X-Intelligence Krew (XIK)

Max Payne 3 Looks Just Like Uncharted

2009-06-24T03:30:00.000-07:00

Straight out like Uncharted. So here we have a title we haven't seen in some time, Max Payne 3, is looking interestingly familiar to a game we all love and can't wait to get our hands on. Well, is that a bad thing or a good thing? We don't really know actually, I suppose it could be great if they can pull it off, but then again, people don't like look-a-likes. Either way, lets get back to business. Rockstar has unleashed a hand-full of screens of its latest title. Apparently our main character ends up in the same place where Uncharted 2 takes place, no, really! Or maybe it's Resident Evil 5? Okay, well one of those where there are, well, lets just leave it at that.

Check out these screens that we know might have you wondering, but it is really Max Payne 3 and not Uncharted 2 or 3 or Resident Evil 5.5? Though I haven't played a Max Payne game, I keep thinking this isn't really the setting it should be taking place in, is it? Let us know what you think, and don't forget to check out the screens.

Ladies and Gentlemen Introducing the ExXbox

2009-06-19T20:04:00.001-07:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bears & Balls - Tobacco, Project Natal & Graveyard Bids

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Stephen Colbert in Iraq

Natal? That's so PS2 and early PS3 Stuff Called Eyedentify

2009-06-18T02:23:00.000-07:00

Until the two new technologies from Microsoft and Sony aren't deployed on the market, we will definitely won't know (with facts) who will come out on top, and who will have the better specs. Of course we could wait for them to come out, or in this case for our personal enjoyment, we could jump back in time when this technology was actually thought of. Yeah, you read correctly, the technology used rather awkwardly on our creepy friend Milo, actually existed in games for quite sometime. Let me jump to the PS2 era for a bit.

Back in the PS2 days, there was a peripheral called the Eye Toy. The Eye Toy was said to create innovative ways of playing video games. This was clearly not something gamers were so hot about, thus the Eye Toy never quite took off as the big thing it could of been. Because of that fact, Sony did not exploited the Eye Toy's potential further. Here we can start to presume where the Wii got its motion ideas from. Maybe?

In early posts you have clearly seen that Sony's "new" motion technology dates back to the Eye Toy's date, yet greatly perfected. You can clearly see a demo of it in this video that came on the Game/DVD disk on any copy of the Official PlayStation Magazine (OPM) when it used to be published.

Clearly, the technology existed way before Natal, PSEye, and the Wiimote. Interesting?! We think so, but this is not the end of things.

Now, we know Natal's supposed advantage over the PSEye or the Eye Toy is the fact that it can read depth. Okay, thats pretty cool, though not much of a technology advance. So since we can't really tackle that part, we move forward to Natal's supposed voice recognition abilities. I believe it was stated before that Natal did not recognize voice by itself, but rather the game or the software, or the Xbox 360 OS would recognize the voice. (With the help of an update of course). Well thats funny, the PS Eye is able to get voice feedback from the players, and is able to recognize voices when games utilize its ability. Interestingly enough though, many games use voice to control action. Zulu commands on some Rainbow 6 games, and the latest game using this being End War clearly showcase this fact, but to actually interact with a creepy kid with voice? Now thats amazing... Actually, if the PSEye had not created this before, it might have been great, but unfortunately, PSEye along with the PS3 were pushed out with a very interesting game that seems to mimic what Milo tries to do. The main differences being: less creepy, and back a few years ago. Here is the video of what I mean, and the game is called Eyedentify.

More Eyedentify News & Previews

Well thats interesting, isn't it? The game recognizes when the player comes to screen, and uses detailed voice controls and recognition. I wonder if this is where Milo, Natal and all those odd names were derived from?

Of course, Sony has not exploited all the PS Eye capabilities. Just imagine if the PS3 next firmware update enables voice recognition across all XMB (in and out of the game.) Cool, I wont have to do much to change a song when I'm playing Killzone 2.

There are quite some interesting twist that Natal does, but at its core it really seems like a little better PS Eye with a huge software support. Again, we'll see when this wave of controls come out. If I may state my opinion though, the striking similarities of Eyedentify and Milo are very interesting. To me it seems like Microsoft's motto is hard at work: Microsoft - "We Copy & Paste."

The Gorgeous Ladies of Uncharted 2

2009-06-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

As promised by the PS.Blog, the ladies of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves were also interview right after Mr. Nolan. Jeff was lucky enough to meet up with the voices behind Elena Fisher and Choloe Frazier, co-stars of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves along side main star Nathan Drake. I was quite surprised to recognize one of the gorgeous ladies of Uncharted 2. I can safely say, Uncharted 2 packs some big talent. The voices of our female co-stars are Emily Rose and Claudia Black. As previously stated I was quite surprised to recognize Claudia's voice and face, from Stargate SG1. According to Jeff, they both have "some pretty extensive TV resumés." Again, I'm quite impressed!

In this videos the ladies talks about the task they have joyfully done aside from the voice acting. They surely reflect on the characters. Emily talks about how grateful she is that people loved the fact that she was back from the first Uncharted. Check the full interview video here, and don't forget to leave your thoughts

Like Jeff highlights, we can't get over the fact of how much resamblence there is between the actors and the characters in the game. Quite satisfying!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Nathan Drake

2009-06-17T03:32:00.000-07:00

Or at least his voice anyways; meet Uncharted 2's Nolan North. You probably have heard this guy before, and most likely laughed about his jokes. If you haven't you should check out some trailers, he is quite good at it! So who's Nolan? Well from the title, you might have guessed that he is non-other than Nathan Drake, our Uncharted hero.

So the PS.Blog has a video for you to check out with an interview to Mr. Nolan North. The quite humble side of Nathan, I mean Nolan, takes over giving most of the credit to the other people behind the scenes. Along humbly taking this interview, Nolan tells us how much all the actors have brought their own personal touch to the game characters. What Nolan expects you to do is appreciate and love the characters, which we all know we already do!

"Man, we were almost in that!" - but jokes aside, check out the interview in the video here.

OH, one last thing, the PS Blog will have more be releasing another video with the ladies of Uncharted 2 next, so keep on the look out.

CryEngine 3 vs CryEngine 2

2009-06-17T02:59:00.000-07:00

So you have known for sometime that CryTek was hard at work with the CryEngine 3 for deploying on consoles, but do you want to know what or how it actually looks? Of course you do! the upcoming Crysis 2 will make its way to the PS3 and the 360 thanks to this engine and so we wanted to know how much did the game suffer by brining this game to consoles?

Not to worry, we have a video here to let you know just how much that change looks. Joystiq closely examined the video and had this to say: "Closer examination reveals how top-end gaming PCs are still capable of rendering better graphics with CryEngine 2." And according to tehdaza on Youtube, "CryEngine 3 running on console hardware is about the same as CryEngine 2 running on 'medium' settings." apparently "The look of the console versions can be recreated on the PC by using low textures, high shaders and object geometry and medium on all other settings," says Joystiq.

For you own conclusions here is the video.

'Majority' of back catalog PSP games will be downloadable Oct. 1

2009-06-11T03:07:00.000-07:00

While you are arguing about the price point of the PSPgo being too high, or if when you open the thing it looks plain out fuggly, you can't deny one thing: you want it; you want it bad. I mean I do?! I don't mind having that piece of hardware with me, specially with the crappy phone I carry around. Regardless, Sony has confirmed that "just about" every PSP game available after October 1st will be available for download. (October 1st being the release date of the PSPgo)

With that said, according to our friend Jeff from the PS.Blog discussed with Destructoid and Joystiq about the availability of the third party titles at that time. Jeff said: "The majority of back catalog PSP games will be made available for download around the launch of the PSPgo." when asked about if he meant strictly about the first-party titles he said "the majority overall."

In other words, the "majority" of previews PSP titles will be downloadable as of October 1st. After Oct. 1st however, all first-party titles will surely be released on the PlayStation Network. And just to keep check with most gaming sites, this means that Resident Evil PSP will be most likely not a PSN exclusive - just saying...

MLB09 The Show, Quantum of Solace movie on New PS3 Bundle

2009-06-11T02:47:00.000-07:00

Bundle incoming! There is a new PS3 bundle inbound to release June 14th. The new bundle will include MLB 09 The Show and Quantum of Solace movie one Blu-Ray. The bundle is apparently going for $399. Furthermore, Joystiq contacted Sony for confirmations and this is what they got:

"it appears not to be a Walmart exclusive from initial checks. We also can't confirm that this bundle is the one previously discovered in the Best Buy system, as more detailed photos revealing the UPC don't match up."

So it is unclear whether the bundle is Walmart exclusive, but you get the point. Fire up those wallets because just like joystiq, we know that father's day is right around the corner. Don't let this one slip! Besides, seems quite like the dad's package. So thoughtful of Sony. Let us know if you'll be picking this one up for dad!

Get Your Groove On with VidZone Tonight

2009-06-11T02:27:00.000-07:00

SCEE's exclusive on-demand music video service for the PS3, VidZone, is downloadable tonight. Thats right tonight! The free service will allow you to stream music videos on demand by streaming them directly to your system. There is a catch though, as you have read this is a SCEE exclusive, meaning US regions will not see VidZone on the PSN Store.

This free application for the PS3 will give you access to music videos on demand as previously stated. It can be found on the PS Store, and then on you music icon on the XMB. This app gives you the ability to watch single videos, or compose a custom playlist. You can rewind and fast-forward with ease. You can also create playlist with your PSP and have them wait for you on your PS3. VidZone has partner up with a major music labels and indies as well. With artists ranging from: Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, Fatboy Slim, Black Eyed Peas, Glasvegas, Dizzee Rascal, P!nk, Noisettes, Ne-Yo, Armand van Helden, Tori Amos and Akon, to name a few, VidZone has your back when it comes to getting you music videos.

We don't know when or if we will be able to see this coming to the US, but as noted by Joystiq, you could always get it from a friend, or some work around. "Whether or not Sony has put an IP region lock on the software itself is unknown. We'll find out for sure tomorrow."

Source

Sony is 'ripping off' consumers with PSPgo?

2009-06-10T02:15:00.000-07:00

It was meant to happen, someone, somewhere, somehow had to hate the PSP Go very, very much, and that someone has talked. Michael Pachter Wedbush Morgan analyst, hates the PSP Go. Well, not the machine itself, but rather it's high price tag. According to Joystiq:

On a recent episode of Bonus Round, Pachter matter of factly states, "$249 is too much. Period." He goes on to say that while the handheld is priced to compete with Apple's $229 8GB iPod Touch, it doesn't deliver the iTunes App Store or downloadable music from iTunes (as conveniently, at least, as the iPod Touch).
Furthermore, he posits the $250 price of the PSP Go is vastly overinflated considering its contents, claiming it costs Sony less to build and ship the PSP Go than the PSP-3000 model, "The $169 PSP-3000 is a profitable device -- the disc assembly, for a UMD, costs more than 16 gigs of flash does. So this new device doesn't cost them as much as the PSP-3000 and they jack the price up $80?" When Keighley presses Pachter as to whether Sony is "ripping off" the consumer or not, he answers, "They're rippin' off the consumer ... they're making a lot more money on the PSP Go than the PSP-3000."

Quite porwerful words there, Pachter. While it seems like the PSP Go will not get a lower price tag anytime soon, Sony might be trying to make it up for some PS3/UMD looses. Let us know your thoughts on your comments below!

Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines better than other portables versions

2009-06-10T01:30:00.000-07:00

Interestingly enough aside form Resident Evil coming to PSP, Assassins Creed is also coming to PSP, and yes this title is also not a port but a complete all-new game. How you wonder? Well for starters, the Assassin's Creed franchise was downsized before for the DS and the iPhone. When this happened, the experience changed completely and looked nothing like Assassins Creed. For the most part the DS lost most of the beauty and playability of what Assassin's Creed is, and the iPhone was a step up, but wasn't a great one. The PSP version, however, looks much alike the original version of the first installment.

While we don't exactly know how the game will play out, the pictures shown here hint that the game will in fact be a full 3D experience. As you can see the pictures shows Altair stalking possible enemies for a hidden blade kills, and overlooking the not-so-populated medieval city.

Let's hope this game is rather decent, and that we will see more coming if it is. What do you guys think? Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines better than other portable AC games? Are you buying it? Let us know in the comments.

Hot: Booth Babes of E3 09 [Update 1]

2009-06-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

This years E3 came back with a vengeance, and to give us all a welcome, Booth Babes have comeback! Let see what they are up to:

Video Game - E3 2009 - E3 2009

MOAAAR Babes:

Wii Owners Today, PS3 Owners Tomorrow Says New President of SCEE

2009-06-09T02:41:00.000-07:00

There is a new chief in town (a new SCEE president that is), Andrew House (like the FOX hit TV show, not that I has anything to do with this post) has wasted little to no time on giving his thoughts on the current generation war. House has apparently made some very high statements telling Edge-Online that he believes that Wii owners will eventually 'upgrade' to PS3. He bases this off of prior figures that pit the life cycle of the PS2 against that of the N64. (Joystiq notes that he probably meant GameCube), he goes on citing Nintendo's console as the "entry level gaming device" and suggested consumers were undoubtably planning to "upgrade to a more powerful machine later in the life cycle when the price point was right for them."

From that we can take that House is looking at this for the long term of the PS3 future dominance. While for many people the price is far from 'right,' that will eventually change perhaps opening an big window. But as Joystiq highlights, House forgot one little factor dubbed the Xbox 360. What is your take?

PSP Resident Evil is complete new title, really

2009-06-09T02:23:00.000-07:00

Yup, there was indeed a Resident Evil game announced at E3. This new RE game is coming to a PSP-3000 or PSPgo near you, but why don't you seem to care? There has been a lot of difference zombie games and RE remakes going around so you are in all your right to not care, but hear us out.

According to Capcom's Chris Kramer, the game is "an all-new title created specifically for the PSP platform, with the PSP Go in mind". You see that? He said all-new! Not a spin of from RE1 or 2, but a completely new game with the PSPgo in mind. There was not much said at E3 about this game, but as far as we now know it isn't something you should be yawning about. (Unless you don't like RE games, but that's another fight we'll finish sometime.)

Now about whether the title will be download-only or not, we aren't sure, but to enlighten some of you that didn't get what the fuzz was about, "the PSPgo will not replace the PSP-3000 or the UMD." There will be downloadable options and tangible media for you to choose from, so unless Sony changes its mind we should see this available for all PSPs alike.

XIK LIVE @ E3 09 Sony Press Conference: The Montage!

2009-06-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

As last year, Sony Agent Hunter X was live at this year's Sony E3 Press Conference and got you the scoop on all the news PlayStation. After the big closing of the gaming expo giant, our agent brings the video footage of the on-site craziness. The video is about 20 minutes of pure stuff you most have seen, and some behind-the-scene footage. The experience overall of being there is amazing. The pictures and complete overview of this year's Sony's dominance on the show floor will be up soon after this video post. For now, indulge yourself on this feed alongside out fellow G4 mates. We also like to thank our PS3Center.Net community for letting us host the video on their servers. Go Sony!

PS: As promised, I will be posting my infamous haircut pictures ("breakup haircut"/E309 haircut) on Facebook, so make sure you check this links (when they are updated) if you want to see how I look now (DON'T) (In case no one here knew, I accepted uploading my new pictures once the video was done.)

Photos: E309 Sony Press Conference Gallery
Haircut: DON'T

As always Remember to let it load!

Original version full quality:

Flash version quality loss:

Viddler Flash version:

Video Links:
Raw Server
Flash Raw Server
Viddler
(Will update as more videos come online)

E3 09: Aliens vs. Predator E3 Trailer

2009-06-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

Video Games - E3 2009 - Video Game Trailers

E3 09: SOE sets Guinness Word Record at E3

2009-06-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Okay? Really? How? Well it is kind of interesting, but I don't think I even understand. Here it is though. Guinness World Records recognized Sony Online Entertainment and Jive Records recording artists, The Dares, for - and here is the whole deal of this post - the first ever concert to take place both in the real world and virtually at the same exact time during E3.

Couldn't that be beaten easily though? I mean... well I don't know, but congrats to SOE for setting a Guinness record. It seems like Guinness has been paying a lot of attention to games lately, you know with all the FUEL deal. I wonder if I create the first-ever crap sim game, would I get a Guinness? Just imagine a game where you're only duty is to go to the bathroom, and, well, do your duty...

A++ stuff, right?

Here is the picture of the record setters:

Photo (Left to Right): Torrie Dorrell (SOE), Matt Peterson (Drums), Martin Lascano (Bass), Ben Peterson (Lead Guitar/Vocals) and Gaz Deaves (Guinness World Records).
Photo Credit: Sony Online Entertainment

E3 09: DanceDanceRevolution is Back

2009-06-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Where has DDR been for the las couple of months? I sure have not heard of it in sometime, but hey, there is some news stuff coming. All you DDR fans will be to know that DanceDanceRevolution is coming to PS3 and Xbox 360. The revised game will be taking advantage of a brand new mat that has eight buttons. Thats twice as many as the previous ones. According to Joystiq you'll need 8 feet, but there have been 8 buttons DDR mats since its launch back in PSone days. (I have one of them) Usually the extra 4 are used as face buttons and the others as directional ones, so don't get scared just yet. Either way we don't know how DRR will utilize this, but we hope it's good.

Both versions of the game will include 50 licensed tracks from artist such as Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Coldplay, Gorillaz. 150 classics tracks will be available for download at launch.

E3 09: Gran Turismo 5 Trailer

2009-06-03T20:47:00.001-07:00

More Gran Turismo PSP News & Previews

E3 09: Assassins Creed 2 Gameplay Demo

2009-06-03T20:43:00.000-07:00

More Assassin's Creed II Info

E3 09: Metal Gear Solid Coming to PSN

2009-06-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

The original Metal Gear Solid for PSN (PS3/PSP) has not been confirmed, but someone at IGN is playing it! We heard about the many PSone classic titles coming to PSN, but we didn't heard of any MGS title coming so what gives? Even thought the game has out in Japan for very long, Greg from IGN PlayStation team has got his hands on the title on the recently revealed PSPgo. In Greg's own words:

"After whining that I hadn't seen a white PSPgo yet, one of Sony's finest handed me a white slidey screen from a private area of the show floor and left me alone with it. I popped down on the XMB to see what games were on the 16 GB device, saw current stuff such as SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals Fireteam Bravo 3, and then ran into Metal Gear Solid in a little PSone Classics box.

The game started without issue, I skipped the opening cinema, and I began choking people out with Square like I was back in my parents' basement. Rather than run in forced widescreen, the game was showing in a 4:3 box in the middle of the PSPgo's screen. The load times were nonexistent, and the game looked pretty good. Basically, I can't fricking wait for this game to get its crap together and get on the PlayStation Network. Thankfully, this thing looked all-but-final and had the descriptions and assets that made it look like a retail PSN release, so it shouldn't be too far off."

Hopefully, we'll get to see more of the big hits come to the PSN soon. (And by soon we mean within a month, thank you.)

E3 09: Is Splinter Cell Conviction Really Exclusive?

2009-06-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

If you have been paying attention to the last couple of days, many exclusive titles have been revealed (and stolen). But from the bunch, there is one title in particular that many PlayStation fans have love for a very long time. As the title suggest, that game is non-other than the oh-so-stealthy franchise of Splinter Cell, namely Splinter Cell Conviction. Conviction finally came out of the shadows and was shown at the Microsoft press conference with a very amazing live demo. We know previous title, Splinter Cell Double Agent, was an exclusive of the Xbox 360, only to come out a year later on the PS3. Given this fashion, we can't help but to wonder whether or not Splinter Cell Conviction will come to the PS3 eventually. Well for all you Sam Fisher fans, we don't really have breaking news, but just a hope.

Joystiq asked producer Alex Parizeau about the title exclusivity, but Alex simply stated "It's exclusive." He also added that is was a payoff by Microsoft, I mean, a business arrangement with Microsoft. A bit more digging on the timed exclusivity got them nowhere. In the mist of all lost hope, Joystiq turned to the game's lead designer Steve Masters. When asked, Steve responded, "As far as I know, this is completely exclusive. But, that may change in the future." Oh well thats factual, not! We smell a timed exclusive, at least we would like to believe so. Hopefully, we'll know more as time goes on. Here is the SC: Conviction demo and trailer.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction at IGN.com

More Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction Info

E3 09: Quantum Theory E3 Trailer

2009-06-02T02:01:00.000-07:00

E3 09: EA Sports Presents MMA

2009-06-02T01:50:00.000-07:00

UFC 2009 Undisputed just came out, and EA is already looking to overthrown THQ's game. Today (Monday) EA announced a brand new EA Sports game to be added to the broad family of EA Sports. This title is non other than EA Sports MMA. According to the press release seen below, the game will be comng 2010 on Xbox 360 and PS3. Will the game have what it takes to stack up to UFC 2009 Undisputed? We'll have to wait to find out.

Press Release:

All-New Mixed Martial Arts Title Joins Award-Winning EA SPORTS Lineup

Guildford, UK., - 1st June, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that an all-new fighting title is in development at EA Tiburon in Orlando, under the EA SPORTS™ brand. EA SPORTS MMA will be available in 2010 on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

EA SPORTS MMA will feature the most authentic, intense and broad mixed martial arts experience to date, and will set a new bar for online sports competition – complete with a vast array of top fighters and fighting styles from around the world.

“With Fight Night Round 4 set to deliver a knockout with industry-leading visuals and genre-defining gameplay later this month, I couldn’t be more excited to announce the expansion of our combat sports strategy with EA SPORTS MMA coming in 2010,” said EA SPORTS President Peter Moore. “Fans have been begging EA SPORTS to get into the cage, and EA SPORTS MMA will put them in control of the sport’s unique combat experience while finally, in an immersive interactive experience, capturing the raw intensity that has made mixed martial arts one of the fastest growing sports in the world. We’re ready for the fight.”

The EA Tiburon studio carries a successful legacy, and is a leader in innovation, within sports video games. In August of 2008, EA Tiburon was named by GamePro Magazine as one of the top eight most powerful studios in the entire gaming industry. It is home to highly touted franchises, such as Madden NFL, NCAA® Football and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR®.

For more information about EA SPORTS MMA, log onto www.easportsmma.com.

E3 09: Splinter Cell Conviction IGN Preview Video

2009-06-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction at IGN.com

Yes, this is still an Xbox exclusive.

E3 09: Metal Gear Solid: Rising Trailer

2009-06-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

More Metal Gear Solid: Rising News & Previews

Yes, it is multiplaform...

E3 09: Prototype E3 Trailer: The Hunt

2009-06-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

More Prototype Info

E3 09: Crysis 2 Coming to Consoles

2009-06-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

Lets forget about creepy Mylo for a second here (if that is possible...) Crytek has announced that Crysis 2 will be wide available for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. There isn't waiting for the new wave of consoles this time, so you must rejoice. We might know more as E3 is just kicking off this week.

Press Release:

Redwood City, Calif. – June 1, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that it has agreed to a deal extension with Crytek GmbH, the award-winning developers of the Crysis® universe, to publish Crysis 2. Renowned for their technical excellence, artistic craftsmanship and commitment to quality, Crytek is building Crysis 2 on their new state-of-the-art multiplatform game development solution CryENGINE®3 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and the PC.

“The development of Crysis 2 marks a major stepping stone for our studio,” said Cevat Yerli, CEO and President of Crytek. “This is not only the next game in the Crysis franchise, it’s the first title we are developing for consoles and the first title being built on CryENGINE 3. We are excited to have the support of EA Partners again as we work together to make the launch of Crysis 2 a huge event.”

“Nothing speaks more to the success of the EA Partners program than when a studio the caliber of Crytek continues to work with us,” said David DeMartini, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA Partners. “Crytek is already one of the elite PC development studios in the world and we are excited to have the opportunity to partner with them in bringing their award-winning technology and gameplay to more platforms and a wider audience with Crysis 2.”

XIK Live @ E3 SCEA Press Conference Yet Again!

2009-05-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

Do you feel that? What is it? Oh thats right! It is that time of the year when the videogame industry bursts with information from one main source: E3! Of course this little blog named XIK was not going to let you down! Yup, XIK will be LIVE once again at the Sony PlayStation E3 Press Conference to bring you every bit of info you will need! (Not many small blogs get to say that, you know?!)

This is the name of the game, Sony Agent Hunter X (AKA Rodrigo Leon,) will be live at the press conference updating Twitter once again as things happen. This time Twitpic will also be enabled! This feed and other interesting under-the-hood things will be updated via Twitter and PS3Center.Net will be updated as well.

As last time, we promise you great pictures and video footage of all the things we can spot! Hopefully this time around we will get some interesting on-site interviews. If not, next year proves to be amazing!

Here is the blogging gear once again:

1. Pen, pencils, and sharpies!
2. Backpack
3. Notepad
4. 3 ring notepad
5. CASIO Electronic address book
6. Motorola RAZR
7. XIK, PCN Press Pass
8. Duracell 8 Pack double A batteries for voice recorder
9. 2 Pack Maxell Cassettes
10. Camcorder carrying case
11. Might bring my Macbook Pro 17' if I get a decent ride (should eliminate most of the item in the list)
12. Dentyne Ice (You never know who you'll meet...)
13. Bluetooth headset
14. Index cards. (In case other needs of taking down addresses and giving out)
15. Sony HandyCam extra stamina battery and backup battery
17. Sony Ericsson W600i with headset.
18. Sony DVC tapes (Dont have a DVC camcorder, but you never know)
19. Sony HandyCam DVD+RW Mini DV's (5+)
20. Sony TCM-323 Cassette-corder
21. Rabbits foot!!! (Trust me it has given me luck!) Thanks Catherine!!!

Not pictured:
1. Sony HandyCam (Which I used to take the picture.)
2. White T-Shirt for random signing. (Inside backpack)

By now, you guys should be able to tell why they call me the Sony Agent!

Splinter Cell Conviction and Assassin's Creed 2 Leaked Clips [Update 1]

2009-05-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

I can haz cheezburgerz? Yes, you may! Apparently Ubisoft has leaked two little tiny clips from Assassin's Creed II and Splinter Cell Conviction onto their FTP site. FTP stalking fan grabbed the videos and posted them on the tube. We got your back covered, so the videos are right here.

The first video features Ezio, our Assassin's Creed II protagonist. Leaping and jumping around what looks like to be Italy, Ezio dives to the floor in a characteristic Assassin's Creed way. And yes, he still looks amazing! Our next teaser takes us to Splinter Cell Conviction, which recently came out of the unknown after who knows how many months. The video starts with a high-tech squad team apparently searching the premises. Good-old Sam Fisher grabs one of the guys out of nowhere, and proceeds to claim: "what happens next is up to you." That line sounds like he has learn some amazing six on one combat, or else he might be toast! Check out the teasers here.

Update 1: Videos have been taken out by a copyright claim by Ubisoft

It's official: the PSP Go is a go for this fall

2009-05-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

Packing 16GB of internal storage, a memory slot for expandable memory and bluetooth the PSP Go is coming to you very, very soon. Previously we gave you the pictures of some Qore takes, now check out this video of the June issue of Qore. According to Sony's John Koller, the handheld (that looks like a PSP/Mylo crossbreed) will not replace the current PSP-3000 model. He also adds that the new titles will be revealed at E3, some of which include: a new Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo, Jak & Daxter. He even tells us that the handheld will be out this fall.

But, lets go to the bad parts of this move; while the device holds a lot of potential, we have yet to fill many features which consumers have been wanting on a PSP. For instance, the second analog stick is still missing. Tell us sony, why can't we have that? Does it ruins the PSP Go motto? Lets pretend we can forget that, where is my sleek design? You brought us a beautifully designed PSP, and now you are here with this odd looking Mylo like crossbreed? Really, Sony? Oh and where can't I put my AT&T SIM card? Oh there is no phone features? I see...

Well, regardless of my few problems with the system, it is coming. What are your thoughts?

Prototype Mission #7 Video

2009-05-29T02:51:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, there is absolutely nothing more enjoyable than walking all over New York city (including on buildings) and arriving to your mission only to go stealthy. No, really, I wasn't being sarcastic, that is pretty awesome. Not to mention the shapeshifting nature of your stealth kills that you can do while controlling Alex. Anything I just said sounded good? Then you must give a look at this video.

In the video Tim Bennison, executive producer of Prototype, walks you through a real-time footage of a mission on the game. The first thing you'll notice is the beautiful way Alex runs around the city up to his objective. Once the mission is triggered Alex tries to take a stealthy approach in order to hijack a helicopter. Using his shapeshifting abilities, Alex stealth consumes one of the patrol century, thus triggering a web of intrigue node. Once fully disguised, Alex hijacks the helicopter and proceeds to his mission. This is not the best thing on the would you would say, but come on, you can't tell me you don't want to give it a go. We hope to know much more on Prototype soon on E3. Until then we'll keep you posted.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Multiplayer Look

2009-05-28T02:43:00.000-07:00

"Much faster-paced than the average multiplayer game that is out there right now" says creative director Chris Tremmel about the multiplayer of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (or Transformers 2 as he calls it.) Lets break that down a bit. We have big huge metal beings hoping and flying around a city while trying to destroy one another. Decepticons against Autobots all ready to roll out. When then fight gets too intense your safest strategy is transforming into a jet and flying out of harms way. Well, what can I say, that does sound kind of fun. But hey, don't let me be the judge, check out the video here and comment on it yourself. But I believe we might already know that it isn't the "much faster-paced" than other multiplayer games. Regardless, it seems quite fun, perhaps even more so than the single player.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen hands on by Joystiq is here in case you want to have a look. Let us know what you guys think in the comments!

X-Play has Uncharted 2 multiplayer first look

2009-05-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

Just how much do you know about Uncharted 2's multiplayer? Alright, alright, you probably know lots, but hey don't you want to check out some more interesting things about the multiplayer and co-op? Of course you do! Here is a video of X-Play getting a first look on Uncharted 2's multiplayer.

The video covers various things like boosters; boosters are like perks or classes that allow you to have increased accuracy and such. There is also the fact that all players have the same abilities to make things fair. The only way to "upgrade" will be purchasable with the in-game store. One cool thing here, you can record your gameplay and take screenshots of the playthrough to live it again and again, so that way you can totally get it on the "interwebs" and brag to your friends. (Yes, you can also do "teh best montage evar." Uncharted 2 Among Thieves seems like it will prove a great sequel to the killer first installment, so hopefully we will see your video somewhere out there soon! Not. We kid, we kid...

Video Game - E3 2009 - X-Play

InFamous is out today, check the ads

2009-05-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

The day is finally here. inFamous is out and we are all aching to get our hands on it. Check out the videos here and the full press released. There are also some interesting behind the scenes development of inFamous on GameTrailers.

Full Press Release[+/-]

PLAYSTATION(R)3 Exclusive inFAMOUS Delivers Open-World Gameplay in This Summer's High Voltage Superhero Action Adventure

Featuring an Original Graphic Novel Narrative, Highly-Anticipated Title Places the Power to Choose Fame or Infamy in the Player's Hands

FOSTER CITY, Calif., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. ("SCEA") announced today the North American launch of inFAMOUS. Developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the critically-acclaimed team behind the popular Sly Cooper(R) series, inFAMOUS debuts as the first superhero action-adventure exclusively for the PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system. Featuring a contemporary graphic novel narrative set within a richly interactive and organic living city, inFAMOUS allows players to experience what it is like to become a modern day superhero who must learn to master newfound superpowers that evolve based on decisions made within the game.

inFAMOUS immerses players in the unsettled world of Cole MacGrath, an ordinary guy turned superhero following a massive explosion that gifts him with extraordinary powers. Since the blast, Empire City, a once thriving metropolis, is now fueled by drugs, crime, and poverty and innocent citizens are disappearing into the darkness. Cole, determined to find out what happened to Empire City and to unlock the deep connection to the electrical energy that has transformed him, embarks on a journey to fight the rampant gangs and uncover the truth of who really is behind the blast.

"We're all huge comic and graphic novel fans at Sucker Punch, and our goal with inFAMOUS was to create a superhero game where the story was shaped through the hands of the player," said Nate Fox, Game Director, Sucker Punch Productions. "The gameplay was designed so that the player has substantial choices, and these choices in turn influence what happens within the game. We're anxious to see how players will take to the challenge of whether to mold Cole into the greatest hero or anti-hero of all time."

Featuring a six-level karma system that monitors Cole's every move, moment-to-moment actions and pivotal karma moments are presented throughout the storyline and rewarded with upgrades that affect Cole's heroic or villainous abilities and boost his powers. Players will create their own narrative within Empire City, which is designed as a deep, dynamic playground primed for urban exploration. Players have the freedom to explore utilizing a sophisticated, intuitive climbing system that allows them to scale the entire cityscape and traverse nearly any surface, whether it's the face of a skyscraper or a dilapidated tenement building. In addition, rather than being limited to the gridlock in the city streets, as Cole, players can scale tall buildings, run across the rooftops, and slide across telephone or electrical wires.

As players search for the truth behind Empire City's destruction, inFAMOUS seamlessly blends open-world and story-based gameplay with over 100 primary and side missions. While side missions are not required to complete the game, they are crucial gameplay components as players can take back parts of the city from various gangs. Side missions also allow players to unravel parts of the storyline and shape the environment around them, as well as provide the ability to unlock experience point rewards. In addition to extensive side missions, inFAMOUS features a huge level of replayability with the separate paths of good and evil, as well as a robust trophy and stunt list.

Known for its signature art-style, Sucker Punch brings the inFAMOUS mystery to life through a combination of vibrant, 2-D graphic novel cutscenes and comic book animation. Developed completely in-house at Sucker Punch, the team has expanded beyond just the game's graphic novel story with a four part comic series that chronicles the days following that fateful blast that changed Cole's life forever. Parts 1 and 2 can be viewed now at IGN's inFAMOUS Destination Hub (http://infamous.ign.com/), and the final chapters will be released over the next few weeks.

SCEA will support inFAMOUS with a blockbuster marketing campaign. This will include aggressive national television, print, online and viral advertising campaigns, full promotional support, dedicated point-of-purchase displays and merchandising support, broad-based public relations support and an immersive and interactive website. A 30-second commercial began running in theaters nationwide on May 22.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated inFAMOUS "T" for "Teen". For more information about the ESRB, visit www.esrb.org.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation(R) and PS one(R) game console, the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, the PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) handheld entertainment system, the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system and its online and network services the PlayStation(R)Network and PlayStation(R)Store.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets, and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP and PS3 for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

"PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION", "PSP", "PS one" and the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks and "PS3" is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

FUEL Holds Guinness World Record

2009-05-22T03:07:00.000-07:00

What? Yup, FUEL launching on PS3, X360, and PC, packs 5,560 square miles of in-game terrain, thus making the game officially the largest playable environment in a console game. Wow, really guys? That big, huh? Impressive. All I can say is that this better be good. Here is the full press release:

Full Press Release

FUEL IS NAMED BIGGEST CONSOLE GAME OF ALL TIME – OFFICIALLY!
5,560 Square Miles: The Largest Playable Environment In A Console Game Recognised By Guinness World RecordsTM
Friday 22nd May/...It covers the approximate area of Trinidad & Tobago, it’s larger than Hong Kong, Singapore, St Lucia and the Isle of Man put together. Innovative open-world racer FUEL™ – launching on June 5th for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and a Games For Windows® edition to follow - boasts 5,560 square miles of accessible in-game terrain, making it officially the largest playable environment in a console game ever.

The accolade, presented to FUEL developers Asobo Studio, was confirmed by Guinness World Records, who have verified the record for inclusion in the next Guinness World Records Gamers Edition of the best-selling guide.

Guinness World Records presented Codemasters and Asobo Studio with a certificate that officially documents:
“Largest playable area in a console game: The largest playable environment in a console game is 5,560 square miles (14,400 km²), and is featured in FUEL (Codemasters, 2009). The area features rivers, deserts, forests and mountains and was demonstrated at the offices of Guinness World Records, London, UK, on 20 May 2009.”

“We’ve been very impressed with the technology powering FUEL, and I’m pleased to welcome Asobo and Codemasters into the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition,” said Gaz Deaves, Video Games Records Manager for Guinness World Records, “What we’ve seen from FUEL places it right at the cutting edge of the open-world racing genre and really raises the bar for games developers in the future.”

“We knew FUEL was going to be big,” said Phil Wright, Producer, Codemasters, “but to have this confirmed officially by Guinness World Records justifies our faith in this ground-breaking title. No other game comes close to offering the variety of environments, the range of vehicles or the sheer size of FUEL. It’s one of the most innovative racers ever, and we’re thrilled it’s been recognised as the biggest console game of all time.”

To celebrate the award, today Codemasters has released a new video featuring David Dedeine and Sebastian Wloch, two of the co-founders of Asobo Studio, who explain gameplay features and the technical challenge in creating the record-setting FUEL. The video is available from www.fuel-game.com (in the Downloads section).

FUEL’s world is one of staggering size and beauty. To put it into perspective, if players choose to drive from one side of the map to the other, it will take over 3 hours straight. This unprecedented virtual playground offers 19 environmental regions and features some of the most dramatic weather effects ever seen in a racing game. FUEL’s free-roaming nature allows players to pick and choose their route, races and career progression, offering almost limitless ways to play.

FUEL is set to become the ultimate racing sandbox when it launches Friday June 5th localise per territory for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® with a Games For Windows® LIVE edition to follow. Gain an insight into the creation of the game that sets the new standard in open-world racing by downloading the video at www.fuel-game.com.

Heavy Rain New Gameplay Footage

2009-05-22T02:55:00.001-07:00

You got some Modern Warfare 2, now you get the chance to check out the action packed actual gameplay of Heavy Rain. Alright, alright, maybe it isn't action packed, nor does it blow my mind, but hey, at least this is actual gameplay footage. Check out the video here.

The video introduces two new characters. There is some interesting things that pop up to the player when the controlled character puts on his sun glasses ala Neo. Once he turns his back on the big guy, big guy proceeds to do the bad guy treatment and tries to get rid of Neo, I mean the character you are in control. This triggers the fight scene which is followed by which buttons you are supposed to press. I said it once and I'll said it again, this seems a lot like Indigo Prophecy, which isn't necessarily bad, but meh? You know? Plus, didn't they said graphics were going to be stunning? I suppose we will see more of Heavy Rain come E3. There are many hands-ons out there so you might want to give them a check.

PlayStation Blog E3 Meet-up comes with its perks

2009-05-22T00:43:00.000-07:00

Thinking of being around LA this year around E3 time? Why don't you drop by the 2009 PS.Blog E3 meet-up. Jeff will be there, along with the PS.Blog community, and lets not forget last time, Andrew Yoon, and Jem Alexander from Joystiq dropped by.

"I don’t know how many of you current PlayStation.Blog readers attended last year’s E3 meet-up, but it holds a special place in my heart. It was the Summer of 2008, and a small, upstart blog, barely a year old, met with 50 or so of our closest friends to eat our weight in tacos and drink gallons of horchata." says close friend Jeff Rubenstein on the PlayStation Blog.

That is quite true, PS.Blog was great fun back then! Yours truly was actively trying to beat Hot Shots Golf. Although not successful, there were many people picking up incredible prices.

The Interesting thing here though is that the first 100 people through the door WILL be granted access to the PlayStation E3 Press Conference that will take place the following Tuesday at 11am. For more info and the RSVP check out the PS.Blog.

Shutouts to Jeff!

Batman: Arkham Asylum Poison Ivy Trailer

2009-05-22T00:14:00.000-07:00

Do you like sexy women? Of course you do! Specially if they are covered in green, and then they get eaten by a huge plant that threatens to attack you. Sexy right? We hope you like that because that is what you will be seeing in this Batman Arkham Asylum new trailer. You won't be seeing Uma Thurman and Batman isn't portrait by George Clooney, so it is quite alright to watch. Either way one thing here is for sure, Poison Ivy will be a baddie in the game.

When did Batman get such oddly mutated adversaries? Then again, I have never read the comics, and I know they all come there, but come on! I believe I just set up myself for some angry hate mail. No worries folks, one thing is for sure, as soon as we get more on Batman's upcoming game we'll let you know. Don't forget to give the video a look.

Modern Warfare 2 GT Gameplay Teaser

2009-05-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

Glass shattering, squads to the rescue, and the movie feeling are some of the things that are revealed on the new Modern Warfare 2 exclusive "gameplay" teaser. Yeah, "gameplay." The reason I say that is because I personally don't seem much gameplay in the video - if any at all. But then again, you are the one with better eyes than me, so have a look by yourself here.

The video is obviously short being a teaser and all, but that isn't all the bad news about it. The video only shows some new parts of the game; in the middle of the video it shows some of the footage we had already seen in the cinematic teaser from TNT. What's with all this teasing games and secret game announcements? Oh right, E3 is coming up. Hype, don't you love it? We will most likely see much more of Modern Warfare 2 on E3, so we shall keep you up to date. Once again, check the video here.

Music Downloads coming to PSN?

2009-05-21T01:20:00.000-07:00

PSP and PSN rumors just keep coming don't they? This time, CNET has an interesting PSP/PSN rumor that might interest all you music lovers out there. The word from CNET is that Sony has been talking to some big recording labels. This is of course about placing music on the PlayStation Network for download. Apparently the pitched idea is focused on the PSP. This would make yet another great expansion to the PSN library. Add the rumored game rental service, the ever growing movies/TV shows library, and the talks about making PSN for other Sony products, this could get PSN to be a full fledged download hub from Sony.

Not a bad idea if you ask me. The focus on PSN will grow our reach, and will potentially cover the things we have been wanting for a long time. If this is Sony slowly trying to get digital distribution to us, they seem to be doing it the right way. Don't get your hopes up though, this is all rumors. Now with that said, where is my cloud gaming?!

PSP Online Game Rental Service coming?

2009-05-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

Lets put the idea of the PSP Go on hold for a second here, and focus on something totally different - like a game rental service. PlayStation has sent another survey, and this time is focused exclusively for PSP users. As said by the mail: "PlayStation is constantly innovating to bring you the best we can offer. As part of this process, we value your opinion." Apparently this time, the opinion they want from us is about whether or not we would like a service to rent games for the PSP via the PlayStation Store. That is quite interesting, correct? We thought so too. The survey asks in-depth questions about your knowledge on the PSN Store, your gaming role, and many PSP oriented questions. (All of which support the no UMD format in mind.) The survey continues by asking which monthly plan would be best suited for you needs. It also covers memory space, monthly fees, games on demand, and others.

What do you guys think? PSN game rental service coming soon? Will it be for PSP only? Since all PSP games will be on PSN for download ditching the UMD format, this would make a lot of sense. We'll see how this turns out.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Get Your Free Flow Combat On!

2009-05-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

You cried and whined when Batman Arkham Asylum was delayed didn't you? Well, if you are one of the many that complained about the delay, this may or may not help you; regardless, we got some awesome footage of the Dark Knight fighting its way through the asylum.

In this video Batman takes on some bullies with his fists and his feet. Shefton Hill, ddesigner of the game, will be walking you through the on-screen battle. We know here that the Dark Knight is a bad, bad man when he wants to be; we can only imagine how mad he would be if his game was delayed... oh wait. Either way, take a look at the video here. We hope this has kept you a bit under control. We wouldn't want a mad man running around doing what the Dark Knight is doing in this video, but with game developers and publishers. Let us know what your thoughts are on the comments!

PS3 Slim a Reality?

2009-05-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought you could throw yesterday's pictures out of the evidence pile, a Sony merchandizing representative reacts suspiciously about the rumors. But don't let us stop you from pondering, this is what happened according to IGN:

"A trustworthy US GameStop employee discussed the matter with a Sony merchandizing representative. When the leaked photos were brought up in private conversation, the merchandizing representative was immediately surprised that the photos were "released already," but then hastily dismissed the subject when the rep realized that it was regarding a rumor. Could this reaction indicate that the PS3 Slim is more real than we originally thought? "

What about that for incriminating reactions? "Lie To Me" anyone? Of course this is a matter that should be taken with a grain of salt, but with the know revisions of previous PlayStation models, we can't throw the rumors out the window. What do you guys think? Could this be it? Do you even care for a redesign? We'll keep you noted when we know more about all this rumors. Don't you just love pre E3 drama?

Full Uncharted 2 Single Player Footage

2009-05-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

You probably saw yesterday's Uncharted footage that was undoubtably off the charts, but this time we are in for the full treat. Thats right, take a look at this video where we have over five minutes of the Uncharted 2 footage.

In this video we see the events prior to the footage of yesterday, and it is quite thrilling. We are first introduced to a great chase of Nathan trying to outrun a truck. After the part of yesterday's video, we can see Nathan pull some Snake like moves - we are also remembered of Splinter Cell as Nathan Drake breaks some necks, lurking around while taking cover.

Uncharted 2 is with not a doubt a big exclusive for the PS3; we hope that we will see more of this game in the coming weeks and as E3 comes in. As always we will keep you posted.

Tony Hawk Ride includes skateboard peripheral

2009-05-14T22:59:00.000-07:00

This could either hurt or benefit the game, but it is hard to say. And yes, the title you just read is correct. According to the latest episode of GameTrailers TV, the next Tony Hawk game, Tony Hawk Ride, will indeed feature and ship with a huge skateboard peripheral - WiiSkate anyone?

Yes, this could be a great selling point for the game seeing as how many people got a Wii, but at the same time, this could mean disaster, major disaster - not to mention the occasional "I tried grinding on the sofa and broke my TV" line.

Of course we could sit here and point out all the major flaws this could bring to the game, but then again, we don't know how the board will behave. We also don't know if you will be able to control the game with the board exclusively, or if there are two versions of the game (one without the board one with.)

We will sure know more come E3 when we have a look at the game, and maybe the board. Other than that, the game is set to release for 360, PS3, and Wii with a giant skateboard peripheral attached.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Roster

2009-05-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Let's get ready to rumble! Now, we know you are still wiping your saliva off of your mouth from that Revenge of the Fallen last theatrical trailer. I mean how can you not, the beauty, the elegance, the sexiness, the tears, the joy, the short, short, short, length of clothing, the action-packed motorcycle fixing, and oh yeah the movie itself may be giving you a few things to think of, but regardless of Megan Fox's trailer, I mean, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer, that game is still coming out, and we got the list of Autobots and Decepticons that will appear on the game. As the previews game, you will be able to play in both sides, which means you'll have a couple of baddies at your disposal. So here is the list:

Autobots:
Optimus Prime (Duh!)
Ironhide
Breakaway
Bumblebee
Ratchet
Aerialbot (Multiplayer-exclusive)
Protectobot (Multiplayer-exclusive)

Decepticons:
Starscream
Sideways
Grindor
Long Haul
Megatron
Seeker (Multiplayer-exclusive)

New Kojima Game a new Metal Gear?

2009-05-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Kojima's teaser site has been launch, and it has been talked about for days now, but what exactly are we looking at here? Besides the clouds moving alone, the grass staying still, and your mind trying to explode while you solve a complicated puzzle like this, IGN has dug a bit deeper and on to the website's code itself. The code reveals the following:

＜meta name="keywords" content="Hideo Kojima, MGS,METAL GEAR, NEXT, game, konami, kojima game, KJP, Kojima Production "＞

Could this be the hint you all been waiting for? Is Kojima really focusing on yet another Metal Gear as his next mission? Or is this purposely placed here to draw more traffic to Kojima's new project? Lets be honest here; Mr. Hideo Kojima has a powerful mind, and I'm not going to try and decipher this, but I know you guys will. What do you guys think? What could this possibly be? Is the source code relevant? Will the new Metal Gear be a sim and take you along the life of Meryl and Johnny? I sure hope not, but you are welcome to ponder with us in the comments.

Rumor: Is this the new PS3?

2009-05-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm alright with a revision on the hardware like past models, but changing that PS3 font? No. Do not touch that! What do I mean you say? If you haven't been keeping up with some of the rumors around, you probably aren't aware of the supposed remodeling of the PS3, which Sony said they weren't doing, and then there were more rumors, but hey lets see, do rumors ever become a reality? Eventually - except the MGS4 for the Xbox 360 rumor (yeah, sorry Xbox fans,) but I digress. Recent images have popped up over here, claiming that this is in fact the new PS3. The site specifies that this supposed new model will hold a 120GB hard drive, 2 USB ports, and a new "PS3" font - the hell they will! Despite of the font change, this rumored new model looks kind of interesting, have a look here. It is flatten like a notebook, and it looks a bit wider than the current model.

So guys, it is up to you to decide. What would it be? Do you guys think this is it? Would you like this model? What about that new font? Let us know in the comments. We'll keep you posted if the rumors keep popping, or if they die for good.

Modern Warfare 2 Details From Game Informer

2009-05-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

This month GameInformer has an exclusive first look at Modern Warfare 2, and the details have been leaked over at GiantBomb. There are quite a lot of interesting bits a pieces for you Modern Warfare fans, so you might not want to miss this issue. Some of these include the absolute refusal of co-op gameplay in the story mode, which is said to break the narrative experience. it also admits that the Captain "Soap" MacTavish returns bringing with him more open-ended gameplay, and some kind of "special forces" mode that will be significantly better mimic an expansion of the final "Mile High Club" airplane battle in CoD4.

There is much more, but if you want it, you are just going to get a copy of this months GameInformer. Hoping that Infinity Ward should know by now what they are doing, we suspected the best. If we know more, we will keep you posted. Remember the game's release is on November 10th so we still have some time to go. Let us know what you think.

MGO New missions detailed

2009-05-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

If you remember well, sometime ago Konami unveiled a new mission and a little perk for Metal Gear Online. Today both the mission and the "Patriot" perk are detailed. To begging with, the Race Mission is based on your two teams scouting out for KEROTAN and GA-KO attempting to cross checkpoints like any racing game. The rule of the game implies that if the item is dropped and not picked time in a timely manner, its team will have to scout for a random spawn point. Apparently according to the match rules, it seems like that game is won by your team passing through the many checkpoints, whichever team has the most checkpoint wins - with the item in hand of course. More details will come May 12th

Also, today's update talked about Patriot system. While the details make it sound like a great idea and a interesting way to reward players in the game, it sounds a bit odd now; here is why: the game selects a random set of top players each week as "Patriots." Those players are then granted with acess to the Patriot .56mm "hand rifle" - you know the one that has unlimited ammo, with the unlimited logo, and never requires to reload. So that leaves us with the best players in MGO with limitless ammo and the power of never reloading... I guess we could always just play dead and way till their backs are turned? What do you guys think? Is this fiar? Let us know in the comments, we'll let you know more when it comes out starting May 26.

AppStorm Reviews Shaun White Snowboarding for Mac

2009-05-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

The amazingly amazing AppStorm blog just started reviewing games for the Mac, and the first one up is non-other than Flying Tomato himself, or rather his game. Shaun White is taken by a spin on Shaun White Snowboarding by the AppStorm to give you a detailed review of the game:

"Ubisoft has crafted a well-balanced blend of both realistic and arcade styles of gameplay in a free-roam atmosphere. While seemingly a strange mix, the end result gives a rather decent experience – especially if you are an extreme sports fan."

So go on and read the review, and don't forget to comment @ AppStorm.

First Modern Warfare 2 Footage

2009-05-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

So you were not satisfied with that first Modern Warfare 2 teaser, huh? Don't worry, you are not alone; many if not a lot of fans wanted more straight from the get-go, but unfortunately Infinity Ward hasn't delivered anything yet. No worries though, TNT seems to have something here, and actually, it does. During the Eastern Conference on May 24, TNT promises to deliver the "world premiere" of Modern Warfare 2. TNT is currently running a little ad teaser that shows off some interesting footage of the game. Now, there is nothing that comes close to gameplay, as a matter of fact it all looks like cutscenes, but hey, you got some actual footage here.

The video shows snows, which might tell you that you will finally get you snow snipping on - a particularly good thing for yours truly. The video also teases at underwater missions, snowmobile driving, and the most remembered shellfire AC-130 gunship level in CoD4. So go here, and check the video out. Hopefully around E3 we will know more of Modern Warfare 2. After all, some people do hate getting teased.

inFamous Videos Show Behind the Scene Technology

2009-05-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

More Infamous News & Previews

Infamous at IGN.com

Are you ready to feel the city breathing through the sole of your shoes? Are you ready to hear the city scream at you with all its might? Are you ready to climb, jump, dive, and use electricity to build yourself up? Well, we know you are. We also know you can't wait for Cole's Infamous adventure in the upcoming title inFamous. So tell you what, IGN has a couple of interesting videos posted about Cole's creators and develops talking about the technology used behind the game.

Throughout the video, you'll hear about the forgotten untapped capabilities of the PS3, the tremendous power of the cell processor, and the graphic power of the PS3. You will also find out how they make some of the music in the game, and how awkwardly they use some instruments and some other "instruments."

We know you can't wait for inFamous, but the sad truth is that you have to wait a little longer, but for the mean time, check the videos here. Let us know what you think, and tells us what will you do once you have the game? Good or Evil? We'll keep you updated as we get more stuff.

PlayStation Home Chamber Apartment Screenshots

2009-05-08T20:41:00.000-07:00

Home has been doing quite a lot lately. Between the Xi deal, and the burst of game-centric rooms, it seems like Sony is trying to really push Home. The question is, do you care? Last time I was in Home, I met this interesting girl; the girl kept saying how boring Home was, but after mingling and adding her to my friend list, she would always be playing Home - what gives? Home has changed a lot since the closed beta time (all 20 years of it...) Trust me on that one, I had to deal with Home since the beginning. Regardless, Sony has yet more interesting things to share with us, and this time is free. We all love free stuff, and much like the free Resident Evil Degeneration t-shirts, you will most likely be heading home to get the free "swag."

This time Sony is giving us a "Chamber Apartment" completely free of charge from the 14th to the 21st of may. Since I can't really read this, the only thing I can say for sure is that the free content will be given in said time. Go here and check the screenshots. It does seem like a nice place to do yoga, kung-fu, "breaking it down," or whatever it is you kids do in Home. One thing is for sure, even though I'm completely bashing Home at the moment, I like free stuff. Hoping that I remember the date, I'll be there to demand my free grilled chicken! I mean... my "chamber apartment."

Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 coming out soon?

2009-05-06T18:30:00.000-07:00

Have you been waiting for the next SVR? Well, it hasn't really been that long, so please calm. Unless you really can't wait for another installment of the series; if that happens to be the case, then you would like to know that over at IGN there are talks of the next SVR that have emerged. A recent call call with investors, THQ executives have said that they hope to release the next SVR in the series later this year - which most likely get the title of WWE: Smackdown vs. Raw 2010. The game will follow the SVR series and most likely add in different things that have been going around in the WWE universe. This time we would appreciate a big leap forward on all kinds of ways. So once we know more, we will be sure to let you know. If you have an ideas you would like to see in the new title, let us know in the comments! Unless you don't like wrestling; in that case, why are you reading this?

In similar news, the same THQ executives have let one rip, I mean, slip. Apparently the tear is working on a brand new title called WWE Online. The interesting thing is that the game is being developed in Asia, other than that, we know nothing. IGN has this on their PS3 page, so lets hope is some kind of PS3 exclusive, or specially-made game for the PS3. ING suggest that it could be a cross-platform MMO, a free-to-play PC game, a web-based browser game, or an inmersive holographic virtual 3D experience - yeah, thats what they believe it could be, don't look at me. We really don't know much aside from the new game, so once we do, we will be sure to drop by and inform you.

Ghostbusters a PlayStation Exclusive?

2009-05-06T01:57:00.000-07:00

As we speak (type,) Sony's Pause event in Sydney is underway, and there is quite a buzz around the whole event - go figure. Apparently Sony has been stealthily working on some interesting things for us. This bit of info apparently came at the very end of the announcements, but lets get to the point here; according to Gameplayer, Sony has established an agreement wit Atari to publish Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Now, we know this isn't quite shocking, or heartbreaking, but the aftermath of this agreement could shake ground. If we stop and think about it, this announcement could well mean that Ghostbusters is now a PS3 and PS2 exclusive and no longer being a multiplatform game. If that isn't the case, it could be that the game will be a timed exclusive for the PlayStation family. Meaning that the Xbox 360, Wii, DS, and PC will not see the light of day for some time. If this happens and you guys are still excited about this game (?,) it is safe to say that Sony has made a great move. We are sure to know more in the following days and/or at E3.

MGO Race Mission and 'Patriot' Details

2009-05-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

Over at the PS.Blog Brandon Laurino tells us that starting May 12th 2009, there will be an entire new game mode dubbed, Race Mission for Metal Gear Online. Apparently this mission will be for all players, and not just the ones who bought add-ons. The new mode is a red versus blue team match, with one team searching for and protecting the KEROTAN target, and the red team searching and protecting the GA-KO target. "Each time a team passes a check point with its target in hand, a new checkpoint will be generated. If a team drops its target and the target is not retrieved within a set period of time, the target’s position will be reset and the checkpoint will change."

Accompanying the new mode, there will be a new feature called "Patriot" added to MGO starting May 26th. According to Brandon, "This feature will select a few lucky players every week starting from the 26th, and give them exclusive access to a 5.56mm Hand Rifle with infinite ammunition and no reload. Players will have access to these unique “Patriot” features until the next ranking update." Seems like you'll need to be careful if a "Patriot" joins your game. There are some other features that can be found here. The best thing is that they are free, so if you have recently gotten a hold of a lot of DLC, this bit won't hurt you.

SOCOM: Fire Team Bravo 3 PS.Blog Q&A Video

2009-05-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

Didn't get enough with Uncharted 2's answers? Well, over at the PS.Blog there is yet another Q&A video and this time is for SOCOM: Fire Team Bravo 3. Producer Michael Kerr from developer Saint Six Games gives you some interesting outlook on FTB new addition. According to him, the game will appeal to fans of action-shooters. Also according to Kerr, the game will have a very solid story line, so check the video here to get some answers!

Terminator Salvation Walkthrough Video

2009-05-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

Can't wait for the movie or the game? Then you will most likely will want to check this video walkthrough out. Halcyon Games President Cos Lazouras takes you through the first parts of the game giving you a taste of what the game play will be like. We aren't quite impressed yet, and the voice acting still needs some work, but what can we do? Check out the video here, and let us know what your takes are on Terminator Salvation (both the movie and/or the game).

Video Game - Video Game Reviews - PlayStation 3

Orgasmic Transformer: Revange of the Fallen trailer

2009-05-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here is the link. Just wow. (New trailer is only showing up on the link, will show later on the player below.)

More Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Info

Uncharted 2 PS Blog Q&A Video

2009-05-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

So you heard the announcement and read about Uncharted 2's multiplayer. You were probably quite interested about it, and undoubtably had many questions. If not, then this might not be for you. A bunch of PS Blog readers asked several questions after the announcements, and because of that, here we are. This time you get your questions answered by the Lead Game Designer, Neil Druckmann, as he talks about Uncharted 2's co-op, DLC, and more. So, check out the video and have your questions answered.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Delayed?

2009-05-01T02:20:00.000-07:00

There are some "sources close to the game" that are saying that the upcoming Batman: Arkham Asylum game might be delayed a tad bit instead of being released on June as it was intended. Game Informer tells Kotaku that the game will most likely ship in the "fourth quarter of 2009". It looks like neither the publisher nor the developers were commenting on the matter, which lead us to believe that this rumor might be true. There is nothing solid on this, but we will let you know as soon as we know more.

Macs Power Twitter

2009-05-01T01:20:00.001-07:00

"The use cases we see emerging tell us that Twitter is a minimalist communication tool that is very powerful. The Mac is the same way. It offers beautiful design, simple elegance, and a system that's incredibly flexible and powerful to use."

You heard it (read it if you haven't watched the video,) You fellow Twitter - and the coolest apps for Twitter - are all powered by Macs. Yup, Macs. The team at Twitter uses the power of Macs to deliver the little-giant demon it is today. We can't negate that the quote above sets things clear - power an elegance are such beautiful together. Next time you send a tweet and you don't own a Mac, think why don't you?

Introducing The Bikini Jeans

2009-05-01T00:53:00.000-07:00

Why are we posting this again? Quite frankly, we don't know, but we sure know that these bad boys look pretty amazing. If you wonder how we got this info, there is a simple answer - Twitter. Thats right, a twittering friend told us about this new jeans, and well, here you have them. According to the article:

"There's not a girl in this world who hasn't dreamed of owning a pair of jeans that start around the middle of her vagina. Any girl who's ever sagged knows that this is just the most comfortable place to wear your pants. The problem with the ultra low rise though, is that when you wear your pants all the way down there, sometimes you can feel a little exposed."

We definitely support this movement, but we do ask for one little thing - Fat girls do not use! Please, please! Did we just went there? No, of course not. We're are joking! We will leave that to our readers comments! Unleash all your fury!

Yes, This is the reality of all PC Hunters so far

2009-04-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

All commercials have featured clueless individuals hunting for a computer, but this one features a smart individual who knows what to buy. Unlike previous hunters, he knows what PCs are rendered to when compared to Macs - useless.

Prototype trailer gives you a taste of the missions

2009-04-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

So apparently many of you have been asking if you could take down, or rather, mow down infected enemies with the helicopter; well, good news - you can!

Executive producer, Tim Bennison, explains a couple of mission types to us on this trailer, and also confirms the helicopter's ability ability read above. There are missions like chasing a giant infected monster throughout the city, stealth missions where you shouldn't kill anyone or else, and others. We hope that the game will not have too many repletion patterns like Assassins Creed or some other sandbox game. Or, we could just fly around the city, walk on buildings, elbow drop some tanks - really we are Alex Mercer, we would kick butt! Here is the trailer. We'll keep you posted as we find out more!

First Trailer of MAG

2009-04-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

PSP Go! is a go for this Fall?

2009-04-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

Is this the new PSP? Well according to 1Up's "at1Up" podcast, there was some leakage of some details about the new hardware, which was quickly edited out of the podcast; after that though, 1Up posted their own article about the new PSP. The articles states and proves many rumors previously talked about like: the gain of an internal flash drive, ditching of the UMD, and perhaps not a second analog nub. The article goes on saying that there will be two versions, a eight or 16GB of the built-in flash memory, and that the system release this fall - September, later october, or early November. Since the UMD will be removed Sony will have 100 classic and new PSP titles ready for download at launch. One of the new titles being supposedly Gran Turismo Mobile. Prior rumors of the design are pretty much true, but unfortunately there wont be a second analog nub - I know right! what gives? As far as the design you see above, it is only a mock up, but Sony is most likely to use Mylo 2 as a design help. Sony currently says, that it "does not comment on rumors or speculation," so lets not get super happy yet. We are sure this E3 will come packed with juicy news. What do you think about the PSP Go? is it a go? We will keep you posted as things happen!

Killzone 2 Online Championships are here!

2009-04-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

Think you got the skill needed to survive in Helghan with a 4-man squad? Well, come here, I'll tell you how to prove it. SCEA and MLG Gamebattles have announced the Killzone 2 Online Championships. Whoever wins, wont only have proven their skills, but will win many incredible prizes. There are many items up for grabs. Take a look below for prize structure, and rules:

Prizing Structure:
1st Place team: T-Shirt, authentic KZN Helghast Suits, DLC codes
2nd Place team: T-Shirt, StA 52 assault rifle replicas, DLC codes
3rd Place teams (x2): T-Shirt, collectable KZN Busts, DLC codes
5th Place teams (x4): T-Shirt, DLC codes
9th Place teams (x8) T-Shirt
Total Prize Value = $63,824

Rules:
Players per Team: 4
Territories: Residence of US Only
Age Restrictions: Must be 13 years or older to enter

Batman: Arkham Asylum Website Launched

2009-04-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

Do you like looking at brand new sites? We do! We like it, specially when the new site is for a game being released. This time is the official website and community hub for Batman: Arkham Asylum. The site will be filled with news sources about the game, screenshots, videos, announcements, insider content, developer blogs, interviews, podcast, and much more, for the following months. This will also be your main hub for the community on the game forums. So what are you waiting for, check out the official website.

Prototype Story Montage

2009-04-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Do you think you know the whole story behind the upcoming title, Prototype? Well, maybe you do! I don't know, perhaps you do, but if you don't know the backstory and care to have a look at this story montage, you are welcome to do so. This video montage gives you some interesting details on what has happened prior the chaos that Prototype takes places in. Apparently some years ago there was a breakout that infected many people. The breakout also muted some kids along the way producing a new kind of mutation. Perhaps Alex Mercer was one of those infants, but lets not jump to conclusions. Here take a look at the montage.

Video Game - Cheat Codes - Video Game Trailers

It's Official Uncharted: 2 has multiplayer

2009-04-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

So here is the first trailer you might want to check out. Lets us know what your thoughts are while we play some of the game. MUAHAHA - just kidding.

iTrophies to rock your iPhone

2009-04-27T04:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome iPhone lovers, this one if for you! As you can assume from the title, Trophies have now become part of your iPhone and iPod Touch. All you need to do is download the little iTrophies app, and you are good to go! With this crazy app you can view all your trophies, access a version of your PSN ID, list the games you have played, trophies you've ~~whored~~ earned so far, the ones yet to unlock, and even get links to YouTube videos showing you how to unlock them - which is perhaps one of the coolest feature on the app.

Here is the interesting part, if you have a non-EU PSN account, you must sign in at http://eu.playstation.com an click on "No" when asked if you would like to merge and existing EU account. Then set up your gamer card, and you should be alright.

Other than that, the app does cost you a little bit of money, but hopefully later on they will add more interesting stuff to it. As always we'll keep you posted.

Uncharted 2: Multiplayer Details and Screens

2009-04-27T04:25:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, you already know Uncharted 2 will have multiplayer, but you might be wondering is how will we be able to play this title which was well known as a single player game - and a very good one too. Details of the multiplayer are a bit scarce, but we do have quite some intel grabbed for you and some tasty screens. The bit of info gather from this place is that apparently there will be

"Multiplayer co-op for 3 players. Different story than single player. Zones/actions in the folder requiered for 2/3 players. Mini-bosses in each section. Players will revive after a few seconds (if the other players [fail] to help revive.)

-Deathmatch. 4vs4 you can choose two skills. And you need to explore, like in Uncharted 1, to find the Strongest weapons.

-Capture the treasure is like CTF. 4vs4 trying to steal treasures from the enemy base."

Nifty anyone? We think it is pretty clever, the game clearly does not need an online portion to survive, but this promises to give a big push to what the game can mean for other gamers more multiplayer oriented. Oh thats right the screens. You can check them here. Let us know what you think about Uncharted 2 so far, and we'll do our part as to always keep you on the know! On that note, today we should be getting some MAG and Uncharted 2 information from Sony according to this tweet. We'll keep you posted.

Go Home and watch exclusive clip of X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009-04-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

Home is so amazing! Well, okay, maybe it isn't - yet anyways. But there are some perks that we can enjoy in there. Really? Not so much, but this one is a good reason to come Home! At 8PM PST tonight, PlayStation Home will feature an exclusive clip from the upcoming movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Your only job would be to drop by the virtual theater any time this weekend to be able to watch this nifty exclusive clip. We know it isn't the biggest thing that ever happened on Home, but this little pushes Sony tries to make lead us to Home more and more. Hopefully there would be lots more more often. (Lets also hope that the exclusive clip isn't like a minute long.) Let us know if you watch the clip, and what you think about it!

National Bill Seeks to Mislabel Video Games

2009-04-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know I am part of the VGVN (Video Game Voters Network) and now there is a new threat coming our way that we need all your help to fight here. Take a look at this I was e-mailed just recently from VGVN.

We need you all to take a few minutes and send your congressmen a message and let them and send a letter to your congressmen and let them know you do not want this and will not stand for it. So Please Go to the VideoGameVotersNetwork and help send a letter to stop this from spreading any further. If you wish to see the bill click here to we what is in this new threat to us gamers and our games. Help out by Clicking here to send the letter to your congressmen now and let them know how you feel about this.

Battlefield 1943 Deploys In June

2009-04-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

EA has released info on Battlefield 1943 that will come out sometime in June on the PSN for around 15 bucks. Set as a Multiplayer shooter that takes place in one of three locations from Wake Island, Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima. You can play as either the US Marines or Imperial Japanese Navy in games that can support up to 24 players to a room. Check out the Trailer below to get a taste of what Battlefield 1943 will be like when it is released in June on the PSN.

Video Courtesy of Joystiq

MCLA South Central Car Pack 2 DLC Trailer

2009-04-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

The recently released South Central DLC for MCLA brings a variety of new cars and fun new activities for you to do around the, well, south central portion of LA. While the first DLC included cars and the expansion of the map, you might have heard that there is a second DLC coming as well, and this time it is only a car pack. The DLC will cost you $2.99, and the with it you will acquire the following:

2008 Cadillac XLR V
2008 Lancer Evolution X
2007 Aston Martin DB9
and the bonus 2008 Ducati 1098 R

Keep in mind that you will need to download the free South Central expansion to be able to play any of the DLC content. Personally, I'm waiting until they bring LAX - I really want to see the difference from good-old MC2 days to now. Check out the video trailer here.

Video Game - Video Game Cheat Codes - Video Game Trailers

Killzone 2 1.24 Patch Adds some cool features!

2009-04-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

So you all know about "Steel & Titanium" Pack by now, but with that cool map pack there will also be some good bug fixes and additions to Killzone 2 with Patch 1.24 - which by the way will weigh about 57mb. There are some few things that we already know will happen like there will be more ranks and trophies added, but there are some other things we have yet to read on.

Notably this interesting feature has been added: Invite player from friend list. This could well mean that Guerrilla will be letting you jump on your XMB and invite friends through there ala Resident Evil 5 - which, mind you, would be pretty cool!

"We are working hard on creating features that will make it easier for you to play with your friends online. These features include being able to join the same faction of a friend already in-game directly from the join game menus, manually being able to switch faction during gameplay and making existing squads consistent over multiple rounds; no more need to create a new squad every single round. These features will be coming to a patch near you soon!"

Here are the full notes on the patch. Hope you guys find it interesting:

Killzone 2 Version 1.24 Patch Notes

On April 22nd at 8AM GMT, Guerrilla Games will release the next game update to their hit first-person shooter Killzone 2, exclusive for the Playstation 3. The primary main aim of patch 1.24 is to enable the released versions of the game to play with the Japanese release, due on the 23rd of April 2009. It also enables support for the first DLC pack, Steel and Titanium, available on the Playstation Store from the 30th of April 2009. Finally, we have added three additional ranks to the top-end of the rankings known as 'Hardcore Ranks'. There are additional small improvements on finding and joining friends and clan members, but we will continue to expand on this system with the next update.

Total download size for the patch is 57MB. A full list of fixes and feature updates can be found below:

AI - Bots now skipping disabled/destroyed MGs in warzone when requesting mounted guns.
AI - Do not claim waypoints for the previous character when it's dead.
AI - Fixes bots getting stuck trying to arm/disarm S&D object when mission is already over.
Campaign - Fix for potential progression bug in Salamun Bridge.
Clans - User name, not users clan displayed in rankings.
Clans - Winning 10 Clan Challenges causes the user to become stuck on the medal awards screen.
Controls - Lean & Peak - Zoom hold on and out of ammo it switches between regular/scope view rapidly.
Cosmetic - Blue screen tint which indicates scout cloak is occasionally enabled and will remain indefinitely.
Cosmetic - White squares on the grenade counter merge together when displayed in 1080p.
Create Game - "Badge Combination" option does not work properly.
Create Game - Online - "clan only" presets apply even after a player leaves a clan.
DLC - DLC pack 1 - 'Steel & Titanium' support.
DLC - New Loading screens advertising the first DLC pack.
Exploit - Helghan Industries - Player getting out of map fix.
Exploit - Radec Academy - User is able to gain access to the roof when revived in a specific location.
Exploit - Reviving player stuck in wall collision can result in him spawning outside level.
Exploit - Salamun Market - One sided wall allows people to be seen and shot from outside where they cant see or fire out.
Exploit - Tharsis Depot - Player can get out of the "normal" play area and can get into some sniper/camp spots.
Feature - Invite player from friends list.
Feature - Join Clan Member list added.
Feature - Join Game - 17-24 players filter.
Feature - MP - Moving while seeing scores after pressing SELECT.
Feature - The radar/map now has a larger radius.
Feature - Three additional 'Harcore' Ranks added to the top limits.
Front-End - Add support to display more than 8 maps when creating a game /challenge/tournament.
Front-End - Sorting ascending and decending ranks working better in 'Rankings'.
Front-End - When in a squad, the Valor Trophy is visible in the Squad Tab, however the users rank is not being displayed on top of it.
Mods - Official tournament to be displayed first followed by custom created tournaments.
Mods - Additional functionality made avalable to the in-game moderators.
Network - Server side fix for full games being displayed incorrectly.
Network - User is unable to use the 'Join Clan Member' tab due to Network Error Code 20002.
Online - File-synching with the Japanese release of Killzone 2 on the 23rd of April.
Sound - Turret placing sound continues when killed.
Stability - Crash when synching gamestate after a full mapcycle.
Stability - Hang on a screen with a blank message window just before a message appears.
Stability - Reducing the load on the server related to syncing the buddylist.
Stats - If a clan wins 24 Clan Challenges and goes to the result screen, the medal acquisition screen, which normally displays when you win 25 games, will display.
Stats - Number of air-support grenades used by tacticians does not add to the stats of joined user correctly.
Stats - Number of spawn-grenades used by tacticians does not add to the stats of joined user correctly.
Stats - User sometimes does not receive 1000 valor award when winning 10 Clan Challenges.
Text - % character not displayed correctly on the creating game dialogue box after selecting to create game.
Text - If a client receives an invite from a clan which has a '$' character in the clan name, the recipient will get kicked.
Text - Italian localization fix.
Text - Japanese localization fix.
Tournament - Game decides winner if one of the two teams doesn't spawn in.
Trophies - Wargod trophy unlocking pre-maturely.
We are continuing to improve the game with updates to existing content and adding new features. If you have any questions regarding the patches or have problems with Killzone 2, please visit Killzone.com for further help.

G4's Exclusive Prototype Mission Video

2009-04-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

G4's Brian Leathy was lucky enough to take a trip to Activision and get his hands-on Prototype. The good news for us is that he brought us footage of a never-before-seen level on Prototype. According to Brian, this level takes place in early stages of the game. Alex is sent to GenTek in search of a mysterious women. The women supposedly holds potential intel about Mercer's past. After Alex's parkour trip to the facility, he somehow gets in the facility. After that there are some infected enemies you will have to take out, but Alex decides to lead them to yet another GenTek plant. Here is the video; you might want to check out how all this actually looks and plays out.

Best Game Logo Designs

2009-04-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

Much hunger for those amazing looking game logos you see all around the internet? Whether you are a graphic designer or not, we are sure some game logos have capture your attention; perhaps at one point you have bought the game just because the logo looked so amazingly fantastic! If so, Marcofolio has listed a range of fantastic looking and well designed game logos for you to take a look at and admire. The games range from titles like: Contra4, Doom, Assassin's Creed, God of War 3, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, SSX Blur, StarCraft, TimeShift, Unreal Tournament 3, and so on. Take a look at all the logos, and tell us which ones you like the best; if you have more logos in mind, let us know which one is your favorite logo of all time.

Assassin's Creed 2 Teaser Trailer

2009-04-16T13:27:00.001-07:00

Assassin's Creed 2 Release Window Revealed

2009-04-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

By now many of you have considered Assassins Creed 2 a reality, but just today Ubisoft acknowledged Assassin's Creed 2 officially. The official announcement includes quite a bit of interesting intel. Apparently Assassin's Creed 2 will have a holiday 2009 release window on all current-generation systems. From that we can suppose that the game will be playable on the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii - the PC might also get a chance to play around with it. That is sooner than expected, but as always, lets not forget that titles do get delayed sometimes; we wish this isn't one of them. We'll keep you posted as fresh intel comes in.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Website Ready

2009-04-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

Although the movie is not due for another two months, the game is starting to crawl up on your screens awaiting for you to take control of a war that has become ours. For now the website has what you would expect; there are some screenshots, concept art, wallpapers up for grabs, and a teaser trailer to get us ready for this war in which we must help the Autobots and ensure our salvation. It is true, as Kotaku states, the website is Shia LaBeouf free, but we also can't see Megan Fox - to most of us, that is quite sad; in fact, very, very sad. Regardless, take a look at the website here. We'll keep you posted as more things start shaping - transforming. Until then, lets roll out.

Killzone 2 DLC Officially Dated

2009-04-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

It's official, the Killzone 2 'Steel and Titanium' DLC is coming this April 30th. As previously discussed, the DLC will have two new multiplayer levels. One of them takes place in an ISA Cruiser and the other on a Helghast freighter trains. This should keep you going for even more time on Killzone 2. Some rumors have it that the DLC will be free, so we'll see. As always we'll keep you updated!

Assassins Creed 2 Scans

2009-04-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

Is your mouth still watering from GameInformer's details on Assassins Creed 2? Well, don't hold the saliva back yet (unless you already have a copy of GameInformer.) If not, we got you covered. The scans of the GameInformer's article have arrived and they look promising, so lets stop talking and get on admiring this beautiful game shall we? All the scans from the mag can be found here. Remember, this are scans straight from the magazine, so don't expect amazing looking pictures.

Sony patents tiny PSP-controlled car

2009-04-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

Sounds like Sony has been watching and following Knight Rider's KITT, or Batman. Apparently Siliconera found an interesting patent filled by SCEE for a remote-controlled car that uses the PSP as an interface. The car is highly equipped with a camera that feeds video back to the PSP, thus rendering your PSP the ultimate spy weapon! One of its application being that: "a user may control the car... so as to spy on their friends... then upload the stored video images to a website." That is quite interesting, specially coming from SCEE - you know, the ones who took all the fun out of Home.

The patent applications also state that the car could be used for an "augmented reality" racing game. The game would recognize real objects as elements in the racing game. (That means if you collide onto a popcorn your car will deploy its air bag!)

There has been nothing heard of this, but the idea is pretty cool. What do you guys think? If you can become the ultimate spy with this, would you buy a PSP?

Assassins Creed 2 Details Revealed Straight from GameInformer

2009-04-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

There are a few guys like myself that loved the interesting story of Assassin's Creed, and due to that fact there are many guys who love to gather around hints and clues to piece them together to see what could be on the next installment to Assassins Creed. Most of them gather on the official Assassin's Creed forums. Earlier today, Destinrl posted a list of things that will feature on Assassin's Creed 2 on the official Assassin's Creed forum. According to the member, the details are straight from GameInformer, so they should be reliable - haven't read it myself though. Here is the whole list the member of the forum wrote, and he warns on some spoilers, so read at your own discretion:

- You'll have a ton of new weapons to choose from including an axe, a hammer, a mace, a spear, 2 different sword types, a spear axe thing, and 2 smaller blades
- You CAN swim
- Da Vincis workshop is in the game
- Locations include Saint Marks Basilica, The Grand Canal, The Little Canal, and the Rialto bridge.
- The game opens in 1476, Altair is from 1191
- So you do indeed play as a new ancestor of Altair / Desmond
-You will see the countryside of Tuscany
- The "Auditore" family is mentioned
- The main characters name is Ezio Auditore de Firenze
- He is a nobleman of Florence
- Big characters are in the game including Machiavelli, Caterina Sofrza, and Lorenzo de Medici
- YOU DO INDEED FLY AND THERES A PICTURE OF IT.
and thats just what I got from the pictures. I'll let you know more details as I read more.
- Game will feature a new notoriety system that governs how enemy soldiers and people will treat you.
- You can disarm enemies and use their own weapons against them this time.
- each weapon has a special move.
- 16 unique mission types.
- No more ease dropping or pick pocketing missions.
- If you get beat up to much you will need to see a street side doctor to regain ful strength.
- Hidden objects (like flags in the first one) are there to uncover but this time if you track them down you will get in-game bonuses that make it worth your time.
- Items include, flags, statues, and gold coins and more that isnt mentioned.
- New enemy types with unique attitudes and weaknesses are present in the game. Archers are mentioned, as well as elite enemies, dagger wielders, "Brutish" armored troops with heavy armor and 2 handed swords and axes, and an intelligent halberd enemy will probe hiding places with their weapons if they think you're near by.
- While hiding in a hay bail you can assassinate people this time, but it may expose your position.
- You can still climb towers and ride horses
- The Lorendo de Medici assassination is in the game.
- There is now a night and day sequence in the game.
- 240 people are working on this title.

Seems juicy! We'll be reporting as this goes further down the line.

MAG could have a subtitle

2009-04-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

Aside from being a 256-player online shooter warfare by Zipper Interactive, we know little about MAG. The first question that possibly popped up on everyone's head this past E3, was probably why they chose that name. Quite frankly, it just makes sense, but it isn't really a cool name. Is it? Lets not forget "uncool" names don't serve well for marketing purposes. Regardless of the little knowledge we have on MAG, it seems like the game's title could change or add a subtitle soon. This comes from someone that spotted an interesting URL that redirects you to the recently launched MAG official website. The URL, MAGShadowWar.com, is owned and operated by SCEA, which renders this subtitle idea quite possible.

Of course there isn't much to say as of yet. There has not been much official game information reveals besides the website, but most likely we will get to know more details come this year's E3. As always we'll keep you updated as things happen. On that note, if you could pick a good name for MAG, what would it be?

Launching on June 9th Prototype's Opening Cinematic

2009-04-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

MAG Site Launched

2009-04-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Recently there were a batch of supposed leaked pictures of MAG, but now here you have a taste of some official stuff to get your teeth into. Okay, maybe there isn't much to get your teeth into, but this recently launched MAG official website so interesting to to listen to. The website displays a map of the word in which you can movie your cursor over and in some regions you will hear some noises, and voices, etc. If you click in the right place you will see an emblem (most likely of a faction that region pertains to,) and after a few seconds an imagine will flash before you. Seem like a quite interesting page to decipher. Go on and take a look here. We'll keep you updated with more.

Yet More PSP2 Rumors

2009-04-07T03:12:00.000-07:00

Yes indeed, there are yet more rumors of the brand-new PSP; this time the rumors originates from Pocket Gamer. According to the article, Pocket Gamer talks to an insider source who is currently working on the new hardware. The inside source reveals that the new PSP will come before Christmas and will resemble the iPhone rather than any current model. We have all heard some of the features that the supposed new PSP will have, and the list here isn't far away from that. The device will still be a compact device, with a large touchscreen, no UMD, and a sliding screen that reveals the controls and buttons - yes, there will two thumbsticks. I know right?!

Sony has not comfirmed this, and it sounds like they won't for sometime. We will most likely hear a lot of this on this year's E3 in June, so stay tuned as we will bring you those news. And again, this is a rumor, nothing official, so please take it with a grain of salt. On a side not though, I find it interesting that the model sounds like it will end up looking like a fan-made PSP model shown above. Let us know what you think.

GDC09: UnDead Wrap-Up

2009-04-04T14:52:00.001-07:00

Despite the many trailers, demos, keynotes, and revelations, OnLive was perhaps the icon of this year's GDC. Regardless of whether OnLive can deliver what they have said it should, the machines seems to be working fine on GDC floor, but most people will believe it once it is sitting and working right in their homes. Responding to the OnLive threat Sony is already looking into cloud gaming, and both Microsoft or Sony rumors of wanting to buy OnLive while the Wii sits there, most likely working out to the Wii Fit bit. So tell us, what was the best thing on GDC? In case you don't remember, here is this year's GDC Wrap-Up:

Games:
NFS Shift Trailer.
R.U.S.E. Trailer.
Modern Warfare 2 Teaser Trailer.
Assassins Creed Coming to iPhone.
Wolfenstein 3D coming to PSN.
Ratchet is Back in a Crack in Time.
The Next Metal Gear... Raiden?
Prototype: 10 Reasons to get this bad boy.
Batman Arkham Asylum Extended Gameplay Video Footage.

Keynote:
Hideo Kojima Keynote MGS Origins.
CryEngine 3 ready for PS3.

Gadgets:
OnLive: A PS3/X360/Wii killer?
OnLive Demo Videos.

Others:
IGN on Gaming Press.
PSN Under the hood.
Splinter Cell and Assassins Creed to hit the big screen.

New Prototype Video Shows Off Story

2009-04-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Did it not suffice with the top ten coolest things you could do in Prototype? Well, now you can have yet a bit more from Prototype in this new video that showcases the story of the game. Tim Bennison, executive producer of Prototype, illustrates the essence of the game. Throughout the video, you will also see some characters, enemies, and gameplay that will trigger more memories to help you remember who you are. I don't know about you guys, but all my support goes to Prototype; I really think Alex could kick Cole's butt! What do you guys think? inFamous or Prototype?

More Prototype News & Previews

PS3 Firmware 2.70 Walkthrough [Update: Now LIVE]

2009-04-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

Update 1: Sony revealed Firmware 2.70 features ealier, but we never thought it was coming this soon; nevertheless, here it is. Firmware 2.70 is now available to download, so if think you'll make a good use of the features go an download this bad boy now!

Check more over that the PS.Blog

GDC09: Extended Cut of Batman: Arkham Asylum Gamplay Footage

2009-04-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

Want more of the Batman? You are in luck! We have the full version of Batman: Arkham Asylum GDC gameplay footage, so you can glance at the entire demonstration. Have a look at the video here.

The Lovezone is in the air in this April Fools

2009-04-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

As they say, everything is fair in love and war, and in this case Helghan is no exception. Prepare to experience Helghan love like never before with Killzone 2: Helghast in Lovezone. In this story, two Helghasts meet on the battlefield and break all boundaries to make their love possible - I never thought Helghan could be this romantic! Check the video here

GDC09: Hideo Kojima Keynote Videos

2009-04-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

If you are a Metal Gear fan, you might want to check Hideo Kojima's GDC Keynote which is now available in video form. Kojima goes over the origins of Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, MGS, MGS2, MGS3, MGS4, and of course the new mission of "The Next Metal Gear." The keynote is very interesting, and of course is Kojima so we know it will have its funny moments. If you are not a Metal Gear fan, you might still want to check the videos out for some interesting game developing details and how a masterpiece was born. Check all the videos after the break.

Hideo Kojima at IGN.com

Keep watching Kojima's GDC Keynote[+/-]

More Hideo Kojima Info

More Hideo Kojima News & Previews

More Hideo Kojima Info

More Hideo Kojima News & Previews

Killzone 2 Secret Multiplayer Characters Revealed?

2009-04-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, Guerrilla Games has updated Killzone.com with some great news! Apparently after the patch was released several people were playing as Visari and Redec. Killzone.com confirmed this with their new post earlier today. The only thing you need to do is hit a couple of button combinations and you're good to go! Certainly this also sounds pretty odd, and we are still on April Fools, so head over to Killzone.com news and hope this it really is true.