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Reminder: Lost Planet demo is back online
Kaboom.That was the sound the servers at Capcom made when Lost Planet went live on the PLAYSTATION Network. Perhaps they didn't expect the demo to be as popular as it was? Well, after taking the demo down, it's back on the Store for download. In fact, many of you have e-mailed us saying it works fine now.We enjoyed our time with the demo before the demo issues became burdensome. Jump online, don a mech, and see you online.
This Week in DLC: Lords of Patapon, Discs of Tron
Looking for some recommendations on this week's downloadable content? Let Joystiq and our respective Fanboy sister sites help you out in our first-ever installment of This Week in DLC. Here are some snippets from the review, click on the fancy link for more in-depth impressions:Xbox Live Arcade Commanders: Attack of Genos: "Having played the trial, we can definitely say that we wanted more when it was over." Discs of Tron: "For many the game marks a nostalgic treat, but for others it will be simply another retro seat-filler." Gallery: Commanders: Attack of Genos
Sony touts 52 million PSN downloads
Boy, you guys must really hate going to your local game retailer. Sony today announced that it's PSN Online Store has racked up an impressive 52 million downloads since launching with the PS3 back in November '06 (and expanding to the PSP in November '07).For context, Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace reached to 50 million download milestone back in August '06, roughly five months faster than Sony's network (when staggered launch dates are taken into account). Sony's current mark of 2.9 million registered PSN users also pales in comparison to the 7 million Xbox Live users as of last September, though Microsoft's head start likely played a part in that lead.Still, Sony's online service is going in the right direction, growing from 6.6 million downloads in Dec. '07 to 7.9 million in Jan. '08. And with the PS3 starting to outsell the Xbox 360 in the American marketplace, could the much-predicted Sony turnaround finally be coming to pass?
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith announced, GHIII getting 'Dream On' for free
In an announcement that may just usurp the throne from Electronic Arts as the king of milking franchises, Activision has announced plans for a new Guitar Hero title, casting aside the franchise's reputation for offering a wide breadth of rocking tracks in favor of highlighting a single band -- Aerosmith. The news echoes comments made by guitarist Joe Perry last year regarding the series' next installment, at which time he said that the next Guitar Hero game would be dedicated to the band's music. The announcement comes following Activision's promise earlier this month to return to the well this year, with the newly announced Guitar Hero: Aerosmith currently expected to ship to retail in June with Neversoft handling the game for the Xbox 360 and PS3, and Vicarious Visions taking care of development on the Wii. Details remain nonexistent concerning what tracks we can expect to make the cut, with guitarist Joe Perry commenting only that the title is "based on the diversity of the Aerosmith catalog." With a game dedicated to one -- and only one -- band, we have to assume that whatever songs do find their way onto the disc, they'll be master tracks (they better be).And if June seems to far off for those of you hugging your Steven Tyler doll while staring at the Pump tour poster on the wall, Activision has announced plans to release the band's 1973 power ballad 'Dream On' as a download for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of GHIII (Sorry Wii owners, but you knew what you were getting into). The song will be free from February 16-18, so get it while it's hot!
Try on Patapon: demo comes to PSN today
In honor of Valentine's Day, the folks at Sony have given you a demo for Patapon, a strategy-laden, color-filled, happiness-inducing rhythm game from the crazy minds behind LocoRoco. According to the official PlayStation blog, the demo is set to come out sometime today for you to download through either the PlayStation Network PC store or the PS3 store. It also has the "same save-to-final feature" as the UMD version, which we assume is the exclusive weapon we heard about in late January. In the time it took you to read this post, you could've downloaded the game already. What are you waiting for?%Gallery-11837%
Rumor: Classic GTA, Street Fighter Alpha coming to PSN
What's that? You can't wait until PSN Thursday to find out what's coming to the PS3's download network. You want some kind of insider info to find out what might be coming in the next few weeks or months. Well that's just greedy, and we're not afraid to tell you so.But we're not above enabling your greed either, so we'll pass along the latest rumors of what's coming, courtesy of England's Official PlayStation Magazine. According to the latest issue, original PlayStation classics Grand Theft Auto 1 and 2 will soon be available for download, along with Street Fighter Alpha. No word on when they're coming or how credible the magazine's information is, but beggars can't be choosers. So, uh, stop begging.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
PS2 backwards compatibility not dead yet
Gamers disappointed with the PS3's backwards compatibility (or the lack thereof) might find interest in reading the latest issue of EGM. In the mag, an interview with SCEA senior marketing VP Peter Dille and director of PSN operations Eric Lempel hints that PS2 backwards compatibility isn't completely down and out. When asked about the lack of bc support possibly crossing out chances of ever having downloadable PS2 games via the PSN, Lempel answered back with "there are possibilities through technology and software emulation to make that happen." Lempel refused to talk about any specific plans, but hasn't flat-out denied that it isn't something being worked on. On another note, Peter Dille states that PS2 backwards compatibility is still important to Sony. He reconfirms what we already know, that the removal of PS2 backwards compatibility helped lower the overall price of the PS3. However, consider the fact that Sony has cut production costs for the PS3 by half, and then the reason not to have "expensive" emulated bc seems a little moot. If Sony does decide to support downloadable PS2 games playable through emulation, it's very very possible that the software emulation could also play that precious PS2 disc collection of yours.
flOw with these new screenshots
PSP owners are in for a treat when flOw comes out in March. This PSP port of the PS3 downloadable title will feature all of the content of the original game (sorry, the expansion pack isn't included). It looks like visually, the PSP version will match the fidelity of the console original. flOw is perfect for on-the-go gaming, and will certainly be a interesting and relaxing addition to our commutes. Check out the new screens in our updated gallery. %Gallery-15561%
Buggy Lost Planet demo pulled from PSN, new demo coming soon
Last week's PSN update brought us the demo of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, but numerous glitches and user complaints have forced Capcom to pull the demo from the Playstation Network, promising to return it once the problems have been solved.Posting on the official Playstation.Blog, a Capcom representative states that the fixed version will "accurately reflect" the game's online features. The servers for the demo have been also been shut down temporarily, so anyone who has already downloaded the demo will find themselves unable to log on to play. The Capcom rep promises that the team is working hard to deliver the update as soon as possible.Though removing content for bug-fixes is a tad more unorthodox than simply releasing an update, we assume the issues with the Lost Planet demo were severe enough to warrant its removal, and we're all for whatever gets that content as clean and optimized as possible.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Finally! Everyday Shooter arrives in Europe this week
That took long enough. Queasy Games' PSN masterpiece, Everyday Shooter is finally heading across the Atlantic. Why did it take so long? (The US release was back in October.) We may never know. But, we're glad for our European friends that can finally enjoy Jon Mak's gift to fans of synasthesia. Our review of the downloadable was rather glowing. Jem Alexander said the game "manages to differentiate itself from all the others by introducing new, innovative gameplay mechanics, an incredible score and an intimate, personal experience which is the closest thing I've felt to video games being art." [Thanks, Simon R.!] %Gallery-4926%
Japanese trailer gives you some insight into echochrome
If you didn't catch it on PSP Fanboy, there was a new trailer released for the upcoming title echochrome that attempts to explain some of its mechanics. It's also just fun to look at. Well, since there's not much to say other than "watch the trailer", our work here is done. It looks like the game will be wild and stylish, but not exactly something that'll wow your friends. Unless they really, really like art.
PSP Fanboy hands-on: The Cryptics
The Cryptics is a daring addition to the PLAYSTATION Store. It's not a game, nor is it a video. It's an interactive comic, done in a similar style to Konami's Metal Gear Solid digital comic. The $2.99 download will give you nine episodes, each of a varying length. Some will last thirty seconds, while some will span for two-three minutes. Each strip revolves around a cast of monster misfits getting into some everyday trouble. As revealed in the plentiful behind-the-scenes videos, the creative team of Steve Niles and Ben Roman was attempting to emulate the feeling of a daily strip, such as Peanuts. Although the characters are extraordinary, the situations they find themselves in are very much grounded. The humor comes from the clashing of these two disparate elements.At $2.99, this digital download will cost roughly the same as a traditional paper comic. Each episode comes with a small discussion with the artists, and there are two additional behind-the-scenes videos in the Extras section. All in all, you'll get about half an hour of content in the download. The comics themselves are presented without any voice acting, but will pan around the screen dynamically. We noticed a good deal of aliasing issues, and found that some scans were very low resolution. Compared to Metal Gear Solid, the technical presentation of this package just isn't as solid.So, is The Cryptics worth it? At $2.99, you won't lose much for trying it out. It certainly is an interesting way of utilizing the medium, and it's something we'd love to see more of in the future. As a fan of Tokyopop's I Luv Halloween, the art of The Cryptics easily justified my purchase. I'll admit that the humor won't appeal to everyone, but it's such an intriguing new medium for the PSP, that I can't help but recommend it.
Echochrome cheaper on PS3 or more on PSP; a matter of perspective
Like an MC Escher drawing, this news could be seen a handful of different ways: either Sony is doubling the price of Echochrome for the PSP UMD release or is halving the PS3's downloadable price. Either way, Siliconera reports that when the game is released in Japan on March 19, the PSP version will cost ¥3980 (about $37) while the PS3 release will cost ¥1800 (about $17). Update: The price discrepancy is due to the former version containing twice as many puzzles -- the value of which is debatable considering you can make your own. Sure, the price could change for the North American market (as Siliconera sagely points out, several games from Jeanne D'Arc to Patapon have been cheaper here) but what about our Japanese gamer brethren? With Patapon going for a ridiculously low $20 on UMD, could they really charge much more for the simple, yet similarly bewitching, Echochrome? %Gallery-11823% [Via PSP Fanboy]
flOw bringS anNoying cApitalization to psP (on March 6)
Posting on the official PlayStation blog, SuperVillain Studios has announced that serene swim sim flOw is expected to surface on the PlayStation Portable early next month. The comparatively puny version will include all of the content from the PlayStation 3 game (with the exception of its expansion pack) while eschewing SIXAXIS motion control for analog nub rubbin'. It's unknown how much you'll have to splash out when the downloadable title washes onto the PC's PlayStation Store, but we'll be sure to put up a fuss if we think we're getting pond* by the price. *We are so very sorry.
First trailer of flOw on PSP
It was a huge hit on PS3. Will it be able to recreate the same success on PSP? This downloadable PSN title has you playing as an ever-growing, ever-evolving creature in a dog-eat-dog world. Equally relaxing and competitive, flOw challenges the everyday look and feel of a game. Will the lack of SIXAXIS tilt controls make it less engrossing, or will it give PSP owners the precision they want? We're impressed by the visual fidelity of this PSP version -- it looks just as good as the PS3 one. We can't wait to find out more. %Gallery-15561%
Sony wants Pirates Versus Ninjas Dodgeball on PSN
Gamecock is trying to capitalize on the popular internet meme in their upcoming XBLA game, Pirates Versus Ninjas Dodgeball. Although currently an XBLA exclusive, it looks like there's strong interest to bring the game over to the PSN. "Sony really wants this Pirates vs Ninjas game we're doing for Xbox Live and we're platform agnostic so if we're investing in a title let's give it a chance wherever there is one," Gamecock CEO Mike Wilson told GI.biz.The PSN offers a number of unique opportunities for developers. Unique games like flOw and Everyday Shooter have managed to flourish on the PSN -- certainly, they would've floundered if released in a traditional retail space. Also, unlike XBLA, there are no size limitations on what developers can provide. "The market's not there yet but it will be and it's nice that you don't have this 150MB limitation. It will be interesting to see how it emerges as a market.[Via Joystiq]
EA dev: PSN has the capabilities to rival Xbox Live
Electronic Arts are bring the game Army of Two to our consoles sometime soon. The assistant producer for the title, Matt Turner, has come out and said some pretty positive things regarding the PlayStation Network. While admitting the accessibility of all functions with Xbox Live give it the slight edge, Turner says the PSN has all the capabilities to support everything its competitor does.Expect some workarounds to the PSN in Army of Two like what EA accomplished in Burnout Paradise. "We have friends lists accessible during the game, you can send invites and your friends can join you - it's as easy as doing it on Xbox Live," he says with what we assume was a clever grin. When we do get in-game XMB access and Home, the weights might shift to a more level playing field between Live and PSN, but we'll see.
Solution to PAL PSN delays coming 'in the next six months'
In an interview with Screen Play the Managing Director of Sony Electronic Entertainment Australia, Michael Ephraim, was asked to comment on the ridiculous delays between releases on the PAL/Australian PSN versus the US/Japanese PSN. Ephraim confirmed that the issue was the fact that all content needs to be localized for all the European languages (no change there, we've known that for months). "We're in an online space, it's a global community," he says. When pressed that "digital distribution is supposed to break down geographic barriers," Ephraim responds that "there are discussions and we have identified that. We have been very vocal about it and I think you will see an improvement over the next six months on this issue." Should we take this to mean that a global online store is coming within the next half a year? Not impossible, but let's be realistic - we'll probably see European content lag become much shorter within that time frame (or, hopefully, nonexistent) rather than an entire global PSN Store. Doesn't mean we can't cross our fingers for one, right?[Via Kotaku]
New Call of Duty 4 maps 'on the way'
At last, after more than three years of clumsy existence and thousands upon thousands of tiresome, incompetent instances of waffling, we've managed to condense an entire news story into a remarkably efficient headline. It's quite miraculous, really, and it likely signals our arrival at the pinnacle of our blogging prowess. No longer will hasty readers have to suffer through pompous opening paragraphs and interminable tangents before laying eyes on the actual news!So anyway, Activision has announced that new downloadable multiplayer maps for its smash-success shooter, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, are "on the way" to the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network. Questions regarding release date, price and quantity went unanswered by the publisher, thus leaving the headline as the only useful sentence in this entire post.
EGM rumor mill suggests Everyday Shooter to PSP, God of War to PS2
The rumor-mongering masters at EGM have a few juicy tidbits to contemplate in their upcoming March issue. The notorious Quarterman is back, with a few more rumors: They say: God of War: Chains of Olympus will move to PS2. We say: Yeah, that's almost a certainty. But, how long will gamers have to wait for a console port? PSP games that move to the home console usually take a year to transition, and by then, PSP owners will have already moved on to bigger and better games. If you need your GoW fix any time soon, you're going to play it on Sony's handheld. They say: Everyday Shooter will arrive on PSP. We say: Yep, that's also almost certainly going to happen. flOw made the jump from PSN to PSP, and we're confident that many games will follow. Considering Everyday Shooter's simple control scheme, it's perfect for PSP. We can't wait. See also: The top PSN games we'd love to see on PSP.
