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Warhawk, fl0w expanding in December
Expansions are coming for popular Playstation Network titles fl0w and Warhawk, according to Game Informer magazine. Firing Squad reports that a recent issue of the magazine reveals expansions in development for both downloadable titles, with planned releases in December. The Warhawk expansion will introduce a dropship into the game, which can pick up and relocate ground vehicles. The fl0w expansion, meanwhile, will add a multiplayer mode to the abstract game, as well as a new playable creature. While expansions for Warhawk are a no-brainer, it remains to be seen how typical downloadable content will fit in with the incredibly atypical fl0w.
Tartarus featured in new God of War screenshots
The God of War madness will not stop! Sony's released yet another batch of screenshots from its upcoming Chains of Olympus, this time focusing on Tartarus. There isn't much more to say: these pictures show off Kratos doing what he does best. %Gallery-3212%
Seven first-party downloadable PSP titles coming 2008
Sony Computer Entertainment America is currently developing seven original titles for the PSP, due out next year via download through the PlayStation Store. According to sources speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the first-party septet encompass three action games, two music-based games, one shooter and one racer (where does Calling All Cars fit into that list?). They will be approximately one-half to one-third the size of current UMD disks and are intended to provide two to ten hours of gameplay. Sony is also reportedly courting developers to provide more original titles to the network. No other details are currently available. The PlayStation Store, currently only accessible via the PS3, will be available through the PC and PSP next year.
SCEA creates in-game advertising group, keeps Home free
How does Sony manage to keep stuff like Home free? Seems they decided to create a new in-game advertising business unit to assist in the cost and upkeep of the new "virtual space". Darlene Kindler was appointed to be in charge of the in-game advertising strategies, along with the partnership with Nielsen Media Research from July. As revealed in a recent job posting, in-game advertising is something Sony's serious about. The two companies will share network data from our PS3's and the PSN and work advertising into our virtual lives.What can we expect? Just about any sort of "dynamic, relevant advertisements" you can think of. SCEA will make sure they're just like ads in real life -- billboards, posters, images on shopping bags or soda cans, things on your TV, and more. While this is a neat concept, we don't know how well it'll actually work. Sure, we could customize our avatar to drink Coca-Cola, but will that really make us want to go buy some? Who knows. Still, promotions like those will undoubtedly let free PSN services thrive.
Sample the God of War soundtrack
There's more to God of War: Chains of Olympus than good looks. In fact, it sounds amazing as well. Check out the background music of the Battle of Attica. To download directly to your PSP, why not visit our mobile site at m.pspfanboy.com using your PSP system? Download MP3
PSP Fanboy hands-on: God of War demo disc
Wait, that's it? Even though the demo goes far beyond what we've played of the game so far, we can't help but want more. But that's a good thing: it shows how compelling God of War: Chains of Olympus is. It's easily a system-seller, and will probably become the best title in the entire system's library when it releases next March. What makes it so compelling? Everything that you know and love about God of War is here on the handheld. The battle system is perfect for hardcore and casual players alike. Button mashing will work in the game, especially in the demo, but there's an appreciable amount of depth to the system. Dodges are activated by holding both shoulder buttons, and blocking is triggered with a single shoulder button. There's a slight pause when you block, akin to God of War 2, which has us thinking a counter system will be implemented later in the game. Each battle is fun, and within no time, you'll be ripping people in half, doing combos, and juggling enemies in the air. It's absolutely accessible and instantly rewarding: ideal for a handheld game. The UMD demo begins as all Chains of Olympus demos have: with the battle of Attica. After the now-familiar battle with a dragon-esque beast, the demo continues to unfamiliar territory. Yet another boss battle, one with the Persian king Efrit. He utilizes a magic attack that attacks the immediate area around him. While it's easy to get around his wide-sweeping sword, players will have to dodge quickly to avoid the long reach of the magic spell. Once again, we get to see Kratos' brutality at play, and a hint of the story that's about to unfold. The Persian king offers money in exchange for his life, but Kratos won't have any of it. Once again, quick button pressing events are scattered throughout the battles, and the incredibly visceral animations that occur make them still feel as fresh as ever. Kratos' bravado makes him a compelling character still, and seeing him literally make the boss' head explode is gratifying. %Gallery-3212%
It's here: the God of War demo disc
We check our mail and find the God of War: Chains of Olympus demo disc staring back at us. As you read this, we're already playing the game, preparing our impressions. Until then, you'll just have to gawk at these pictures (taken with a camera phone, sorry!). And don't worry, when we're done with the demo, we'll be giving it away. (Oh, and did we mention that we have three copies to share?) %Gallery-8040%
Uncut footage of Kratos fighting a boss
God of War needs no fancy trailers. It doesn't need clever editing to make it look cool. No, all you need from the franchise is good, uninterrupted gameplay footage. And that's what we have here today. Watch Kratos go mano-a-mano against this Chains of Olympus boss. It doesn't appear to be direct-feed, but it should give a good idea of the kind of fun you can expect from the upcoming UMD demo. (Oh, and because the finale of this video is pretty brutal, you must be 17 years or older to watch it. See it after the cut.) [Thanks, Hashbrown_Hunter!]
It was inevitable: GoW demo strikes eBay
When you attach words like "not for resale" and "limited edition" to something, you know it's going to end up on eBay. Already, one overzealous eBay seller has placed his demo disc up for auction. For a free disc, it's getting a pretty penny: 1,150 of them, to be precise. The seller says "allow 2-3 weeks for delivery." Why? Because it's obvious that they don't have the disc yet. Hopefully, lostmyheadnmind, the high bidder, doesn't mind. [Thanks, Michael!]
God of War: Chains of Olympus demo disc finally gets shipped
That took long enough. The God of War: Chains of Olympus Special Edition: Battle of Attica demo disc (also lovingly abbreviated as GOW: COO –SE:BoADD) is going to make its September release date, with only a few days to spare. This demo is quite possibly the most anticipated demo in recent memory, with forums constantly abuzz about its ever-shifting release date. Considering the limited number of copies being printed, it might actually end up being a collector's item (let's see how much it goes for on eBay). We're eagerly awaiting our demo discs, just like you, and we can't wait to share our impressions of Kratos' upcoming PSP adventure with you. [Thanks, kspraydad!]
PS3 Fanboy review: Heavenly Sword
Sony has recently started up their holiday blitz by releasing three highly anticipated games for the PlayStation 3; Warhawk, Lair, and Heavenly Sword. While Warhawk was released to almost universal praise, Lair was largely met with torches and pitchforks. So where does Heavenly Sword fall? Does it achieve the soaring greatness of Warhawk or is it doomed to languish in the used sales bin at your local videogame store like Lair? %Gallery-4886%
God of War's Tartarus, revealed
See new screenshots in our updated gallery. This is Tartarus!!!!! Kratos' upcoming PSP adventure, Chains of Olympus, will go through the depths of Tartarus -- and we have the latest screenshots. Check out Kratos doing what he does best: killing lots of big things. In addition, check out some of the meticulous art that the team at Ready at Dawn is preparing for its AAA PSP game. There's no shortcuts here folks -- they're putting a lot of effort into this one. %Gallery-7757%
TGS07: fl0w team's next game, fl0wer
It's amazing to see what adding two letters to the end of a word can do. thatgamecompany, creators of the fan-favorite fl0w, is working on a brand new project. Not much is know about the new project, but considering the unique atmosphere created by the team's previous endeavors, we're excited to see what they can bring to the table. [Via Joystiq]
Today's most flowery video: 'fl0wer' trailer
If the title looks like a blatant ripoff of indie fave fl0w, that's because it's actually the same developer. Thatgamecompany, that game company which brought abstract underwater battle to PSN, is working on a new game, announced via a short, artsy trailer at the Tokyo Game Show. We don't know much (okay, anything) about fl0wer -- only that it's being developed for PS3, and that it's not yet playable. Based on the name, we expect that it will at least be a spiritual successor to fl0w, which started as game designer Jenova Chen's graduate thesis. View the serene teaser after the break, and let the speculation begin.
TGS07: flOw expansion pack brings new creatures
A lot of people complained about the lack of critters in the ambient world of flOw. We don't really know why -- it's sort of a calming experience no matter what little amoeba-like creature you decide to evolve. Well, an expansion pack for the game is on its way and you can expect a new playable creature, a new enemy, and new types of food. The new creature is another of that circle-type creature you could play as before and the enemy is another variation on the spiky-puffer fish thing. Don't get too close! Another addition in the expansion is the funky ability to play as two different creatures in multiplayer. Now you don't have to argue about which small tapeworm thing is you. Nobody knows when this expansion pack is getting released, but it seems the most important addition is the ability to choose different characters in multiplayer.
Three new videos of God of War: Chains of Olympus
Sometimes the simplest headlines work the best. God of War: Chains of Olympus may be the most anticipated title on the platform, and seeing new footage of never-before-seen levels is certainly a feast for the eyes. How Ready at Dawn managed to squeeze so much tech into such a small platform we'll never really understand, but we're glad they can do it. Check out the rest of the videos after the break.
God of War easter egg hidden in Heavenly Sword
Members of the PS3 Forums have found an interesting easter egg in Heavenly Sword. Kratos' sword and armor from God of War can be found somewhere in the depths of the armory during Kai's mission. Now, that begs the question: who would win in a fight: Kratos or Nariko? (We're siding with the tortured Greek here.) [Thanks, XxBigP123xX!]
Heavenly Sword downloadable content coming ... if it sells well
It's a two-way road, this video game business. Developers want you to buy their products so, in turn, if you request something from them then you had better be willing to front the cash. During a presentation and Q&A at last night's Warhawk tournament at 3Rooms, Tameem Antoniades (co-founder of Ninja Theory) was asked what his response was to the criticism that Heavenly Sword was too short. He replied that Ninja Theory are definitely interested in extending the experience via downloadable content - but only if it sells well. The game has been getting good reviews pretty much across the board, with the most common criticism being that there simply isn't enough game to play. With the marketing push that is happening in Europe (we couldn't get through the paper this morning without being greeted by Nariko's face at least twice) we expect the game to sell well, but will it sell enough to persuade Ninja Theory to release extra content? We sincerely hope so. If you want to see it happen, then put down the money and buy the game.
Blast Factor: Advanced Research EU release date unearthed
ThreeSpeech, on their neverending quest to squeeze PSN info out of Sony Europe, have managed to get their hands on the release date for Blast Factor: Advanced Research. The add-on will go onto the store on September the 20th which, coincidentally, is the day the Tokyo Game Show starts. We're wondering what else Sony will have in store for us that day - hopefully they will pull off a hat trick and hack a whole host of new content up, as was the case with E3 and Leipzig. There's no word on how much Advanced Research will cost, but if we can find out then we will let you know. %Gallery-4025%
Sony bans homebrew talk from its official forums
After months (nay, years) of homebrew chatter on Sony's very own PlayStation Forums, it appears that Sony is finally cracking down. With the launch of the PSP-2000 at hand, it appears that Sony wants people to become oblivious to the world of homebrew, due to system security and piracy concerns. "Homebrew applications void the warranty of the PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) system, and an official area to discuss such activities cannot be provided by SCEA. Any postings that are clearly homebrew-related, such as those providing instructions on downgrading firmware updates, will be removed from this board ... Any posting found to be in violation of this policy is subject to an immediate deletion. Members who continue to violate this policy may be subject to an immediate ban from this community, or other disciplinary actions as determined by the community Administrators."It looks as though Sony is serious about wiping out homebrew, at least on its own turf. Boo! We were going to start a homebrew column here on PSP Fanboy. Does that mean we'll get in trouble from Sony?[Via Games Radar]
