Review Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PlayStation Portable)
A fang-tastic introduction to Castlevania's finest instalments
News - 2012, Week 44
Sunday4th Nov 2012
News What on Earth Is Planets Under Attack for PSN?
Unicron
In this age of online connectivity, it’s rare that we don’t know about a game well in advance of its release – but Planets Under Attack slots directly under that curious category. The mysterious digital title was scheduled to get a demo on the European PlayStation Network a few weeks ago, but it never emerged. In spite of that, the...
Saturday3rd Nov 2012
News Frobisher Says' Animated Ladies Were Too Saucy for Sony
Cor, blimey!
Ross Phillips’ brilliant ‘Smile at the Ladies’ mini-game in the zany PlayStation Vita exclusive Frobisher Says was originally too saucy for Sony, according to artist Dick Hogg. In an interview with the wonderful online art gallery Venus Patrol, the illustrator explained: “It is really cool to be able to contact some guy on the...
News Sony Advertising PlayStation All-Stars Ahead of Wreck-It Ralph
Hot spot
Nintendo isn’t the only one using Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph as an opportunity to promote their latest software. SuperBot Entertainment has announced that it will be showing PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale’s recent
News Find Out What Happens When Vikings Attack Next Week
Answers at last
Sony will attempt to solve one of life’s most enduring enquiries next week: what happens When Vikings Attack? The quirky Power Stone-esque arena battler will invade the PlayStation Store from 6th November in North America and 7th November in Europe. Purchasing the Clever Beans developed title will net you the game on both PS3 and...
Friday2nd Nov 2012
News Sony Sharing Details About PlayStation Plus for Vita Next Week
Branching out
PlayStation Plus will finally extend to the Vita next week – and Sony has promised that more details will be announced soon. Speaking on the PlayStation Blog, content manager Chris Howe encouraged readers to “look out next week for some news on the PlayStation Vita Plus service”. We already know that the Vita version of...
News Sony Can Finally Release the PlayStation 3 in China
Back in the game
Sony has finally gained approval to launch the PlayStation 3 in China, despite games consoles technically being illegal in the region. The platform was recently awarded a ‘China Compulsory Certificate’, although firm release plans have yet to formalise. China implemented its console ban way back in 2000 in order to protect the...
News European PlayStation Plus Subscribers Score Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
Four play
European PlayStation Plus subscribers will have more than just Crysis 2 to look forward to this month. Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One will also be added to the Instant Game Collection from next week, making the co-operative adventure completely free to play. But that’s not all. Laughing Jackal’s surprisingly solid Cubixx HD wi
News Wreck-It Ralph Joins the Roster of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
"Hey Sonic. What are you doing in a car?"
If the addition of Danica Patrick wasn’t already enough to get you in a lather, SEGA has announced that Hollywood hero Wreck-It Ralph will also be joining the roster of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. You can check out the character in action courtesy of the trailer below. The arcade racer's due...
News Promotional Items Leak Grand Theft Auto V Screenshots
New method
Typically you can count on a rogue cog in the gaming press to leak super secret screenshots, but publisher Rockstar Games likes to do things a little bit differently. The company is giving away neat little keychain viewfinders alongside pre-orders for the upcoming Grand Theft Auto V, which include screenshots of locations from the hotly...
News PlayStation Store Refresh Launches in North America
All change
After a fairly lengthy delay, the new-look PlayStation Store has finally launched in North America. The updated digital storefront comes with a range of snazzy features, including improved content filtering, better organisation, and a dynamic search engine. You’ll be prompted to download the glossy makeover when
News DmC's Innovative Difficulty Levels Will Make You Cry
Tears of blood
For a game that’s prompted outrage over its protagonist, we suppose it makes sense for Ninja Theory’s upcoming Devil May Cry reboot to feature a difficulty tier entitled ‘Dante Must Die’. The upcoming third-person action adventure will host a slew of special modes, alongside its standard Human, Devil Hunter and Nephilim...
News Vanquish Slides onto the PlayStation Network Next Week
Pocket rocket
Shinji Mikami’s criminally underrated third-person shooter Vanquish will dash onto the North American PlayStation Network next week, Sony has announced. The platform holder failed to attach a price to the ace adventure, but it’s currently available from the Xbox Live Marketplace for $19.99. We’d be amazed if SEGA charged any more...
News Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Tops 840,000 Sales
Juggle master
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 has sold over 840,000 units, publisher Namco Bandai has announced. The data tracks the period between the fighter’s 11th September launch and the conclusion of the company’s second fiscal quarter on 30th September. There’s a good chance that the title will have surpassed one million units by now...
News DUST 514 Staying in Closed Beta Until 2013
Fermenting like a fine wine
Jack Tretton must have got his dates muddled up. CCP Games’ ambitious free-to-play first-person shooter DUST 514 will not launch later this month like the executive stated in an interview in September – instead it will stay in closed beta throughout the rest of 2012. "We'll be in closed beta for the rest of the...
Thursday1st Nov 2012
Rumour Sony Shipping Updated PlayStation 4 Development Kits
The future
Developers around the world are apparently receiving updated PlayStation 4 development kits as we type, according to a report on VG247. The super secret devices are supposedly housed inside standard PC cases, but are heavily updated from previous units which were essentially just graphics cards. A fourth, “almost final” kit is set to...
News This PlayStation Vita Advert Promises Twice the Pleasure
Touch from behind
Remember when Sony’s marketing used to be edgy, controversial and memorable? Well, this brand new PlayStation Vita advertisement slots into all three camps. The French magazine promotion shows, well, a lady with four breasts. There are two on her chest and two on her back. The messaging
News Sony Reports PlayStation Sales Decrease, Lowers Vita Forecast
But overall losses reduce
Sony has revised its annual sales forecast for the PlayStation Vita and PSP for the second time this year. Speaking during its quarterly financial briefing, the company explained that it now expects the handheld systems to sell a combined total of 10 million units by 31st March, 2013. It had previously predicted a tally of...
News Black Ops 2's Nuketown 2025 Map Sure Looks Colourful
Black hole sun
We remember the original Nuketown map being a bit bland, but tastes in the future are clearly a touch more refined. This brand new Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 trailer shows off the updated Nuketown 2025 arena in delicious Technicolor, complete with creepy mannequins and garish wallpaper patterns. Sadly, the stage is restricted to...
News Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut Drops in March 2013
Zach and gimme
Cult survival horror title Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut will terrify PlayStation 3 in March 2013, publisher Rising Star Games has announced. The conflicted classic previously launched as an Xbox 360 exclusive in the West – despite being available on PS3 in Japan. In order to make up for the delay, The Director’s Cut...
News BioWare Deploys Mass Effect Trilogy from 4th December
Make sure you Geth it
In an epic blog post worthy of the Pulitzer Prize, developer BioWare has confirmed that the Mass Effect Trilogy will take flight on 4th December in North America and 7th December in Europe. That means that the first title in the series – which originally launched as a Microsoft published Xbox 360 exclusive way back in 2007...
News Portal 2's In Motion DLC Moves onto PS3 Next Week
Mental muscle
Portal 2’s hotly anticipated In Motion add-on will finally arrive in North America next week, developer Sixense Studios has announced. The $9.99 expansion will take full advantage of the PlayStation Move motion controller, and will add 20 extra test chambers to the full release. The motion controls will also be extended to the...
News New Yakuza 5 Footage Plays Ball
Home run
One of the best things about the Yakuza franchise is the freedom it gives you to explore and participate in completely irrelevant mini-games. The upcoming Yakuza 5 will be no different – as has already been evidenced by the title’s taxi driving and hunting missions. This brand new trailer focuses on Tatsuo Shinada, one of the game’s...
News Pre-order Crysis 3 and Get the Original Title for Free
Can your console run it, though?
If you pre-order the upcoming Crysis 3 at a participating retailer, you’ll get a PSN copy of the original title absolutely free. Furthermore, you’ll automatically be upgraded to the special Hunter Edition, which rewards you with early access to a handful of in-game weapons. "The release of Crysis in 2007 was...
News Mafia Developer Aiming to "Push the Boundaries of Cutting Edge Hardware"
Period drama
Mafia II may have been disappointing from a gameplay perspective – but it remains one of the most atmospheric PlayStation 3 titles to date. As such, we’re eager to see what developer 2K Czech can achieve with next-generation hardware. Fortunately, the studio is rumoured to be working on a sequel to the open world crime drama for...
News Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel Readies Up on 26th March
Bro science
The masked protagonists of Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel will embark on their mission to clean up the drug-riddled streets of Mexico on 26th March in North America and 29th March in Europe. Pre-orders for the title will automatically be upgraded to the Overkill Edition, which will grant players with an additional three missions...
Wednesday31st Oct 2012
Review Sports Champions 2 (PlayStation 3)
Smashing
The original Sports Champions may have been conceived as a direct response to the Wii Sports phenomenon, but beyond its surface accessibility it offered a subtlety that went missing on players looking for little more than a party game. Obfuscated by its shoddy art style and limited multiplayer options, the PlayStation Move launch title’s...
Review Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PlayStation Portable)
A fang-tastic introduction to Castlevania's finest instalments
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is one of those packages that sits awkwardly on the fence between remake and compilation. While the main attraction is the fully-fledged modern day remake of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood there are other prizes on offer which may take a player’s...
Store Update 30th October 2012 (North America)
Hot drop
We hope you’ve got plenty of spare pennies, because this week’s North American PlayStation Store update is absolutely bursting with content. Over on the PS3 there’s a little game called Assassin’s Creed III, and it's joined by Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Sports Champions 2. The Vita section is no less stacked, with Assassin’s...
News LittleBigPlanet Karting Gears Up for All Hallows' Eve
Left, left, left
The scary season is upon us, and Sackboy has decided to celebrate by donning his favourite Freddy Krueger outfit and racing a few laps around Craftworld. LittleBigPlanet Karting's got about as much to do with Hallowe’en as Mr. Kipling's French Fancies – but we appreciate the effort all the same.
News Sony Dresses Up Sly Cooper for Hallowe'en Trailer
In disguise
If a giant, cel-shaded, talking raccoon wasn’t already enough to give you the willies this Hallowe’en, then perhaps seeing the aforementioned animal kitted out in a variety of historical outfits will give you the creeps instead. Sony has released a brand new trailer for Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time showing the master thief dressed in...
News New Until Dawn Trailer Delivers a Difficult Ultimatum
Follow the instructions
Until Dawn is exactly the type of experience that we longed for back when the PlayStation Move was first announced – and so far the teen horror title appears to be living up to our admittedly lofty expectations. This brand new trailer shows some brief glimpses of a rundown cabin, before revealing that your best buddy is...
News FIFA 13 Sells 7.4 Million Copies in Four Weeks
But Medal of Honor: Warfighter disappoints
If the popularity of the beautiful game was ever in doubt, then the success of FIFA 13 should put any concerns to bed. Publisher EA Games has revealed that its premium soccer simulation has already sprinted into 7.4 million homes. That’s an outstanding achievement for a game that’s only been available...
Store Update 31st October 2012 (Europe)
Talkin' 'bout a revolution
You’re going to need a spate of good fortune in order to afford everything on this week’s European PlayStation Store update. Newcomers include Assassin’s Creed III, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Okami HD, Sports Champions 2, and, well, a whole lot more. Let’s get started, shall we? PS3 Games: Assassin’s Cr
News Fresh Puppeteer Trailer Presents Frightening Gameplay Footage
The theatre of the spooky and macabre
Put down your toffee apple and pumpkin pie for a few moments – this brand new Puppeteer trailer deserves your full attention. The 90-second short introduces the haunted hovel of Hallowee Ville. “In this land of frights, things have really gone to pot since the Moon Bear King took over the Moon Realm,” art...
News Borderlands 2 Has Shipped 5 Million Copies Worldwide
XCOM a success, too
Excellent (but irritating) first-person shooter Borderlands 2 has shipped 5 million units worldwide, overlord Take-Two Interactive has announced. Speaking at its quarterly financial briefing, the company added that XCOM: Enemy Unknown has also proved to be a “critical and commercial success”. "Take-Two's second quarter...
News Resident Evil 6 Does the Business for Capcom
Alive and kicking
Resident Evil 6 may not have garnered the universally positive review scores that the series is renowned for, but the sequel has been an enormous financial success for publisher Capcom. Speaking during a business briefing earlier today, the company reported an operating income of ¥6.5 billion ($81.6 million) for the first half of...
Tuesday30th Oct 2012
Review Smart As (PlayStation Vita)
Mind games
Smart As appeals to your egotistical side. The PlayStation Vita puzzler is rewarding, challenging, and supremely satisfying – but the game’s key ingredient is the way in which it provides real-time information on your achievements compared to other players. Whether it's your friends, co-workers, neighbours, or even strangers –...
Rumour Captain Price Actor Outs Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
The future is now
Call of Duty actor and former Eastenders bad boy Billy Murray has accidentally outed the next entry in Activision’s blockbuster series. The thespian – who has portrayed Captain Price for over five years – said in an interview with This Is Xbox overnight: “Yeah, on Monday I am off to meet Infinity Ward about the next game,...
News Assassin's Creed III's Day One Patch Is Essential Too
Layer of polish
It seems like more and more incomplete games are slipping through quality assurance these days. Ubisoft has issued an enormous day one patch for Assassin’s Creed III, which fixes a number of remnant bugs and glitches in the game. "This day one update is designed to optimise your player experience," the developer explained, adding...
News Ubisoft Explains Assassin's Creed III's Microtransactions
Transparency
You’ll be able to pay to unlock new multiplayer gear in Assassin’s Creed III, publisher Ubisoft has confirmed. Eagle eyed gamers spotted the inclusion of Erudito Credits in the most recent PlayStation Store update, prompting some speculation over what the mysterious currency entailed. “The Erudito Credits are a new way of...
News Rockstar Games Confirms Grand Theft Auto V Release Window
Pre-orders open next week
After a slew of unfortunate retail leaks, publisher Rockstar Games has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto V will release on PlayStation 3 in Spring 2013. The date had already been teased by a handful of promotional posters – but now the word is official. “Developed by series creator Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto V is...
News Okami HD Is Reborn on the PlayStation Network This Week
Drawn to life
After what seems like an eternity, Capcom is finally poised to paint Okami HD onto the PlayStation Store. The loving remake will arrive on the North American digital storefront later today, while European players will have to wait until tomorrow. The high-definition makeover recompiles the PS2 classic in 1080p. The re-release also...
News Nightmare in North Point Haunts Sleeping Dogs' Dreams
Trick or treat
Ace open world adventure Sleeping Dogs is getting a Hallowe’en treat in the form of Nightmare in North Point this week. The single-player DLC adds a couple of goofy missions to the already exceptional campaign, in which protagonist Wei Shen is forced to unleash an ancient Chinese magic in order to thwart the living dead. The...
News Feast Your Eyes on Some More Leaked Grand Theft Auto V Art
Under arrest
Grand Theft Auto V is definitely dropping in Spring 2013. A rogue employee at UK retailer GAME’s Brighton branch has Tweeted a handful of new images confirming the open world adventure’s release window. The pictures appear to depict sleeves for dummy cases that will be arranged around the store this holiday encouraging players to...
News Fight Until Blood and Ruin in New PlayStation Home Game
Tower defence
PlayStation Home is on a bit of a winning streak at the moment. Within the span of just four weeks the virtual world has seen the arrival of management simulator Home Tycoon and third-person shooter Uproar. This week sees yet another full game added to the social platform, in the form of tower defence title Fight Until Blood and Ruin...
News PlayStation All-Stars Started Life as a Capture the Flag Game
Lost the lead
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale wasn’t always a fighting game. Chatting with Siliconera, lead designer Omar Kendall revealed that the mascot mash-up went through a number of prototypes before settling on the final format that you see today. “There were all sorts of little gameplay demos and prototypes,” Kendall recalled,...
News Eyebrow Interactive Illuminates Closure with PSN Discount
Fright night
Eyebrow Interactive is shadowing two-thirds of Closure’s price, making the ambitious PlayStation Network exclusive a steal at just $4.99. “Hallowe’en is a perfect holiday to spend checking out Closure, an eerie puzzle platformer that takes place mostly in darkness, where anything not illuminated simply ceases to exist,” the...
News Dead Island: Riptide Sets Sail on 23rd April
Shipshape
Strange half-step sequel Dead Island: Riptide will tackle the undead once more when it docks North American store shelves on 23rd April. European players will have a few extra days to don their wet suits, when the title washes up on 26th April overseas. Anyone that pre-orders the soggy sequel from participating retailers will net an...
Monday29th Oct 2012
Review Killzone HD (PlayStation 3)
Helghastly
Killzone HD almost never happened. Franchise creator Guerrilla Games had to search long and hard for the PlayStation 2 title’s original assets – eventually discovering them in a shoebox beneath the house of an IT technician. Even with the appropriate materials located, it spent many hours sorting through outdated source code and...
News Activision Splashes Out On Ostentatious Black Ops 2 Commercial
Burning money
What happens when you own the most successful video game franchise in the world? You employ Guy Ritchie to direct a ridiculous live-action trailer promoting the series' latest release, of course. This Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 commercial features Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Zach Galfianakis (The Hangover), Kyle Myers (that weapons...
Interview Aqua Kitty Creator Tikipod Talks PlayStation Mobile
Milking mobile
PlayStation Mobile's launch has been and gone, and one of the titles we've been playing most on our Vita is Aqua Kitty, coded by independent UK studio Tikipod. It's a pixel-rich love letter to the shooters of old, where an itchy trigger finger was a base requirement for success. Founder Dugan Jackson was kind enough to take some time...
News Medal of Honor: Warfighter Trophies Failing to Unlock
Urgh
It looks like Medal of Honor: Warfighter’s comprehensive day one patch failed to fix all of the problems with the first-person shooter. A number of posters on the title’s official forums have noted that they are having problems unlocking certain Trophies in the game, despite the requirements of the trinkets being met. Issues appear to...
News Plunder One Piece: Pirate Warriors at 40% Off This Week
Plus more
With the end of October in sight, this week’s North American PlayStation Plus update is understandably lacking in heavy hitters – but there’s still an offer or four to keep subscribers smiling. The service's latest set of savings include a 40 per cent discount on One Piece: Pirate Warriors, dropping the recently released PlayStation...
News Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Prepares to Hijack the PS3
Hit the gym
Put your anticipation for Grand Theft Auto V on hold, because it looks like PS2 classic Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is coming to the PlayStation 3. The eagle-eyed editors over at Gematsu spotted an updated ESRB rating for the open world adventure, essentially confirming the title’s eventual arrival on the PlayStation Store. Similar...
News Persona 4 Golden Dazzles Europe in February 2013
Not quite set in stone
NIS America is targeting a 22nd February release date for Persona 4 Golden in Europe, according to a report on Joystiq. The website states that while the date has not yet been officially decided, that's the period that the publisher is targeting. Sadly, the re-release is unlikely to receive the slick Solid Gold limi
News Cliff Bleszinski Offers to Help Turn Resident Evil Around
Gears of gore
Currently unemployed video game luminary Cliff Bleszinski has offered to help resurrect Capcom’s ailing Resident Evil series. The former Epic Games employee Tweeted over the weekend, “Hey, Capcom. Call me. We can fix Resident Evil. Together.” The distinguished designer played a pivotal part in transforming Microsoft’s Gears of...
News You'll Be Able to Pay as You Play Assassin's Creed III
Spend a penny
Assassin’s Creed III is already shaping up to be quite the investment. In addition to the cost of the console adventure itself, there’s also the price of the title’s DLC Season Pass and handheld spin-off Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation to consider. Apparently, that’s still not enough for publisher Ubisoft. While playing the...
News Play Like a Pro with These PlayStation All-Stars Beta Tips
God of war
Are you having difficulty getting to grips with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale's unique combat mechanics and scoring systems? This helpful video produced by developer SuperBot Entertainment should get you up to speed. The tutorial details everything from basic controls to tech rolls. It’s also scored by the mascot mash-up’s...
News Hotline Miami Developer Discussing PlayStation Port
Hangin' on the telephone
If the recently released Retro City Rampage didn’t quite satisfy your hunger for throwback bedlam, then perhaps indie smash-hit Hotline Miami will quell your thirst instead. Jonatan Söderström, the developer behind the twisted PC release, has revealed to Pocket Gamer that his team has been talking to Sony about the...
News Skyrim Premium Edition Explores Certain European Territories
Specific path
As leaked by Amazon Germany earlier today, Bethesda is planning to release a Premium Edition of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in certain territories across Europe. The specially prepared bundle will include a copy of the game, world map, t-shirt, novel, and six postcards. The package will release in the UK, Germany, and Benelux, but...
News UK Sales Charts: Medal of Honor Infiltrates Top Spot
Number one with a bullet
Medal of Honor: Warfighter has booted FIFA 13 from the top of the UK sales charts. The soccer simulation couldn’t manage a sixth week at the summit, as Danger Close’s shooter shot straight to the peak of the list. It wasn’t all good news for the modern military adventure, however, as it failed to outsell its...
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News Frobisher Says' Animated Ladies Were Too Saucy for Sony
Review Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PlayStation Portable)
News Activision Splashes Out On Ostentatious Black Ops 2 Commercial
News Sony Advertising PlayStation All-Stars Ahead of Wreck-It Ralph
News This PlayStation Vita Advert Promises Twice the Pleasure
Interview Aqua Kitty Creator Tikipod Talks PlayStation Mobile
