PS3gamingladders.co.uk news and blogs

BURNOUT PARADISE

2010-01-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

hi peeps don't about you all but i would like to see something new in burnout , i don't know about all of you but i know there a good few that like the ranked races on the game, what if they could give us some more race routes to do or to make it a bit more fun all the currant race routes turn them around so you are going the other way on the same race. i will e-mail them and see what they say, there is still just loads of people still playing and new one's arriving all the time.. watch this space?????

BURNOUT PARADISE

2009-12-28T12:52:00.000-08:00

hi there people i still see that people are still getting burnout paradise and still asking for help, so if there any one out there who needs any help or willing to give help to others nip over to the forums on the uk playstation .com and sign up , me included i will help most anyone needing it , after all it's all part of the fun .

mag

2009-12-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

hi again been along time but i thought i may has well let you know about mag i got a beta in the end where from you may never know, mind you it was the same place i got a battlefield code too ha ha, i thought mag was great and yes sonic it is brill for sniping and maybe if it is done the right way it might pull all the clan back together. has for loading times it does'nt seem any longer than socom so i don't know what the problem was there.

MAG

2009-09-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hi people i don't often write on the blog my self, it's just news i get from somewhere else and put it on here for my clan (AAK) and members of our ladder site to read. Has i play shooters i hear a lot of how you are looking forward to the release of MAG, i notice there are a lot af clans not working as a team, makes me wonder how will they manage on a game the size of mag, i'm not saying we all work as a team all the time but we trying to get it together, we are hoping to have a whole side of clan members when it kicks off, yes i know that is 128 clan members on the same side all working together has a team.

MAG

2009-09-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Massive Action Game Slips Into 2010
Sony announces that MAG will arrive on January 26.

Another release date has been nailed down, and once again it's on the other side of the 2009/2010 divide. Sony has just announced that Massive Action Game will be arriving at North American retailers in January.
The news comes from the US PlaySstation Blog, who also announced that there would be a "MAG-centric community event in downtown Seattle" during PAX. The event will feature a chance to go hands-on with a new map, as well as the opportunity to meet some of the development team.

We last saw MAG at E3, where we said that it had the potential to be one of the "more compelling experiences available on consoles." Of course, it's also "best not think about" what will happen if things go wrong with the ambitious 256-player setup.

MAG will be arriving on January 26.

Final Fantasy 13 dated for Japan

2009-09-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

After waiting patiently for so long, it seems like Square Enix jumped the gun on their announcement earlier today. With a planned private event scheduled for tomorrow, the big surprise of the part has been leaked early.

We have just found out that Final Fantasy XIII will release in Japan on December 17th. With a late winter release for Japan, we can expect to see the game release elsewhere in the world during the early parts of 2010. A spring release for America is looking like a viable option – with a release most likely after April.

Uncharted 2 public demo announced

2009-09-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

We all know there have been numerous opportunities for PS3 owners to play Uncharted 2. Firstly, there was the closed beta and starting in less than two weeks there will be the multiplayer beta that you can gain access to by simply preordering the game at a local GameStop location. If you didn’t preorder the game at GameStop and missed out on the closed beta from a while back, don’t be discouraged, Naughty Dog and Sony are going to give you shot at the end of the month.

That’s right; starting on September 29th, there will be an open multiplayer demo available to all. What kind of content the demo will offer isn't known, yet. It will be different from the closed beta from June, though. If it'll be different from the GameStop beta isn't known. One way or another, though, I'll see you online.

2009-09-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

GC 2009: CCP Announces a Console First-Person Shooter MMO

US, August 18, 2009 - This could be absolutely brilliant.

At GDC Europe 2009, CCP's Hilmar Veigar Petursson announced a new product called DUST 514, and it's not at all what we expected.

DUST 514 is a first-person shooter that's being incorporated into the EVE universe, acting essentially an MMO for consoles. It's a mix of first-person shooting and real-time strategy gameplay where you play as a marine with a rifle running around on the ground. It's not only set in the EVE universe, it's actually connected to EVE. The DUST battlefields will determine who controls territory within EVE's world. The EVE Online players will have to contract players of DUST to go in and destabilize territory. CCP's hope is that the first-person shooter crowd on consoles and the PC EVE Online crowd will eventually form alliances together.

The game is being handled by CCP's Shanghai office.

More will be shown off at CCP's Fanfest in October of this year.The video shown at the session featured a number of ships floating through space, then zoomed in on a soldier on a planet's surface moving through passageways in a warzone with trucks and tanks and aircraft all firing at each other. He climbed a ramp and boarded an aircraft after shooting an enemy who was carrying a rocket launcher, and as he climbed into the air witnessed another aircraft blast another with a barrage of missiles.

No other details, such as pricing structure or release date were unveiled at the talk, but the interconnectedness of EVE Online's single-shard world and a console first-person shooter online game is really exciting. We'll have more as soon as we can.

Modern Warfare 2

2009-09-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

New Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer details

New details about the demo Infinity Ward showed them during the GameStop conference – which is going on this week in Las Vegas. First off, during the demonstration, Infinity Ward showed off the player using dual Uzi submachine gun weapons and gunning down the enemy opposition. As the demo went on, they also showed off the Special Forces mode and Breach and Clear mode. Although looking excellent and exciting, nothing really new was showed during these modes, he said.

The most excited aspects he said he saw, though, were the use of a riot shield and recovery of teammates. The riot shield is pretty much what you'd expect. It provides some cover and acts very similarly to the shield from Gears of War 2. Near the later part of the demonstration, Infinity Ward showed players rescuing fallen teammates during a Breach and Clear mission. Players were able to go over to other players and rescue them, very similar to Left4Dead in style he described it as. Finally, players will also be able to throw knives in multiplayer. No more getting up-close and personal with your knife. Now you can toss a knife at an opposing player during multiplayer bouts and take them out with a knife to the face.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is just a couple months away from being released to the masses. With so much still in the dark about the game, it’s nice to see Infinity Ward showing off some new content.

SOCOM: Confrontation Inaugural Tournament

2009-08-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce that the very first SOCOM: Confrontation tournament will start registration on Friday August 28th at 9am Pacific Time.

Tournament Name: Fireteam Clash
Tournament Type: 4v4 Weekday
Sign Up: August 28th – 9am Pacific Time
Number of Teams: 32
Maximum Team Size: 6 players
Game Days: August 31st and September 1st

This tournament is for the North American region only. Over the coming weeks, tournaments will become available across all regions so please bear with us as we ramp up.

There have been many questions since the launch of 1.50 asking about the functionality of tournaments, the answers to many of these questions can be found below.

Registration
Each tournament will have a time and day where the sign-up window opens. Once the registration window opens, open the Calendar screen. Days that have open registration for tournaments will have a green icon on them (blue icons signify that the tournament sign-up has not started yet).

To register for the Tournament, scroll to the day on the calendar, press X and then select Tournament Sign Up at the top of the screen. From there select which Tournament to participate in and select to Register.

Creating or Joining a Team
Tournaments are open to all SOCOM: Confrontation players, whether they are a clan leader, member or not in a clan at all. After a player has registered for a tournament, they can select to Create their own team or Search for an already registered team and request to join.

Players who are registered for the tournament but not in a specific team will be automatically assigned to empty slots on existing teams so they may still participate.

Those who choose to create their own teams are encouraged to invite players only once as there have been infrequent reports of players being returned to the XMB when inviting a player repeatedly.

Playing in a Tournament
Once a player is registered for a tournament, when returning to the Calendar, days with scheduled matches will have a gold icon on them. To see the scheduled match time, scroll to the day and select it.

If you have SOCOM Confrontation running prior to your tournament match you will receive tournament match reminders 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes before you need to join the Pre Game lobby.

You must join the Pre-Game lobby in the 10 minute window before your scheduled match begins, this can be done by either accepting the Game Invitation you will receive at the start of this 10 minute window or if you need to finish something up you can navigate there via the Tournament Match menu option under the Briefing Room main menu option.

At the scheduled time matches will automatically begin. The winning team from each match will advance through the tournament brackets with first, second and third place winners receiving gold, silver and bronze trophies respectively.

Enjoy Yourself
Over the coming weeks new and larger tournaments will start appearing so check the Calendar screen often to stay updated. This tournament has a limited number of players, so those who wish to participate with their friends and clans should not delay in securing spots.

We are also looking to name each of the regularly scheduled tournaments, suggestions are welcome but are limited to a 15 character maximum.

You can comment on this post here.

ps3gamingladders

GC 2009: MAG Progress Report

2009-08-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

US, August 19, 2009 - Zipper Interactive, the developer responsible for the bulk of the SOCOM series, showed off the latest version of its forthcoming massively-multiplayer first-person shooter, MAG, exclusive to PS3, at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany this week. The title promises online military-style shooter battles with up to 256 players, a feat demonstrated at E3 2009. For Gamescom, Zipper showed off something a little different -- a brand new 128-player extraction mission on a new level; the goal being to get in, find a prototype vehicle and then get out with it. Either that, or, if you happen to be on the defensive side, to blow the forces attempting that goal to smithereens.

If you're new to MAG, here's a little background, as relayed to me by the fine gentlemen from Zipper. The game is set about 20 years in a future when world governments can no longer feasibly deploy their armies to global battle because the democratic nations of the planet won't stand for sending men and women off to die for foreign interests. As a result, private military companies form and three in particular -- all of them very different in nature -- come to prominence.

The Raven, based out of Austria, are largely compiled of European fighters. These guys are extremely high-tech and streamlined. They use only the best, most futuristic weapons and gear and they operative out of Central America, where many of their missions unfold. The Valor, much more traditionally military, are perfect for you SOCOM purists. They don't have the latest and greatest weapons, but nevertheless port very powerful, battle-tested guns. They've also got experience to spare, having seen and survived multiple wars. These veterans are based in Alaska, where many of their missions transpire. Finally, there are the Sver, the youngest of the three armies. They're very aggressive fighters recruited from the irregular armies of central Asian regions. Not only are they very hardcore, but exceptionally adaptable to different military situations.

MAG is a dauntingly complex and comprehensively connected community shooter overrun with features starting from the character creation process, where you can choose from the aforementioned PMCs and take part in the endlessly waging Shadow War. Whether engaged in all-out battle or alternatively the extraction missions, Zipper has crafted scenarios designed to pit one massive army against the other either in the offensive or defensive position, both thrilling for their own reasons. If you're on the defense, your goal is to keep your home base safe. If you win battles, your PMC gains standing in the Shadow War and team members are ultimately rewarded with gameplay bonuses and character growth. Leveling up earns skill points, which can be spent on special new weapons, attachments, gear and physical enhancements. If you advance to level 15, you'll be given the chance to lead a squad, a position that challenges you to guide your entire group. If you're successful, you'll get double the experience points. If you've got what it takes, you can ultimately take control of entire armies -- up to 255 people at your command.

The Shadow War describes the perpetually fought online battles -- 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Each game mode is a separate tournament. MAG allows you to fully customize your clans, not only with unique names, but tags that can be appended to titles, and both will be shown in all screens that list players. The game will keep track of an extensive list of trusted teammates policed by players, you'll be able to quick join into existing clan battles, and see the online or offline deployed status of all clan members.

The Gamescom build of MAG took place at the Corvus Research base, a high-tech military compound in Raven's neck of the woods. The goal for the attacking team, comprised of 64 people, was to destroy the defending bunkers, obliterate enemy aircrafts and finally to secure a prototype transport vehicle and then safely extract it. The defending team merely had to stop those plans by any means necessary, a process that, of course, involved copious amounts of gunplay, but also going out into the field with kits and repairing damaged bunkers and other resources. If you're thinking that 128 soldiers (double that at E3) running around blasting each other might be just a few too many for comfort, rest assured that Zipper has solved this potential dilemma by creating absolutely enormous maps that stretch off for great distances in every direction to explore.

The developer has maximized the PS3 controller. The left stick is obviously used for movement and the right for aiming. L2 switches gears and objects. L1 activates the scope, useful for picking off far-off enemies. R2 cycles between weapons. In the demo, I spotted everything from auto-rifles to simple pistols, rocket launchers and, of course, grenades. R1 fires those weapons. L3 activates your sprint. R3 brings up voice chat. Then you've got D-pad up to choose your chat channel, right to request / call troops, and down for context-sensitive orders and targets. X is for jumps and square for reloads. Meanwhile, the select button pops up your tactical map. All of this might sound like a lot for your average shooter, but SOCOM fans shouldn't find the configuration overly cumbersome. Control sensitivity remains a little loose for my liking, a fault likely due to the game's fluidity, which strives for 30 frames but sometimes dips below. Positioned against the Call of Duty franchise, which is bound to draw comparisons, Activision's shooter just feels better. That said, MAG controls are more than adequate for the fierce online battles that transpire and I'm confident that the militarily inclined will prefer the title's squad management and its massive selection of community options.

Firmware 2.80 Release Tomorrow

2009-06-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Sony is about the launch a new firmware update for the PS3. Available for download tomorrow, the new firmware 2.80 will be a basic update. No major new additions will be made available. There are a few fixes to increase performance such as faster Trophy synchronization and faster XMB loads. Sony will, of course, make an official post either tonight about Firmware 2.80 or early tomorrow to let us know it’s coming later in the day.

The update will have one new feature PS3 owners wants. Sadly, it won't be immediately useful to us. It may be a new feature to the messaging and game invite system, but, this isn't 100% certain, yet.

As it was reported by ThatGamerAccess, Sony has updated their press site with a 2.80 debug file. It''s not set for download but Sony usually adds these a day before or the day of the real release.

It’s nothing to get excited about. It’s just a typical update.

GHOST RECON

2009-05-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Ubisoft has revealed their planned release schedule for the remaining part of the year. Many of their flagship titles will see a release later this fall between the months of November and December. Among these big name titles are: Assassin’s Creed 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, and Red Steel 2. Ironically, all these games have planned releases during those winter months. Though it apears Ubisoft will be release three major titles during a small timeslot, it should be noted that Red Stell 2 is a Wii exclusive and Splinter Cell: Conviction is a 360 exclusive. The only multiplatform title being released will be Assassin's Creed 2.
Aside from planned titles for this year, it was also revealed that Ubisoft may release an all-new Ghost Reacon during the spring of 2010. Unfortunately, Beyond Good and Evil2 doesn’t make an appearance on their current upcoming release list.

PRIZES

2009-03-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the prize page. below are teams that have won prizes for winning ladders and tournamentss, while being active on our site so, make sure you stick around and join in, and who knows you could be the next winner.

HEARTLESS CREW each won one of these for winning the COD4 SEARCH N DESTROY TOURNAMENT, yes thats right each team member in their four man squad, it was a tight run competition but it shows that being active and sticking to your guns pays of in the end. runners up for the next four teams each won a PS3 GAME of their choice. so even the runners up win

BIOHAZARD each one a copy of their fave game choice, for winning the COD4 doubles ladder, well done boyz you owned everyone keep it up.

PRIZES ON OFFER FOR THIS YEAR

Do you want to win one of these, then you had better get your team on here and active, join the ladders , and gain enough points to enter the tournaments, which will be announced next year, and one of these prizes could be yours, or if your a runner up then a PS3 game of your choice could be yours

Tournaments, Ladders and Site points

To be involved in future Tournaments you need to be in the relevent Ladders and have enough XP to spend for the entry fee, to gain these XP points you need to battle other teams/ players to matches, you also get an overall ranking for the things you do on the site, general activity, helping others, things like that. when you win a match or even lose you get points these points all add up to your XP score, you can also gain points from winning ladder competitions, so as we say stay active help each other if you can, and battle your heart out. If your unsure of how anything works on the site pm a member of staff we are here to help you. In the future we plan to let you cash your points in for Games, and other bits and bobs for your consoles, we are currently in negotiations with a major games company.So if we are selling a game for £30.00 it will have a XP value next to it aswell and if you have the xp you can cash them in for the game, simple as that, points will be worth MONEY!!

NEXT PAGE CURRENT COMPETITIONS

SITE NEWS

2009-03-19T07:59:00.001-07:00

WELCOME, we are the only site offering prizes for what you do best playing games so make this your new home for Ladders, Tournaments, Prizes Game news and Reviews, so stick around, make some new friends and enter the competitions. We have created this site for like minded people to enjoy and have a place they can always find someone to play a match with, we expect nothing from you except for your full support in helping us grow and keep it a good clean place to be a part of, please take the time to be part of our forums, make this your one stop place for game news and reviews and if you find any good info stick it on the forums for the rest of us to enjoy, if you want to be a part of this new revolution then you are more than welcome...thanks for joining us.While your here dont forget to check out oue exclusive PS3 and XBOX news.
WIN A PSP EACH, find out more, check the Current competition page

REGISTER YOUR CLAN. Ive created a CLAN LIST in the ladder section,and a CLAN ADS PAGE. so when your clan joins the site you can enter the full register in there, this will act as a place for you to see how well your team members are doing as it will show their site points, so you can use it as a clan members leader board,and also for leaving each other messages, so feel free to use it.Any clans joining the site can now send us a BANNER and we will place it on our CLAN ADS PAGE ,which will be usefull for you if you are recruiting new members, or just want to show your site off.
FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD? email.RED@GAMINGLADDERS.EU

Place Your Un-wanted Gear And Games On Our Auction Its FREE!!

2009-03-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sega Mega Drive... re-released?!

The Sega Mega Dive is set to return to the shops, courtesy of a super-slim redesign by the same company that introduced the handheld version last year.The "Blaze" Sega Mega Drive features a new slim design complete with two control pads and yes - even a cartridge slot.
15 Sega oldies including Sonic & Knuckles, Altered Beast, Golden Axe and Columns come built-in to the console, but the good news is you'll also be able to stick your old, non-first-party Mega Drive games into the box. It's multi-region as well.It sounds like a pretty attractive purchase for Sega fans then. It's out on April 24 for £39.99, according to Play. Thanks to CVG reader Ewan for the spot.

World at War

2009-03-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

First CoD: World at War map pack due next week

Treyarch has confirmed that punters will be able to download the first map pack for Call of Duty: World at War on March 19.

Due out on PlayStation and Xbox 360, the DLC includes four new multiplayer maps: Station, Nightfire, Knee Deep and Verruckt. The latter is particularly noteworthy, coming in the shape of a zombie asylum on the outskirts of war-torn Berlin. Full details on the maps can be seen below.

·"Station" offers a bombed out underground train station littered with destroyed subway cars, hidden passageways, loading platforms and second story overlooks. This medium sized map is perfect for dominating Capture the Flag and other team games and provides a wide range of combat options from close range choke points to hidden sniper spots.

·Fire-bombed Berlin provides the backdrop for "Nightfire," an intense battlefield for mid to large-scale team games. Shelled buildings and ruins of the city provide coverage among the war-ravaged streets, and the flames of the burning city expose the enemy running through the night. Fight for your life knowing that this fiery urban battlefield may soon be your grave.

·"Knee Deep" takes place on the island of Peleliu in a once tranquil village turned chaotic Japanese command center. Aiming to retrieve the valuable intel housed in the command post, troops fight through the jungle, wade knee deep in streams and take battle positions in fortified Japanese bunkers to secure this important communication center. Ideal for all combat scenarios and designed for larger team games and objective matches.

·The fan favorite 4-player co-op Nazi Zombies Bonus Mode returns with "Verrückt," a terrifying Zombie asylum located in the outskirts of Berlin. The map splits the four players into pairs, challenging the two teams to find each other for survival. Featuring more weapons, perks via the addition of Perks-a-Cola machines, electroshock defenses and the endless Nazi Zombie horde, "Verrückt" will push you to the edge of your sanity.

gamingladders.eu

Burnout Paradise

2009-03-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Burnout Paradise Boost Specials Coming This Week
Carson Extreme Hotrod and Hawker Mech 400 to be available Thursday.

Burnout Paradise, true to its racing roots, has started releasing downloadable content at a blinding pace. A Twitter post from producer Matt Webster (via Kotaku) reveals that the new Boost Specials cars will release this Thursday. The first vehicle is the Carson Extreme Hotrod, said to be "the fastest car in Paradise City" on straightaways, and containing a new dynamics system that handles more intuitively. The second car, which was a "closely-guarded secret," accidentally slipped out last month due to an error. It appears to be the Hawker Mech 400, which can be customized to a player's preferred specifications. The cars are expected to be priced at $4.99 USD on the PlayStation Network or 400 MS Points ($5 USD) on Xbox Live, but no official price has been given yet.
This is coming just on the heels of Legendary cars, Toy cars, and Party packs. We still expect the Big Surf Island pack to be dropping soon, as well as the Cops and Robbers pack sometime later this year. It's good to see Criterion supporting the game with so much varied content, but the Burnout fan who needs every car and mode should get used to having an empty wallet.

gamingladders.eu

Split/Second

2009-03-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

Pure Dev. Working On New Racing IP, Split/Second
Brand-new racing game promises you'll be able to blow up the track.

Burnout may finally have some competition. The not-so-secret new racing IP from Disney and Black Rock, the studio behind last year's underappreciated off-road racer Pure, has finally been revealed: Split/Second.
Split/Second's an action-oriented, fast-paced racing game set inside a reality television show. Whereas Burnout focuses on car-to-car combat, Split/Second promises environmental interaction, such as explosives, that will "alter the dynamics of the race" and create brand-new routes to explore.
"We'e creating huge memorable moments on par with the biggest blockbuster action films," said Black Rock game director Nick Baynes in the announcement press release. "Action racing has captured the imagination of video game fans worldwide and we're going to redefine that experience with Split/Second."
Do you think Criterion Games should be worried?

gamingladders.eu

2009-03-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Definitely Coming This Holiday
"Looking incredible" says Activision CFO.

In case you were wondering -- yes, there will be another Call of Duty this holiday season. And believe it or not, Activision thinks it looks incredible.
Speaking at the Wedbush Morgan Securities annual meeting (via Kotaku), Acitivision Chief Financial Officer Thomas Tippl said, "Last year we had probably beaten most expert expectations by growing the Call of Duty franchise over the tremendous success that was the first iteration of Modern Warfare. For 2009, Modern Warfare is coming back, we expect it will be the most anticipated game of the year. Perhaps the number one game of the year despite the fact that it's only going to launch in the holiday season."
"There is no doubt in my mind that it will again raise the bar for the shooter genre.The game is looking incredible and Infinity Ward, the studio that is developing it, is just doing an unbelievable job."
With Call of Duty having ascended to the status of top tier franchise over the past couple years, Tippl might not be far wrong in that assessment. What do you think?

gamingladders.eu

F.E.A.R. 2

2009-03-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

New F.E.A.R. 2 Maps Coming in April
Planned DLC includes "Toy Soldiers" map pack among other goodies.

Monolith is getting ready to hop on the downloadable content gravy train with new F.E.A.R. 2 goodies coming in April. Kotaku reports that the planned content will include a premium theme and picture pack, for those of you who want to see a creepy little girl all the time, along with a new "Toy Soldiers" map pack. There's no word on what the new maps include, though the name seems to imply tiny little parapsychology commandos. Perhaps accompanied by very small ghosts.
Many are noting that it's strange to center the new downloadable content around the multiplayer modes, which despite good marks for the game in general, were seen as fairly generic. "For some, the disappointment of the game will be that the features that give F.E.A.R. 2 its identity disappear in the multiplayer modes," Garnett Lee said in our review. He called the multiplayer "fun to play for a change of place," but nothing that could replace Call of Duty 4. We'll have to see if the Toy Soldiers pack introduces a fresh take on the multiplayer modes to make it stand out more.

gamingladders.eu

Trophies Coming to PlayStation.com Tuesday

2009-03-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

Trophies Coming to PlayStation.com Tuesday
View all of your hard-earned trophies anywhere starting tomorrow.

Trophies are great and all, but what good is trophy whoring if you can't view them in every venue possible? Well, Sony has you covered, with trophies soon to be appearing on PlayStation.com.
Eric Lempel at the PlayStation Blog has the details, where he shows off a few screenshots of what your PSN profile will look like come Tuesday. At the moment, you can only see your PS3's online ID, avatar and friends list.
So enjoy, PlayStation fans. Very soon, you'll be able to admire your trophy collection anywhere.

OLD AAK

2009-02-24T11:02:00.001-08:00

this is for all old AAK members, you know who you are it all started on resistance , then it was rainbow 6 and then graw 2 we all had a good time and worked together well those days have all but gone, but wait some of us who still talk to each other have been talking about getting back together one night a week on graw 2 . so if you read this and still in touch with the other members get in touch and we will meat up the day is not set yet but stay tuned and i will let you know when , also i will be putting this on the gamingladders blog, the clan shack, my psn , and the playstation forum so i be able to reach most of you.. C-H-I-E-F

Burnout Paradise

2009-01-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Criterion Unveils 3 More Legendary Cars

Wow! We got an immense response to our recent unveiling of the 88 Special – an incredible hovering car!

But, the 88 Special is just a one quarter of our forthcoming Legendary Cars pack. Now it’s time to show you the 3 remaining cars.

We’re keeping things pretty much under wraps on these vehicles for the moment. After all, we’ve got a ton of exciting content arriving at the beginning of Feb to tell you about first. But before we get into that, we couldn’t resist bringing you the first images of these spectacular vehicles.

And keep an eye out for our next video podcast. The gang are showing the first daytime footage of the 88 Special and the first footage of all three of these hot cars.

You can stream Crash TV here on the website, subscribe on iTunes and watch it on our You Tube Channel - burnoutteamrocks!

Boostin’ makes me feel good!

First up the Manhattan Spirit. Not the fastest car in Paradise City, but this reimagining of Burnout Paradise’s Hunter Manhattan should keep the spirits at bay.

Fans of the original will know that this underused beauty is great for stunts. This customised special version is even better, but like all the Legendary Cars, this has a trick up its sleeve – hit L3 and boost to find out what it does.

This car does not exist

This is the Carson Nighthawk.

Denied by the government and disowned by Carson, this ultra rare version of the Carson GT is the ultimate super pursuit vehicle!

The custom lighting array triggered by boost makes this the most distinctive-looking vehicle for night time events in the dangerous world of Paradise City.

One for the good ole boys

And finally, the Cavalry Bootlegger.

Branded with the Mexican flag and tagged as a tribute to The Chicanator, one of our big-time Mexican Burnout fans, this is a classic modified Hunter Cavalry.

Hit a massive jump and press L3 to sound the incredible horn – it’s one of the defining moments in Paradise City.

Also available in orange.

Topic: Burnout Paradise News by TheTeam@Criterion

Killzone 2

2009-01-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

Pre-release Euro Killzone 2 demo likely News

Sony has told Eurogamer that it will release a European demo of Killzone 2 through PlayStation Network, but cannot confirm exactly when, or what will be included in the demo.

However, a source close to the publisher told us that if it clears QA in time, the demo will almost certainly be released in Europe before the game.

That's in contrast to the US, where the demo is subject to an exclusivity agreement that means consumers will only be able to get hold of it before release by pre-ordering from GameStop.

A spokesperson for Sony America confirmed that to PS3Fanboy overnight, adding that the demo will appear on PSN there after launch.

Killzone 2 is due out in February, but Sony has yet to confirm an exact release date. Check out our Killzone 2 gamepage for our latest hands-on previews, trailers, screenshots and more.

And look out for our Killzone 2 review in the coming weeks.

A NEW BEGINNING

2009-01-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

ok people it's a new year and a new beginning, let's get up and going get them challenges sent out and start earning them points, now don't forget to let all members of staff know if you want any help just let us know wheather your on ps3, xbox360, wii, psp, we are here to help you all. and don't forget the forums we have 275 members on site and only 17 on the forum, so come people lets start to join in, we are aiming high this year but we all need to help, and don't forget to let me know if you want any info on games to let me know

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

Killzone 2

2009-01-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

Killzone 2 @ GameStop

Those out there that cannot wait to undertake Killzone 2 will have to scamper to their nearest GameStop and place a pre-order. GameStop will be distributing a special demo with every reserve which can then be accessed though the entering of a numbered code made for the PlayStation Network.

It is still theoretically a free demo since consumers will be able to withdraw their pre-order of Killzone 2 at any point before or after one obtains a demo.

A friendly reminder, Best Buy is giving away a Killzone 2 PlayStation 3 theme, while Amazon is putting up a Helghan soldier PlayStation avatar.

Killzone 2

2008-12-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

Killzone 2 releasing early in Europe?

According to Playfrance, French retailers have started confirming an early release date for Killzone 2 within Europe. The website states that SCEE will be releasing the title two days earlier than the U.S. date (February 27).

SCEE has yet to confirm this rumor, however it wouldn't come as a surprise if true. Media outlets have already begun to receive review copies of the title, and the first magazine review will be hitting store shelves any day now.

Stay tuned for more details.

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

metal gear

2008-12-24T00:03:00.000-08:00

Konami Unveils 'Next Metal Gear'

After weeks of teasing "a next Metal Gear", series publisher Konami has officially announced that the popular stealth-action franchise is coming to the iPhone.

Dubbed Metal Gear Touch, the game was revealed alongside three other Konami iPhone projects: Frogger, Silent Hill: The Escape, and DanceDanceRevolution S Lite.

Due spring 2009, Metal Gear Solid Touch is a "touch shooter," and will initially pack 8 levels based off Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3). More stages will be added post-release.

The Metal Gear Touch logo matches up with the teaser image for "a next Metal Gear," confirming that the teased project and Metal Gear iPhone are one and the same.

Konami's other three iPhone efforts will be available "from late December 2008." While Frogger and Dance Dance Revolution appear as one would expect, the third-person survival horror series Silent Hill has become a first-person shooter in the transition.

playstation 3

2008-12-23T23:58:00.000-08:00

PlayStation 3 Getting True 3D Visual Support in 2009, Claims Developer

Sony will be upgrading the PlayStation 3 to support stereoscopic 3D visuals in 2009, according to Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2 and Bratz: Girlz Really Rock developer Blitz Games and 3D advocacy group Meant to be Seen.

Blitz Games Studios told Meant to be Seen that Sony "fully intends" to support stereoscopic 3D gaming and Blu-ray 3D on the PlayStation 3 next year. Blitz Games is said to be aiding in this effort through its internal Blitz Tech engine.

At present, the technique requires either specialized glasses or a specialized display to produce the desired "pop out" effect. Many, including famed Hollywood director James Cameron, believe that true 3D gaming is the future.

"The best part is console support will only need a bios upgrade to work, and we are told that the ability to add this capability via bios may be unique to Sony PS3 versus the other console solutions," wrote MtbS on its official site, as noticed by Game Informer.

The Xbox 360 is also known to be capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D visuals, with such support already in Ubisoft's game adaption of James Cameron's Avatar.

HOME

2008-12-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

Voice Chat Feature on PlayStation Home Resumes

PlayStation Home update 1.05 is scheduled to be released on December 22. With this new update, users will be able to use the voice chat within their personal space and clubhouses to communicate and share with friends online.

By clicking on their PlayStation Home icon on the PlayStation Network column of XMB, users will be able to update PlayStation Home to 1.05. Users who are online with PlayStation Home will need to log-off and click on PlayStation Home icon.

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

Far Cry 2

2008-12-17T12:43:00.001-08:00

Far Cry 2 Door Glitch

One of my readers contacted me after getting stuck in Far Cry 2 due to a glitch. He was unable to start a mission since the door to the room where they give the missions is closed. After doing some googling I found this was a common glitch affecting PC, PS3, and Xbox gamers. In case anyone else is having the same trouble I thought I would post a few work-arounds for the glitch so players can continue the game while we wait for Ubisoft to fix the problem in a patch.

Work Around 1: Walk through Walls
Note: This work-around has been removed in the latest patch for the PC, no word if it still works on console version. It requires you to have access to your weapons.

This uses a glitch with the Mortar that allows players to pass through walls or in this case the door. Equip your Mortar Launcher and stand right in front of the door (facing the door). Hold the aim button to set the mortar launcher down, now rotate 180 degrees (while holding aim) and you will go through the door. The door should work fine from here on out.

Work Around 2: Help out some Buddies

This is the one that worked for the reader. If the door you need to continue the story is closed, try finding some buddies you may have missed along the way. Doing their missions might just cause the door to open itself allowing you to continue the game as planned.

Work Around 3: Load Up Old Saves

This has the least success rate, but there are a few people who have reported that when they loaded up old game saves and planned to the point they got stuck the door would be open this time around. So if you are playing Far Cry 2, remember to save often as you don’t know when you may receive the glitch.

The door glitch has been reported at different times in the game and most people make it through the game without experiencing the glitch at all, but if you are one of the unlucky few who received it hopefully these work-arounds will help.

Thanks for the Tip Rui
(via Ubisoft Forums)

HOME

2008-12-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

News: PS Home C-931 patch on Thursday (PlayStation 3)

Sony will patch PlayStation Home this Thursday, according to Home Community Manager "TedTheDog", whose real name we did know once but now can't remember.

"We'll be patching Home this Thursday and part of this change will be the first step in tackling the connection issues that you'll know as C-931 errors," he wrote on the official forum (thanks vg247).

According to a post elsewhere, C-931 "is related to very high levels of traffic", and in theory if you keep hammering away the game will let you in at some point anyway.

We asked Eurogamer's resident technical experts - i.e. the people who try and stop our servers exploding during key giveaways - whether trying again and again is a sensible workaround for connection time-outs. They cried.

Sony launched the PlayStation Home open beta last Thursday after nearly two years of build-up and the response so far has been lukewarm.

Eurogamer MMO complained about its "stiff, airless lack of character" and games of pool that aren't instanced, but was careful to note that "its defining feature - how it feeds into and connects with PlayStation gaming as a whole - is missing", and won't be introduced for a bit.

Meanwhile, Eurogamer's Ellie Gibson complained about being basically sexually harassed by drooling morons because she's a girl. MTV Multiplayer's Tracey John apparently had the same problem, but went on again the other day and got into some sort of conga line and therefore forgave it.

Check out our PlayStation Home open beta hands-on report for more details. We'll be sure to report back as the service evolves, too.

Midnight Club L.A.

2008-12-13T10:59:00.000-08:00

Free South Central DLC Coming to Midnight Club L.A.
Free map add-on and premium cars, races, and other content all coming in 2009.

Now that everyone should actually be able to progress through Midnight Club: Los Angeles, what is Rockstar's next step in supporting the latest entry in the Midnight Club series? We learned today that they're planning to release downloadable content that will add a new area to the already-large map: South Central.
This new area is roughly one-third of the size of the current MC: L.A. map and will contain landmarks like the USC campus and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, according to Rockstar. Alongside the release of the 'South Central upgrade map' will be the premium 'South Central content pack.' There's no indication as to what the pack will cost, but we know that it will include new cars, a motorcycle, SUVs (which aren't currently available in L.A.), races, music, and more.

All of this content is expected to be released in early 2009 on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

Need For Speed

2008-12-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

Need For Speed Series Possibly Cut By EA
Director of communications says publisher is "working through a process" with their products.

Not more than a month after the release of Need For Speed: Undercover, the Electric Playground is reporting that Electronic Arts may be cutting the franchise entirely. The videogame web show claims that future titles in the series have been canceled. EA director of communications Colin Macrae provided Electric Playground with the following comment:
"We're working through a process on people, products, and facilities at EA and don't have any announcements today."
Undercover, the most recent entry in the long-running franchise, was received fairly well but didn't crack the top 20 in the NPD sales charts for the month of November. Earlier in the year, EA CEO John Riccitiello had spoken of plans to split the Need for Speed development team into two groups, allowing for a 24-month cycle for creating each game rather than the 12 months cycle that he said "torture[d] a very talented group of people."
If this report is true, I'm disappointed that we'll never get the chance to see what could have come from giving this series a much-needed boost in development time to try out new ideas. And unless the publisher already has new plans for the creators of Need For Speed, we could be seeing further layoffs from EA soon, as has been previously predicted. We'll keep checking for official confirmation and word from EA on what's happening to the Need for Speed franchise and why.

Home

2008-12-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

Home Unlockables

For those who got into the private Playstation Home Beta, you may notice some people running around with clothes that aren’t available to you. These items are unlockable through the arcade games in the Bowling Alley. I am compiling a list of the unlockable items, including clothing and furniture, and what is needed to achieve them. Here is what I have so far:

Echochrome -
Receive 4000 points on Level A (gloves, shirt, pants, shoes that resemble echochrome character)
Receive 6,000 points on Level B (shirt)
Receive 10,000 points on level A (trophy*)
Receive 10,000 points on Level B (trophy*)
Receive 20,000 points on Level C (table)
Recieve 20,00 points on Level C (trophy*)

Ice Breaker (Level Unlocked may depend on score) -
Beat level 5 (beanie)
Beat level 8 (shirt)
Level 13 (pants)
Level 16 (boots)
Level 20 (trophy*)

Carriage Return - Unknown

*Trophies are Furniture, under the Ornaments Category.

Tips:
Echochrome involves you playing a white mannequin character trying to reach a shadow mannequin that stays in a single location. Black mannequins wills spawn on the field and begin to roam around. Using holes and jump pads you try and get your character to the shadow without being touched by the black characters, as this results in a game over. Once you have reached the shadow, all the black characters will temporarily turn into shadows that can be collected like the main shadow. The score is determined by how many shadows you collected and how long you stayed alive. The characters move on their own, you can only change the environment. Both the white and black characters only make left turns.

Stage B: There is a platform separated from the rest. No black men will appear on that platform. If you simply wait there and build up a large collection of black people you can take them out all at once and get large points. Just make sure to move your curser as the game will time-out after 3 minutes.

Ice Breaker is a simple Break-out style game where the goal is to use a paddle to bounce a ball around till every block on the screen is destroyed. Some blocks contain modifiers that will affect the ball or paddle.

Blue modifier: Makes Paddle Larger
Yellow modifier: Makes Paddle Sticky, Ball sticks to paddle and can be ejected by player
Pink modifier: Makes Paddle Smaller
Green modifier: Extra Life
Purple modifier: Multi Ball, Creates three balls that bounce off the next time the ball makes contact with the paddle
Red: Fire Ball, Destroys everything it hits without bouncing off

This information is based on when I received the items. If anyone unlocks them with a different point/level score then me or unlocks something I have not listed, please leave a comment so I can add it to the list.

Home Beta

2008-12-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

Home Beta: Uncharted Access Codes

The Home Public beta went live today opening up the Uncharted: Sully Bar Room. The bar has a jungle setting with a small side room with a few chairs and tables set up. The main room includes a bar, three arcade machines, a jukebox, and several portraits of the Uncharted characters along with several “paintings” of specific scenes from the game. Near the arcade machines is a door, the code is 1024. Then you have to turn the dial to 1577383. (thanks for telling me in the comments, I forgot to add that one)

Upstairs there is two doors that require keypads to enter the rooms on the other side.

The room on the left is the Film Room, which gives access to how the game was made including early art of Drake. The access code is 41675.

The room on the right is the Artifact Room, filled with painting of the island from Uncharted along with all the treasures that be received. The access code is 24312.

Remember to check back to Last Geek all your gaming tips, reviews, and news. If you having trouble with any game, just email me at contactATlastgeek.com and I’ll see if I can find you an answer.

You forget the door on the first floor, to the right of the bar.
Keypad: 1024Dials: 1577383

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

Uncharted 2:

2008-12-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves to use 100% of PS3's power?

According to the latest issue of Game Informer, Naughty Dog has stated that they hope to utilize nearly 100 percent of the PlayStation 3’s power for adventure sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, where as its predecessor used only 30-40 percent.

For those of you without a Game Informer subscription, we have some of the highlights of the cover story listed below.

- Uncharted 2: Among Theives will feature a new girl named Chloe Frazer. When Game Informer asked about Elena and Sully's return but Naughty Dog had no comment.
- Naughty Dog states they were using only 30% of the PS3's power with Drake's Fortune and are planning to use nearly 100% with Among Thieves.
- The story is about looking for the ships that Marco Polo "lost" while returning home to Italy.
- Melee combat is more dynamic now.
- Stealth will be a new gameplay mechanic
- Nolan North will be back to reprise his role as Nathan Drake, while Chloe Frazer will be portrayed by Claudia Black (Stargate SG-1, Fargate).
- The Sixaxis mechanics were ditched for such things as throwing grenades.
- There are no load screens.
- The score is being composed by Greg Edmonson.
- Weapons can be used in any stance (running, behind cover, hanging, climbing a wall, etc.).
- You can now move while aiming behind cover.

Be sure to pick up the new Game Informer as it becomes available in stores for the first in-game screenshots of Uncharted 2 as well. Otherwise, stay tuned to PSU.com for more details.

Resistance 2

2008-12-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

Free Resistance 2 goodies heading to PlayStation Store

Insomniac Games has joined in the festive cheer this week by offering a free batch of Resistance 2 goodies for today’s weekly PlayStation Store update.

Fans of Nathan Hale’s triumphant return can look forward to a new trailer for the shooter, XMB themes, along with a free batch of map packs for the original title, Resistance: Fall of Man.

Elsewhere, Insomniac’s Bryan Intihar revealed that more patches are on the way for Resistance 2, along with "some really cool” features for MyResistance.net. Apparently, the PlayStation Blog will have more information on both of these in the near future.

To top off all the Resistance festivities, Insomniac's Ted Price will be featured on G4’s X-Play tomorrow chatting about his favourite games, so be sure to tune in for that.

Check back later today for our weekly PlayStation Store update coverage.

Resident Evil 5

2008-12-06T11:16:00.001-08:00

Japan demo of Resident Evil 5

Capcom has released a demo of Resident Evil 5, though only on the Japanese Marketplace. Here is a video of the first level, while another video showing the other one should be here later. First impressions is that the graphics are great, controls takes some time getting used to.
Update: Level 2 video added. Apparently you can turn 180 degrees, get weapons from your partner and both shoot and open barrels, which this video shows.

Killzone 2

2008-12-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

Sony coy on Euro Killzone 2 date (PlayStation 3)

Sony is reluctant to stamp a European date on Killzone 2 after a US bigwig confirmed the shooter for a 27th February across the pond.

"We are targeting a similar timeframe for the release of Killzone 2 in the PAL regions; specific launch dates will be communicated at a later date," a Sony Europe spokesperson whispered into the Eurogamer ear. Ear.

Kyle Schubel, managing director for Killzone 2, confirmed the US date in an episode of G4 (picked up by Kotaku).

The 27th February happens to be a Friday, which is quite an unusual date for an American release, since they usually happen on Tuesdays. Could it be a worldwide date? We can think of no other explanation. Mind you, we haven't tried very hard.

We've waited rather a long time for Killzone 2, the game spectacularly target-rendered all those E3 events ago. Fortunately, the end product appears to be looking good, as our hands-on Killzone 2 impressions should point out.

GAMINGLADDERS

PS3 Firmware (v2.53) Update

2008-12-02T13:27:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, in the next PS3 firmware update (v2.53), coming soon, we’re improving the way the Flash Player works with the internet browser. In addition to being able to access more sites using Flash, you’ll be able to enjoy:

Full-screen mode playability
Live movie (using RTMP format) playability
Now it’s going to be even easier to enjoy web content on your PS3, in full-screen!

SOCOM: Confrontation

2008-12-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

SOCOM: Confrontation 1.30 Update Features (Part 2)

Today, I would like to provide a preview of another community requested feature being added to 1.30, the D-Pad lean. With the SOCOM: Confrontation 1.30 update you have the option to use either the motion controlled lean, lean using the d-pad or both. We wanted to make this as flexible as possible.

Here's a sneak peak.

The motion sensor lean is still more analog and flexible, but the d-pad lean is quicker and more predictable. I can see some people getting good using both. Up and down height adjustment and the "get down" position are still controlled by the motion sensor. We just do not have enough buttons on the controller to add this functionality to buttons.

Regards,

Seth Luisi
Director of Development
Sony Computer Entertainment America

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

Burnout Paradise

2008-11-29T11:18:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Big Surf Island!

We haven’t released anything new on this awesome, premium downloadable content since way back in May, so it’s high time we gave you a little update.

For all the latest info, we’d recommend you check out the very latest Crash TV. It’s your chance to hear all the latest news on the island direct from its creators.

This first shot shows your arrival point on the island. From here, you can make out the awesome cylindrical tower referred to in this Crash TV Episode 15. With the right car, it’s possible to drift all the way to the top of this tower and back again. But you’re unlikely to drive down, because this location is all about massive jumps. For a while, we considered naming it Big Air Island!

The building to the right is the hotel we named after one of our die-hard fans. DBC9MX earned the right name the hotel after winning the Downtown Showtime Showdown competition and chose to name it after his son – Taylor J. You check out the footage in Crash TV for a better look at Taylor J Towers.

This second shot is the first time we’ve shown you the view looking back down from the island towards the bridge and mainland Paradise City. Our mantra is ‘if you can see it, you can drive it’ – which means that even the bridge to the city features multiple levels and massive jumps.

The construction yard in the foreground is loaded with gameplay and the scaffold at the top features in one of the island’s most memorable pieces of gameplay. Everywhere on the island is like this.

This third image is the first look at the other side of the island, featuring the palm trees that give it a distinctly tropical flavour. The unusual shape of the lighthouse, and the massive ramp in front of it are more tell-tale signs that the geometry is more than just scenery.

And finally, here’s our favourite shot.

This shows the kind of action the island is built for. The scaffold towers in the construction yard can be climbed and all the hoops can be jumped. If you want a taste of what the island is all about, head for the airfield, quarry or beach in Burnout Paradise right now and imagine an area the size of Downtown dedicated to that kind of gameplay. The car featured here is the Dust Storm. It will be made available at the same time as the island.

We’d mentioned in a previous podcast that this would be free content, but we can now confirm that it will be premium paid-for content.

Here’s why. We never expected to create anything this ambitious for the island, but as it progressed we got more and more excited about what it could become. (In fact, that’s the story of all our Downloadable Content.)

Big Surf is the culmination of everything we learned creating Paradise City, and we want it to bring you a truly spectacular new experience – the highlight of a year of incredible premium content. Burnout already delivers incredible value for money – literally hundreds of hours of gameplay with your original disk or PSN purchase, plus more with the free Cagney Pack and free Burnout Paradise Bikes.

We want Burnout Paradise players to experience the greatest support ever seen in a console game. We’re transforming not just Burnout Paradise, but the whole Burnout franchise through DLC, and we appreciate the support we know you guys will give us for our paid content. We think it’s worth it.

Next week, we’ll bring you the first of our “Paradise City Boroughs” guides - Downtown Paradise. We’ll cover the whole of Paradise City borough-by-borough in some detail, culminating in a big reveal of the island in the new year.

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

Playstation Home Beta

2008-11-29T04:32:00.000-08:00

GAMINGLADDERS.EU

PlayStationHome

2008-11-27T13:19:00.000-08:00

Update: We've included a walkthrough of Home below from the official portal.

The home of PlayStation, PlayStation.com is finally including a section for its much anticipated, social networking application, Home. This section features everything any gamer would need to know about Home. Considering the Home team has finally expanded its private beta to 100,000 more PS3 owners, this is yet another step in the right direction and to the public release.

As many of you are painstakingly aware, Home has seen its fair share of delays and disappointing news, but with all of these new steps, it seems we're almost Home.

"PlayStation Home is a 3D social gaming community that allows PS3 users to meet, chat, plan, and launch into games together. You can create your own custom avatar, decorate your personal apartment, play mini-games, shop, watch videos, attend special events, and much more - it's all part of PlayStation Home." - Official website.

The site has been updated with the video below.

playstation home

2008-11-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

Update on HOME invitations - 26th Nov

No invitations will be going out today, thought I should make that clear straight away.
However, those that have not received their emails from last week (we can tell who they are) will be re-added to tomorrows batch which is on course now.
More news tomorrow and dont forget, tomorrow night has a load test session starting at 7pm UK time for the lucky ones who get an invite. For everyone else Open Beta is not far off now.

GAMINGLADDERS

PlayStation Home

2008-11-24T11:34:00.001-08:00

Watch the Watchmen Trailer in PlayStation Home
More Watchmen content is promised for Sony's virtual world soon.

When Home was first revealed, back in the ancient days of March 2007, one of the features heavily promoted was the ability to watch real-world content on in-game movie and television screens. Now, in the present days of November 2008, some of that is finally coming to fruition, as film marketing company PPC (Picture Production Company) has brought the latest Watchmen trailer to Home movie theaters.
As PS3Fanboy reports, this is only the start of further cross-promotions between Watchmen and Home in the near future, as PPC promised "some very exciting movie related activity next month." Whether any of this will have anything to do with the recently announced game remains to be seen.

All this cross-promotional content comes along with the news that 100,000 new Home beta invites were sent out this week, along with the launch of Home beta v1.0 (via Eurogamer). As a Home community manager announced on the European forums, yet another large batch of invites is planned to be go out next Thursday, with an open beta "not far behind." After nearly two years of waiting, could it be that Home is finally nearing a true, full-blown release? Sure seems that way.

GAMINGLADDERS

Gran Turismo

2008-11-24T11:28:00.001-08:00

Kazunori Yamauchi Says Gran Turismo Still Coming for PSP
After four years of delays, Yamauchi says Gran Turismo on PSP "is moving forward."

Think way back to May 11, 2004 -- the day of Sony's E3 2004 press conference, where they first announced the PSP. You may recall they also announced Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, a complete port of the PlayStation 2 game for the PSP that, after years of delays, has still yet to materialize. But according to Gran Turismo mastermind Kazunori Yamauchi, that doesn't mean it's dead yet.
In a video interview with IGN (via Kotaku), Yamauchi was asked about the status of Gran Turismo on PSP, to which he responded with vague yet reassuring statements. "It is moving forward," he said. "It hasn't been knocked off the plans -- it's there." There...where? Yamauchi wouldn't say, as that's as much detail as he gave.

At this point, we have to wonder if a Gran Turismo game on PSP would still even be based on Gran Turismo 4 -- or if it is, whether it would have "Gran Turismo 4" in the title. That game is four years old at this point, so we wouldn't be surprised if Sony gave it a fresher branding, whenever Gran Turismo does finally ship for the PSP.

PlayStation 3, Trophies

2008-11-23T04:47:00.001-08:00

PlayStation 3 Trophies Mandatory Starting January 2009

A leak from Europe has claimed, and several sources have confirmed, that starting in January of 2009 all PlayStation 3 games will be required to support Trophies. Word of the initial leak came from VideoGamer.com, which cited an anonymous tip from someone in the UK game industry. Later, a representative of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe confirmed the information. We still weren't sure, however, what the mandate actually meant for old games.
Today VideoGaming247 reports that the rule only applies to new products, which means only games that are submitted for approval after January 1, 2009. In other words, if a game is submitted for approval in December but releases in January, no Trophies will be required. It also doesn't apply to old games, as the decision to patch in Trophy support is still being left up to publishers. We've heard mixed messages about this in the past, but it seems now that Trophy support being on a case-by-case basis for older games is the standard.

Trophies arguably haven't really become the institution that Achievements are for Xbox 360 owners -- after all, who ever heard of a "Trophy Whore"? Hopefully by making them standard operating procedure for the foreseeable future, more addiction-prone gamers will latch onto them, especially once they're supported through Home.

Far Cry 2

2008-11-23T03:14:00.000-08:00

Far Cry 2 Downloadable Content Coming Soon For Xbox 360 and Playstation 3

Today Ubisoft announced it will be releasing exciting new downloadable content (DLC) for Far Cry 2 by the end of November. The Fortune's Pack DLC will bring new vehicles and new weapons to both the single-player game and the multiplayer game, giving gamers even more diverse means of destruction. Be the silent stalker armed with your crossbow or jump on your new quad and blast through the dunes of Africa. The Fortune's Pack DLC for Far Cry 2 will be available for download from Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft Points and from PlayStation Network for $9.99.
The Fortune's Pack DLC for Far Cry 2 will include:

Single-Player Mode
Three brand-new weapons
Silenced shotgun
Sawed-off shotgun
Crossbow
Two new vehicles
Unimog
Quad
Multiplayer Mode
Four new exciting maps
Cheap Labor
Last Resort
Lake Smear
Fort Fury
New single-player weapons and vehicles also available in multiplayer
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, Far Cry 2 will be the newest innovation from Ubisoft in the world of next-gen first-person shooters. More than just a visual and technological achievement, Far Cry 2 immerses players in an entirely new kind of gaming experience. Running on a new tailor-made gaming engine, Far Cry 2 features non-scripted enemy Artificial Intelligence, entirely destructible environments, dynamic fire and storm effects and multiplayer gameplay, all in 50 square kilometers of a completely open world environment. Players will find themselves immersed in a war-torn African state, where they will be forced to make deals with corrupt warlords on both sides of the conflict in order to survive and move ever closer to their primary objective – The Jackal. Players must identify and exploit their enemies' weaknesses, neutralizing their superior numbers and firepower with surprise, subversion, cunning and, of course, brute force.

For more news and information on Far Cry 2, please visit the game's official website at http://www.farcrygame.com.

Shaun White Snowboarding

2008-11-23T03:11:00.000-08:00

Today Ubisoft announces that Shaun White Snowboarding for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, the Wii home video game system from Nintendo, the Nintendo DS system and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system have gone gold. The game is scheduled for release on November 16, 2008.
Shaun White Snowboarding was developed in close collaboration with Shaun White, Olympic gold medalist and eight-time X Games gold medalist. The game is powered by the award-winning Assassin's Creed engine for Xbox 360 and the PLAYSTATION 3 system, and truly captures the action sports lifestyle. Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip was also developed from the ground up for the Wii, taking full advantage of the Wii Balance Board accessory and featuring its own unique storyline and adventure with Shaun White. Shaun White Snowboarding for the PSP system and Nintendo DS allow players to enjoy the thrilling sport of snowboarding anytime, anywhere. Players can earn points and build their characters in Shaun White Snowboarding for the PlayStation 2 system, which also features co-op and multiplayer modes.

Shaun White Snowboarding for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system will ship with a "T" for Teen rating by the ESRB. Shaun White Snowboarding for the PSP system and the PlayStation 2 system, and Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip for the Wii will ship with an "E10+" for Everyone 10 and up rating. Shaun White Snowboarding for the Nintendo DS and PSP system will ship with an "E" for Everyone rating by the ESRB.

For more information on Shaun White Snowboarding, please visit http://www.shaunwhitegame.com.

Killzone 2

2008-11-23T02:33:00.000-08:00

Killzone 2 going Head to Head with GTA IV DLC on February 17 Showdown

USA Today and various Internet reports have Killzone 2 and GTA IV Downloadable content for 360 listed as coming out the same day. Which seems to be a good strategy by the companies and the respected console developers of each system. Killzone 2 is set to be a beast of a title for Sony next year and Grand Theft Auto IV’s downloadable content which is exclusive to Xbox 360 is sure to do outstanding numbers upon its release.

Kilzone 2 is the third Killzone title for Sony (including Killzone: Liberation on the Playstation Portable) and so far as been a reasonably well selling game for them, the media hyped the first Killzone up to be a Halo killer but fans quickly shut this down upon release due to average reviews. After playing Killzone 2 for myself however (Courtesy of the Eurogamer Expo this year in London) I can say for myself that this game will be breathtaking on release. Im not sure It’s for me to say whether it’s a ‘Halo killer’ as i have never played a Halo game right through and I m far from a fanboy, but I will say that this game may just end up being for Playstation 3 what Halo is for Xbox 360 in terms of first person shooters.

With Grand Theft Auto 4’s IV downloadable content you play as new character Johnny Klebitz, member of the Liberty City biker gang The Lost. Although Johnny is a completly different character to Niko Dan Houser has said that during your time taking control of Johnny, tons of details and mysteries from the main story with Niko get explained during Jonny’s story. Which sounds very interesting as this content may even add more value to the main storyline, which many long time GTA fans apparently weren’t happy with this time around. Fans should also not feel nervous about playing as this Liberty City biker character as the Rockstar team always do a great job of putting you into the shoes of these characters and making you feel at home with them. Regardless this downloadable content should be something special for Xbox 360, and Xbox 360 owners should feel happy and support this content as it may never see the light of day on Playstation 3.

In conclusion Mid-February will be a great time to be a next gen gamer considering February is usually a sleeper, now both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 owners with have these two blockbusters to look forward to on the same day as long as this actually goes ahead with no push backs. Bitch which one will do better, and which one has more hype? I guess this is here the fans take over and let their opinions be known.

Happy Gaming

Killzone 2

2008-11-23T02:26:00.000-08:00

Will Killzone 2 Sell Well?

We all remember the great debacle that was the 2005 target render of Killzone 2. Videogame fans all over the world were stunned to see the power of the PS3. The monster was out of the bag. PS3 would be the world’s most powerful console ever. Then reality set in. While the first few years of the PS3’s life cycle have seen a few lookers, (Heavenly Sword, Uncharted, MGS4) none of them have lived up to the expectations that the Killzone 2 target render had set. This combined with a lack of games is the reason that I believe that Sony completely stumbled out of the gates with PS3.

Now just a few months away from the release of Killzone 2, we are starting to see just how powerful the PS3 is. Killzone 2 looks phenomenal. From what I have seen of it, it is hands down the best looking game on any of the current consoles, even rivaling the graphics of a high end PC. This is a game that quite honestly could sell itself solely based on graphics.

The problem I see Killzone 2 having when it comes out, is not the game itself. I am confidant that all the time the game has had in development will pay off. The problem I foresee is the same problem that has plagued all of Sony’s big releases, total lack of advertising. Sure you see a few commercials for a big Sony exclusive, but they are so few and far between that it is hard to justify Sony in their marketing decisions.

When the Microsoft has a big game coming out they start the advertising early and bring it on heavy. Sony just lets a few ads out and then doesn’t even have them in heavy rotation. It’s like they purely rely on word of mouth. Look at the latest victims, Little Big Planet and Resistance 2. Little Big Planet is supposed to be a massively huge title for Sony. It is a game that has been hyped by all the websites and all the magazines. So when push comes to shove where are the commercials Sony? Where are the massive billboards and Saturday morning spin off cartoons. The whole time the game was being developed gamers were led to believe that it was the “next big thing”. One would think that this would lead to a massive media push, but sadly there was no push. The same goes for Resistance 2. It’s sad when the supposed answer to Gears of War 2 gets trounced by the game it’s competing against in the marketing department. Where are the TV specials and a midnight releases?

If Sony truly wants the PS3 to succeed, then it starts with Killzone 2 and throwing every ounce of market muscle that they can muster at it. If they fail to do so, it will not bode well for the PS3. It will cause Killzone 2 to become one of the many games to be a critical success and at the same time a total commercial flop. This is a scenario that Sony can flat out not afford to happen. It’s time to put you’re money where you’re mouth is Sony, pony up the dough to push Killzone 2 or let it slip through the cracks like all you’re other big exclusives.

NEWS Search

2008-11-21T11:14:00.000-08:00

Burn Baby Burn

Today, we’re announcing the incredible new Carson Extreme Hotrod.

We’ll be back in the New Year with all the details on this powerhouse racer, but for now we’re keeping it under wraps.

We could tell you that it’s the fastest car in Paradise City – a stripped down, ultra low, overpowered straight line monster.

We could talk about its roots in American Rat Rod culture and it’s wildly exaggerated Hot Rod features, based on a ‘20s Roadster.

We could explain that we’ve rewired Burnout’s vehicle dynamics system, so it handles more intuitively and drifts more realistically than any other car.

We could reveal that it’s the first of a pack of 2 cars designed to re-imagine Burnout Boost. Which explains the blue exhaust flames.

We could do all that, but we don’t want to give away too much. For now, all you really need to know is that this car will give you the ride of your life and in early 2009 you will NEED to own it.

The Carson Extreme Hotrod. Light the touch paper and hang on for dear life.

We’ll be back with movies, screens, more info and interviews with the creators on this and the “other” boost car that will be available to buy as part of our Burnout™ Paradise Boost Specials Pack in 2009.

Grand Theft Auto 4 DLC Coming February 17

2008-11-20T14:08:00.000-08:00

[UPDATE] We received the official announcement press release confirming the title Grand Theft Auto IV: the Lost and Damned and release date of Tuesday, February 17 next year. Along with that are four screens you can check out on the GTAIV media page.
Six months after the release of Grand Theft Auto 4, details of the much-hyped episodic downloadable content have emerged. And no, it's definitely not 28 Days Later-style zombie outbreaks or a return trip to San Andreas. Instead, USA Today is reporting that the narrative, titled "Lost and Damned" and due February 17, will shift to The Lost biker gang member Johnny Klebitz. Klebitz is described as being "very different" from former protagonist Niko Bellic, with Niko himself fading into the background and only making a few cameo apperances

"I can't go into too much detail on the story, because we try not to give away too much plot before the game is released," said Rockstar Games vice president of creative development Dan Houser. "But I can say that the story will show you a different side of Liberty City."

What that new side of Liberty City will constitute, we're not sure. But we do know that it will explain "tons of details and mysteries from the main story" and that it will "add a lot of color to the main story." Houser also hinted that Lost and Damned won't be the last GTA4 DLC pack.

"We feel like we've only scratched the surface in terms of depth and detail," Houser said.

No price tag yet, but Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter expected it to run up to $20, with Rockstar being able to sell between 2 and 3 million downloads. In the meantime, we'll go on wishing for DLC pack featuring Vice City.

Call of Duty: World at War Cheats

2008-11-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

Unlockable: Zombie Mode
To unlock Zombie Mode, complete Campaign Mode once through in its entirety.

Unlockable: Death Cards
To unlock the Death Cards below, find them on the corresponding mission.

Berserker (Become Berserk) - Breaking Point
Body Armor (Only Headshots Kill Foes) - Ring of Steel
Cold Dead Hands (Enemy Weapons Disappear) - Vendetta
Flak Jacket (Stronger Enemies Against Explosives) - Relentless
Hard Headed (Stronger Enemies Against Bullets) - Little Resistance
Painkiller (Revive Dead Co-Op Teammates) - Blowtorch & Corkscrew
Paintball (Paintball Guns) - Heart of the Reich
Sticks & Stones (Knives & Rocks Only) - Their Land, Their Blood
Suicide King (Explosive Pistol Rounds) - Hard Landing
Thunder (Explosive Headshots) - Semper Fi
Undead Soldier (Enemies Revive Themselves) - Eviction
Vampire (Recharge Health by Killing) - Burn ‘Em Out
Victory (Limits HUD/Friendly Fire) - Downfall

Playstation 3 is More Hardcore

2008-11-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

Sony is the world’s most recognized electronics company. The company name is synonymous with reliability and value. When a consumer buys a Sony product they are not only buying that product, but they are buying the name, with confidence. From cameras to televisions, computers and consoles, the Sony name floods any electronics store. Since the release of the Playstation, Sony has pushed the envelope of the gaming world. Sony has lead gaming to grow from a childish form of entertainment to a mainstream hobby. Gamers today come from all age groups and backgrounds and there is no better console to appease them all than the Playstation 3.

Sony’s latest and greatest console was delivered to a very unhappy crowd, coming in at an unheard of high price and showing off a weak launch lineup. The console has suffered an up hill battle since it’s launch and every month it proves it can complete the challenge, not just in sales but improvements. Sony’s dedication to the product is nothing less than spectacular. Even while losing money on every console sold, the team at SCE still pays a great deal of attention to its followers. This is evident most in the Playstation Network.

At launch, PSN was nothing more than a laughing stock of the gaming community. The laggy connections resulted in horrible gameplay and upset gamers. The Playstation Store took a great deal of time to load and the content was scarce and unattractive. The downloads would easily take hours. Though download speeds are still not lightning quick, they are much improved. This is back before there was even a weekly update. There could be months with out a real “update”, sure things would show up but nothing people would rush to see. Now everything Thursday, PS3 owners rush to see what has been brought to their finger tips. Online gaming is smooth and if issues do arise Sony quickly responds to weather the storm. Sony bringing the network to the level it has through all the hostility is nothing less than commendable. The Playstation Network along with the Playstation Store are excellent additions to the powerful console. What’s the best part of it? Sony has done it all at no additional fee, no monthly or annual memberships. A gamer can come create as many accounts as they have email accounts to enjoy. Playstation Network has proven that a great online experience cost nothing more than the time the player contributes to it.

Not only has the Playstation 3 established its place with gamers by fixing the store and correcting server issues. The Playstation 3 has some of the most anticipated updates of any console. At the slightest announcement of a firmware update, owners quickly check the stories posted across the web to see what they can expect. Firmware 2.5 was one of the most anticipated updates any console as seen. It game the gamer so many desired additions such has Trophy support, In-game XMB, and the ability for the developers to allow for personal music during gameplay. While most would claim this was something the Xbox 360 has had since launch, PS3 owners knew it wasn’t about how long you’ve had it as much as it was about how much it cost. Playstation 3 owners have proven that its not about paying for an experience to enjoy it. While Sony has struggled to keep up with its competition, its fans haven’t. Sony’s fanbase is what makes the console the ultimate gamers system. Through thick and thin, trials and tribulation, Sony fans will cherish their system. Very rarely will you encounter the ignorant adolescent online who just expanded his vocabulary by 15 explicit words. The majority of online experience on the Playstation 3 are mature fun.

The Playstation 3 isn’t a stronger hardcore system only because of its free, growing, mature, loyal online community. It’s also got a huge reliability factor. Never has any electronic suffered such mass failure and not been pulled from the shelves as the Xbox 360. The story owned headlines for months on end. Sony never suffered that fate. With a true dedication to console design and a firm desire to build a reliable system, Sony has confidently sold millions of consoles with 0 mass failure issues. While there have been the biased fan based articles stating the PS3 Blu-ray drive fails or the Yellow Light of Death, the truth remains that these cases are very rare. The PS3 is an extremely reliable system, even in some bad conditions.

Sony not only pushed for a great gaming experience but also a great media experience. The addition of the Blu-ray drive set people on both sides to the message boards to discuss. Some hated the expensive addition while others love the addition of a future media reader. No matter what side people were on, Sony delivered. The PS3 can confidently claim to be the main reason Blu-ray out survived HD-DVD. The formats were extremely similar, which simply made it recognition and availability. Both Blu-ray players and HD-DVD players where expensive at launch. Microsoft tried to pull for the HD-DVD side by selling an add on device but the built in Blu-ray player in the PS3 made it the wise choice for consumers. The PS3 was the cheapest Blu-ray player on the market and it was future proof due to internet updates. Today Blu-ray continues to grow and is a great form of media deliverly clear 1080p video with lossless 7.1 audio.

No matter which console you root for, the truth is, Sony’s Playstation 3 is the most well rounded, reliable, future proof entertainment and gaming console out there. The price you pay at the store is all you need to pay to enjoy a great online gaming experience, crystal clear 1080p movies (whether upscaled dvds or Blu-rays), or any of the other features the Playstation 3 boast. With the help of a truly dedicated crew at Sony Computer Entertainment, Playstation 3 will continue to grow in its value for any level gamer.

Xbox Live less stable than PS3 PSN?

2008-11-16T13:29:00.001-08:00

Users are reporting connection issues with their Xbox Live accounts. Apparently the accounts are being disconnected from the network. Microsoft has confirmed that there is an issue with Xbox Live at the moment. One would expect that Microsoft would have learned its lesson from last year’s spotty connection issues.

According to Major Nelson, the Xbox Operating Center have noticed that a large number of users are experiencing connection issues. We gave our Xbox 360 a whirl and noticed the disconnect issue as well. However, after waiting a few minutes and constantly retrying to connect, the account was able to establish a connection. Unfortunately, that connection did not last long as it was disconnected shortly afterwards.

If you recall, Microsoft was faced with a class-action lawsuit last December, which was filed to seek over $5 million in damages steaming from breaking the Xbox Live service agreement. The Xbox Live was not so “live” last holiday season, but the question remains if it will be déjà vu all over again.

It is quite annoying to be disconnected while in the middle of an online match. You could say that its frustrating enough to throw your controller at the TV. If the problems continue to persist into the holiday, you can be rest assured that many gamers will be foaming at the mouth.

Back in May, Microsoft announced that Xbox Live reached a new milestone of 12 million Live subscribers consisting of both Gold and Silver members. Considering that the Silver members can’t actually play games online, they really don’t contribute to a great deal of stress on the network.

Also, Sony announced that the PSN reached a new milestone of about 10 million active PSN accounts back in June. So, theoretically Sony and Microsoft probably have around the same number of active online users.

It is quite unfortunate that users that have to pay for the online service on Live are experiencing connection issues while users playing on the free PSN service have had a relatively stable experience. Microsoft needs to get its act together this holiday. I don’t think users will stand for a repeat of what happened last holiday season.

Anyone up for a match of Horde mode in Gears of War 2 the day after Christmas? Lets us all hope that Xbox Live will be up and running then.

Drive 'Toy Cars' in Burnout Paradise Next Year

2008-11-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

Like a membership to the Jelly of the Month club, Burnout Paradise is the game that keeps on giving the whole year. Last week, Criterion unveiled an upcoming vehicle for which going 88 miles per hour would hold deeper meaning. Now, just one week later, they're just being silly, literally. Sometime in 2009, the "Toy cars Pack" (pictured above) will also be coming as DLC.
Unfortunately, the official announcement doesn't say whether or not these vehicles will receive special abilities like the Jansen 88 Special's hovering and burning tire tracks, but a 4x4 roughly twice the size of most vehicles should enable some kind of shenanigans.

Helisoft

2008-11-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

A helicopter was flying around above Seattle when an electrical malfunction disabled all of the aircraft's electronic navigation and communications equipment.

Due to the clouds and haze, the pilot could not determine the helicopter's position. The pilot saw a tall building, flew toward it, circled, and held up a handwritten sign that said "WHERE AM I?" in large letters. People in the tall building quickly responded to the aircraft, drew a large sign, and held it in a building window. Their sign said "YOU ARE IN A HELICOPTER."

The pilot smiled, waved, looked at his map, determined the course to steer to SEATAC airport, and landed safely. After they were on the ground, the copilot asked the pilot how he had done it.

"I knew it had to be the Microsoft Building, because they gave me a technically correct but completely useless answer."

Marital Counseling

2008-11-13T13:15:00.001-08:00

A husband and wife came for counseling after 20 years of marriage. When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a passionate, painful tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the 20 years they had been married.

She went on and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured over the course of their marriage.

Finally, after allowing this to go on for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and, after asking the wife to stand, embraced and kissed her passionately as her husband watched with a raised eyebrow. The woman shut up and quietly sat down as though in a daze.

The therapist turned to the husband and said, "This is what your wife needs at least three times a week. Can you do this?"

The husband thought for a moment and replied, "Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I fish."

Killzone 2: Beta Impressions

2008-11-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

The Killzone 2 multiplayer beta is here! Read on to find out more about the Clan System, Valor Points, and epic Warzone game modes.

Killzone 2's development team insists that their next-gen FPS is essentially two stand-alone games, maintaining that just as many long nights were put into perfecting the game's multiplayer experience as its single player campaign. Whether you and your buddies want to duke it out in an intimate match, or open the floodgates to a mammoth online bloodbath, the decision is left entirely up to you: Killzone 2 supports up to 32 players per match.

Killzone 2's multiplayer matches are rife with customization options. We've browsed through the countless options you can choose from and tried some of them out, but we'd really need at least a week to get a feel for everything possible when piecing together custom matches. And as in Halo 3, once you create a match type you'd like to hang on to, you can save it as one of your custom-made, multiplayer modes.

Killzone 2 has a lot of good things going for its online support, but probably the most unique is the game's intricate clan system, which stands as a new high point for console FPS games. Not only will you be able to form clans, you'll also be able to schedule tournaments in advance (from your PC or PS3) against other clans, and even track your online stats by logging onto Killzone.com. Valor points can also be used by clans to "place bets" on the outcome of online multiplayer matches. The more points you get, the more access you'll have to higher level matches.

We played through all five of the multiplayer game modes. These include: Assassination, where a single player is randomly chosen to either be protected or killed; Body Count, which is your standard team deathmatch mode; Capture and Hold, where you must guard different points in the map to gain points; Search and Retrieve, Killzone 2's flag-less answer to Capture the Flag; and Search and Destroy, where you have to either defend or blow up a machine. Best of all, you can string several of these game types together in one long match to add some variety.

Multiplayer class lineup.
The Badge Guys: Multiplayer Classes
Rifleman: The rifleman does not have any special abilities, like the rest of the seven other classes, but what he lacks in skill he makes up for in firepower. Picking the rifleman will grant you access to more devastating weaponry when assigning your primary and secondary weapons.

Engineer: You can repair damaged war goods such as ammunition crates and auto turrets using the engineer. This class will also allow you to set automated turrets around the map, which target enemy soldiers.

Medic: As its name suggests, the Medic is able to heal and revive teammates. It's always a good idea to have at least one Medic on your side, especially when you anticipate taking heavy damage from the enemy team.

The Scout is a formidable sniper.
Scout: Because of similar armor to that of Solid Snake's "Octocamo," choosing the Scout will allow you to blend into your environment and rendering you virtually invisible to your enemies. The camouflage effect distorts when you move or fire.

Tactician: With the Tactician class, you can toss colored smoke grenades that act as spawn points for teammates. The Tactician can also call for airborne support in the form of a flying sentry robot.

Assault: Choosing the Assault class will give you longer playing time, as this character type is equipped with extra-tough body armor. If you're sick of getting wiped out in milliseconds, consider the Assault class.

Saboteur: The Saboteur class can mimic enemy players. You'll not only look like one of the players on the opposing team, but display the correct name. Once you've breached their perimeter, you can inflict damage in any number of ways.

Play Against Rockstar Devs in Midnight Club: LA on Nov. 16

2008-11-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

Play Against Rockstar Devs in Midnight Club: LA on Nov. 16
Exclusive Xbox Live event will let players take on the makers of the game

Have you recently purchased Midnight Club: Los Angeles, the latest entry in Rockstar's street racing franchise? Then you may be interested to learn that Rockstar and Microsoft will be hosting a "Game with Rockstar" event exclusively on Xbox Live, where you'll have a chance to play with and against the makers of the game. From 4-7PM (EST) on November 16, you can hop online and go into multiplayer matchmaking for a chance to meet up with a number of Rockstar San Diego developers.
Moreover, from 7-9PM (EST) on the same day, you can also have a chance to play Midnight Club: LA against MURS, who the press release identifies as "a Warner Bros. recording artist and Los Angeles-based rapper." MURS, evidently, is featured in two songs on the Midnight Club: LA soundtrack, including "To Protect and Entertain" with Busy P and "Looking Fly" with Will.I.Am (we really hope he performed the Will.I.Am song via hologram). MURS' Gamertag is "Rob Feature," and the Gamertags of the participating Rockstar San Diego developers follow:

RockstarNYTest1
RockstarNYTest2
RkstrNYQALEAD1
RkstrNYQALEAD2
RkstrSDDesign1
RkstrSDDesign2
RkstrSDDesign3
RkstrSDDesign4
RkstrSDTest1
RkstrSDCode1
RkstrSDArt01
RkstrSDAudio1
rockstarnyc01
rockstarnyc02
rockstarnyc03

well i have put this on as the xbox blog is not doing much

Criterion Announces Burnout Paradise Legendary Cars

2008-11-07T11:39:00.001-08:00

Hey folks … great to be back on the only blog that counts (apart from the one you’ll find at www.criteriongames.com, of course).

We’re continuing to support Burnout Paradise through 2009. The fun starts with our Burnout Paradise Party Pack in Feb and will be followed by our awesome Burnout Paradise Legendary Cars Pack.

This year, we’ve introduced some of the most incredible vehicles yet seen in a Burnout game. Our FREE Cagney pack brought you the crazy Steel Oval Racer and the Hippie Wagon, and the FREE Bikes Pack introduced motorcycles to Paradise City for the first time ever.

In 2009, we’re taking Burnout vehicles to the next level with some truly unbelievable new vehicles. First up – The Jansen 88 Special.

This classic 1980’s styled silver sports car is based on the fan-favourite Jansen P12, but we’ve made a few interesting modifications.

Fill the gauge and hit boost to trigger burning flame trails from your back wheels. The 88 Special’s fast, manoeuvrable and great in the air.

In fact, if you want to take off, this is just the car for you. Hit L3 to switch to hover mode – the wheels retract and the car takes off and hovers through Paradise City at head height.

Seriously. It hovers.

This is the first of 4 cars that we’re making available as part of a wealth of new downloadable content for Burnout Paradise. They’re available to buy individually or discounted, if you pick up the whole set. In addition to the Jansen 88 Special, look out for the Cavalry Bootlegger, Manhattan Spirit and the GT Nighthawk!

We’ll bring you details and footage of these in a future post or on Crash TV (our video podcast), and we’ll be back next week with another killer announcement for next year’s awesome Burnout Paradise content.

And as always, we’re on hand for a while to answer your questions below!

PlayStation Home beta invites are on their way

2008-11-06T12:46:00.000-08:00

Sony has already picked "loyal" European community members to join the PlayStation Home beta, and will send them invites when version 1.0 of the virtual world goes live.
"Your next question is, 'How do you decide who gets picked?' and we had a couple of plans on how that was going to be done and my boss is away so I cant ask him which one he chose (yes, we've picked the names already and no, I'm not going to reveal the list)," said TedTheDog, Home community manager, on the European PlayStation forum.
"I'll let you know what I can, once I find out, but both were broadly based on the concept of loyalty. That's very vague I know, I'll firm up what I can, but don't expect too much detail, it was really complicated last time."
When Home version 1.0 will launch nobody knows, unfortunately, but with American PlayStation 3 owners being invited as we speak, the estimate is soon.
And there's no need to worry if you don't get in, as TedTheDog says open beta "won't be far behind". Thank you TedTheDog.
Head over to our PlayStation Home gamepage for our hands-on impressions of the ambitious PS3 online virtual world.

Killzone 2 Beta Invites Glowing Out Now

2008-11-06T10:33:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the latest episode of Check Your E-mail Accounts with Kotaku. Today's post will be discussing the public Killzone 2 beta, in which PlayStation Underground members can now partake. The beta's been open to a select group of PlayStation 3 owners for a while now, but a new batch of invites have gone out to players, dozens of whom read Kotaku and tipped us off to its expanded audience. Check all your e-mail accounts, kids, and keep an eye peeled for the glowing Helghast eyes that grant admission to the beta.

wasting my time

2008-11-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

i totally agree with you there red why should we bother if no one is going to use it, there is plenty of us in the AAK and plenty wanting to join the clan but no one is doing there bit to help the rest of us, Although destroyer as woke up and started to do is bit on the xbox blog but we do need the other members of the site to join in and help us a bit, just to show a little bit of involement will make feel like we are doing all this for somthing or someone and make worth while, so come on you lazy bums let us know what we are doing for YOU ALL is worth the effort and the time, as for making money i wish then i would't have to remove asbestos for a living.

COD5 WORLD AT WAR

2008-11-05T05:45:00.001-08:00

I have just had the pleasure of playing cod5, and though i said i wasn't going to buy it because it was dragging us back to the dark ages, world war 2 weapons, i am glad to report it actually works well. though the weapons are old they shoot well and the add ons i e the perks are all the same, except for calling in an helicopter you have dogs, and these work well and scare the pants of you at imes, they can be killed though which takes a few well placed bullets. the grahics are the same standard as cod4 top notch, maps are big and well thought out with lots of good sniping places, i didnt however work out how to climb a tree, but im shore it it easy to do. the tanks an be driven and a good way to get alot of kills, i think you are going to enjoy this game as you did on cod4. it as a mix of dark maps and light maps my fave is the train yard, plenty of good hiding places and a chance to blow a few tanks up, the beta only as three maps, but i am sure there is more to come. so i for one look forward to the release on the ps3, though i will be playing socom mostly im sure i will squeeze a few games of this in as well, and remember watch out for the dogs.

2008-11-05T05:44:00.001-08:00

well i am disapointed in you all, me chief and shat work hard for nothing, i created this site for us all, and all you members of the aak are a waist of time, sorry but you could atleast spare an hour of your week to spend some time on the forums, and bloggs that these two guys work hard on, for you. way to show your support for us boys, i suggest you go and join another clan, i cant be arsed with the aak, how are we supposed to create a new community for us all if you cant even register to these bloggs in fact i bet only three people read this and they are all staff, next year i will be advertising this site and am asking members to ask their local game shop if they can put up posters in the shops. can i atleast depend on some of you to help with that. regardless what people think or have been saying no one earns a penny on here it comes out of my back pocket, the ads only earn if you click on them and use them, and then we only get pennies, not one of you as joined the auction site http://www.uwonit.co.uk/, i will honour the prizes to the winers of the ladders with competitions on, so them that are at the top dont worry. we have big plans for this site but we need you to be involved as much as you can, i aint asking you to edit the site or anything, just war each other ad to the forums, sign up to the bllogs and pass your comments, we get a hell of a lot of people visiting the site but they dont join because its dead, thanks alot, for killing us before we got of the ground, pull your fingers out people its your site thats dieing

BioShock PS3 Add-On Detailed

2008-11-04T13:58:00.000-08:00

2K Games hopes gamers will want to extend their stay in underwater Rapture.

The publisher said Monday that add-on downloadable content for BioShock PS3 would cost $9.99 in North America when it releases on November 20.

The content includes three "Challenge Rooms," described by 2K Games below:

A Shocking Turn of Events – A Little Sister is trapped atop a Ferris wheel in an undisclosed location in Rapture. Using only the tools and environment around them, players must use their wits to create electricity to power the Ferris wheel and bring the Little Sister to safety.

The I in Team – Using limited resources, and an even more limited arsenal, players must negotiate traps and find a way to defeat a Big Daddy using their wits instead of raw firepower.

Worlds of Hurt – Step up and take on the most grueling challenge offered in the world of Rapture. Players must battle through eight rooms of Big Daddies, Splicers and the worst that Rapture has to offer. Accumulate Adam, build an arsenal of Plasmids, Tonics and Weaponry, and fight through to rescue the Little Sister.
The PS3 version of BioShock follows over a year after the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. All versions have received widespread critical acclaim. BioShock for PS3 was developed by 2K Boston, 2K Australia, 2K Marin and Digital Extremes.

Mega 64: GRAW 2

2008-11-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

Sony patents sound-sensing PS3 controller

2008-11-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

PlayStation 3 motion control rumors were revived today thanks to a Sony patent filing for a break-apart controller that works with motion and sound.

A recent Sony PS3 patent filing has revived rumors that the company is quietly preparing to attack Nintendo's motion-sensing Wii head-on.
While just a patent filing for now, the details include features and functionality that would be impossible with a Wiimote or the upcoming 1:1 MotionPlus add-on. For instance, the Sony controller uses the same break-apart design that surfaced earlier this year, but it adds in PlayStation Eye tracking and "ultrasonic" waves to track a player in 3-D space.
"Game interface tracks the position of one or more game controllers in 3-dimensional space using hybrid video capture and ultrasonic tracking system," read the patent filing, which was researched by GameIndustry.biz. "The captured video information is used to identify a horizontal and vertical position for each controller within a capture area. The ultrasonic tracking system analyzes sound communications to determine the distances between the game system and each controller and to determine the distances among the controllers."
The controller also fits together in a variety of combinations, much like the Menacer light gun peripheral for the Sega Genesis in the early 1990s. The original break apart PS3 controller design was actually unveiled in a separate patent filing earlier this year.
The Xbox 360, for its part, also saw its share of motion control rumors swirl throughout 2008. As of today, however, Microsoft has continued to deny the existence of a motion controller for that console.

What’s next for Burnout Paradise?

2008-11-01T10:30:00.001-07:00

Phew! Another big week, here at Criterion Games, but it’s great to be back on the blog! Today, we made the first of a series of announcements calling out our 2009 Burnout Paradise content.
So first up, we’re talking about the in-game browser for the PLAYSTATION 3. We always like to embrace the great hardware innovations for PlayStation. We’re using the browser to bring you closer to your friends and also to get you the latest news on what we’re working on – it’s like having criteriongames.com inside the game.
We’ll bring you all the latest on this PlayStation-exclusive feature over the coming weeks, but for now all you need to know is it’s called Burnout Paradise Network and it’ll be ready in Feb ‘09.
Next up let’s talk Burnout Paradise Party Pack.
Burnout’s an awesome social game, but the action’s all online. With Party, we wanted to create something for when all the players are in one place – gathered around a single screen.Fans of the classic Crash Mode from Burnout 2: Point of Impact will know that this is not the first time we’ve done something like this. And we hope the response to Party is as warm as it was for Crash mode.
So, if you like to get together and play games, it’s time to break out the drinks, party hats and balloons!

Now you can enjoy Burnout Paradise in a completely new way.

1. Get together with up to 7 friends and gather round your PLAYSTATION 3. Here you can see some of the Burnout team lining up for a little Halloween-themed fun. You can see the full session in our latest Crash TV video podcast - it’s The Halloween Special!

2. Start Burnout Paradise and get the Party Pack update from the Store

3. Pause to admire the excellent new Party Edition visuals and atmosphere! We’ve overhauled not just the presentation screens but also the in-game visuals, which are now brighter and more colourful in recognition of Burnout’s new party theme.

4. Select 8-player party and get ready for the action. If you’ve got the PlayStation Eye add your picture now.

5. It’s pass-the-pad, so you’ll only need one controller to play, no matter how many players are involved!

6. The game selects a player at random and drops them into Paradise with a simple, fun challenge to complete.
Land a barrel roll!

Survive racing oncoming traffic!

Race a circuit of the dirt track in the best possible time!

There are 3 types of challenge to take on – Stunt, Speed and Skill. Stunt involves jumps and tricks. Speed features quick time trials and timed challenges. Skill includes racing through oncoming traffic and drifting your car.
7. Pick up the winner and run around cheering / commiserate the loser

8. Give it another go! Don’t forget, there are extra trophies and achievements available within this pack, as well as a stack of other enhancements.

You’ll be able to purchase this awesome premium Burnout Paradise content from February 2009, but if you haven’t got Burnout Paradise already, there’s never been a better time to buy.
We announced today that we’re bringing all the 2008 innovations as well as Party to something we’re calling Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box. It’s a new packaged game that’ll be available in Feb 2009!
Look out for more soon – either here on the awesome PlayStation Blog, back home on the Criterion Games Web site and in our video podcast – Crash TV.

Resistance 2

2008-11-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Resistance 2 Midnight Launch Event, Insomniac Community Day Details

It’s here! Well, almost. The launch of Resistance 2 is now only days away, so we hope you and your Bullseye are just about ready to go huntin’ for some Chimera. The game officially hits store shelves in North America on November 4, and to help celebrate Resistance 2’s arrival, we’ve got something extra-special planned:
Midnight Launch Event: That’s right, Resistance 2 is taking over the PlayStation Store in San Francisco’s Metreon for the night of November 3rd (and early on the 4th). In addition to being one of the first to pick up a copy of the game, attendees will be able to meet a host of Insomniacs (including Ted Price, our President and CEO, and members of the community team), receive some cool swag, get their copy of the game signed, and have their picture taken and placed on the cover of Resistance 2. Oh, and if you’re planning on purchasing the collector’s edition, you definitely want to come to this event. Trust us; your wallet will thank you for it. You can purchase the game at 12:01 am, but fans that show up a bit early can meet us and get that photo of yourself on the R2 cover.

While November 4 has been etched in the minds of Resistance fans, here’s another one to mark on your calendar: November 7. That’s the date of our first-ever community day here at Insomniac. Fans will be treated to a studio tour, Resistance 2 competitive multiplayer sessions against the dev team, a panel discussion about our latest title, and other fun activities. If you are at least 17 years old and live/plan to be in the Los Angeles area on November 7, e-mail us at mailto:%20RSVP@insomniacgames.com for more details on the event.
Well, that’s it for now. I hope you use this weekend to get in a few extra rounds with the beta (we just extended it until Monday). See you soon on the battlefield!

THE ISLAND PACK

2008-10-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

If you can see it; you can drive it!

There is a new island.If you know Paradise City, you'll be familiar with the huge, under construction suspension bridge that leads into the ocean to the East of Downtown Paradise. But the question we've been asked by so many fans is - what's on the other side of the bridge.All we can say right now, is it leads to an area that's still under construction but will be available in 2009.The island is roughly the size of Downtown Paradise, but features gameplay unlike any other area in the game. We're running with the mantra "if you can see it, you can drive it" to introduce a new level of freedom to Burnout Paradise, and the island also features some big air jumps - the largest on the game.We'll be back soon with some up-to-date images, but in the meantime, here are the screenshots we released way back in May 2008.

Ubisoft to merge Tom Clancy range into Super Game

2008-10-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

Ubisoft has a pretty special Christmas line-up coming our way, with heavy hitters Far Cry 2, Prince of Persia, Shaun White’s Snowboarding and Tom Clancy’s EndWar all queuing up to demand your money. Representatives from each of the games have been Sydney-side this week to have a chat, a beer and to show off more of their respective products to the local journos. And boy did we make the most of it, unearthing some pretty awesome news.We ended up having a good chat with Vinh-Dieu Lam, the Lead AI Programmer for Tom Clancy’s EndWar, an ambitious title that goes for the risky double whammy of being both a new IP coming out at Christmas and a game trying to make an RTS work on consoles. Balls are stacked up on a mini-guillotine there’s no doubt, but don’t worry, the next generation of Ubisoft coders are far from an endangered species. EndWar is quite special, and has such sophisticated voice recognition software that it really does take the whole controller or keyboard & mouse debate out of the picture. We know, we’ve played a fair bit of it. But financial and critical success may be simply a bonus short-term benefit for Ubisoft with EndWar. It seems that the developer has greater long-term aspirations for the franchise than we had ever imagined. Indeed, chatting with Vinh, we got a much better understanding of how important EndWar really is to the whole Tom Clancy canon. As you may be aware, Tom Clancy has sold his name over to Ubisoft, who can now go about taking the established IP like Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six wherever they feel like, while introducing the likes of EndWar and fighter-jet simulation HAWX. But unlike the other four which focus on niche elements of combat, EndWar offers the complete war. The full picture. So here is the exciting news. The plan over at Ubisoft is to use EndWar to facilitate a future Tom Clancy MegaGame that allows each of the five titles to behave as one giant experience. We’ll get into the analysis shortly, but first we’ll give you a transcript of how the conversation went down…

Chris Stead: So how many tie-ins are there with the units and the vehicles of EndWar with the broader Tom Clancy universe? Vinh-Dieu Lam: There are minor tie-ins with this game, but after this [game] there will be a lot more tie-ins. Some of our airstrikes come from the HAWX list of fighter jets, some of the Ghost Recon units are in the game, like Scott Mitchell is the commanding officer of the American army, so there are a few tie-ins. It all acts as a basis for future tie-ins. Chris Stead: When you say future tie-ins, how far will you take it? Like, would we see a multiplayer game where someone is flying the jets using the HAWX mechanics, while someone else is controlling a squad on the ground Rainbow Six style? Vinh-Dieu Lam: Yeah, eventually. But in the next versions you’ll find, say, missions generated in the next Ghost Recon (presumably GRAW 3) affecting the world map in the next EndWar (presumably EndWar 2). So maybe in the next EndWar you will need to attack Paris but before you can it may generate some sort of Splinter Cell recon mission or a Ghost Recon mission or things like that. But that is the direction we are looking at. Chris Stead: Right, so for the next iteration of releases is it a case of the five games being separate, but you have to play one and complete something before you can activate a mission in the next one and then finish that to open the next one? Vinh-Dieu Lam: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So with EndWar, the meta-campaign side of it is a standalone server so you can feed things into this system so it can basically generate any sort of mission. So its missions generate for EndWar at the moment, but there is no reason why we cannot generate missions from the other franchises. This is where we are looking at tying together the different franchises. Chris Stead: That’s really cool. So that kind of makes EndWar quite key to it all because it is kind of the bigger, broader one - it’s the link between all the franchises. Vinh-Dieu Lam: Yeah. Plus also in terms of the timeframe it is the latest one as it is set in 2020, whereas GRAW is set in like 2014 and HAWX is just prior to EndWar. So everything up to this point leads up to the EndWar conflict.

Chris Stead: So the Tom Clancy games were always focused on this one big vision - the EndWar? Vinh-Dieu Lam: Yeah. This is where Tom Clancy is heading. Chris Stead: So looking at the whole every-game-type-in-one end goal, is that realistically something for this generation of gaming? Vinh-Dieu Lam: Well I think the next set of games will have a few more tie-ins and we’ll see how long it takes to evolve from there. Chris Stead: Rad. Rad indeed: we must admit we’d been wondering about the potential to merge the various perspectives of combat that the Tom Clancy range offers into one all encompassing experience but doubted that it could actually happen. Early days yet, but from what Vinh was saying that looks to be the plan. How could it work though? Clearly Ubisoft needs to keep each individual Tom Clancy franchise as a separate entity to ensure five separate revenue streams, yet Vinh talks about allowing one game to open up paths in another. Surely, coercing gamers into owning all five games isn’t the way to go either without getting some major backlash, tending to suggest that what is described above is more related to bonus missions or perhaps to facilitate branching narratives. Ultimately each game will need to stand on its own merits. Unless, that is, there is some sort of subscription service. Buy the one game and then pay to unlock the other experiences hidden within – probably alongside a huge download. It would be like the perfect match of DLC and MMO… well perfect from a revenue point-of-view anyway. Sony has already been testing the waters with this kind of business model with SingStar and Gran Turismo 5. The other possibility that comes to mind is tuning EndWar into an MMO outright - a persistent conflict where five different game experiences co-exist within the one, globe-spanning war. It would be combat gameplay like we have never enjoyed before with each class of character completely changing the gameplay. And the user could be restricted to only playing the game type that they have bought - as in if you own only Splinter Cell, then you can only do recon missions – to protect the revenue streams. It all sounds a little outlandish though given the current limitations in tech. That said, look how far we’ve come this millennium: perhaps sometime in the next decade consoles, technology and bandwidth may be capable of facilitating such mind-blowing action. Damn, what an awesome gaming future that would be! Sign this Tom Clancy fan up right now, where’s the beta?

Breaking Sony news

2008-10-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Most of the gameplayer staff are currently tied up at a Sony event and have sent back some important news via a series of smoke signals, Morse code and SMS. In regards to the upcoming Resistance 2 Sony had this information to divulge:
There will be a massive 60 map/mode combinations available for online play.
The game will offer 100 hours of cooperative play, separate to the single-player campaign.
The MyResistance website will be launching properly in two weeks. Sony has also announced that on the 23rd of October a PS3 and LittleBigPlanet bundle will go on sale. No word on a price point currently, but we’ll keep you updated when the info becomes available. We're not sure if this is an Australian specific bundle, but regardless, it's a brilliant marketing move by Sony because it will appeal to the masses seeking both a PS3 and the awesome LittleBigPlanet. We expect this bundle to sell extremely well.UPDATE:
We can now tell you the following information as well. Single-player will be 10-12 hours on normal difficulty.
Insomniac will definitely not be releasing any episodes as DLC like they did with Ratchet & Clank.
The co-op and single-player are different campaigns, but tell the same story from a different perspective (like Cyrsis and Crysis Warhead).
The updated MyResistance.net was modelled on Bungie.net.

Resistance 2 beta access codes going out now

2008-10-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

Well, this is a pleasant surprise. After having just arrived home after a long-haul flight, what does this blogger happen to find inside his e-mail inbox? Resistance 2 beta access codes, that's what. Yes, it looks like the public beta is finally set up for business and at least is ready for download. Whether you've pre-order, signed up, or did something illegal to get into the beta, you'll find that your access codes are on the way at this very moment -- so keep checking those e-mails. The 2.2GB beta can be downloaded off the PS Store (do so by testing out that new "redeem codes" button next to "view downloads"). We haven't actually finished downloading it yet, so we're not sure if it's ready to play.

Resistance 2 Beta uploaded on PSN

2008-10-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

MyResistance.net: "Well like i said in another topic...i got my code from PS...always that i enter it it says it is invalid...and a mod said that the code will work when the beta goes live...so i saw that in beta.myresistance.com was down for "login" i checked my code and...IT WORKED!!!! here is the proof: When i click in download it gives me a error code....so mods i have to wait until the beta is completely uploaded to download?Thnaks for any info...that means the beta will begin TOMMOROW!!"

New Burnout Island Location Revealed

2008-10-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

We'll show more video on our upcoming new island location soon and start to reveal some of the special new gameplay we're working on just for that area.In the meantime, here's how it's coming on!

The island is scheduled for release as part of our Eastwood software update.Big thanks to John and the team for talking us through there. Look out for more soon.

We know everyone's keen to see more of the island coming in the Eastwood update, so here's a new shot:

Keep checking with us as we're going to be showing a lot more very soon.

A lot of forum chatter on this one!

It seems no-one believed we’d post this, but we’ll stand by what we said yesterday:We want to bring you the news from Criterion Games as it happens.We’re not wasting time on flashy edits, faked screenshots, or pre-rendered “game footage”.This is live and direct – the beginning of the transformation of Paradise.We’ll show you what we’re doing and we want to hear what you think.This video shows the continuation of the Dust Storm’s journey out of Paradise City and into the first of our new locations. You’ll see incomplete graphics, but you get the idea.

And here’s a brief aerial reveal...

We’re looking forward to revealing the unique gameplay that’ll be found here. Keep checking back to the site for more or look closely at the environment – the clues are right there!

SOCOM Confrontation update

2008-10-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

We’ve noticed a couple of comments today on the blog from gamers who purchased SOCOM Confrontation; you’ve been asking “Where are the trophies?”
Well, I just wrapped up a conversation with the SOCOM team, where they’ve confirmed the fact that trophies *will* be coming, via a patch, within the next couple of weeks.
Stay tuned to SOCOM.com for the latest on SOCOM Confrontation.

Attention Canadian Gamers: Try Out PlayStation’s Top Holiday Titles This Weekend

2008-10-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

It’s Fall, the leaves are changing, football is back on TV, and the air is getting crisp. That means it’s time for our annual exclusive Canadian preview event! We took over a very cool venue last week to give media and consumers a look at some great 2008 holiday titles for PlayStation Portable and PLAYSTATION 3.

Attendees were able to get hands-on time with Resistance 2, MotorStorm Pacific Rift,LittleBigPlanet and many more top SCE games. It was also the first Canadian showing of Resistance: Retribution and Killzone 2. A very special thank you to James Stevenson from Insomniac Games and my fellow SCEA PR counterpart (and blog poster) Brian Keltner for coming up to demo the Resistance titles.
We had great third party support as Ubisoft, EA, Activision, THQ, Bethesda, Namco Bandai, Sega and 2K Games attended. Some of the playable third party games included Guitar Hero IV: World Tour, 007: Quantum of Solace, Rock Band 2, Mirror’s Edge, Call of Duty 5: World at War, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, Sonic Unleashed, WWE Raw vs Smackdown 2009, Bioshock, Prince of Persia and Fallout 3.
The best part is, for those of you who couldn’t attend the event and will be in Greater Toronto Area October 17-19, we will also have a big presence at Best Buy’s Gaming Invasion 08. Gamers will have the opportunity once again to get hands-on time with all of our holiday titles before they hit stores

.

Thanks to everyone who participated and we look forward to having you back next year. Now that the event is over, I’m really looking forward to playing all of these titles!!!

Rumor: Home Out November 19th?

2008-10-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a tip from Tommy C., we might have found the release date of Home. Over at PC Authority, they have stated in a recent article, “Sony’s Home virtual world for the Playstation 3 will be released on November 19th”. This would make sense as it would go against Xbox 360’s new dashboard update. As soon as we get more details, we will bring it to you readers

Konami "looking into" MGS4 for Xbox 360

2008-10-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

The saga of whether Metal Gear Solid 4 will forever remain a PS3 exclusive has been ongoing for some time now. It's been going on like this: "Yes it will no it won't or will it yes no yes no no one cares."
Now good old Konami has cranked up the rumour mill once again. Speaking to Japanese publication Morningstar (thanks Kotaku), PR type Yoshitaka Arai said the game could yet make it to Microsoft's console.
"The worldwide demand for an Xbox 360 version [of MGS4] is quite high, and it is something we are looking into," Arai stated.
But can it even be done? Unlikely, reckons series creator Hideo Kojima. Back in August he told Eurogamer, "Because MGS4 was optimised for the PS3 it is probably not possible."
That clears that one up then.

Resistance 2 public beta starting October 17th?

2008-10-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

The public beta for Resistance 2 is due to kick off on October 17th according to Jersey-based etailer Play.com.
During an announcement revealing that customers who pre-order Insomniac’s upcoming FPS game from them will be guaranteed a place on the public beta, Play let slip that the beta will be available to download on PlayStation Network from next Friday. A closed beta for the game has already been running behind closed doors for numerous weeks.
So if you want a guaranteed place on the beta, go and pre-order the game from Play.com. It’s going to be good - we promise!
Resistance 2 launches exclusively on PS3 this November.

SOCOM Confrontation Marred by Missing Features

2008-10-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Like any good Sony PlayStation fanboy, you're well aware that SOCOM: Confrontation launched yesterday. This new addition to the SOCOM family was much anticipated and the hype was spurred on by a beta that allowed a large number of people to test out the game.Now that its out, some of the people that bought it are starting to notice that some of the features they thought, and in some cases told by devs, would be in the game are missing.The rub is many of these missing/nerfed items are not little things, they are essential features.

Here is what people are complaining about:

No following friends into games
Clan support screwed right now (calendar, tournaments)
Stat system only working sometimes
No PS3 trophies
Proximity chat also lets you hear enemies talking

Now to be fair, we haven't played the game yet but our list is current and was culled from several sources and people we know playing the game right now.

In the beta, Slant Six was pretty good about getting patches out the door but a lot people are asking why a "finished" game should need patches of features that should have clearly been added to the game. It's a fair question and unfortunately, the addition of hard drives to consoles is a blessing and a curse. Without the hd, consoles would be limited but the hd now allows companies to release almost-ready games and patch them when they are ready. Honestly, at this point it's almost as bad as PC game releases.

Day 1 patches, here we come.

Firmware Updates: PS3 (v2.50) / PSP (v5.00)

2008-10-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

+ Posted by Eric Lempel // Director, PlayStation Network Operations

Hi everyone. We’ve been listening to all of your feedback about the PS3 and PSP, and with these next firmware updates (coming soon), we’ve added a number of new features and improved some existing functionality to make your PS3/PSP experience even better.

PSP (v5.00) update
Let’s start with the v5.00 update for PSP. In this version, you’ll notice the addition of the PlayStation Network icon on the XMB. You can now sign up for PlayStation Network, manage your account and access PlayStation Store directly from your PSP - meaning you can download games directly to your PSP while connected via Wi-Fi. Getting games, demos and trailers while on-the-go has never been easier! Check out the screen below.
The current PlayStation Store on the PC will be down in the interim as we take some time to revamp. Don’t worry, it will re-launch soon after we’ve made some tweaks. Please keep in mind, if you already have a PlayStation Network account, simply sign in on your PSP using your existing information. The same account and wallet can be used on PS3 and PSP. You will be able to check out the PlayStation Store on the PSP soon, as we’ll have a video demo featuring Grace Chen posted soon on the Blog.

Update v5.00 adds a sleep timer option that can be used while you are playing music on your PSP. In addition, we’ve added a full screen keyboard option for text entry and have redesigned the background of the XMB. You’ll be able to find all of the information on Firmware v5.00 here once it goes live.

PS3 (v2.50) update
Now on to the PS3 v2.50 update. The latest features/enhancements include:
Support for the PS3 Official Bluetooth Headset - we’ve told you about the upcoming Bluetooth Headset and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation Bundle on the Blog. This latest firmware installment enables High-Quality (HQ) mode, which delivers clear and wide-band online voice chat. On top of that, an added on-screen indicator shows battery status, volume level and use of HQ mode.
PlayStation Trophies interface enhancements - I know that many of you are busy collecting trophies and raising your PlayStation Trophy level. This update makes sharing and comparing your trophies with your friends even easier. On 1st part of the profile page you’ll see a symbol under level that represents level and the actual percentage towards the next level along with the existing level meter. The level symbol carries over to the trophy comparison screen where you will now be able to see your level, your friend’s level and the percentage towards the next level for both users along with all of the game by game comparison information you see today.
Friend status – Offline friends on your Friends list will have information below their avatars that will indicate how long it has been since they were last online.
Video – This update adds the Scene Search feature similar to the feature on the PSP. Activating this feature while viewing a video on the PS3 will break the video up into scenes that you can quickly access by pressing the X button. You can break the videos into one, two or five minute intervals. In addition, you can now choose to have all of the videos under the video section of the XMB play in sequence. Go to Settings then Video Settings to turn this option on.
PlayStation Store – We’ve added a redeem codes option right on the store to make it easier to redeem your PlayStation Network Cards and promotion codes. In addition, PlayStation Network Sign Up and Account Management have been redesigned.
Power Save Settings – You can now set your PS3 and wireless controllers to turn off automatically after set periods of inactivity. Go to Settings then Power Save Settings to turn on these features.
Background Downloading - You now have the option to set the PS3 to turn off automatically after a background download or installation of content has completed. This option is available when you turn off the system from the button under [Users] while content is being downloaded or installed.
In-game Screenshots - this tool will allow everyone to capture, share and in other words, immortalize their favorite gameplay moments. This will be supported on a game by game basis. Please check back to find out which games will support this feature.
In addition to all of the features above there are some additional features and enhancements included in 2.50. Once the update launches, you can read all of the details here.

The support for the Bluetooth Headset will be of particular interest to all of you SOCOM fans. With the “Proximity Chat” feature, SOCOM: Confrontation gameplay is intensified as it allows you to experience high-quality voice playback in full surround sound. Whether the action is near or far, Proximity Chat clearly matches distance to sound effects and voiceovers within the game, putting you in the heart of the action.

Enjoy and please share your thoughts with us.

Alone in the Dark: Inferno Details

2008-10-11T07:16:00.000-07:00

One of this year's most innovative videogames will get a blazing rework for its PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system debut this November as ATARI ignites Alone in the Dark: Inferno. Development studio Eden Games has responded to the feedback of media and gamers and has turned up the heat to deliver an even more entertaining, immersive and action-packed blockbuster experience for PLAYSTATION3. The hosts of sizzling gameplay enhancements, red-hot content and the hellish storyline have inspired the name Alone in the Dark: Inferno for the ultimate Alone in the Dark experience on PLAYSTATION3 system...

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Halo 3 expansion named, Tekken 6 coming to 360, more

2008-10-10T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Microsoft grabbed the chance to host a press conference at Tokyo Game Show 2008 to talk about all things Xbox 360, and though TGS is an event targeted toward the Asian game crowd, there was plenty of news that will be music to everybody’s ears.
First in the line of big announcements was the news that Star Ocean: The Last Hope will be hitting store shelves in Japan on February 19, 2009 and North America on March 3, 2009, with European and Asian versions to follow later on. After a brand new trailer of Resident Evil 5 was shown, Microsoft VP John Schappert announced that Feel Plus and Q Entertainment are working on Ninety-Nine Nights 2, the sequel to 2006’s Xbox 360 exclusive action game, Ninety-Nine Nights. No further details were given

Next, Microsoft revealed that it has managed to secure another once-Sony exclusive franchise, announcing that the much-anticipated Tekken 6 will be releasing on the Xbox 360 alongside the PS3 in Fall 2009. Great news for fighting fans indeed!

Going hand in hand with the recent rumours, Microsoft announced that the New Xbox Experience will be made available for download on November 19. Check out some new screenshots of the new look below
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Moving on, Microsoft even took some time to show off the latest games in the Halo franchise, including the recently unveiled Halo 3 expansion. Halo Wars’ lead story writer Graeme Devine first demonstrated a new build of the highly-anticipated real-time strategy game, followed by the reveal of a new (non-playable) race found in the game – The Flood. Then, the second part of the Halo 3 expansion trailer was shown. Scheduled for release at retail stores in Fall 2009, Halo 3: Recon (the game’s real title) will add new campaign missions to Halo 3, the story of which precedes the events that unfold in the last game in the trilogy and does not feature Master Chief, but a new hero altogether.
Main game features:
All-new campaign content. The “Halo 3: Recon” campaign is an intriguing side story that takes place during the terrifying events leading up to the Master Chief’s return to New Mombasa in “Halo 3.” Experience the fate of Earth from the brand-new perspective of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), adding a unique outlook and new gameplay elements to the events that unfold in the trilogy’s finale. While the feel of this new chapter will greatly resemble that of previous “Halo” experiences, “Halo 3: Recon” will require players to employ more elements of stealth and cunning than ever before.
A new hero: Prepare to drop. Known for their courage, valor and, at times, insanity, ODSTs are among the fiercest UNSC soldiers, priding themselves on being the first unit deployed into hostile situations. While not as large or supernaturally gifted as their Spartan comrades, these “Hell Jumpers” more than compensate with their ferocious attitudes and unwavering nerve.
Expanded multiplayer collection. No “Halo” experience would be complete without groundbreaking multiplayer content,* and “Halo 3: Recon” gives fans more of what they love. With exclusive new maps and full Forge options, players will find more multiplayer content than ever before with “Halo 3: Recon.”
Ever-growing community options. Players will continue to enjoy all the great “Halo 3″ technological innovations, including Saved Films, screenshots, Campaign Scoring and four-player co-op. All of the new multiplayer maps fully support the Forge editor, offering endless gameplay customization possibilities for fans.

Last but not least, a bunch of new Arcade games were announced:

“ARKANOIDTM Live!” (TAITO). First appearing in the 1980s as a block-breaking game, the next evolution will now be available on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Gamers can enjoy “Arkanoid” in high -definition with beautifully choreographed background movies and background music. “Arkanoid” is loaded with 120 stages and colourful cooperative and versus modes.
“The King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match” (SNK PLAYMORE). The original “dream match” comes to Xbox LIVE Arcade with new features, characters and game modes. Gamers can face their favourite “The King of Fighters” characters to determine the ultimate champion.
“Metal Slug 7” (SNK PLAYMORE). Gamers can join Marco, Tarma, Eri, Fiolina, Clark and Ralph as they prepare to take on Modern’s Forces across seven new missions. “Metal Slug 7” will also feature new weapons, colossal new bosses, new gameplay modes, and new Slugs to pilot.
“R-Type Dimensions™” (Microsoft). “R-Type Dimensions” combines the genre-defining coin-op classics “R-Type” and “R-Type II,” with a twist. For the first time ever, “R-Type Dimensions” allows multiplayer co-op play locally or over Xbox LIVE for up to two players. Gamers fight through all 14 Bydo-infested stages in the original 2-D or all-new 3-D graphics, and can swap between the two seamlessly.
“SPACE INVADERS EXTREME™” (TAITO). Gamers can experience “Space Invaders” in fully immersive sound and vivid high definition on the next-generation system, with visuals that will excite their senses.

TGS 08: First Details on Halo 3: Recon Emerge

2008-10-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

Standalone expansion to Halo 3 includes Forge and co-op, plus a need for stealth

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By now, you've no doubt seen the full debut trailer for Halo 3: Recon. In it, we see a new hero -- an ODST Marine -- the Covenant, and the Superintendent. We were left to guess at the details, but Microsoft has gone ahead and filled us in on some of the particulars we've been wondering about.
Unlike we were assuming, Recon will be a standalone, disc-based expansion to Halo 3. The story predates Halo 3 and the Master Chief's return to Earth. We're also told that the game will feel very similar to existing Halo titles, but will "require players to employ more elements of stealth and cunning than ever before."
Multiplayer will support four-player online co-op (is this perhaps the squad element we've heard about in the past?), new maps, and "full" Forge options. It's unclear if that means Recon will support all of the Forge functionality from Halo 3 or if Bungie will be implementing new features like the ones we were hoping for back in August. We'll be keeping a close eye out for new details, should any emerge. 1UP is in Japan all week giving you the best coverage of one of the biggest gaming conventions in the world -- the Tokyo Game Show. Be sure to check out our TGS hub page for all the latest news, previews, videos, and everything else from across the ocean.

Resistance: Retribution & Resistance 2 Interoperability and Then Some

2008-10-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, my name is John Garvin, co-director of SCEA’s Bend Studio, and I wanted to give everyone a quick update on Resistance: Retribution. Chris Reese (my co-director at the studio) and I are in Tokyo this week presenting Resistance: Retribution at TGS. After our game was revealed at E3 in July, we got a lot of questions about connectivity between Resistance: Retribution an Resistance 2 on the PS3. We’re pretty excited to announce that yes, we will be providing additional game play and features if you connect R:R to R2! Here’s how it works
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Connect R:R to R2 using a USB cable. Go into the R2 options screen, and select “Infect your PSP!” That’s all it takes.
Infected mode lasts until you power down your PSP. So, what is “Infected mode ?

Infected mode provides an alternate story within our alternate history. While in prison for desertion, Grayson is recruited by Specter Lieutenant David LaSalle (from the R2 storyline) and is infected with a mutated version of the Chimeran virus … a different version of the virus that infects Nathan Hale.
While playing in “infected” mode, Grayson wears a Specter uniform and has glowing Chimeran eyes. He gets to use one of the new weapons from R2: the HE .44 Magnum, which fires explosive rounds that can be triggered remotely. He has regenerative health and no longer needs to look for health packs. He can breathe underwater, allowing him to reach hidden areas that he could not reach before. And we’ve added another whole class of Intel that are hidden throughout the levels. Collecting all of the “infected” intel will unlock another R2 weapon, the Plasma Grenades.
Another cool feature we’re including is something we call PSP Plus !

Activated from the R2 options screen, PSP Plus! allows you to play Resistance: Retribution using your Dualshock 3 wireless controller. We remove aim assist and increase the challenge level of the game. We even support the vibration function of the controller. If you’re playing at home and want to experience Resistance: Retribution in an all new way, this is it.
That’s it for this update. In the near future we’ll have some news on our multiplayer game. Stay tuned.

Resistance 2 beta to start next week?

2008-10-08T14:29:00.001-07:00

Dpad’s reporting that Play’s sent out emails to Resistance 2 pre-orderers saying the game’s beta’s to go live next Friday.
No confirmation yet, but we’ll know soon enough from the sound of it.

Qore Episode 5 Hits PSN Thursday

2008-10-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, my name is Kevin Furuichi and I’m the new Executive Producer here at the PlayStation Network. The Qore team’s put together a spook-tacular, monster-themed Halloween Special for Episode 05 available in the PlayStation Store on Thursday, October 9, here’s a preview.

Fallout 3
Nuclear winter in Washington, D.C. and mutated humans and beasts are really not so happy about the way things turned out. Do you dare leave the bunker and confront their radiation-amplified personality issues?

Resident Evil 5
The series that invented the term “Survival Horror” is back and better than ever on PlayStation 3 - just don’t call them “zombies” – they HATE that!

Dead Space
Talk about creepy. Our “trio of terror” is complete with a game that’s banned in China, Germany, Japan. When you see the gameplay, words really fail to describe… well, actually, how about “Strategic Dismemberment.” Also included is an exclusive graphic novel!

Shaun White Snowboarding
Well, it’s not exactly spooky, but Olympic Champion Shaun White is a monster on any mountain. Veronica meets “The Flying Tomato” in Park City, Utah for a personal tour of his new game.

New Downloadable Content:
Included in this episode is exclusive access to SEGA’s Valkyria Chronicles demo. Qore Episode 05 also contains three different shooting galleries. Clear the galleries to reveal a horrifying bonus video segment.

Finally, check out the “What’s Hot” section for Audrey Cleo’s roundup of the top Blu-ray releases in October.

USA Today Has the Last of the LittleBigPlanet Beta Keys

2008-10-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Those of you who missed out on a chance to snatch a beta key from us last week, this one’s for you! If you’re still itching to get into the awesomely fun LittleBigPlanet beta, head over to USA Today Online, which is offering up the last of the available beta keys (15,000 to be exact - sounds like how many e-mails we got last time!). Just click the purple button that reads, “Do you want to test drive the game?”
While you’re there, check out the great LittleBigPlanet story that ran in yesterday’s newspaper. Lots of good info and interesting quotes from the good folks at Media Molecule. Good luck, and see you - and your creations - online!

End War VIP beta demo starts…now

2008-10-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

Ubisoft UK has announced that the Tom Clancy’s EndWar VIP beta demo is scheduled to start today on Xbox 360. Now, even.
If you’re not sure what to do and how, through the link there’s a handy FAQ that explains everything. So have a look.

NYKO Media Hub+

2008-10-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

Have you purchased a 40GB PLAYSTATION 3? If so, this might be a little something you might consider purchasing for yourselves. As you know, your PLAYSTATION 3 doesn’t have a multimedia card reader, and has only 2 USB ports, rather than the 60GB and some 80GB predecessors. NYKO, however, has a solution. It’s called the NYKO Media Hub+, and it retails for $19.99.

It is made to fit the PLAYSTATION 3 , and attaches to one of the USB ports. It only uses 1 USB port, however, once plugged in, it acts as a hub for 3 more USB ports. In addition, the Media Hub+ supports SD and Memory Sticks.

Resistance 2 Trophies Discovered

2008-10-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

Only a few days after the insanity of October has passed, Resistance 2 will hit store shelves. It seems as if most every PlayStation 3 owner out there is eagerly anticipating its November 4 release, and given this year's addition of Trophies to the PS3, a bunch of you are suddenly very achievement-driven.
Receiving Trophies is a good thing, of course, but we've found that certain titles so far have extraordinarily difficult requirements for snagging the Silver and Gold rewards (Wipeout HD, anyone?). The Platinum is typically the same - get all other Trophies - but developers are starting to get very inventive with Trophy ideas in general. It seems the full list of Resistance 2 Trophies has been revealed, and it consists of 27 Bronze, 8 Silver, 4 Gold, and yes, the 1 Platinum, which is going to take some serious time and skill and receive. Some of the more unique ones are "They Go 'Boom'" (Get 30 Kills with the Magnum secondary fire), "Spitting Lead" (Kill 50 enemies using the Wraith with the force barrier engaged), and "Mind Your Surroundings" (Get 50 indirect kills using explosive objects in levels). Then you've got the online Trophies that'll probably take a while, like the Gold "Killing Machine" (Score 10,000 kills in ranked matches in Online Competitive Multiplayer) and the Silver "Specter Officer" (Reach max level (35) with one class in the Cooperative Campaign).
Okay, so now that you've seen them, are you gonna try and snag 'em all? Are you only targeting the realistic ones? Or is it simply not high on your priority list, and whichever ones you end up getting is fine by you? We're probably of the latter mindset, but it may have something to do with the absurd amount of games coming out.

MotorStorm Monday: The Vehicles … All of Them

2008-10-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

There is something deeply satisfying about a vehicle designed and built to be driven off-road. Call me weird, but forget Ferraris, Porsches and such - give me an old Land Rover (not your modern shiny SUV, I mean your old series 3 boneshakers with leaf springs and bench seats, preferably covered in dirt, and a healthy dose of rust) then you’ve got me all tingly. Space frames, roll cages, fat tires, the fuel economy of a battleship and not a curve in sight are where it’s at, and hopefully you’ll see my peculiar brand of automotive perversion throughout MotorStorm: Pacific Rift

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You probably think I’m weird, and you’re probably right.

But it’s great to create a game where the brutal beauty of off-road racing machines is shown in all its diversity. A game where is not just all about how fast your motor is, or how much bling you can stick on it, it’s about driver skill, it’s about ruggedness of the vehicles and it’s about the variety of situations these machines have to deal with.

And it’s also about pitting a variety of these machines against each other. From the very start of the first MotorStorm game we knew we wanted to build something where a bike can share a race track with trucks, ATVs and big rigs. MotorStorm is like some latter day automotive cola advert, we’re a model of diversity and harmony, with all shapes, sizes, colour, ability and looks (scratch that analogy, you never see ugly folk in a cola advert). Pacific Rift has all kinds of vehicles, which ultimately boils down to eight distinct vehicle classes.

Cue obligatory shopping list -

The Bike - It’s my personal favorite. Yes you die a lot, it comes with the territory because you’re the most fragile thing on the track. But its maneuverable, hair-raising and loads of fun to drive.

The ATV - Sure footed and sturdier than the bike, the ATV is one of those marmite (A British, yeast based spread, either the food of the gods, or Satan’s toe jam, depending upon your point of view. Common British parlance for something you will either love or hate. IMHO the pinnacle of 10,000 years of human civilization) vehicles, you’ll either love it, or think it’s like a bike, but not as much fun

The Buggy - I like the buggy in Pacific Rift. The handling model for the one in the first game just wasn’t quite right, but we’ve gone back to the drawing board and completely re-worked it. Agile, and rear-wheel driver, means there’s lots of oversteer to be had. Its also really stable in the air; when describing how it should behave to the designers I wanted it to be cat-like in its in air stability, and I think they’ve done a real good job.

The Racing Truck - This is the vehicle class you want to start with. Its fast enough, its tough enough and its sure footed enough. Steady and reliable, and slap -in-the-middle across all the traits.

The Rally Car - Acceleration akin to a fighter jet makes it awesome off the line, but it’s a thoroughbred and as such you’ve got to nurse the Rally Car through the technical and rough bits, as it’s basically a road car with better suspension. If you try and do anything too rugged with it, you’re going to get screwed. Always look for the flattest, smoothest line. However, if you’re a MotorStorm: Monument Valley connoisseur then don’t expect the rally car to be the all-conquering online car of choice this time around - the tracks are much more cunningly balanced this time around.

The Mudplugger - the forgotten son of MotorStorm: Monument Valley, the Mudplugger has had something of a facelift and a handling makeover ensures it not just a slower racing truck this time around. This is especially true as its major trait, the ability to cross any kind of terrain without blinking an eye, is more relevant this time around with our increased track diversity.

The Big Rig - The immovable object of MotorStorm. The Big Rig is great for bullying, and has a really good top sped, just try not to slow down as its acceleration is more supertanker than supercar.

Monster Truck - We’ve shouted a lot about the Monster Truck in the early press, and we think it’s a fantastic addition to the lineup. We wanted something to sit at the top of the MotorStorm food chain, something that the other vehicles (with the exception of the Big Rig) are afraid of. I’m pretty sure that not many of you have driven a real monster truck, so we’ve taken a few liberties with the handling model, creating something that feels like a monster truck ought to be, rather what they actually are. You see in real life these are fragile machines.
Yes, they can crush cars, prance around arenas and get rednecks all exited, but they’re not exactly robust, or maneuverable or particularly good at keeping up with the likes of a rally car. The Monster Trucks in MotorStorm are fast, angry, practically indestructible, and above all, loads of fun

And ultimately that’s what it’s all about: fun. It’s a game. If you stop and think ‘That’s stupid, no one would ever do that on a bike/truck/etc.’ Then you’re missing the point, loosen up a little.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Update Available Now! And Includes NEW CARS

2008-10-03T11:05:00.001-07:00

Hello Blog Readers and GT Fans! I enthusiastically return to the blog with very good news. Hitting on our promise to continue to evolve the GT series, a new update for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is NOW available. This update adds three new vehicles to the game’s line-up, plus a number of gameplay and performance enhancements we think you’ll be excited about. Here we go…
New VehiclesAll three vehicles and manufacturers have special ties to Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital. They will be added to their respective Dealership areas in GT5 Prologue.
GT by Citreon - The “GT by Citroen” concept car is the result of a groundbreaking collaboration between French automaker Citroen and Polyphony Digital. The formal debut of the vehicle took place yesterday at the Paris Motor Show , coinciding with the release of today’s update to the game. A video of the “GT by Citroen” can be viewed in HD within Gran Turismo TV Check out the screenshots below and for photos, follow this link

The two other new cars are the Ferrari California and the Lotus Evora. They are a lot of fun to drive. For a look at these sexy vehicles, check out the images below.

The GT by Citroen is available for 1 Million credits; the Ferrari California will go for 300,000 credits the Lotus Evora for 100,000. Piece of cake, right?!?
GamePlay EnhancementsWe’ve also added some great new gameplay enhancements to continue to improve the racing experience in GT5 Prologue. This includes changes to the penalty system; specifically, during Time Trial events, speed penalties have been removed, and instead incurring such a penalty now invalidates the lap time for that particular lap. Race events are also being updated, with tweaked difficulty levels and increased earnings for winning a top spot. Additionally, improved responsiveness when using the wireless controller, and improved sound volume balance for sound effects and music for a better racing experience. Drift Trial races have also been changed to feature a rolling start.
Disclaimer Note Here: Rankings, arcade time trial times, drift trial records, as well as vehicle-specific quick tune settings and custom key layouts will all be reset with the new update. Replay data created before the second update will no longer be viewable after this update. To confirm the version you have before updating the game, check the in-game manual.