Thursday, April 30, 2009

UK PSN Update 30/04/09

slim Pickings this week. the obvious choice is the Killzone 2 DLC. lets hope next week is better. Also the update came very early in the day, quite unusual from the previous months.

PS3 Games

Killzone 2 – Steel & Titanium Maps [£4.79]
Burnout Paradise – Cops & Robbers [£7.99]
Little Big Planet – Egyptian Mythology Minipack [£2.39]
Need for Speed Undercover (BLES 0049 / BLES 00450) – Challenge Series [Free]
Need for Speed Undercover (BLES 0049 / BLES 00450) – Boss Car Bundle [£3.99]
Sonic Unleashed – Spagonia Adventure Pack [£3.99]

PS3 and PSP Game Bundle
Brian Challenge [£9.99]

Demo's
None

Guitar Hero - World Tour
Nirvana Track Pack 2 [£4.39]
“Sappy” by Nirvana [£1.59]
“Very Ape” by Nirvana [£1.59]
“Stay Away” by Nirvana [£1.59]

Rock Band
Jane's addiction – Nothings Shocking Album [£8.99}
Each track can be bought seperatly for £0.99

Videos
None

Wallpaper
Infamous Wallpaper

Theme
None

PS1 Classic
None

PSP
Prince Of Persia: Revelations [£15.99]
Driver 76 [£15.99]
Skate Park City [£9.99]

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

  • PSP: New PSP not to be 4000 but possibly Go! 8 or 16 GB Flash, 100 classic and new titles ready to download +more http://tinyurl.com/dbjkyr

  • PS3: Insomniac are developing Home spaces, looking for input from the community as to what should go in them. http://tinyurl.com/dlbzhb

  • Joystiq has a load of previews up from Sony's gamerday. hit the link to pick which game you want to read about. http://tinyurl.com/djvv4p

  • 360: RPG Magna Carta II is set for the 360. 40 + hours, the game is the sequel to the PS2 original. http://tinyurl.com/cmqa7q

  • PS3: Killzone 2 has reached 1 million players online after just 2 months on market. thats 2/3's of game owners. http://tinyurl.com/c6lamw

  • Joystiq has a good round up of the games from the Namco Bandi Editors day. hit the link to pick one to read. http://tinyurl.com/cmw89k

  • Final Fantasy XIII Demo is in 1080p! concerns raised over 360 DVD discs as it's estimated CGI movies to be 9GB. http://tinyurl.com/cdpn2g

  • Wii:Extreme Ironing! is just one of the sports in Sega's Wacky World Of Sports. expect other extreme sports http://tinyurl.com/db8edc

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

New Zero Punctuation: Siren Blood Curse

I know it's late again, but i have a good excuse, lol, i just got back from seeing Andy Parsons Live...anyway back to the review...

This week his choice is Siren Blood Curse on the PS3. seems like he enjoys it...just wishes is was better, lol

Capcom and Sony to Work Together to Support Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. [Updated]

[Update: changed the PSP Picture. SCEE Press have given a picture of theMonster Hunter PSP box, and it's clear that we are not getting the PSP which i had orignally displayed in the article. (http://www.blogcdn.com/playstation.joystiq.com/media/2009/04/pspmh2580.jpg was the picture before) ]

Sony and Capcom are going to be spending millions to help promote the game Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, which is set for a June 26th release. Their aim is to try to emulate the huge success that the game series has had in Japan.

There will be a Demo before the game is released. it will have three quests which you can play alone or in a group of four people. There will also be a PSP Bundle with a specific Monster Hunter Design and colour.
Expect to see more about the game in newspapers, Home, the internet, and television over the next few months.

SCEE Press Release

London – April 28, 2009 – Capcom® a leading worldwide developer and publisher of videogames, has today announced that it will be working in partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) to support the release of the upcoming Monster Hunter Freedom Unite game for PSP™ (PlayStation® Portable). The game which is scheduled for release on the 26th June will be heavily backed by a multi-million promotional campaign throughout PAL territories.

“We are looking forward to working closely with Capcom to promote Monster Hunter Freedom Unite,” commented David Reeves, President SCEE. “With the combined efforts of both companies we want to emulate the success that the title has had in Japan.”

Key to the huge success of the Monster Hunter series in Japan has been the social aspect of multiplayer hunts. Across PAL territories gamers will be able to sample the phenomenon of Monster Hunter before the games release with the launch of the demo available to download on PlayStation®Network. The demo will feature three quests to prepare players for the arrival of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite in which you can choose to play alone with the aid of your feline companion or in a team of up to four players to get a real taste of the social gaming side of Monster Hunter that’s taken Japan by storm.

Retail initiatives include an exclusive PSP hardware bundle which contains a specially designed Monster Hunter branded PSP skin and pouch along with a copy of the game.

Michael Pattison, Senior Marketing Director of Capcom Europe stated “Working closely with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to promote the latest title in the Monster Hunter franchise allows Capcom access to all of Sony’s promotional channels, including Playstation websites, community pages and Playstation Home. A series of events and print and on-line advertising will support a heavy weight TV advertising program. The support of Sony on this title is a clear indication that Monster Hunter can be successful across the West.”

Further details about the upcoming promotional activity will be released shortly. For more information about Monster Hunter Freedom Unite please visit www.capcom-europe.com

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

  • iPhone: Noby Noby Boy on the iPhone is bait to get more funds for continuous development of the PS3 version. http://tinyurl.com/cfemsx

  • PS3: Noby Noby Boy update 1.10 is out now. it comes in at 563MB!

  • Wii: The Wii is widely available in the UK. no price rise, yet, as they are selling old stock at the old price. http://tinyurl.com/c6d2rv

  • Super StarDust HD Dev's are working on three new games. 1 PSN exclusive, 1 Multiplatform and Self published Rope. http://tinyurl.com/d8dzkj

  • Wii: Resident Evil Archives, the Wii Port of the Gamecube remake of a PS1 game, is set for June 23rd Release. http://tinyurl.com/d7l9mj

  • A New MotoGP game is currently in development by Monumental Games. set for 360 and PS3.a new direction for series http://tinyurl.com/cxnx4k

  • iPhone: ts rumored that Worms could be coming to the iPhone. there is also a video of what may be a early build. http://tinyurl.com/ca38ga

  • 360: Capcom aiming for Lost Planet 2 demo during E3. link also has loads of pictures from the game. http://tinyurl.com/cmg72w

  • PS3: Killzone 2 Online championship announced for the USA. 4 players a team, aged 13+, can win various prices. http://tinyurl.com/cd68qq

  • PSP:Tekken 6 has been confirmed for the PSP, set for release with the console versions, it comes with many extras http://tinyurl.com/cxjdey

  • iPhone: Mass effect Jacob's Story announced. it's a top down shooter, stylish with a cartoonish look. http://tinyurl.com/dbyart

  • Wii: Capcom Vs Marvel 2 is too big for Wii Ware. there is no retail release for the game. Game not coming to Wii. http://tinyurl.com/cojz6c

  • PSP: Soul Calibur Broken Destiny is heading to the PSP. Set to hit this summer. Star Wars characters no included. http://tinyurl.com/dgev6b

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

  • UK online shop Zavvi has a major sale on. games like Little Big Planet and Bioshock can be bought for £8.95. http://tinyurl.com/d8zwr9

  • PS3:More Uncharted 2 news, Multiplayer beta starts June 3rd! Say working on multiplayer has helped single player. http://tinyurl.com/dlto4g

  • Free Realms Beta Ends. Goes Live Tomorrow! it's free, tho paying $4.95 a month grants extra features. http://tinyurl.com/d24gsc

  • Burnout Paradise DLC, Cops and Robbers will cost $9.99/£7.99/800MS Points. set for release this Thursday. http://tinyurl.com/d8fob4

  • PS3: Uncharted 2 will have a party system. "You’ve got it! The party system is already in and working great!" http://tinyurl.com/dlto4g

  • PS3: Noby Noby Boy gets update tomorrow. it adds the off line multiplayer and other minor changes. http://tinyurl.com/ddwmbg

  • Marvel Vs Capcom 2 coming to XBLA and PSN in the summer.the PS3 will get a demo this week. HD upscalling and more http://tinyurl.com/dlncas

Monday, April 27, 2009

QTE Impressions – Free Realms – PC

Free Realms is a MMO for the PC, and later the PS3. It had a very short Beta test over the last few weeks, and whilst I didn't play it extensively, I feel I can write some valid impressions. The game is set for release from Tomorrow for free, or you can pay a small monthly subscription to get new jobs, items and more.

For the PC, Free Realms is basically a Browser game. Because of this, certain restrictions will apply to the game. It's not a graphical power house, but it never looks compromised by this. The game has a very unique, approachable style to the Free Realms Universe that suits the game play and how it plays. It can look a bit sparse and the textures may all the look the same in an area, but this is not critical to the game, right from the off it shows how it's more Style than Graphics.

The gameplay is very simple. It helps you a lot in the beginning, with the option for the user to ask for it when it “takes the training wheels off”. Its very similar to many MMO's in that you get quests from people, Do the quests, get rewards. What it does to distinguish itself from others is by making some of the quests into mini games. These can be very simple, and easy to do, but if you want to put effort into perfecting them, you get a greater reward from it.

The game is obviously aimed at a younger audience, my first MMO for example, but there is enough depth for people who want to take it more seriously. The choice of character is limited, the customisation ok. What sets it apart is the jobs. There are the traditional MMO jobs, but then there are some pretty unique jobs like a Postman, Racer and Cook. The game cleverly integrates them into the Free Realms Universe, giving them appropriate quests vastly different from other classes.

Thinking of how it could be a PS3 game, you have to think that it'll be a PSN game. Still no word on its release though. With it releasing so close to the Beta, I would personally wait a week or two before signing in. I personally had a few issues with bugs, but that is to be expected with Betas.


This was one of the games i was playing that i could not talk about. the reason for being so vague in the article is because it is still not out, and all current talk of it has been vague. at present i can't talk about the other game i'm playing but look out for impressions when i can.

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

  • PS3: Alpha Zone 2 has been found in Home. not much is known apart from it wasn't hacked (like Alpha Zone 1 was) http://tinyurl.com/d6r2m5

  • 360:Street Fighter IV "Power Up Pack" DLC is now online. the free pack weighs in at 16mb and brings new features. http://tinyurl.com/cp5vu4

Sunday, April 26, 2009

What Have You Played This Week?

Well this week it's been a mixed bag of games. Killzone 2 took a lot of my time, trying to get badges, whilst one of the unknown games started to take more and more of my gaming time.

Killzone 2 – PS3 – i'm trying to get the player type badges. Got all apart from the Air Support, which is far too hard to get (espescially when others are stuck trying to get it when you are) and the C4, which has taken longer for me to work out how best to use it.

Football Manager 09PC – got promoted to league 1. wish this was on the ps3, I bet it would run faster. The more years you play, the slower it gets.

Little Big Planet – PS3 – I like going back to this game, playing some of the user levels, and again not disappointed. I played a level called Sci Fi II which was soo impressive. Can't wait to see what the PSP version offers.

Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core – PSP – done a load of mini quests, I really like that aspect of this game, being able to finish it without doing the mini quests but if you do if gives you more to work with within the game.

Ico – PS2 – I had a demo of this game and loved it. This is my current rented game, and even after playing Shadow Of The Colossus, i'm still blown away but the developers. The art style, so simple yet so effective. The gameplay makes the game soo easy to play, but with so much unknown, you really feel part of the story.

? - ? - I can't say what this one is. When I can i'll write about it in depth, but for now I can't. It's pretty good so far. Maybe a little simple, but in a way it makes it a more casual experience which could work in favour of the game (when you look at it's competition)

? - ? Another game I can't talk about. All i'll say is it's fun, good to look at, controls so simply and is non stop! When I can, i'll try to write up about it.

Feel free to comment on anything i've played and what you yourself has played over the last week.

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

  • Driver:The Recruit has been trademarked by Atari. The BBC reported last year that a Driver game was int he works. http://tinyurl.com/co47jh

  • Wii:it looks like Nintendo are checking Wii's, sent to them for repair,for homebrew activity and penalizing users http://tinyurl.com/cfaqum

  • Wii: the contents of the Limited Edition of The Conduit include, 24 page art book, multiplayer skin and more http://tinyurl.com/c6wcot

  • PS3: was there a super secret Sony event in Seattle....and was there some mega announcement? this guy think so. http://tinyurl.com/ccfmca

  • 360: Silver members will be given gold status from May 1st to May 4th. tournaments and more are planned for this. http://tinyurl.com/cnkj3u

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

  • PS3: It looks like the inFamous, Uncharted 2 announcement will be Preorder inFamous and get into Uncharted 2 beta http://tinyurl.com/cnl7aa

  • It's rumored that the Joker will be a DLC for Batman Arkham Asylum, not a PS3 exclusive as first thought. http://tinyurl.com/ceob5h

  • PS3: Killzone 2 sells 20k on day one in Japan. looks set to beat resistance 2's 33k first week sells. http://tinyurl.com/cwnxlr

Friday, April 24, 2009

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

  • Wii: a new Video channel is going live May 1st in Japan. offers cartoons and programs. able to rate the shows http://tinyurl.com/cv7mn4

  • 360: a event in japan showcased loads of new titles for the 360, in Japan. hit the link for a montage of them. http://tinyurl.com/d8pb73

  • Codemasters announce that F1 racing 2009 won't hit HD consoles this year. PSP and Wii versions set for this year. http://tinyurl.com/dko28x

  • PS3: EA Sports Complex has been opened in Home. Mini Games, teasers, trailers and Poker are now live. http://tinyurl.com/dlbbgr

  • PS3: Star Ocean - The Last Hope is rumored to have lost it's 360 exclusivity after a shows a PS3 version. http://tinyurl.com/d37dyu

  • PS3: Star Trek Uniforms are now Available in Home for Free.

  • 360: New screens and news on Star Trek D.A.C. $10, play as either Starfleet or Romulans, 3 game modes, and more http://tinyurl.com/dn5pan

  • More Final Fantasy XIII details emerge. hit the link for how the game differs from the Demo, at least 18 ways! http://tinyurl.com/d5sbfb

  • PS3: There's is going to be a "Electrifying announcement" made on April 27th. may involve Uncharted 2 + inFamous. http://tinyurl.com/cydrhd

  • PS3: Noby Noby Boy Multiplayer and Video detailed. if Player 1 eats Player 2's rear, they both control Boy http://tinyurl.com/d8k4t9

  • Bayonetta has been given a M rating, ESRB gave Violence, torture attacks, suggestive themes and language and more http://tinyurl.com/dz95kz

Thursday, April 23, 2009

UK PSN Update 23/04/09

The Sale is Over now, hope you all got something nice. sorry for the late posting this week.

PS3 Games
Tom Clancys's H.A.W.X – European Assault Pack [£3.99]
WWE Smakcdown Vs Raw 2009 – Roster Update 2 [Free]
WWE Smakcdown Vs Raw 2009 – Roster Update 3 [Free]
Saints Row 2 – Ultor Exposed [£6.29]
Midnight Club Los Angeles: South Central Vehicle Pack 2 [£2.39]
Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom - Booster Pack [£3.19]
Little Big Planet – Heavenly Sword Level Kit [£2.39]
Little Big planet – Creator Pack 1 [Free]
The Godfather II – Pentangeli Map Pack [£4.79]
The Godfather II – Level 4 Firearms [£3.19]
The Godfather II – Jack Of All Trades [£3.19]
The Godfather II – The Corleone Bundle [£6.29]
Penny Arcade: On Th Rain Slick Precipice Of Darkness Episode 2 [£7.99]

Demo's
UFC 2009 Undisputed
Red Faction: Guerrilla

Guitar Hero - World Tour
Motörhead Track Pack [£4.39]
“Iron Fist” by Motörhead [£1.59]
“Jailbait” by Motörhead [£1.59]
“Love Me Like A Reptile” by Motörhead [£1.59]

Rock Band
Hautewerk Pack 1 [£2.49]
“Alone In My Head” by Hautewerk [£0.99]
“I Know Where You Came From” by Hautewerk [£0.99]
“Stop Start Again” by Hautewerk [£0.99]
Reo Speedwagon/Stix Pack 1 [£4.99]
“Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” by Stix [£0.99]
“Renegade” by Stix [£0.99]
“Too Much Time On My Hands” By Stix [£0.99]
“Can't Stop Rockin'” by REO Speedwagon [£0.99]
“Ridin' The Storm Out” by REO Speedwagon [£0.99]
“Roll With The Changes” by REO Speedwagon [£0.99]
Take It On The Run” by REO Speedwagon [£0.99]

Videos
PixelJunk Eden Encore Trailer
Bayonetta Story Trailer
Infamous – Beauty Of Power Trailer
Battlefield 1943 Announcement Trailer.

Wallpaper
PixleJunk Eden Encore Pink Wallpaper

Theme
PixleJunk Eden Encore Pink

PS1 Classic
Future Cop: L.A.P.D [£3.99]
Championship Bass [£3.99]

PSP
Need For Speed: Pro Street [£17.99]
Chessmaster: The Art Of Learning [£15.99]
Exit [£11.99]

Re-Cap of Yesterdays News (oldest to newest)

Whats this...a new feature!
Yep, with so many tweets a day and people from across the world, i thought it would be best to offer a way for people to catch up if they missed any tweets. so here is the news from yesterday.
  • PSP: Dante's Inferno will be coming out on the PSP as well. no more information at present. http://tinyurl.com/cbdalx

  • Wii: Amazon has started to sell Wii Ware games, game codes, much like the XBLA codes they started earlier. http://tinyurl.com/cpq9fc

  • Dreamcast: A Online retailer has started selling New Dreamcasts for $99.99. they are the N.American Model. http://tinyurl.com/d97vrc

  • PSP:PixleJunk Monsters for the PSP is rumored to be out in June. game will have 50% more content than PSN version http://tinyurl.com/cto6za

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

New Zero Punctuation: Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.

oops, nearly let Wednesday pass me by without seeing this.
and can you believe it...he likes it....alot!

World’s Finest Virtual Footballers Prepare To Face Off at FIFA Interactive World Cup 2009 Grand Final - SCEE Press Release

Zurich, Switzerland, 22nd April 2009: Following months of heated online competition and qualifying events around the world, the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) 2009 is set to reach its dramatic climax at the Grand Final in Port Olympic, Barcelona on 2 May. Over the last seven months, over 500,000 virtual footballers from around the world been competing for a shot at glory and now, just 32 players from 24 countries remain. The finalists will go head-to-head in Barcelona on EA SPORTS™ FIFA 09 on PLAYSTATION®3 for the title of FIFA Interactive World Champion 2009. Among the finalists this year is reigning champion Alfonso Ramos, who will be returning to defend his crown against a strong field of challengers including FIWC 2006 winner Andries Smit and a number of previous FIWC finalists keen to go one better this year.

Spectators at the grand final on 2nd May will enjoy an action packed day of football, gaming and top music action in a fantastic party atmosphere. In addition to watching the FIFA Interactive World Cup Grand Final unfold live, they can check out all the latest EA™ and PlayStation games in the interactive arenas and test their real-life football skills at the FIFA beach soccer clinic with FIFA Beach Soccer World Player 2008, Ramiro Amarelle. There will also be exclusive freestyle football performances from Komball throughout the day as well as live music from guest bands and DJ’s including top Salsa Band, Ray Callao.

The 2009 Grand Final winner will receive a cheque for US$20,000 and a brand new KIA ‘Soul’, along with an invitation to join the world’s elite football talent at the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich to receive their official FIWC champion’s award. The 2009 runner up will receive $5,000 whilst 3rd place will receive $1,000.

“With more than half a million participants, the FIFA Interactive World Cup has set new records and I am really impressed how fast this tournament is growing”, says FIFA Executive Committee member Chuck Blazer, who will attend the Grand Final in Barcelona. “I am a passionate gamer myself and I am really looking forward to learning some new tricks from the world’s best virtual football players! I know they practice very hard and as for every other FIFA tournament, players will have to perform at their best in order to be crowned FIFA Interactive World Champion 2009.”

“The FIWC 2009 grand final in Barcelona promises to provide a fitting finale to this year’s record breaking competition in one of the world’s greatest footballing cities” said Matt Bilbey, Vice President International Marketing, EA SPORTS. “We believe that FIFA 09 is our best ever football title and it is fantastic to see a such an overwhelming number of gamers connect to the PlayStation Network and come to qualifying events all over the world in order to play the game and stake their claim to the trophy.”

“This year’s final in Barcelona promises to be a fantastic event, with great football, top class entertainment and a perfect venue,” said Darren Carter, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. “This year has shown what can happen when you take a great game like EA SPORTS FIFA 09 and combine it with the most powerful and complete entertainment system available in the market, PLAYSTATION 3. This season’s FIFA Interactive World Cup has most certainly been the best yet and we look forward to welcoming the finalists to Barcelona in May.”

Admission to Grand Final is free to the public. Media are requested to pre-register at the FIFA Media Channel - http://media.fifa.com

Interactive Areas open at 11am. Gaming Tournament kicks off at 1.15pm, the final is scheduled at 7 pm.

To find out more about the FIFA Interactive World Cup please visit www.FIFA.com/FIWC

For images of FIWC 2008 winner Alfonso Ramos receiving his award at the FIFA World Player of the Year Gala, please visit: http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/photogallery/gallery=992184.html#992139

####

Full list of 2009 FIFA Interactive World Cup Finalists and Nationalities:


1. Stephen Coorey (Australia)

2. Jason Mac (Australia)

3. Michael Pommer (Australia)

4. Markus Serkan Boyer (Austria)

5. Andre Buffo (Brazil)

6. Samuel Lage Liberato (Brazil)

7. Radim Kluka (Czech Republic)

8. Frederik Nordmark Laursen (Denmark)

9. Ryan Haywood (England)

10. Chris Bullard (England)

11. Danny Taylor (England)

12. Adam Winster (England)

13. Hesham Khater (Egypt)

14. Bruce Grannec (France)

15. Patrick Straschek (Germany)

16. Andries Smit (Holland)

17. Péter Kovács (Hungary)

18. Daniele D'Alterio (Italy)

19. Omar Jaleel (India)

20. Mergim Sadriji (Switzerland)

21. Jose Alberto Reyes Loera (Mexico)

22. Ruben Morales Zerecero (Mexico)

23. Daniel Sykes (New Zealand)

24. Marcin Raptis (Poland)

25. Francisco Cruz (Portugal)

26. Mohammed Nasser Al Khathlan (Saudi Arabia)

27. Gordon Butler (South Africa)

28. Alfonso Ramos Cuevas (Spain)

29. Marcus Lee (Singapore)

30. Mustafa Aguez (Turkey)

31. Giuseppe Guastelle (USA)

32. TBD

Sunday, April 19, 2009

What Have You Played This Week?

Well, not much this week. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam took far too much of my attention, lol.and then there was the mystery game, which i can say what it is. lets just say i had completely forgotten about it, so i was pleasantly surprised when i got it.

Ratchet And Clank: Quest For BootyPS3 – one of the games I got in the PSN sale, at a price I found easier to buy it than the normal price. It plays just like the previous, and the few little touches are interesting. Graphically it's good, and the story has been fun.

Dynasty Warriors:Gundam - 360- I could have played this game for hours, but I have a back log so reluctantly I sent it back. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by how good I found it.

PixleJunk Eden EncorePS3 – had a quick play to update the game and give the Encore stuff a go. Still fun, and the new music is just as good as the old. I like that they make you work to find Encore and it was well priced.

Football Manager 09PC – a great game to play with a podcast on, or even another computer game playing. Still with AFC Wimbledon...about to get promoted again to league 1!

? - ? - I can't say what this one is. When I can i'll write about it in depth, but for now I can't. It's pretty good so far.

Feel free to comment on anything i've played and what you yourself has played over the last week.

Site Update

just a quick heads up.
The release calendar should have all of the games coming out in March, still a few without firm release dates at the moment.
i've added a RSS feed from Cheap Arse Gamer (the UK equivalent of Cheap Ass Gamer)which has some the best game deals on at the moment like Bioshock on the PS3 for under a tenner. it's more of a stop gap until i add a weekly feature of game bargains to the site.
The right column has had a little change round, but hopefully things should be easy to find.
whilst the focus is on the twitter feed, i may start to do more with the site, whether thats the weekly bargins i mentioned earlier, or doing actual blog posts in my more relaxed, easy to read style.
if anyone has any comments, feel free to share them.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Game Updates Via PC - @leddy2286 Question

@leddy2286 asked a question on the QTE Twitter feed regarding game updates and why don't sony offer them online via a PC like Sony do with Firmware Updates.
i was having no luck intially trying to get it answered. but once i tried another way, things got itneresting.
to get a answer, i made the question more tempting for Sony. if you enable a firmware update to be available remotely from the PS3, game or firmware, you open up a new possibility. if sony was to work with computer game shops, like Game, this would increase the amount of people going to these shops at a time when sony is doing alot of digital distribution, and therefore taking people out of these shops. so, will sony enable firmware downloads for games remotely from the ps3, and if so why didn't they do it before?

The problem was, the people who i sent this were far more interested in the idea of using computer game shops to offer the firmware, than answering the question as to why they don't currently offer it. they were so interested that they said they had a big discussion in their office and sent it to those who could do something with it. they also told me to send it to another email address, which i did and again they were interested and sent it else where.

So @Leddy2286 i'm sorry i couldn't get a answer to the question. but who knows, your little chat on Twitter might lead to something greater and beneficial to the PS3!



Friday, April 17, 2009

UK PSN Sale - How Are The Games Selling?

I asked Sony UK for sale figures, or estimates, for the games on sale, before and during the sale.
in response, Sony UK say "Unfortunately we never give out these specific sales figures or percentages", But they did say that "As with all sales, the items see an uplift".

Granted, it's an obvious response, still its nice to know that the games in the sale are selling well as there was a few games there that some people may have missed.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

UK PSN Update 16/04/09

i left the sale games on the list, help promote them but to also help bolster the list, lol.
highlights are definitely the PixleJunk Eden expansion and OutRun

Anniversary Specials

Wipeout HD [£11.99]
High Velocity Bowling [£4.79]
Crash Commando [£4.79]
Pain [£3.99]
Ratchet And Clank: Quest For Booty [£7.99]
Siren Blood Curse [£14.99]
Riff: Everyday Shooter [£3.99]
Dark Mist [£3.99]
Echochrome [£4.79]
Piyotama [£2.39]
Elefunk [£3.99]
Snakeball [£3.99]
Calling All Cars [£3.99]
Blast Factor Advance [£3.99]
Nucleus [£3.99]
PixleJunk Racers [£3.99]
Toy Home [£3.99]

PS3 Games
OutRun: Online Arcade [£7.99]
PixleJunk Eden Encore [£2.39]
Midnight Club: South Central Vehicle Pack 1 [£2.39]
Valkria Chronicles – Edy's Missions [£3.19]
Valkria Chronicles – Selveria's Misson [£3.19]
Valkria Chronicles – Hard Ex Mode [£3.19]
F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin Multiplayer Maps [Free]
Magic Ball – Booster Pack [£2.39]
Little Big Planet – Monkey King Costume [Free]

Demo's
NONE

Guitar Hero - World Tour
Steely Dan Track Pack [£4.39]
“Kid Charlemange” by Steely Dan [£1.59]
“Black Friday” by Steely Dan [£1.59]
“Bodhisattva” by Steely Dan [£1.59]
“New Slang” by The Shins [£1.59]

Rock Band
Chinese Democracy by Guns N' Roses' [£9.99]
All the singles from the album [£0.99]

Videos
MotorStorm Pacififc Rift – Fire Zone Trailer

Wallpaper
Crash Commando – Daylight Wallpaper
PixleJunk Eden Encore Wallpaper

Theme
PixleJunk Eden Encore

PS1 Classic
NONE

PSP
Need For Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0 [£15.99]

New Zero Punctuation - Madworld

Completely forgot about this weeks Zero Punctuation, so apologies for the late post this week. still, it's well worth the wait, and a good way to end the day after SCEE decided to post 4 press releases! (i don't think the Blog has had soo many posts in a day!)

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Sony Europe Announce License Deal With Target, Bringing Software Titles And Characters Alive in Apparel, Toys, Gifts and more - SCEE Press Release

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd (SCEE) is delighted to announce the appointment of Target Entertainment Ltd, a subsidiary of Target Entertainment Group Ltd, the leading international production and rights management business, as the Consumer Product Licensing Agent for PlayStation® software IPs (Intellectual Properties) with immediate effect.

Following the great success of Sony Computer Entertainment America’s licensing agreement with Dimensional Branding Group, Target Entertainment Ltd will operate across Europe & Australasia on all consumer products (excluding PlayStation peripherals and PlayStation specific accessories). Target will develop exciting ranges of PlayStation apparel and accessories, colourful toys and plush, , stationery and gifts, housewares and food, and plenty of fun-filled promotions.

Stephanie Freeman, Licensing & Peripherals Manager at SCEE commented, “Many of Sony Computer Entertainment’s ’s first party software titles and characters are now recognised by millions of people around the world – from the legendary Ratchet and Clank™ through to the iconic Sackboy from LittleBigPlanet™. We really want our consumers to have the ability to interact with our brands and characters in ways other than just on screen. We feel Target Entertainment Ltd has the vibrancy and experience to help us do this successfully.”

Helen Howells, Global Brand Director, Target Entertainment Group added, “To work with a brand like PlayStation, and its range of products, is a great opportunity for us. With a portfolio of fantastic games we will offer new and longer standing fans a range of products that will really add to their PlayStation experience.”

Singstar Update 3.01 - SCEE Press Release

Show off your SingStar® skills with cool new trophies, select tracks with your SingStar® microphone, and much more with the 3.01 Update

Calling all SingStars! Your SingStar® experience is about to get even better when the SingStar 3.01 Update for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) takes place across PAL territories on April 16th 2009. This automatic and free update from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe will bring you cool new features, trophies and a new look for My SingStar Online.

Show the world what a star you are by winning brand-new SingStar Trophies. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro – there’s over 30 trophies up for grabs, including “Super Singer Gold”, “Keep it Cool”, and “All Eyes On You”. Next, put your controller down and get ready for the brand-new SingStar Voice Control function. Simply announce the track you want to perform next into your microphone, and watch it appear on your screen! This function will be available with SingStar® Pop Edition at launch and for all SingStar PS3™ users as a free download from SingStore Extras on 22nd April. Last but not least - your My SingStar Online profile page will be given a brand-new makeover.

Please note that SingStore™ and My SingStar Online will be unavailable for an estimated eight hours on 16th of April - so we’d like to apologise for any inconvenience. Once we’ve given SingStar its cool new makeover, you’ll be able to sing the night away in true style!

ENDS

Andrew House Named New President And Ceo Of SCEE - Sony Press Release


ANDREW HOUSE NAMED NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE
CMO of Sony Corporation Is Appointed President & CEO, SCEE

Tokyo, April 15, 2009 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that Andrew House, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Group Executive of Sony Corporation, has been named President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Chief Operating Officer (Co-COO) of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) as of May 1, 2009.

In his new role, House will be responsible for managing the PlayStation business across nearly 100 countries in the Europe/PAL territories, including the company’s PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PLAYSTATION®3 platforms as well as PlayStation®Network.

House joined Sony Corporation in 1990, where he worked in corporate communications for Sony Corporation (Japan) for five years. In April 1995, he was assigned to the marketing and communications division of SCEI, contributing to the marketing and promotion of the original PlayStation® computer entertainment system as well as its game titles. In March 1996, House was promoted to Vice President, Marketing of Sony Computer Entertainment America, where he led SCEA’s marketing efforts to establish the North American market for the original PlayStation as well as formulating and executing the market strategies which led to the successful launch of the PlayStation 2 and PSP businesses. House was also instrumental in developing the PlayStation brand into a household name in North America. In addition to his marketing responsibilities, he also

led the Third Party Relations and Developer Support divisions from 2000, making sizeable contributions in establishing and maintaining firm relationships with third party game developers and publishers in North America as well as growing content alliances.

Acknowledged for his invaluable contribution to the expansion of the PlayStation business and to the company’s marketing and brand management efforts, House was appointed CMO of Sony Corporation in 2005, with global responsibility for corporate marketing across all of Sony’s businesses with primary emphasis in building value in the Sony brand.

“I’m very happy to welcome Andrew back to the PlayStation business and to work closely with him again” said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment. “I’m confident that the skills and expertise Andy has gained over the years working as Sony’s CMO will contribute enormously in leading the PlayStation business in Europe/PAL countries and regions and to bring new initiatives in managing the business in the coming networked era.”

“I’m delighted to return to the PlayStation fold and excited to take on this new challenge,” said Andrew House, “I have strong ties to the interactive entertainment industry and I believe there is huge potential for further growth of our business in the Europe/PAL countries and regions, particularly in the area of networked entertainment. I’m looking forward to working with everyone at SCEE and with other groups in Sony to help achieve this potential.”

About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PLAYSTATION®3, PlayStation®2, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PLAYSTATION 3 in November 2006, over 16.8 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level. Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 137.7 million systems worldwide. Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 44.5 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market. With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 13 million people have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 236 million items have been downloaded.

David Reeves To Retire From SCEE - Sony Press Release.


DAVID REEVES TO RETIRE FROM SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE

Tokyo, April 15, 2009 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that David Reeves, President, CEO and Co-Coo, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), and Deputy President, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., will retire from Sony Computer Entertainment Group as of April 30, 2009.

David Reeves joined SCEE in 1995, where he was responsible for establishing and managing the regional offices of SCEE in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He moved back to the United Kingdom in 1999 and leveraging his talent and skills in the broad areas of sales, marketing and operations, Reeves contributed immensely in selling millions of the original PlayStation®, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and establishing the PlayStation name as the number one brand in the home digital entertainment industry in the countries and regions across the Europe/PAL territory. In 2003, Reeves was appointed President and COO of SCEE and CEO 2 years later, and while having nearly 100 countries in the Europe/PAL territories reporting to him and managing the vast market of diverse cultures and different business customs, he provided strong leadership in successfully launching PLAYSTATION®3 in the growing competitive landscape.

“David’s contribution in firmly establishing the PlayStation brand and expanding the business in Europe/PAL territories in his 14 year tenure at SCEE is immeasurable,” said Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to David for the many accomplishments he made to the PlayStation business and wish him the best luck in his future endeavours.”

“It has been a wonderful ride with PlayStation,” said David Reeves. “I never got to visit all 106 countries but managed 66. I have just two things to say on leaving: I want to thank all of those people who have supported SCEE and me personally in the past 14 years; you have been magnificent! Secondly, I am going to spend my time now trying to repay society for all I have taken from it. If your children are having physics lessons at the local school or wondering why their ski instructor is very elderly, your car mechanic has a bad back, or the social worker keeps bringing you PSP games, then it could just be me! Good luck to everybody at SCEE and everybody who continues to support us.”

About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PLAYSTATION®3, PlayStation®2, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PLAYSTATION 3 in November 2006, over 16.8 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level. Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 137.7 million systems worldwide. Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 44.5 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market. With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 13 million people have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 236 million items have been downloaded.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

What Have You Played This Week?

So this week i was mainly kept busy with Killzone 2 and Dynasty Warriors:Gundam. both games i can waste away hours in. i also got some games in the PSN sale, but only managed to play Piyotama so far. i really like it and hope the sale gives it the attention it deserves.

Killzone 2 - PS3 - Now the single player is out of the way, i've been focusing on getting the multiplayer badges. i'm doiing the disguise one at the moment as no matter how hard i try i can't get the air support medal.

Peggle - 360 - Finally completed the game, well "story mode" anyway. some of those last levels are terrible.

Dynasty Warriors:Gundam - 360- we all know what to expect, giant robots killing loads of enemies. but it works and i'm loving it. simple, fast, fun, effective. can't wait to try the sequal.

Piyotama - PS3 - i bought this in the sale and i can't believe i didn't play it earlier. the game is addictive in it's simplicity. the single player mode is hard, but i enjoy the continious style mode, no pressure and you can go on for ages. definatly a hidden gem on the PSN

Feel free to comment on anything i've played and what you yourself has played over the last week.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

UK PSN Update 09/04/09

Sony's got a sale on people so i've added it to the list this week. alot of things this week also, really makes up for last weeks poor one. remember, the sale is on until the 23rd of April.

Anniversary Specials
Wipeout HD [£11.99]
High Velocity Bowling [£4.79]
Crash Commando [£4.79]
Pain [£3.99]
Ratchet And Clank: Quest For Booty [£7.99]
Siren Blood Curse [£14.99]
Riff: Everyday Shooter [£3.99]
Dark Mist [£3.99]
Echochrome [£4.79]
Piyotama [£2.39]
Elefunk [£3.99]
Snakeball [£3.99]
Calling All Cars [£3.99]
Blast Factor Advance [£3.99]
Nucleus [£3.99]
PixleJunk Racers [£3.99]
Toy Home [£3.99]

PS3 Games
Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists Of Plastic [£7.99]
Flock [£11.99]
Worms [£7.99]
Hail To The Chimp [£11.99]
Little Big Planet – Rag Doll Kung Fu Costume Pack [£2.39]
Little Big Planet – Patapon Costume Pack [£1.59]
Quantum Of Solace – Map Pack [£3.99]

Demo's
The Chronicles Of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena

Guitar Hero - World Tour
Silversun Pickups Track Pack [£4.39]
“Its Nice to Know You Work Alone” by Silversun Pickups [£1.59]
“Panic Switch” by Silversun Pickups [£1.59]
“Well thought Out Twinkies” by Silversun Pickups [£1.59]

Rock Band
Toby Keith Pack 01 [£6.29]
“Beer For My Horses” by Toby Keith [£0.99]
“How Do You Like Me Know?!” by Toby Keith [£0.99]
“I Love This Bar” by Toby Keith [£0.99]
“She's A Hottie” by Toby Keith [£0.99]
“Should've Been A Cowboy” by Toby Keith [£0.99]
“Who's Your daddy” by Toby Keith [£0.99]
“New Slang” By The Shins [£0.99]
“Waking The Demon” by Bullet For My Valentine [£0.99]
“Warriors Of Time” by Black Tide [£0.99]

Videos
Infamous – City Of Fear Trailer
Motorstorm Artic Edge Trailer
Pain – David Hasselhoff Trailer
Mirrors Edge – Pure Time Trails Trailer
PlayTv – Update Q&A Trailer
Resistance Retribution – Shattered Stone Trailer
Resistance Retribution – Connect for PSP trailer

Wallpaper
Rag Doll Kung Fu Fists Of Plastic – Master Wallpaper
Crash Commando – Fight Wallpaper

Theme
NONE

PS1 Classic
NONE

PSP
Ape Academy [£14.99]
Lemmings [£14.99]
Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice [£14.99]
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror [£14.99]

Wipeout HD - Tempory Fix

i sent out a tweet last night seeing if anyone had issues with Wipeout HD as i was having some issues.
turns out it's a fairly widespread problem. this is a temporary fix, which has been making the rounds on the net, for the game.

1. Sign out of PSN.
2. Launch the game.
3. Choose "Online" from the main menu, letting it sign you in to the PSN.
4. Acknowledge the release notes for the 1.30 patch.
5. Wait for the game to auto-save.

i tried this and it worked for me. once you get the game to save, you don't need to do the following steps again to get it to work

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

New Zero Punctuation: Grand Theft Auto - China Town Wars

This weeks Zero Punctuation focuses on Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars.
Lets just say "all it's faults are balanced by it's other faults..." or "all the foulness mixes together to create to something halfway decent in the middle, it's almost prodigious in it's retarded genious"...all classic stuff

Sunday, April 5, 2009

What Have You Played This Week?

Killzone 2 - PS3 - i have now finally completed the game! the last part of the game is very hard, it took me hours to get past all the waves. still, i liked the end of the story, and really loved the game.

Peggle - 360 - Still fun, addictive, though i'm not really that great at it. nearly completed the first single player section.

Hitman:Blood Money - 360- I had always looked at this game and thought about getting it, so when i rented it i was excited. i hated it. couldn't even finish the second level. i hated the controls, the way it played...even some of the game mechanics. i don't think this holds up well nowadays.

Unreal III - PS3 - Been getting in some practice before mate gets his PS3 online and we can do it co-op. it's very good, graphics hold up well. and now my version got it's DLC, i'm looking forward to taking it online. doing single player at the moment whilst i hone i my skills

Flower - PS3 - it had been a while since i last played it, which is a shame cause i really like this game. the music, the graphics, the gameplay...it's all soo very good. it really is a must buy, and much like fl0w, i can see myself coming back to it time and time again

Feel free to comment on anything i've played and what you yourself has played over the last week.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Game Release Schedule - New Addition

Hello all, just letting you know that under the twitter feed (to the right of the blog page) there is now a UK release calendar for games. at present it only includes April, but i will try to get May done soon. i'll try to keep this up to date, but please understand that this is by no means a guarantee that the game is coming out when the list says.
this is a trial thing, depending on how manageable it is, will determine if it's a feature worth keeping. any feedback is welcomed, positive or negative.
i do apologise that this addition has increased the load time for the blog page a little, hopefully it won't be too much of an inconvenience.

It's simple to use, you should be able to just scroll it seeing the releases of the month. if your unable to see the whole game title, click on it, then click on more details. this should load up a new page where you can see the full name.

So please enjoy. as you'll see, there's a fair bit coming out in April, especially the 24th.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

UK PSN Update 02/04/09

Slim Pickings this week. Unreal III got another release, this time it's for discs BLES00200

PS3 Games

Naruto Ninja Storm – Storm Pack 9 [Fee]
Naruto Ninja Storm – Storm Pack 10 [Fee]
Sonic Unleashed – Chun Nan Adventure Paack [£3.19]
Pain – Ao No Kutsu [£0.79]
Pain – Brock Lee [£0.79]
Street Fighter IV – Classic Pack [£3.19]
Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 – Isles Of Conflict [Free]
Unreal III – Titan Pack [Free]

Demo's
NONE

Guitar Hero - World Tour
The Pixies Track Pack [£4.39]
“Debaser” by the Pixies [£1.59]
“Monkey Gone To Heaven” by the Pixies [£1.59]
“The Sad Punk” by the Pixies [£1.59]

Rock Band

Sponge Bob Square Pants Pack 01 [£1.69]
“Where's Gary” by Sponge bob Square Pants [£0.59]
“The Best Day Ever” by Sponge bob Square Pants [£0.59]
“I Can't Keep My Eyes Of You” by Sponge bob Square Pants [£0.59]
“C'Mon C'mon” By The Von Bondies [£0.99]
“Don't Stop Believing” by Journey [£0.99]
“Geraldine” by Glassvegas [£0.99]
“Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar [£0.99]

Videos
Split Second – Announcement
R.U.S.E – Announcement Trailer: The Bluff
Everybody's Golf – Extra Excitement Trailer

Wallpaper

Rag Doll Kung Fu Fists Of Plastic – Hero Wallpaper

Theme

Pain – El Chile Grande
Pain – Brock Lee Theme
Rag Doll Kung Fu Theme

PS1 Classic

NONE

PSP
Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce - Demo

When your downloading something, you should notice that now, after firmware 2.70, a eta is given for how long it will take to download something. [not when your background downloading]

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

New Zero Punctuation: Halo Wars

Great video, with a nice surprise at the start!
whilst some things he says are what has been said about the game...with quotes like "as the exasperated Chinese zoo keeper said to the last male Panda in the world...Fuck That!"



And watch after the credits for a little short!