News - 2012, Week 16
Sunday22nd Apr 2012
News Meet Lollipop Chainsaw's Starling Sisters
Co-Starlings
Warner Bros has released a brand new trailer introducing Juliet Starling’s zombie-slaying siblings in Lollipop Chainsaw. We'll be honest, if the footage has taught us anything, it’s that girls prefer guys when they’re just a head. Bear with us while we go and find the rickety old saw in our tools shed – we have a few, er,...
News Hacked PSP Titles Return to PSN
Perfect storm
Popular PSP titles MotorStorm: Arctic Edge and Everybody’s Tennis are now available from the PlayStation Store again. The games were removed from the digital storefront after hackers found a way to run exploits through the PSP emulator on Vita. If you’ve already purchased the titles, they should now be accessible from your download...
Saturday21st Apr 2012
News Get Your Work Preserved in Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Loot lover
With Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time’s Fall release date edging closer by the day, Sony’s announced a competition to help you get your work in the game. As in previous releases, Sly will happen upon various treasures throughout the course of Thieves in Time, and developer Sanzaru Games wants you to help design some of those unlockable...
News God of War Developer Hiring for New Shooter IP
Another one?
God of War: Ascension may be Sony Santa Monica’s current top priority, but that’s not stopping the studio from staffing up for a new IP. According to a job listing on Gamasutra, the studio is on the lookout for a senior combat designer to help work on an unannounced project. The advertisement asks for experience on both first-person...
News 2K Fires New Spec Ops: The Line Multiplayer Footage Online
Sand master
At first glance, this Spec Ops: The Line multiplayer trailer looks frightfully familiar. We’re not going to deny that the eight-player class-based competitive combat looks fun, but we’ve seen it all before. Where the game’s online component finds an identity, however, is in its implementation of sand. Like the single-player...
News Risen 2 Sets Sail Later Than Expected on PS3
Shiver me timbers
Publisher Deep Silver still has some last minute preparations to make before its fantasy RPG Risen 2: Dark Waters sets sail on PS3. As such, the publisher has announced that it has delayed the title’s maiden voyage from its original late May release window until 31st July in North America and 3rd August in Europe. To compensate...
Friday20th Apr 2012
Preview Sniper Elite V2 May Have PS3's Most Satisfying Kills
Bang, you're dead
As far as we’re concerned, sniper rifles have always been the most satisfying weapons in games. There’s something rewarding and morally profound about picking off an unsuspecting target from long-range distance, and the original Sniper Elite on PS2 captured that sentiment spectacularly. Since Rebellion’s original stealth...
News Soul Sacrifice Introduces a True Fantasy on Vita
Once upon a monster
For a game we know next to nothing about, Soul Sacrifice is beginning to seem like a big deal. The PlayStation Vita exclusive – revealed in Famitsu magazine earlier in the week – has now been granted a fairly high-budget teaser website, showing off some concept art from the game. Set to a thumping drum-beat and images of...
News Earn Trophies for Getting Out Of Bed with Wake-Up Club
The ultimate incentive
You know, the last thing we want to do when we oversleep is deal with a dozen angry clouds – but that’s exactly what Vita’s upcoming Wake-Up Club involves. The free application — which transforms your expensive handheld into a glorified alarm clock — is designed around the creepy concept of “encouraging others to...
News Rocksteady Teases New Batman: Arkham City DLC
These boots are made for walkin'
Rocksteady’s teased the imminent announcement of new Batman: Arkham City DLC with an image of Harley Quinn’s boots. Content starring the sultry jester has been rumoured for weeks after trophies for the expansion leaked online. We’re always ready for more Harley Quinn. Always.
News GameStop Knocks $50 Off PS3's Price
Now $199
GameStop’s currently selling the 160GB version of the PS3 for a wallet-friendly $199. That’s $50 less than the recommended retail price. As Joystiq notes, hardware doesn’t often go on sale, so it’s possible the reduction could be related to future announcements. Either way, there’s never been a better time to pick up a new PS3...
News Sony Patents Bizarre Move Controller Holder
Reinventing the wheel
Sony hasn't released quite as many plastic add-ons for the Move controller as some may have expected, but according to a patent found by PlayStation Lifestyle it could yet release a very versatile-looking plastic shell. The patent shows a plastic housing into which the Move controller would slot, but with handles and face...
News Dragon's Crown Shifts to Atlus, Due Out in 2013
Info for the fangs
Vanillaware's hotly anticipated Dragon's Crown for Vita and PS3 will reach the West in 2013. The gorgeous hand-drawn action RPG has switched publishers from UTV Ignition to Atlus, which seems a better fit to us: Atlus published previous Vanillaware title Odin Sphere on PS2, and that turned out all right. Last month we heard...
News Sony Aiming to Bring ME3 Multiplayer Events to PS3
EDI peasy
Up until now, Mass Effect 3 multiplayer events have been exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PC versions of the intergalactic RPG. But following some public finger-pointing from developer BioWare, Sony has said it is working hard to get the promotional weekends approved on PS3 too. A spokesperson told Shacknews: We are currently working togethe
News Take a Shot with Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 in August
In range
City Interactive’s attached a 21st August release date to its scoped first-person shooter Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2. The original title proved a massive success on PS3 due to its low price-point and decent gunplay. Ghost Warrior 2 hopes to better its predecessor by implementing CryEngine 3 support, enhanced AI and “unprecedented” bullet...
News Activision Deploys "Content Collection #1" for MW3
Patience is a virtue
PlayStation 3 players without Call of Duty: Elite subscriptions can finally indulge in the first DLC drop for Modern Warfare 3. The drearily dubbed “Content Collection #1” is available now from the PlayStation Store for an eye-watering $14.99. To its credit the content does collate six new multiplayer maps and a pair of Spec...
News Payday: The Heist Sequel in Development
Bank managers beware
Payday: The Heist developer Overkill Software didn’t need to stage a bank robbery in order to score an impressive haul, as it’s revealed that its downloadable PSN and PC shooter has sold over 400k copies since its release in October last year. That success has prompted the studio to start work on a sequel, which it will...
News Sony's Move-Exclusive Datura Dated
Out in May
Time to pick up that Move controller again — Sony's launching Datura on 9th May. The Move-exclusive action adventure is joint venture between Sony Santa Monica and Polish developer Plastic. It's billed as a "unique, interactive art experience", so don't expect God of War Move, but we're always up for unique and interactive art...
Rumour Contract Negotiations Halted Prey 2's Development
Pray tell
Bethesda announced yesterday that the promising looking Prey 2 had been delayed beyond its original 2012 release window due to development on the title not progressing at a “satisfactory” rate. Turns out the game hasn’t been worked on since November 2011, due to developer Human Head Studios trying to negotiate better contract terms...
News PixelJunk 4am Dances onto PSN in May
Midnight fever
Q-Games’ stellar looking Move powered music tool PixelJunk 4am is set to release on the PlayStation Network on 15th May. It’ll launch alongside a free application allowing you to tune into other players’ live performances. The final game will feature five songs comprising four different tracks: drums, bass, rhythm and synth...
Thursday19th Apr 2012
News PlayStation 3D Display Finally Reaches the UK
£449 for you
Sony's PlayStation-branded 3D display is available to buy in the UK at long last. Amazon has the 24" screen on sale for £449.99, complete with two sets of 3D glasses and copies of Killzone 3 and Gran Turismo 5. As well as offering 3D visuals, the screen has a feature called SimulView which allows two players to play...
News London 2012 Sprints onto PS3 in June
Gold standard
Fans of broken controllers and Jessica Ennis will be excited to learn that SEGA’s attached a 29th June release date to its upcoming tournament tie-in London 2012. The game will feature 45 Olympic events including cycling, diving and more. Some of the events – such as the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol – will feature PlayStation Move...
News Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Nabs a Limited Retail Release
Dalektable
If we watched Doctor Who like the rest of the world, you could guarantee this article would be packed to the brim with puns and self-referential jokes. Trouble is: we don’t, and we’ve used up our one and only pun in the sub-headline. Oh well. In that case, we’re going to jump straight to the point: the BBC’s announced a limited...
News Lumines Producer: Major Vita Games on the Way
Stop worrying
With the impressive launch line-up now a distant memory, many new Vita adopters are beginning to ponder what’s next for the powerful handheld. Well, according to James Mielke, the producer of Lumines Electronic Symphony, there’s a lot of new games in development to look forward to. In an interview with 1UP, he revealed: The only...
News Amazon Leaks God of War: Ascension
Update: Sony responds
Update: A post on the Official PlayStation Blog confirms the game. The best part? The cheeky "As most of you were recently made aware, God of War: Ascension will be coming exclusively to PlayStation 3" nod to Amazon's leak. Sony tells us we'll get more information on 30th April at 8am Pacific time. That mysterious...
News PlayStation Suite Open Beta Starts Today
Do it yourself
Sony's just launched the open beta for its Vita development programme PlayStation Suite. Interested users can download an SDK and start creating software for Vita and other PlayStation-certified mobile devices. It's free during the open beta period, but once it ends you'll have to pay $99 a year to keep using it. That $99 fee also...
News Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Flexes Its Commercial Muscles
Cash is king
New intellectual properties have it tough in today’s video game market, so it’s refreshing to see a title like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning post impressive US sales. The EA published action RPG has sold 410k units since its launch in February, with a sizeable chunk of those sales coming from the month of March. NPD’s David Riley...
News Get the Lowdown on Resistance: Burning Skies' Multiplayer
Connected chaos
Resistance: Burning Skies doesn’t appear to be particularly ambitious – but as the first fully featured handheld multiplayer shooter, competence should prove more than enough. In this brand new PlayStation Blog interview, producer Craig Phillips has provided a full run-down of the multiplayer component’s primary features. Modes...
News Grimlock Takes Centre Stage in New Fall of Cybertron Footage
"Me Grimlock no bozo. Me king!"
Grimlock might not be known for his brainpower, but the Dinobot commander is well regarded for his strength in battle – a trait which the upcoming Transformers: Fall of Cybertron appears to capture quite well. This brand new trailer shows off the dim-witted warrior in action, demonstrating his range of melee attacks...
News DiRT Showdown Collides with 25th May Release Date
Hooning is not a crime
Those of you obsessed with bent bumpers and scratched paint work will probably want to pick up a copy of DiRT Showdown when it releases on 25th May in the UK and 29th May in the US. The title steers the traditionally serious rallying series in a more raucous direction, focusing on arcade thrills and vehicle wrecking spills. If...
News Starbreeze to Acquire Payday: The Heist Developer
Hostile takeover?
The real world of business is nothing like Starbreeze’s Syndicate – if it was, Overkill Software would probably find itself six-feet under by now. But thankfully for the Payday: The Heist developer, that’s not quite how takeovers work in 2012. Instead, Starbreeze has announced its intention to acquire the Stockholm-based...
News ToeJam & Earl Creator Hiring for New PlayStation Game
Hope you like jammin' too
Greg Johnson, the creator of classic Mega Drive title ToeJam & Earl, is hiring for a new Sony-exclusive title. The legendary developer, now in charge of HumaNature Studios, announced the partnership in a listing on Gamasutra’s job board and the Tech-Artists forum. The game is described as "cute and filled with...
News Prey 2 Not Cancelled, Delayed Beyond 2012
The good with the bad
Despite a spate of rumours to the contrary, Bethesda has confirmed that it has not cancelled Prey 2. Instead the game has been delayed beyond its 2012 release date due to the title not yet meeting the publisher’s “quality standards”. We're resisting the temptation to make a snarky comment about Skyrim's state on PS3. The...
Wednesday18th Apr 2012
Rumour Sony Developing Monster Hunter Clone for Vita
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
With Capcom remaining tight-lipped about the future of Monster Hunter on PlayStation Vita, it seems as though Sony itself is looking to fill the gigantic void. Reliable Japanese retail blogger Sinobi has raised the curtain on an announcement event for an exclusive Vita title called Soul Sacrifice on 10th...
News SingStar Dad Raises £2,800 for Hospital, Breaks World Record
A song to remember
Earlier this year we brought you news about Julian Hill, a Dad who was planning to complete a 24-hour SingStar challenge for charity, specifically raising money for London's Great Ormond Street Hospital as a thanks for the life-saving operation provided to his baby daughter. The great news is that this challenge has now been...
News Japanese Sales Charts: Vita Continues Its Decline
How low can you go?
Whatever Soul Sacrifice is, it can’t come soon enough. With no new releases to speak of, the Vita continued its decline in Japan this week, selling a paltry 8,250 units. To its credit, it wasn’t the only system to decline. Only the DSi LL managed to post an improved figure, beating its previous tally by a measly seven units...
News James Bond Returns in 007 Legends This Fall
Shaken, not stirred
As James Bond’s 50th anniversary nears, Activision has announced plans to celebrate the suave spy’s illustrious history with 007 Legends this Fall. The title — which is in development at GoldenEye 007: Reloaded studio Eurocom — aims to pull together missions from six classic Bond movies and fuse them into an “original...
News Pick Up a Bargain with Massive PSP Discounts
Have a (jungle) party
The PlayStation Vita might be the hot new handheld on the block, but that’s not stopping Sony from giving the PSP some love. The platform holder’s taken to the PlayStation Blog to announce an extensive list of discounts spanning some of the portable’s most well loved games. Favourites such as Patapon 3 and God of War:...
News Axel Wheeled Out To All Twisted Metal Owners
An Axel to grind
Those of you still engaged in vehicular combat will be pleased to learn that Sony’s adding a new set of wheels to Twisted Metal’s garage today. Axel, the former pre-order bonus, will be available to everyone that updates the game to its latest version. The two-wheeled motorised menace – which has become a fond favourite of...
News Starlight Inception Gets World of Warcraft Composer
Music to our ears
Escape Hatch Entertainment has just released some new information on their upcoming Vita release Starlight Inception, including a brand new trailer for the game. The developer has also announced that they've acquired the services of grammy-nominated music composer David Arkenstone, best known for his work on the hugely-popular...
Store Update 18th April 2012 (Europe)
Undead houses and toasted sandwiches
The wide variety of experiences on PSN continues this week: shooters, puzzle games and chess all appear for download. Here's what's vying for your money. PlayStation Plus: House of the Dead 4: Extended Cut – 30% DiscountHouse of the Dead 4 Dynamic Theme – 100% DiscountHouse of the Dead 4 James, Kate and...
Store Update 17th April 2012 (North America)
The House of the Dead opens its doors again
Two games and a new app for Vita and a Move-enabled shooter are the highlights of this week's PS update for North America. Let's dive right in. PlayStation Plus: Free Downloads: Frogger ReturnsFull Game Trials: Dead Rising 2: Off the RecordNHL 12Free Avatars and Themes: THE
News Switch Things Up with New Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Trailer
Tag, you're it
Namco Bandai announced a September release date for Tekken Tag Tournament 2 last week – but it’s sealed the deal today with a brand new trailer featuring Kanye West. How original. The trailer bangs on about the Tekken franchise’s accomplishments, but sneaks in a fistful of gameplay footage for good measure. Spoilers: it looks a...
News The Game Atelier's SunFlowers Grows onto Vita
Bloomin' great
Those with a PSP will already be familiar with indie developer The Game Atelier’s charming visual style – the studio previously released the adorable Flying Hamster through the PlayStation Minis platform. Now it is preparing its debut Vita offering, the equally lovely SunFlowers. The game plays from a vertical perspective, and...
News Super Monkey Ball Vita Demo Rolls into Japan Tomorrow
Do the splitz
In news that should have fans of encased primates doing the monkey for the remainder of the day, SEGA has confirmed that a demo for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz will release on the Japanese PlayStation Store tomorrow. The full game will be a mixture of the familiar and the new, allowing players to roll their way through a fresh...
News Darksiders II Staying in the Shadows until August
Die another day
THQ’s delayed the release of Darksiders II until August. The game was originally scheduled to release on PS3 in late June, but the publisher has decided to hold the sequel back in order to ensure it meets the “high quality bar the team is targeting”. Developer Vigil Games added in an FAQ that the delay has nothing to do with...
Tuesday17th Apr 2012
Review Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention (PlayStation Vita)
No absence of depth
The Disgaea series has surged in popularity in recent years, mainly due to its nearly limitless degree of combat depth and heaped amounts of content. Disgaea 3 was originally released on PS3, along with a vast selection of downloadable content, so rather than create a brand new game for Vita from scratch Nippon Ichi decided to...
Review Defenders of the Mystic Garden (PlayStation Minis)
Gnome mercy
Defenders of the Mystic Garden (DotMG) takes elements from the tower defence genre and tweaks a few aspects to help differentiate it from others. Like most entries in the genre, you’ll control a limited number of units to fight against hordes of incoming enemies, but DotMG has movement on its side. Instead of units remaining...
Review StarDrone Extreme (PlayStation Vita)
Spinster
StarDrone Extreme should be a mess: the game has a longer list of influences than an experimental electronica band. But somehow developers Beatshapers and Orb Games have managed to fuse the title’s extensive list of disparate inspirations into a cohesive package, and against all odds produced a tremendously enjoyable action puzzle...
Preview DiRT Showdown - Destruction Derby Returns
Write off
Given the affection PlayStation fans still have for Destruction Derby, it’s surprising no one’s attempted to recreate the smash-heavy vehicular formula on PS3. It may be late to the party, but DiRT Showdown is exactly that: a game that can’t be pitched without referencing Psygnosis’ 1995 hit, like its inspiration it’s hard to put...
News Debut Dishonored Trailer Stabs You in the Back
A pleasant surprise
Who knew video game marketing was so simple? In the span of a short five minute CGI trailer, publisher Bethesda’s managed to shoot Arkane Studios’ upcoming steam punk action title Dishonored straight to the top of our wishlist. The game casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. After being framed for the murder...
News Sony Announces Nasne for Japan
Compatible with PS3 and Vita
Sony’s PS3-based DVR technology Torne proved a massive hit in Japan when it launched in 2010. Now the platform holder is aiming to level-up its domestic entertainment support with Nasne, a network recorder and media storage device that features a built-in tuner and 500GB hard-drive disc. The biggest difference between...
News French Website Teases "Major PS3 Exclusive" Announcement
Hype get
T’is the season for PS3 announcements it seems. Last week Sony held a hush-hush showcase for North American press in New York, and it appears all of the talking-points from that event are gradually going to trickle online in the coming weeks. You should already expect a God of War related announcement in just a few days, but the fun and...
News Paint Park Transforms Vita into an Expensive Colouring Book
Draw something
Sony’s announced a trio of new applications for the PlayStation Vita today, starting with the complimentary Paint Park. Available this week for the grand sum of nothing, the sketch-pad app will transform your Vita into a high-tech colouring book. You’ll be able to use the various touch interfaces to draw and paint, and even...
News deadmau5 Shows Off His Sound Shapes
A little oblique
Sound Shapes, the musical driven Vita exclusive by Queasy Games, needs no introduction. The quirky audio experience remains one of the most exciting prospects in the platform’s upcoming line-up, and gameplay videos such as this only serve to enhance our anticipation for the game's eventual release. This brand new footage focuses...
News Tony Hawk Pitched HD Remake Years Ago
Savvy skateboarder
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk pitched the idea of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD years ago, but publisher Activision turned the concept down. In an interview with IGN, the trickster revealed that the publisher felt it “wasn’t the right time” for an HD remake. It’s obviously changed its tune a lot since, with the classic...
News First SSX DLC Gets Tricky on 1st May
Run DLC
EA is pushing the deadly descents of its PS3 SSX reboot to the background, as it prepares a new batch of DLC based on 2001’s SSX Tricky. Due for release on 1st May, the "Mt. Eddie & Classic Characters Bundle Pack" will feature a new ultra-long course inspired by the “huge kickers” and “ridiculous grinds” of classic...
News Gravity Rush Demo Floats Onto PSN in Late May
Topsy turvy
As speculated, Sony has confirmed that a demo for the hotly anticipated Vita action platformer Gravity Rush will drop onto the PSN on 29th May in North America and 30th May in Europe. That should give you roughly two weeks to decide whether you want to purchase the full title ahead of its release in mid-June. Spoilers: you will.
Monday16th Apr 2012
Review LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (PlayStation Vita)
Block-tastically magical
There’s no question that Vita's gaming experience can be called “magical,” but with the release of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, the enchanting experiences of the final films in Harry Potter’s epic adventures are charmingly downsized LEGO-style and placed right upon your fingertips, allowing the magical series to...
News FIFA Street Bounces Back to Top of UK Charts
Back of the net
As the Premier League season dribbles to its conclusion in predictable and conveniently tense fashion, FIFA Street has casually returned to the summit of the UK sales charts after a week or two floundering outside of the top three. It was another good week for publisher EA, with the brilliant (but controversial) Mass Effect 3 sitting...
News CCP Teases Vita Controller Support for DUST 514
Wii too
CCP’s free-to-play PSN exclusive DUST 514 is already aiming to reinvent cross-platform compatibility with its hooks into PC MMO Eve Online, but it appears its list of innovative features will not end there. Chatting on the latest episode of the PlayStation Blogcast, CCP’s David Reid teased that the game may take advantage of the Vita as...
Preview Dragon's Dogma - The Sleeper Hit of 2012?
It's got scale
You'd think there'd be more excitement for Dragon's Dogma. Headed by staff responsible for Devil May Cry and Resident Evil, and with interest in RPGs at an all-time high thanks to Skyrim, the upcoming action RPG has generated very little heat in the past year: the game's official Twitter account has around 700 followers, and if not...
News Sony's E3 Press Conference to Drop Bombs on 4th June
Stock up on coffee
It’s that time of the year again: Sony’s just confirmed that its E3 2012 press conference will kick off at 18:00PST on Monday, 4th June. Unfortunately, that’s translates to a yawn-inducing 02:00BST the following day in the UK. It’s going to be a late one, folks. Last year’s press conference was packed to the rafters with...
News Dragon's Dogma Demo to Spread Its Wings Next Week
Feel the heat
Is Capcom’s mysterious open-world RPG the sleeper hit of 2012 like our Dragon’s Dogma preview pondered earlier today? You’ll be able to formulate your own opinion next week, when a downloadable demo for the fantasy title launches on the PlayStation Store. Due for release on 24th April (and a day later in Europe), the demo will...
News Analyst: PS4 Must Launch First to "Remain Competitive"
Timing is everything
With the next generation of consoles supposedly looming, Sony finds itself in an interesting place. The PlayStation 3 has only really recently hit its stride, with its life-cycle likely to be extended later this year when it inevitably reaches $199. As such, the Japanese giant could do with holding off the next generation for...
News New Sorcery Story Trailer Apparates Online
Enchanting
Sorcery, the most anticipated title in the PlayStation Move’s relatively brief history, is just over a month away from release — and in order to celebrate, Sony’s cast a brand new story trailer for the magic 'em up online. The cinematic short – narrated by the definitely-not-elderly wizard Dash – introduces us to apprentice Finn...
News GT Academy 2012 Hits the Track on 1st May
Floor it
If you fancy yourself a budding race-car driver then you’ll probably already know about Sony’s innovative GT Academy programme – a competition which aims to find the best Gran Turismo players in the world and transform them into real life racers through vigorous training exercises. The competition – which is already in its fourth...
News Crysis 3 Stomps onto PS3 Next Spring
Act surprised
The worst kept secret in games is a secret no more: EA has confirmed today that Crysis 3 will release on PS3 next spring. The game – touted as the “first blockbuster shooter of 2013” – is set to take place in New York once again. The plot will see the Prophet from Crysis 2 return to the North American city only to find it...
News Call of Duty Sales Run into Resistance
Series on a slippery slope
Call of Duty isn't quite the infallible mega franchise it’s made out to be. Don’t worry, the series is still selling a ridiculous number of copies with each new iteration – but it appears its success has peaked. That’s according to analyst firm Macquire Equities, who believe that sales for the most recent outing...
News PSN Going Under the Knife Today
Maintenance watch
PlayStation Network maintenance periods are always given plenty of publicity around the web, but we rarely find it interrupts our playing schedule. Regardless, it’s out duty as your reliable source of daily PlayStation news to inform you that Sony’s preparing 13 hours of PSN repairs from 2PM BST (9AM EST) today. During that...
