News - 2012, Week 25
Saturday23rd Jun 2012
News Sonic the Hedgehog Leaps into Super Monkey Ball Vita
Yeah, not bad
SEGA has announced the first DLC pack for PlayStation Vita title Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz in Japan. The free “Sonic Pack” will reward you with a statue of the blue blur which can be incorporated into custom stages using the game’s level editor. The peculiar primate puzzler is set to release overseas later this year.
News Jeremy McGrath's Offroad Crashes onto PSN Next Week
Mud slinger
It’s time to get filthy, because 2XL Games has announced that Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad will slide onto the PSN next week. The arcade racer will run at an unwavering 60FPS in full 1080p resolution. It promises a full single-player campaign mode with vehicle unlocks, in addition to an eight-player online multiplayer component with...
Friday22nd Jun 2012
Review The Pinball Arcade (PlayStation Vita)
Balls of steel
Zen Studios’ Zen Pinball might be the current king of the pinball ring on PSN, but experienced pinball developer FarSight Studios wants to take a shot at the high score table with The Pinball Arcade. Instead of tackling Zen Studios's arcade-y stylings head-on, FarSight's steel balls have something special that sets their title apart...
News Need for Speed Movie Races onto the Big Screen in 2014
Fast and furious
DreamWorks has snapped up the film rights to the Need for Speed franchise, and expects the racing series to make its theatrical debut in 2014. Siblings John and George Gatins have been drafted in to pen an original story, which is said to be loosely based upon the games but not a specific entry. EA will produce the movie alongside...
News Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD Moves into the Third Dimension
Free of charge
As promised, Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD is set to get a fairly beefy update on the PlayStation 3 next week. The free patch will implement full PlayStation Move support and 3D television compatibility. Other additions include video recording features, brightness and gamma controls, and a checklist of miscellaneous bug fixes. The...
News Journey Collector's Edition Features Exclusive Mini-Games
Plus much more
The contents of the recently announced Journey Collector’s Edition have been revealed. A full-page advertisement placed in the latest issue of the US Official PlayStation Magazine confirmed that the retail compilation will collate Journey, flower and
News GAME Snags White PS3 Exclusivity in the UK
Suits you
Recovering retailer GAME has locked up exclusive rights to the white PS3 in the UK. The 320GB console will come bundled with two DualShock 3 controllers and a 90-day subscription to PlayStation Plus for a reasonable £239.99. The system's set to release on 29th June. There’s currently no word on whether the custom console will make its...
News Frobisher Says! Expands with New Mini-Game
High maintenance eccentrics
If it’s been a while since you dived into the utterly daft world of Frobisher Says!, then you might be excited to learn that the madcap mini-game compilation is getting a new activity. Unlocked as part of a free update available today, the new interaction sees you clearing a landing site in an action that’s probably a...
News Salivate Over a Single New Watch Dogs Screenshot
The future
With the majority of the video game industry locked up for the weekend, we’re once again left hunting the depths of the Internet for marginally interesting summer stories. On our travels throughout the murky underworld, we uncovered this brand new shot of Ubisoft’s hot upcoming title, Watch Dogs. The image – which shows a populated...
News Play Assassin's Creed III at Eurogamer Expo
Go hands-on first
Assassin's Creed III will be one of the new titles on show at this year's Eurogamer Expo in London. Assassin's Creed III joins Far Cry 3, Just Dance 4 and Rocksmith in Ubisoft's line-up at the show, which runs from 27th to 30th September at London's Earl's Court. Tickets are available now and start from £9 for an afternoon...
News Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut Concludes the Trilogy Next Week
Deleted scenes
Those of you offended by Mass Effect 3’s original conclusion will finally get closure next week, when the hotly anticipated Extended Cut DLC pack lands on the US PlayStation Store on 26th June. European players will have an additional week to prepare for the true ending, as the content will not arrive overseas until 4th July. The...
News Crystal Dynamics Staffing Up for Next Generation Project
Thinking ahead
Crystal Dynamics is recruiting for a “cutting edge, original IP for future platforms”. The mysterious title is described as a “third-person action adventure”. Previous rumours had hinted that the Californian studio was a working on a Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver reboot, but that doesn’t quite line up with the scant details...
News Latest Modern Warfare 3 Content Collection Deployed on PS3
En route
You need a degree to understand the intricacies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s DLC schedule, but we’ll try to keep things as straightforward as possible: the shooter’s latest Content Collection is now available from the PlayStation Store. The latest deployment bundles a bevy of content, including two Face Off maps, one...
News Quantum Conundrum Teases Your Brainbox on 10th July
Swift turnaround
Quantum Conundrum – the next title from Portal creator Kim Swift – is set to quiz the PlayStation Network on 10th July in North America. A European release will follow on 11th July. Like Portal the game plays out from a first-person perspective, but sees you manipulating the properties of objects in order to progress. One...
Thursday21st Jun 2012
Review Gravity Rush (PlayStation Vita)
Daze dreamer
Games such as Gravity Rush are getting rarer. The Japan Studio-developed handheld adventure eschews committee design and instead coalesces on a consistent creative vision. Driven by the surreal imagination of former Silent Hill director Keiichiro Toyama, the title is a thoughtful exploration of original gameplay mechanics and cultural...
News Journey, Flower and Flow Getting Bundled Up
thatgamecollection
Three of the best PlayStation Network titles to date will be getting a retail release, thatgamecompany has announced. The Journey: Collector’s Edition – spotted earlier in the month – will collate the indie studio’s most recent opus with previous endeavours flower and flOw. Unfortunately, the studio’s refusing to reveal...
News Enhance Your Tokyo Jungle Experience with Animal DLC
Cute and cuddly
If you’re getting tired of the pre-packaged menagerie included with Sony’s quirky Tokyo Jungle, then you might be excited to learn about the title’s robust DLC plans. Starting from today in Japan, you’ll be able to add a Silky Terrier to your eclectic playable animal collection. Then, on 28th June, you’ll be able to pick up...
News Ueda: It's Business As Usual on The Last Guardian
Rejoice
While the status of Team ICO’s hotly anticipated The Last Guardian remains in limbo, director Fumito Ueda has provided some reassuring words about the game’s progress. Chatting with Kotaku, the legendary developer explained that it's “business as usual”. The Last Guardian’s fate was plunged into doubt late last year when Ueda’s...
News Team Ninja Rules Out Dead or Alive 5 Character DLC
What you see is what you get
Team Ninja has ruled out the possibility of new characters being added to Dead or Alive 5 post-release. Studio head Yosuke Hayashi explained that he believes the practice causes issues with the game’s balance – a feature which is essential to any fighter. Chatting with VideoGamer.com, Hayashi said: Even with over...
News Stan Lee Shows His Moves in New Amazing Spider-Man Trailer
Geriatric gymnast
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to play as Stan Lee in a video game, then you’re about to find out. Activision has released a brand new trailer showcasing the comic book legend swinging through the streets of Manhattan in the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man. If you want to play as the OAP, you'll need to pre-order...
News BBC Sports Application Enters Beta on PS3
Anyone for tennis?
Those of you across the pond have our permission to tune-out while we inform our UK readers that the BBC Sports application for PS3 has entered beta. The free download – currently available from the “My Channels” area of the XMB – will allow you to stream a “huge quantity” of sporting events directly from Sony's home...
News Sine Mora Also Flying onto PlayStation 3
On course
Not content with blasting onto PlayStation Vita, Digital Reality has confirmed that Sine Mora will also be setting a course for PlayStation 3. The shoot ‘em up – which debuted on Xbox 360 earlier in the year – features “over 60 combinations of planes, characters and time manipulation devices”. Digital Reality’s Balázs...
News Bite Your Nails Through 20 Minutes of Resident Evil 6
Presidential assassinations
Capcom’s released footage of the entirety of Leon S. Kennedy’s section from the Resident Evil 6 E3 demo. In it, the floppy haired cop puts a bullet between the eyes of the president, and then insists on acting all sulky as he and his partner explore a totally-not infested abandoned town hall. The atmosphere certainly...
News Sony Scoops 12 Game Critics Awards Nominations
Top dog
With E3 now little more than a distant memory, the games media has started to turn its attention towards the top titles on show. It turns out that Sony had a rip-roaring year, netting 12 nominations in total. Its closest competitors were Microsoft, Nintendo and EA, who each tied for eight nods apiece. Unsurprisingly, The Last of Us was...
News Rainbow Moon Eclipses US PlayStation Store on 10th July
One small step for PSN
Following our previous Rainbow Moon update, there’s been much anticipation for a US release date. Thankfully, we can finally confirm that the strategy RPG will touch down in North America on 10th July. It’ll set you back a tempting $14.99. Are you planning on taking a trip to the colourful rock?
Wednesday20th Jun 2012
Review Pure Chess (PlayStation 3)
Tainted move
Different people drift towards the world of video gaming for varying reasons. Some see it as an escape from the dreary nature of 'real life' and adore the opportunity to be someone or something else for a few hours. Others delight in uttering some 'smack talk' to anyone daft enough to be wearing a headset with the volume up a few...
Review Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock (PlayStation 3)
Doctor No
The world of Doctor Who has been just begging for a competent game. After all, aren't aliens, robots, destruction, time travel and awkward, often sarcastic, humour all great staples of the medium? It's exactly the sort of television show that could merrily hop over the gap without missing a beat. But despite a clear love of the series and...
News Japanese Sales Charts: PlayStation Vita Awakens
Everything's golden
Earlier in the year, Sony flagged June as a potentially big month for the PlayStation Vita. Following last week’s minor resurgence, it looks like the platform holder was right on the money, as the release of Persona 4: The Golden has propelled the handheld into a promising position for the first time in months. The Atlus...
News Unchained Blades Freed on PSP Next Week
Let loose
XSEED has announced that the localised version of Unchained Blades will be unleashed on the PlayStation Portable next week. The game – built by a dream team of Japanese developers – will be available from the PlayStation Store for $29.99. Unfortunately, XSEED was unable to confirm whether the game will be Vita compatible. It’s...
News Hideo Kojima Teases the Return of Solid Snake
Here we go again
Not content with the handful of other projects he’s already announced, Hideo Kojima has now purportedly confirmed the existence of Metal Gear Solid 5. Speaking with a French magazine, the legendary developer apparently insinuated that there will be a fifth entry in the popular stealth series, and unsurprisingly it will take...
News Call of Duty Vita Optimised for Portable Play
Portable ops
Despite making an appearance during Sony’s E3 press conference, we still don’t know much about Activision’s upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified for PlayStation Vita. Thankfully a retail listing posted by US giant Walmart has offered a brief overview of the handheld spin-off. The blurb explains that players can expect to...
News Now You Can Dress Your SoulCalibur V Characters in Bridal Outfits
Fanfiction fodder
SoulCalibur V has been supported by a steady stream of downloadable content since release, but this new wedding pack is the most noteworthy expansion yet. Available now from the PlayStation Store for £1.99 / $2.99, the content allows you to live out your wildest fantasies – such as walking down the aisle with Seung Mina, and...
News Okami HD Coming to PSN Later This Year
Beautiful (updated: now with trailer)
PS2 classic Okami is set to get a visit from the god of 1080p, as Capcom's announced Okami HD for PSN. The HD remaster will come with Trophies, 1080p support and PlayStation Move controls, which we expect will work rather like the controls in Okami on Wii. In Japan it's a retail release, but players in the West...
News SEGA Reveals First Yakuza 5 Mini-Games
Crazy taxi
SEGA’s Yakuza series is well known for its enjoyable mini-games. The heart of the franchise might lie with its self-serious narrative and wonderful characters, but part of what makes the series so enjoyable is its insistence on introducing alternative mechanics. Yakuza 5 is something of a reboot, and so it’s unsurprising to see the...
Store Update 19th June 2012 (North America)
Tomba in tow
One of the best and rarest PSone titles comes to PSN this week, courtesy of retro champions MonkeyPaw Games, and PS Vita owners can pick up some LEGO adventures too. Here's the line-up for this week. PlayStation Plus: Full Game Trials: Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier Full Game Trial Two Worlds II: Velvet Edition Full Game...
News Sony Temporarily Shutters South Korean PlayStation Store
Lock out
In order to comply with a new law, Sony has announced that it will close down the PS3’s PlayStation Store in South Korea from 29th June. The “Game Industry Promotion Act” forbids a company from authenticating accounts with a user’s real name or age – something that the PlayStation Store requires. SCE’s Korean branch said that...
Store Update 20th June 2012 (Europe)
No Tombi!
There's no Tombi! for Europe this week, but Sony says it's working on it. In the meantime, here is what's available for you EU PSN account holders. PS3 Games: Air Conflicts: Secret Wars [Air Conflicts: Secret Wars review] Out of fierce battles great heroes are born… It is 1939: the Second World War has broken out and troops everywhere...
News Take a Gander at 20 Minutes of Dead Space 3 Gameplay
Gears of war
We’d hoped this 20 minute gameplay demonstration of Dead Space 3 would reveal some of the slower pacing that was absent at E3. Sadly it doesn’t. While there’s clearly some great shooting and set-pieces on display here, the tense atmosphere of the original Dead Space appears to have got lost like the mind of protagonist Isaac...
Rumour Willem Dafoe to Co-Star in Quantic Dream's Beyond
Two souls
It seems like Ellen Page won’t be the only high-profile Hollywood superstar to appear in Quantic Dream’s upcoming PS3 exclusive, Beyond. Speculation from GamesIndustry International suggests that Boondock Saints actor Willem Dafoe has signed up to co-star in the ambitious adventure game. If true, it won't be Dafoe's first foray into...
News Saints Row: The Third Expansion Bundled into Sequel
Exit the dominatrix
THQ has announced that its standalone expansion Saints Row: The Third – Enter the Dominatrix is no more. The disc-based add-on had been planned for a September release, but will now be folded into the “The Next Great Sequel in the Saints Row Franchise”. That's due out next year. New president Jason Rubin explained the...
Tuesday19th Jun 2012
Review Lollipop Chainsaw (PlayStation 3)
Goddammit, video games
It's generally a bad idea to judge anything by its title or cover, but one look at either pretty much spells out what to expect from Grasshopper Manufacture's latest fever dream, Lollipop Chainsaw: comic books, pop music, rainbows, titillating exploitation and lots and lots of violence. These are all the makings for perfect...
News Sony Details the Advantages of Vita and PS3 Connectivity
Multiple processors
Now that Nintendo has officially revealed the Wii U to the world, all three platform holders are jumping on board dual-screen technology. During its E3 press conference, Microsoft announced Smart Glass – a feature that will allow players to interact with the Xbox 360 using a tablet computer. Meanwhile, Sony has focused on the...
News New WipEout 2048 DLC Races onto PSN This Week
Start your engines
As suspected, Sony has announced the first batch of DLC for Vita launch title WipEout 2048. The content – which is set to release later this week on the PlayStation Store – will include new tracks, vehicles and events based on the PlayStation 3’s WipEout HD Fury. In total, two new DLC packs will be made available. The first...
News Sony's European PlayStation Vita Sale Expands
Let's get physical
Sony has revealed the next batch of discounts in its European PlayStation Vita sale. While the initial round of offers focused on purely digital games, the platform holder is now extending the promotion to the downloadable versions of physical releases. Offers include Little Deviants for £8.99, Touch My Katamari for £11.99 and
News LEGO Batman 2 Launch Trailer Gets Down to Business
"Er... Where's your car?"
We were mighty sceptical of Traveller’s Tales’ decision to add voices to LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, but the developer is slowly beginning to win us over. This launch trailer is packed with laugh out loud moments, thanks to some fantastic dialogue and brilliant voice acting. The blockbuster sequel’s due out this...
News Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance DLC Plans Teased
War never changes
Raiden might not be the only playable character in Platinum Games’ upcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. In an interview with GameTrailers, producer Yuji Korekado explained that the developer is planning DLC for the slash-heavy spin-off that will “maybe let you play as a different character or experience different types of...
News DOOM 3: BFG Edition Invades Store Shelves on 16th October
Hell on Earth
Bethesda’s clearly not worried about getting gobbled up by Resident Evil 6 and Assassin’s Creed III, as it’s announced a 16th October release date for the DOOM 3: BFG Edition in North America. Those of you in Europe will get an additional three days to prepare for the apocalypse, with the HD re-master scheduled to release on 19th...
News Mike Tyson Punches His Way into WWE '13
What?
See that headline in big, black writing at the top of your screen: we’re not making it up. We almost spilled hot tea all over our desk when we read the press release from THQ, but the publisher seems pretty serious about it. As far as we know, it’s not April Fools’ Day today. Nope, professional boxer and occasional ear-biter Mike Tyson...
News No Man's Land Brings Third-Person Action to PS Home
Out this week
PlayStation Home may have been an empty shell of potential when it launched all the way back in 2008, but it’s gone from strength to strength in the years since. No Man’s Land is a perfect example of that evolution – it’s a fully featured third-person shooter set within Sony’s virtual world. The multiplayer title –...
News Anarchy Reigns Attacks the West in Q1 2013
Holding back
Platinum Games’ arena brawler Anarchy Reigns was originally scheduled to release any time now. But while the game will still arrive in Japan early next month, those of you in North America and Europe will have to wait until Q1 2013. SEGA announced the news on Twitter, informing an eager fan that the game’s release had been...
Monday18th Jun 2012
Review Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PlayStation Vita)
A clone of a clone of a clone
Metal Gear Solid is one of the most iconic stealth/action games in the genre to date. The franchise has won a plethora of prestigious awards and is acknowledged by some gamers to be one of the best game series of all time. As it was made popular on the PlayStation and PlayStation 2, there's no surprise that the...
Review Babel Rising (PlayStation 3)
Playing God
One of the video game medium’s greatest assets is its ability to convey power. Whether you’re taking control of a superhero or an everyman with regenerating health, the industry rarely fails in its pursuit to provide you with unreasonable strength. But while potent protagonists are nothing new – almost all would succumb to the...
News Live Action Darksiders II Trailer Gets Melodramatic
Death lives
Live action video game trailers almost always take themselves too seriously, and this new Darksiders II video is no different. In it, a bearded gentleman preaches about the arrival of death, shortly before the unwanted hoodlum predictably gatecrashes the sermon. Watch the video below for over-the-top acting and bad computer graphics...
News Ubisoft Snaps Up Watch Dogs Movie Domains
Thinking ahead
While we doubt watching dogs for 90 minutes would be especially engaging, we’re pretty sure Ubisoft’s upcoming Watch Dogs would make an enjoyable transition to the big screen. The upcoming Ubisoft Montreal project might be a year away from release, but that’s not stopped the French publisher from thinking ahead and registering a...
News PSN Exclusive Rainbow Moon Rises in July
Over the moon
SideQuest Studios’ hearty-looking PSN strategy RPG Rainbow Moon is set to talk tactics on 4th July in Europe, publisher Eastasiasoft has announced. The game will set you back £9.99, with a North American release scheduled soon after. If the promise of a 40-hour downloadable adventure wasn’t enough to get your blood pumping,...
News WipEout 2048 DLC Lingers on the Horizon
Hairpin bend
There’s something big around the corner, according to WipEout 2048’s official Twitter account. Developer Studio Liverpool’s keeping schtum about what that new arrival might entail, but an updated trophy list for the Vita launch title suggests we might be about to get showered with DLC. The refreshed list of digital trinkets...
News RE: Operation Raccoon City Nets Much Needed Patch
Healing wounds
Slant Six’s rotten squad-based shooter Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City has been patched, publisher Capcom has announced. While the update doesn’t do the honourable thing and transform the experience into a completely different game, it does fix a number of issues prevalent in the vanilla release. The most notable...
News The Ratchet & Clank Trilogy Storms UK Stores on 29th June
Fashionably late
The Ratchet & Clank Trilogy has finally gone gold, Sony has announced. The title was originally set to release in early June, but was delayed for undisclosed reasons. Nevertheless, it’s now finally ready for a 27th June launch in mainland Europe and 29th June release in the UK. The game’s set to arrive in North America later...
News Retailer Leaks GoW: Ascension Collector's Edition Details
Petty mortals
Let’s hope Kratos never catches up with the Amazon employee responsible for leaking these God of War: Ascension Collector’s Edition details, otherwise he might find himself without any eyes. Or legs. Or... Ahem. According to the Titan-sized retailer, the upcoming PS3 exclusive's premium package will be bundled with an array of...
News FIFA 12 Shoots Atop UK Sales Charts
Back of the net
EA Sports has performed its best Cristiano Ronaldo impression, steering FIFA 12 back to the summit of the UK sales charts in style. The popular football franchise managed to leap-frog strong competition from Lollipop Chainsaw and last week’s winner Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to reclaim the top-spot.
News Catch a Glimpse of KickBeat's Groovy Moves
Four to the floor
If you’ve been desperately awaiting gameplay footage of Zen Studio’s upcoming fist-heavy rhythm action title KickBeat, then you’re bang in luck, because the developer has released a five minute video of pure in-game action. The footage – set to Celldweller’s “I Can’t Wait” – reveals exactly how KickBeat’s blend...
News Watch This Earth Defense Forces 3 Portable Trailer
One, two, flea
If you’re still getting antsy over the lack of PlayStation Vita content, then this Earth Defense Forces 3 Portable trailer should help to improve your mood. The locust port includes lice HD visuals and thousands of weevil bugs to swat on the move. The game's due out later this year in Japan. We promise not to use another pun until...
