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PSP Go '3-Game Digital Pack' going for $150 'while supplies last'
Taking to the US PlayStation blog, Sony director of hardware marketing John Koller revealed the PSP Go "3-Game Digital Pack" -- a $150 PSP Go bundle that includes three full (downloadable) games being sold at "retailers nationwide." In addition to a $50 savings from the recently lowered PSP Go asking price, it packs in LittleBigPlanet, SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3, and Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters. Interested parties should head to their nearest brick-and-mortar ASAP, as the bundle is only available in "limited quantities," and "at most retailers" the deals are "one day events and are while supplies last." If digital games aren't your style, the PS blog also revealed Sam's Club's 160GB PS3 Slim bundle -- the console itself, a copy of ModNation Racers, an extra black Dualshock 3, a Blu-ray remote control, and a copy of (the adorable) How to Train Your Dragon for $399.
LittleBigPlanet 2's latest innovation: the 'Controlinator'
Today, Media Molecule unveiled the latest (verb)-inator device (after the Creatinator and the Grabinator) usable in LittleBigPlanet 2: the Controlinator. This device allows objects to be controlled directly, instead of by complicated arrangements of switches. We're excited by the possibility of better vehicle implementations in player made games, but at the same time ... there are starting to be a lot of -inators for us to learn. Hopefully the next device revealed will be some kind of Educinator.
Amazon selling three PS3 Greatest Hits for the price of two
Let's face it -- cases from the PS3 Greatest Hits collection just look great on a shelf. That tiny, elegant package. That deep, crimson hue. Today, Amazon's offering a pretty efficient way to spruce up your library: Purchase any three Greatest Hits titles, and you only have to pay for two of them.
LittleBigPlanet's original concept sketches and showreel are disturbing
Prepare yourselves to be genuinely unsettled, dear readers. Media Molecule released a batch of truly revealing concept art and an animation test, revealing the true reason for LittleBigPlanet's protagonist's plushy composition. Now, we're just guessing, but by the media seen below, we think Sackboy is made of ... well, sack, because it makes him all the more entertaining to squish, crush, immolate and eviscerate. We may never look at him (or his creators) the same way again. Check out the disturbing concept art in the gallery below, and the even disturbing-er animation reel after the jump. %Gallery-106989%
Digital Foundry compares LittleBigPlanet 2 engine to original
While we're still so totally mad at LittleBigPlanet 2 for its recently announced delay, we couldn't avoid sharing Digital Foundry's recent examination of the game's improved graphics engine. In a series of levels designed to test the game's graphical strength, the Digital Foundry team compared the fog, lighting, textures and special effects to those of LittleBigPlanet the first, concluding that ... um, the sequel looks way better. However, the comparison brought about concerns that some minor changes between the two engines, such as the draw distance of fog effects, might end up breaking some of the user-made levels from the first game. Check out the comparison photos and video over on Digital Foundry.
Media Molecule toyed with full 3D level design in first LittleBigPlanet
The original LittleBigPlanet was billed as a platform for platformers -- but what about those gamers whose favorite entries into that particular genre include Kazooies, Ratchets and Bandicoots? Media Molecule co-founder Alex Evans recently revealed to Joystiq at Gamescom that an early build of the original LittleBigPlanet allowed for that kind of 3D gameplay, explaining, "LBP 1 had free depth and completely moving cameras, and the gameplay engine wasn't layered fundamentally." Evans added that while the developer "used to make levels that could travel into the screen," this feature was ultimately removed from the game. "It's really unconstrained in 3D. It's really hard -- I mean creatively unconstrained, it's really difficult to have something to push off," Evans explained. "We found our level designers wasted tons of time in 3D land, so we iteratively reduced it, first of all we reduced the scope, then we added the layers, and with each restriction we did, it improved the quality." According to Evans, the lack of 3D platforming wasn't due to a technical snafu, but rather, "entirely a game design decision." He added, "so when we go 3D, and I'm assuming at some point we will go 3D, the challenge we will have, and any other user-generated content company -- you know, I want to be one-upped, I'd love to see a fully-3D creation game. I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm saying we haven't cracked it yet." Keep an eye out for our full interview with Evans in the coming days.
Get an early glimpse at LittleBigPlanet's Marvel Costume Pack 4
On August 17, Marvel Costume Pack 4 -- the final Marvel costume pack for LittleBigPlanet -- will be available for download. Included in this pack are an eclectic mixture of Marvel's best and worst, including The Hulk, Storm, The Punisher, Green Goblin and, as you can see above this text, the master of magnetism himself, Magneto. Feel free to smash into our gallery below and check out each new Super Sackboy. %Gallery-99423%
The Daily Grind: Graphics don't matter?
Spend any time around gamers and you'll likely hear the phrase "graphics don't matter." It's one of the pillars of gaming wisdom, if you will, that has probably existed as long as there have been graphics and nerds arguing about them. I've got friends who swear up and down that "gameplay" is all that matters, and a soft spot for high-definition eye-candy is the mark of a shallow gamer. Perhaps this is one reason why critical darlings like LittleBigPlanet, anything with Mario in the title, and World of Warcraft gobble up the superlatives despite visual aesthetics that might have been state-of-the-art in 1995. Graphics are also quite subjective (if you don't believe me, look for the inevitable "WoW has a consistent art style" comments below), calling into question the validity of the "graphics don't matter" hypothesis. Clearly they matter to some folks, and In some games, like Age of Conan, high levels of world detail not only look beautiful but can also can obscure mobs and add to the challenge and/or immersion. What about you, dear readers? Do you care about graphics, subscribe to conventional gamer wisdom, or both?
LittleBigPlanet's Sackboy gets stuck in Limbo
Can't be bothered to pony up the $15 entry fee for Limbo? Don't fret, miser -- just check out PSN user bra2008's take on the Summer of Arcade title in the PS3 platformer platform, LittleBigPlanet. As seen in the video below, the level does a nice job of capturing the aesthetic of its inspiration.
LittleBigPlanet gets more Marvel heroes, bananas
Both iterations of LittleBigPlanet recently had their future DLC plans outlined, and ... well, we're sensing a bit of inequality. Next Tuesday, PS3 players get Marvel Character Pack #2, which includes Elektra, Human Torch, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man and Thor. Meanwhile, PSP players get ... a banana.
European PSN releases for July 7
A handful of big ol' games became even bigger this week with a few high-profile DLC releases, such as Modern Warfare 2's "Resurgence Pack," and Dragon Age: Origins' "Leiliana's Song." Also, LittleBigPlanet gets a booster shot in the form of a Marvel Level and Costume Kit, and the new and improved version of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge hits the storefront. Click past the jump for the full release list! Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Marvel costumes (finally) coming to LittleBigPlanet July 7
Media Molecule knows you've been waiting in agony for those Marvel-themed LittleBigPlanet costumes revealed at Comic-Con last year, but the studio has come up with a solid way of making amends: Starting the week of July 7 and then on every other following week, the game will receive four Marvel costume packs, each of which include the outfits of five different characters from the Marvel universe. Click past the jump for all of the heroes and villains you can expect. In addition, Media Molecule announced the Marvel Level Kit, which includes a pre-made adventure that has you battling against Magneto, who has virtually zero power over sackcloth. While toppling Magneto's reign, players will be able to collect "Marvel-themed music, objects, materials, stickers, and a special 'Rooftop' background." This is all great news -- now, about those Final Fantasy VII costumes ...
European PlayStation Plus subscribers get free LittleBigPlanet [update]
If you live in Europe and were intrigued by the deals, trial games and complimentary downloads offered by the recently announced PlayStation Plus subscription plan, you might want to sign up with a quickness.
Jam-stained Heavy Rain costumes coming to LittleBigPlanet
Though the thematically distinct universes of LittleBigPlanet and Heavy Rain don't have much business crossing over into one another, we're in full support of the former's upcoming batch of DLC based on the latter. The costume pack, which will hit the US PlayStation Store later today, costs $1.99, and includes the outfits of Heavy Rain protagonists Ethan, Madison, Jayden, and Shelby. Also included is an origami hat, stained with the crimson hue of spilled ... jam. (We're guessing Media Molecule's stance on blood hasn't changed.) We can't wait to see the LittleBigHeavyRain levels these costumes inspire. "In order to save your jelly beans, you'll have to cut off your own shoelaces. You have three minutes." [Via Videogamer]
Worlds collide in LittleBigPlanet's 'Kevin Butler Ware' micro-games
It's been a while since we last posted about a LittleBigPlanet creation that really knocked our socks off, but maybe that's because we were simply waiting for that super special level. You know, a platforming masterpiece that combines Sony spokesperson extraordinaire Kevin Butler with the fast-paced micro-games of WarioWare into a single, functional package. We weren't aware science had progressed far enough to make this fusion possible -- but the very existence of "Kevin Butler Ware" seems to indicate that it has. Check out the video after the jump to see this extremely clever level in action.
Amazon offering Father's Day PS3 bundles, LittleBigPlanet included
Is your old man still just a kid at heart? Does he show proficiency for structural design, but lacks the power tool expertise required to actually build said designs? Does he ... like ... platforming games starring adorable, sackcloth protagonists? My, what a coincidence -- Amazon is selling a special Father's Day PS3 bundle which includes a 250 GB PS3 Slim, an HDMI cable, and a game that should fit your Pops' needs quite nicely: LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year Edition. The bundle sells for $350 (the base price of the console alone), and will go on sale June 12th. We'll wait around for a bundle which is more tailored to our dad's preferences, which is to say, one that includes Def Jam: Icon. Yes, that's how he rolls. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
LittleBigPlanet 2 FAQ clears up some confusion, confirms Stephen Fry
The debut trailer for LittleBigPlanet 2 created more questions than it answered, most of them relating to the sequel's compatibility with DLC for the first game, and how the new features promised in said trailer would function. A handful of these queries have been put to rest by a FAQ post published on the PlayStation.Blog. For instance, the post confirms that all objects, costumes and decorations collected in the original game should carry over, except for objects using a graphical glitch or exploit. More importantly, QI host and wildlife enthusiast Stephen Fry will reprise his role as the game's omniscient narrator. However, the FAQ also references "custom Voice Acting," a feature with a capacity for hilarity that we've yet to be able to comprehend. For more answers to your burning questions, check out the full LittleBigFAQ.
LittleBigPlanet crashes into PlayStation Home today
This week's PlayStation Home update promises to be the LittleBig-gest ever. It will add the LittleBigPlanet PlayGround space, which features the King's Snap Happy Photo Challenge, a new Home-exclusive minigame that lets you take pictures to unlock rewards. There's also a Creator minigame that has you building a custom LBP-themed wallpaper for the XMB using a variety of stickers you can place, stick and combine. (Check out the trailer after the break.) Finally, Qore fans will want to pay attention to this: show hosts Veronica Belmont and Audrey Cleo will be making an appearance in Home to chat with fans of the PSN video magazine. For more details, check out the PlayStation.Blog.
$60 PS3 Greatest Hits & DualShock 3 bundles on Amazon
First-party PS3 controllers are still retailing at the relatively lofty price point of $45 (plus tax!) -- wouldn't you rather pay just a little bit more and get a game to go along with your peripheral? Amazon will give you the opportunity to do just that with a selection of $60 bundles, which include a DualShock 3 controller and your choice of "Greatest Hit" in LittleBigPlanet: GOTY Edition, Resistance 2, Killzone 2 or inFamous. These pairings seem to be an extension of the Uncharted/DualShock bundle offered last December. Like the Uncharted deal, these bundles will likely be available at a number of other retailers -- but we've highlighted Amazon because it offers free shipping! [Via CheapCollegeGamers]
Media Molecule co-founder talks LBP2 changes, Move support
In a recent interview with VG247, Media Molecule co-founder Mark Healy talked about some of the big changes coming to LittleBigPlanet 2 -- not all of them were revealed in this morning's action-packed, Passion Pit-infused trailer. According to Healy, improving the "Play, Create, Share" pillars of the first game was a focus for the sequel. The first two will be bolstered by new creation tools like the Direct Control Seat and character AI, which allow you to modify the genre of your homespun creations. The Share pillar will see the implementation of the web functionality teased last year, suited to creating personalized websites for each of your in-game creations and making them easier to share with other players. Media Molecule will also streamline the stage-finding process with Level Links -- badges you can embed within your levels, which players can use to hop directly into another of your creations, or the next sequential level in your fully-formed game. Finally, on the subject of Sony's motion controller, Healy said the potential to play the game using only the Move and Sub Controller "seems like a bit of a no-brainer." However, he added, "we're totally going to go to town on supporting that, but I don't think we will have the full functionality at launch." After watching this tech demo, we're not sure we can wait for the Move's near-limitless capacity for Sackboy-griefing.
