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Take a look at the gorgeous openings of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD
Sure, you've already shed dozens of sympathy tears over Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, but have you ever shed tears of joy from the sheer beauty of the games, now updated to high-def? Well, these two videos, showcasing the opening to each game from the upcoming Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection re-release, may cause a bit of eye-born precipitation. At very least, they'll serve to get you extra pumped for the September launch of the remastered duo on PlayStation 3.
Sony still investigating scope of PSN attack as maintenance outage enters Day 6
As Sony's forced PlayStation Network and Qriocity outages continue, stretching into what is officially Day 6, the company issued a very un-update to would-be users this morning: "Unfortunately, I don't have an update or timeframe to share at this point in time," said corp. comm. director Patrick Seybold on the PlayStation Blog. "As we previously noted, this is a time intensive process and we're working to get them back online quickly." Speaking to PCWorld, SCEJ spokesperson Satoshi Fukuoka clarified that a "thorough investigation" was ongoing into what the company has characterized as an "external intrusion" into its system, which prompted the service suspensions. More troubling than any frustration caused by downtime over this past weekend, however, is the continued uncertainty about the extent of the attack. According to Fukuoka, Sony had yet to determine if users' personal information or credit card numbers had been accessed by the apparent hackers. If that's found to be the case, he assured, Sony would promptly inform those potentially affected. On Saturday, Seybold noted that "additional security" would be put in place before the services relaunch, calling this "re-building" effort both "time-consuming" and "necessary."
Sony Japan denies any earthquake-related NGP delays
Sony's Japanese arm has told the Wall Street Journal that earlier reports suggesting Japan's recent earthquake would delay the release of the NGP in some territories -- including comments made by SCEA president Jack Tretton -- were outright "wrong." Company rep Satoshi Fukuoka said it expects "no impact from the quake on our launch plan," and that while that plan still calls for the device to arrive later this year, Sony has never said it would launch simultaneously in Asia, North America and Europe. Sony will, however, continue to monitor the situation in the earthquake- and tsunami-ravaged region and alter its plans if necessary.
Gran Turismo 5 course creation tools demonstrated on video
One of the main reasons Gran Turismo 5 has been in development for so, so long is because Polyphony Digital has packed it to the gills with content, and that includes the race track creator demonstrated after the break. Just think of the all the Mario Kart levels you could repurpose for the game's kart races ...
Gran Turismo 5's full Trophy list revealed
Alongside today's news that Gran Turismo 5 retail discs have begun popping up in Europe comes a video detailing the game's entire Trophy list, minus three "Hidden" Trophies. Czech site Konzolista has the whole shebang, backed up by a clip found on GT Planet. Rather than detailing the Trophies, we're gonna leave it to you to choose -- the clip has been embedded after the break and contains potential spoilers (albeit, seemingly minor ones). You've been warned!
Gran Turismo 5 retail discs spotted in Europe
Over the weekend, a handful of tipsters sent Gran Turismo fansite GT Planet photos of what appeared to be retail versions of Gran Turismo 5. The photographic evidence began to pile up, and it seems that some gamer slash gearheads in Europe are already playing the game -- this is, of course, after the game was delayed to an unknown release date. Additionally, the game's entire Trophy list has been revealed, adding fuel to the fire. At the very least, this confirms GT5 director Kazunori Yamauchi's statement about discs for the game already being in production, though it doesn't put us any closer to knowing when exactly the game will finally arrive at retail. Will GT5 follow the path of the Sega Saturn and simply become available "right now," whenever the publisher deems it so? It certainly seems possible as of this report. But then, we all know how well that went for Sega's game console.
White 320GB PS3 coming to Japan October 21
There's been White PS3s released before, sure. And 320GB hard drives? You bet. But together? That's a first! As seen on Sony Japan's official website, the "classic white" 320GB HDD-equipped model will sell for ¥34,980 ($410; same MSRP as the black 320GB) and comes with a single, matching DualShock 3. Also being introduced today is a "white/blue" alternating-colors PSP. Though it won't be shipping with any games, this model visually contrasts the red and black God of War PSP (which is also being released in Japan sans God of War). Both color options go on sale November 18 for ¥17,800 ($208). Neither the White PS3 Slim nor the blue/white PSP has been announced for North American release, but we're hoping the folks at SCEA realize that North Americans like clean design choices too!
Patapon 3 multiplayer demo moves to the beat next week
Demo-demo-demo! That's what we imagine you'll be screaming to yourself as you download the Patapon 3 demo from PSN this upcoming Tuesday. To make things even better, the PlayStation Blog informs us that it's a multiplayer demo -- a sampling of the internet-based functionality that will be included in the franchise's third installment. Now, before you ask, the demo isn't exclusive to PlayStation Plus subscribers, so one and all looking for their taste can get it. Clear up some space on your Memory Stick -- you're going to want to check this out on Tuesday, July 6.
Famitsu: White Knight Chronicles coming to PSP in 2011
Level-5's White Knight Chronicles may have had some issues, but it's not stopping the company from pursuing a sequel, set to be released in Japan next month. It would seem the series is also extending to Sony's PSP, as the latest issue of Japanese mag Famitsu (via Andriasang) reveals a PSP entry set for a 2011 launch. While White Knight Chronicles 2 wraps up the story of Leonard and the events set in motion by the first game, the PSP game will introduce a new story and characters. "And then, to a new world," the text on the teaser page announces. "White Knight Chronicles New Project. A story of your avatar and new allies, told on the PlayStation Portable, is set to start in 2011."
Bleach: Heat the Soul 7 revealed, still not leaving Japan
In the five years since the Bleach: Heat the Soul franchise began, Sony has managed to create seven games, all exclusively for the PSP. Considering Bleach is a relatively popular anime series in America, we're dumbfounded by Sony's continued refusal to bring a single one of these games over to America. The seventh iteration of the popular fighting game franchise will add four-player battles, according to a report by Siliconera. Perhaps taking a page from Monster Hunter's tremendous success, you'll be able to fight "giant enemies," something that will most likely require the use of the newly added four-player mode.
Sony puts together Patchwork Heroes demo for March 4
Known as Million Ton Barabara in Japan and the work of Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord?! dev Acquire, Patchwork Heroes is hands-down the coolest-looking PSP game about sawing up giant airships we're ever seen. Okay, so it's the only game of the type we've ever seen -- viva la originality! Sony has announced that we'll all get to experience the (we hope) joys of dismantling flying war machines tomorrow, Thursday March 4, when a demo of Patchwork Heroes hits PlayStation Network as part of the service's usual weekly update. It all goes well, it should fulfill our weird 'n wacky gameplay needs through the entire weekend.
Is this it? Michael Jackson 'This is It' PS3 Japan bundle
Corporate synergy keeps the late "King of Pop" alive, as various divisions of Sony conspire for a special This Is It PS3 bundle. The ¥33,500 ($365) Japan-only set releases January 27 and comes with a Blu-ray movie of Michael Jackson's behind-the-scenes concert film, along with a 120GB black PS3 Slim. No word if this bundle will come with a white PS3 later. So, let's get this straight: Japan gets a Michael Jackson PS3 bundle, while the US is "blessed" with a Hannah Montana PSP pack? That's bad, come on, you know that's bad. And the whole world has to answer right now, just to tell us once again: that's bad! [Via Engadget]
Sony's Japan Studio urged to create more PS3 games
Japan Studios has had little impact on the PlayStation software library this generation. The platform's greatest hits so far have, instead, come from America and Europe. Titles like Uncharted, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, Ratchet & Clank, Resistance, God of War, and WipEout all come from various studios at SCEA and SCEE. But what has Japan Studio created thus far? Siren, Trash Panic, and The Eye of Judgment -- noteworthy games perhaps, but hardly a collection of system-selling blockbusters.Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida explained to Gamasutra that "their focus was shifted onto the PSP, which reflects the success of the PSP as a platform in Japan ... It's completely opposite of the way how US and European teams moved onto working on the PS3 and we see the fruits of those efforts, while Japan studios shifted their focus onto the PSP." Of course, handheld owners have much to be thankful for: system-defining hits like Patapon and LocoRoco were created out of Japan Studio's dedication to the platform.However, the next year (and beyond) should be very different for Sony's Japanese developers. With The Last Guardian and Gran Turismo 5 coming from Sony's other Japanese studios, the pressure is on for other developers to follow suit. "We are now re-energizing teams and coming up with new ideas for PS3 development," Yoshida said. "We'll be able to show fruits of this work sometime next year."
Last Guy Trophies hitting US tomorrow, DLC next month
So, we were right! When we reported about Trophies and DLC for The Last Guy a few weeks ago, we just knew we'd be seeing the new content come our way. According to the PlayStation Blog, there are 15 Trophies to collect in tomorrow's free patch.In addition to the patch, the first DLC for this PSN title will arrive next month. It will include eight more Trophies and three new stages. A price wasn't set, but we assume it won't be much. It definitely won't be free, either (because the Japanese one certainly isn't). It looks like Himalayan zombies are back, folks!
PS3 Fanboy hands-on: dress
You might think that something called dress is all about frills, plunging necklines and eating disorders, but that's really only half the story. There's more to the modestly named paid service from Japan, including some rather odd yet somehow relevant mini-game tie-ins (you know, stuff that actual gamers care about). And from the looks of things, there's only going to be more coming.So, dress in a nutshell is part fashion sim, part clothing ad and part mini-game collection. It's an interesting mix to say the least; however, after having "played" with it for awhile, it's a combination that just doesn't seem to work. In retrospect, it's still very much a young service which will be expanding with new content as time goes by, though there are still so many missing elements to this service that could've made it a great addition to something like Home. All in all, it's one great experiment and we're interested in the concept of this unique collaborative effort. Hopefully you're still with us on this and reading on to find out more as we go inside dress. That ... that doesn't sound right.%Gallery-42244%
Level-5 says White Knight Chronicles coming to North America, online region locking not decided yet
Yes, White Knight Chronicles is coming to North America; Akihiro Hino, the CEO and president of Level-5, says so himself. In an interview with GameTrailers, Hino reaffirmed that Level-5 plans to bring the game over to North America, but he did not disclose when it would be coming.Furthermore, when pressed for the possibility of North American gamers playing alongside Japanese gamers in WKC's online components, Hino neither denied nor confirmed the cross-region play with a "hasn't been decided yet" response. This sort of wording leads to speculation that such a feature might be in the works and will be implemented if Level-5 works out all the kinks. It would be great if they do. To see the full video interview, just have a look past the break.
Resident Evil 5 gets custom PS3 bundle
It looks like that Yakuza 3 bundle isn't the only SKU out on the market with an extra dash of special detail. A bundle for Capcom's Resident Evil 5 will also feature a unique 80GB PS3 adorned with a Tri-Cell logo. It's perhaps not as stylish as the Yakuza 3 one, but at least it comes with a second controller. The set hits Japan on March 5 alongside the debut of RE5 and will retail for ¥48,980 ($522). It's interesting to see Sony pursue an interest in this sort of hobbyist/collector appeal strategy. Microsoft has been employing the tactic in Japan for several years now, releasing major J-RPGs in the territory with custom faceplate bundles. It'll be interesting to watch the rest of the year to see if this stratagem bears fruit, or becomes commonplace for other big name titles. In any case, don't expect to see these babies outside Japan ... seeing as we never got the silver and white units.
LocoRoco 2 coming to North America on Feb. 10
Well, this news is sure to leave you smiling ear to ear for the next week -- a tad awkward if you're meant to be at a funeral in the near future, but that's just how LocoRoco rolls. The giggling explosion of euphoric colors, more elegantly dubbed "LocoRoco 2," is officially slated to arrive in North America on Feb 10, 2009. The PlayStation Blog notes that the anticipated sequel will be available then on UMD, but we hope to see a version of LocoRoco 2 arrive on the PlayStation Store as well (Japan's doing it!). It'll save us the trip into the outside world, which we hear is a rather dour place. %Gallery-27791%
English Demon's Souls hits PS3 February 2009
The Japanese version of Demon's Souls is scheduled for release in early February of next year, but it looks it won't be the only one making it out that month. Siliconera suggests that the Asian version will also ship in February and most interestingly will be entirely in English. The site recently went hands-on with a new build at the Asia Game Show in Hong Kong and have discovered that the demo was, in fact, completely in English. Now, it is possible that the final release in Asia may not be in that language; however, that is really moot. It's most important to note that there is some form of English language version and it is currently in the works. At the moment, there haven't been any mention from either SCEA or SCEE in regards to North American and European releases for Demon's Souls.
Japan's latest LocoRoco 2 commercial makes us smile
Why can't we have more ads like this? It's so simple, yet so fun. It's sort of like being LocoRoco the game itself, in a sense. We can't help but smile and feel happy after watching this. It's so silly. Oh, and in case you were just wondering, LocoRoco 2 hit Japan today. That's news to everyone but our European readers, of course. They're too busy playing the darn thing to notice.
