shark

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PS3 Tales of Vesperia adds content

April 8th, 2009, 22:07 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Namco Bandai has promised to steep the freshly-announced PS3 version of Tales of Vesperia in plenty of new content.

There's new character Patty Fruel, according to Kotaku's translation of My Game News Flash. She has a frilly pirate hat. I want it.

The entire Vesperia adventure will be voiced; the extra parts, said one actor, are nearly as long as the entire Xbox 360 script. On top of that, we're to see new cutscenes and delve into new subplots while wearing new outfits.

There's no date for Tales of Vesperia on PS3, but the Xbox 360 version arrives here in June. The story follows Yuri Lowell, a former Imperial Knight sent outside the safe confines of the city to explore a dangerous world. Vesperia has been out in US since last August and picked up solid scores: an 81 per cent average on Metacritic.

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Flock! out on XBLA, PSN

April 8th, 2009, 22:11 Posted By: Shrygue

via Computer and Video Games


Capcom has confirmed that its quirky sheep herding game, Flock!, will be out on XBLA today and PSN tomorrow. The PC version is out now.

As Capcom explains: "Players take control of an alien UFO that's been given the challenging task of herding animals to its mothership through a variety of interactive levels.

"Players will have to overcome the different behaviors of the animals to herd them successfully. This will require the use of quirky humor-filled strategies, as well as completing a series of physics-based puzzles. By finding or creating a passable route, players can herd the animals safely toward the ship."


Trailer at CVG

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5.03 TDP-3 Custom Firmware

April 8th, 2009, 22:15 Posted By: wraggster

The TodoPSP Team have released a new custom firmware for the PSP, personally ill stick to the M33 Firmwares but for those interested heres the details:

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Rumor: Resident Evil 5's Versus Mode Was, Yes, On The Disc All Along

April 8th, 2009, 22:20 Posted By: Shrygue

via Kotaku


Capcom caught more than a little flak for charging extra for Resident Evil 5's VS mode. Their excuse? That it was "beyond the initial scope of Resident Evil 5".

Seems Capcom may have a strange way of defining what was in the "initial scope" because, as anyone who has downloaded the add-on will have found, the DLC weighs in at a massive 1.8MB on 360, and an even more impressive 351KB on PS3. Leading some to suggest that, well, you're not really downloading VS mode at all. You're just downloading a key and some extra code that unlocks content that was already on the disc. The disc you already paid for.

Course, this practice is nothing new. Nor, if true, would it be entirely unexpected, as Capcom had previously said that VS mode "makes use of the assets that exist in the game".

The counter-point - as many of you have already pointed out - is that both file sizes (1.8MB and even 351KB) are bigger than other, previous "unlock codes". And if the game mode only needed new code, and not new assets, then a small update may well cover everything that was needed.

As of writing, Capcom have yet to respond to our requests for clarification or comment.

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PSP Daft Punk

April 8th, 2009, 22:23 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from Miles:

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The mysterious 'New RPG' from tri-Ace is End of Eternity

April 8th, 2009, 22:23 Posted By: Shrygue

via Joystiq


the guidelines were written retroactively in response to the game), tri-Ace has moved on to the natural next step: the exclusive reveal in Famitsu magazine (before the countdown expires), which is then immediately scanned and made available worldwide.

The new game is End of Eternity, being published by Sega on PS3 and Xbox 360 this winter in Japan. According to Siliconera's translation, the game stars characters named Zephyr, Subject 20, and Vashyron, the last of whom is "employed in a private military firm." The battle system, accordingly with the military theme, involves real-time gunplay elements. Of course, there's been no announcement of an international release, since the Japanese release was announced just now.

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Valkyria Chronicles DLC Dated

April 8th, 2009, 22:27 Posted By: Shrygue

via IGN


One of the most enchanting adventures of 2008 is about to be given an extension, with SEGA announcing that the downloadable content for Valkyria Chronicles will be available throughout Europe on April 16.

There are three packs, which retail at 3.19 GBP (3.99 EUR) each, including an all-new EX mode as well as two new missions. Find out more over here.

Valkyria Chronicles was a 2008 highlight for the PlayStation 3, its mix of third person action, turn-based strategy and stylised visuals propelling it to a well-earned 9.0 when reviewed last year.

We've contacted SEGA to see if the release date is applicable for the US – and we'll report back to you when we hear anything new.

Update: SEGA confirmed that the three downloadable packs will be coming to the US PlayStation Store on April 16th for $4.99 each.

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IvEr PSP v4.00

April 8th, 2009, 22:36 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from cobra77380

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Smash My PSP! v3.1

April 8th, 2009, 22:41 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from zeroXorXdieXskater

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Phantasy Star Online

April 8th, 2009, 22:46 Posted By: wraggster

NickD has released a new Beats of Rage Mod that should be playable on PSP/GP2X/Dreamcast with some tinkering:

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Flash Spacer V1

April 8th, 2009, 22:51 Posted By: wraggster

News/release from alex_e

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PSP Themes Galore

April 8th, 2009, 22:53 Posted By: wraggster

Thanks to those uploading to our new PSP Themes forum which already has a ton of themes for the PSP, check them all out here http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=312

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The PSP Show #94 - Football Manager Handheld 2009

April 8th, 2009, 22:56 Posted By: wraggster

TPN have released a new podcast for the PSP:

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First Trailer: ‘Rock Band Unplugged’

April 9th, 2009, 13:05 Posted By: wraggster

Check out the first trailer for upcoming PSP title “Rock Band Unplugged,� where your hands are the peripherals.
The game will be out on June 9 with the PSP. There will also be a “Rock Band Entertainment Pack� that comes with the game, a black PSP, a 4GB memory stick and a voucher to download the movie “School of Rock.�

Trailer Here --> http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/...and-unplugged/

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Why the PS3 is a better system

April 9th, 2009, 21:39 Posted By: wraggster

For a moment, let's ignore that the PS3 has more room for upgrades and that its potential has yet to even be near-maxed. Let's ignore that PSN is not only good as Xbox Live, but that it's free. I won't throw dirt at Microsoft over their questionable business practices (homophobia and not covering the return of defunct systems comes to mind). I'll even lay aside the fact that recently the PS3 has been rapidly gaining on the other large consoles in worldwide sales and exceeding them in some countries. I'm only going to cover capability and past performance.

It's easy to dig up an entire library of graphics comparisons between the 360 and PS3 and almost every time, the Xbox 360 walks away the victor. Why? These 'comparisons' are done by comparing screenshots of multiport games, many of them games that originated with the 360 before being ported over to the PS3. The 'better' 360 images (which are really just darker and uniform-cut) are designed to accommodate the weaker system. A game developed specifically for the PS3, such as Killzone 2, will always trump a 360-specific or multiplatform game when it comes to graphics.

To prove this, we have to turn to hardware capabilities. The PS3's GPU has nearly triple the processing power of the 360's GPU. I won't go into the specific numbers behind this (an example can be found here), but suffice to say that as programmers adapt to the difficulty of programming for the PS3, the differences between the systems will shine on a larger scale. The 360 is the easy way out for now, but it has its limitations.

Performance aside, consider capability. You can use the PS3 to browse the internet independently, whereas the 360 is dependent upon being heavily modded or having to run it through a PC. Also consider what you're getting for the price. The PS3 comes with a hefty price tag compared to the 360, but it's worth it considering it includes a Blu-ray player, with unlimited storage to boot (via the new external drive capability). It plays normal DVDs and, if you want a larger game library, the older PS3 can run PS2 titles. You can't beat a Blu-ray player, gaming console, web browser and free multiplayer in one.

Now, the Wii? We won't even go there. The system relies on additions to the console or repetition. Each game seems to need a special controller or pad and those that don't are the same plots with new characters (Pokemon, anyone?) or the same characters with no-effort new plots.

http://www.examiner.com/x-4708-Charl...-PS3-is-better

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Home gets Godfather space, user t-shirts

April 9th, 2009, 22:05 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


EA takes its first steps into PlayStation Home today, with the American launch of a Godfather II space, according to the US PlayStation Blog.

The space celebrates the release of the slightly ropey crime sequel, and features a Texas Hold 'Em poker table.

There will also be some additions to Capcom's Resident Evil 5 space: a new mini-game quest, souvenir shop and costumes.

According to an official post on the European Home forums, the Resi 5 update is currently being localised for Europe, while the Godfather II and Guitar Hero spaces are still going through regional approval processes.

Localisation is also under way for the Warhawk, SOCOM and Uncharted spaces that launched in the US some time ago.

European Home users, however, do get something their American counterparts don't. T-shirt company MySoti is launching its range in Home - including the best of its community-designed shirts.

If you have a t-shirt design burning a hole in your brain, you can submit it to MySoti and stand a chance of it appearing for sale in the virtual as well as the real world. Plus, you'll get a share of the profits.

Only designs voted as Most Wanted will be included, and the service will only be available in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

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April LBP goodies revealed, dated

April 9th, 2009, 22:27 Posted By: Shrygue

via Eurogamer


Sony has revealed its schedule for new LittleBigPlanet downloadable content in April.

The highlight of the month is the Cornish Yarg update, according to the US PlayStation blog, that boasts new features and fixes. Sony has given this a provisional date of 16th April - the same day a Monkey King outfit will be offered.

Arriving today, however, are Rag Doll Kung Fu and Patapon costume packs. The former costs USD 5.99 (UK/EU pricing to come) and bulges with five outfits; the latter costs USD 1.99 and has a single, circular-eyed get-up for Sackboy to wear.

A free Creator Pack will arrive on 23rd April (provisional date) to help people make levels, alongside a Heavenly Sword costume pack that costs three bucks.

Then, on 27th April, there will be a mini Egyptian Mythology costume pack for three dollars, followed a week later by a bundle of Norse-themed, also for three smackers.

Each of the costume packs contains lots of themed stickers, too.

Those should keep you busy.

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XCM announces Rumble Joystick for PS3 with rumble!

April 9th, 2009, 22:27 Posted By: bandit

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XCM announces K.O Gear which allows Xbox 360, Original Xbox and PS3 controller on PS3

April 9th, 2009, 22:39 Posted By: bandit

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unofficial LaunchELF v4.39z beta

April 9th, 2009, 22:44 Posted By: wraggster

EP has released another beta of Launchelf for the PS2, heres whats new:

LaunchELF v4.39z beta (2009.04.09)
-Fixed a bug from previous beta v4.39y preventing access to MC folders having a 'hidden' attribute bit set.

Download and Give Feedback Via Comments

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Steambot Chronicles Headed Stateside

April 9th, 2009, 22:52 Posted By: wraggster

Alright, Mr. Encyclopedic Knowledge of Japanese Titles Before Localization. First of all, your name is way too long. Mind shortening it a bit? No? Fine, we'll call you... Tad. Hey, you were the one that wasn't willing to give up your surname, and that's the price you pay. Luckily, we know you've always been admirably representative of your namesake, so quick, tell us what the US name for Irem's Bumpy Trot series is here in the States, and no looking at our strapli-awww, you looked.

Yes, kids, it's called Steambot Chronicles, and thanks to Atlus USA, it's headed Stateside just like the previous entries. Ah, but this isn't just a pared-down little PSP romp, it's a full-blown mission-oriented do-what-ever-you-want, clomping, stomping bit o' robotic fun. Atlus is promising that the quest to win the Orion City Trotmobile tourney will be filled with all the now-famous customization goodness of the previous games.

Central to that is the ability to swap out a multitude of different Trotmobile parts; heads, legs, arms, torsos, and so on -- and building a shuffling, lumbering, horribly unbalanced monstrosity is not only allowed, but if it makes strategic sense, it's encouraged. What use is building a hilariously (but intentionally) disfigured mechanical beast if you can't show it to friends? None, that's what, which is why Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament supports game sharing with up to three other PSPs using just one UMD. Yes, Atlus loves you, you poor multiplayer-deprived Ad Hoc-loving hyper-hyphenated gamer guy/gal.

SCBT and its tale of invading bandits causing a ruckus in Orion City will be hitting PSPs... soon (Atlus would only reveal they've secured the publishing rights, which isn't terribly surprising considering they've been the go-to folks for previous Steambots). We'll have more for you soon, but in the meantime, fest your eyes on a batch of sexy new screens from the Japanese version.

http://uk.psp.ign.com/articles/971/971466p1.html

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