PlayStation App Heading to iphones & Android Phones

You have to give Sony a little credit for acting quickly. Microsoft recently released their Windows Phone 7 cell phones with Xbox Live integration and Sony responds by announcing the imminent release of the PlayStation App for both iOS (iphone) and Android cell phones. Unfortunately the App will only being available in Europe initially and only a few countries at that. Strangely, there's no word on a North American release.

The PlayStation App will allow you to:

* Check out your PlayStation Network trophies and keep up to date with your friends’ games and online status.
* Discover all the latest games, news and hardware for your PlayStation 3, PSP and PlayStation 2.
* Read all the announcements on the European PlayStation.Blog.
* Share your favourite products or news with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or via e-mail.

It will only be available for cell phones running iOS 4 or Android 1.6 and above

Call of Duty: Classic (the first one) available this week at PSN and XBL

The re-release of the first game that started one of the biggest franchises ever will be available this week on PSN and XBL. I started my journey with Call of Duty 2, which is still my favorite, so I'd like to play this one and see what I missed out on.

Graphics have been improved, although I'm sure the difference won't be that big. The re-release also contains a multiplayer mode, but only for 8 players at a time. My only major complaint is the price, at $14.99 or 1200 MS points, it's not an essential purchase.

Rocket Knight Retro Game Sequel

It's great to see some classic retro games getting remakes or sequels with updated graphics and sound on Xbox Live and PSN. Apart from the new sonic game which looks to possibly be a real direct sequel to Sonic & Knuckles on the Genesis, we now have Sparkster from Rocket Knight Adventures to look forward to, 15 years after the original sequel. The game is set 15 years later and you'll enter the Kingdom of Zephyrus once more. The gameplay looks good, but the art style is a little different of the new game, I prefer the retro look. Anyway, check out the trailer and prepare for a 2010 release!

Uncharted 2 Multiplayer Demo Follow up

I've mentioned I don't play online much if at all. There are the rare exceptions such as Killzone 2, Resistance 2, Motorstorm 2 and of course Uncharted 2 (hah, all sequels!). Anyway, after my brief play previously with the demo, I've now had a couple of hours worth of gaming time with it and I have to say it's really fun stuff. Well, three of the four modes are, there's one I got bored of quickly.

Deathmatch is excellent, but I'm a fan of team deathmatch and since I was in a party, I was automatically put in a team with my party members. First team to get the set number of kills, wins. Simple and fun.

Next on the list is objective. Again, being in a party led me to be in a team objective match, I'm not sure if this can be played with everyone being independent, I'm guessing not. There are two different types of objectives that I encountered, but there may be more in the full game. One is to capture nodes on the map. You need to stand at a node until it is captured with no enemies within range of the nod. This is the same as in Battlefield games. If your team captures all nodes, you win. It's a fun tug of war type objective. The other objective is capturing treasure and bringing it back to your treasure chest at your respective base. This is basically capture the flag and was very fun to play. You can throw the treasure (like a grenade or propane tank) if you need it to get across a gap or to a higher level and of course, you can't shoot if you're carrying it. But unlike capture the flag, where there are two flags (one for each team), the treasure is neutral and gunning down the carrier doesn't mean you can run up to the treasure and return it to it's original post. It lies on the ground waiting to be picked up again.

The third mode is my favorite. It's three player co-op in which you need to get to a certain area to find treasure and you'll fight bad guys together and do simple puzzles. It's like playing the singleplayer game and is excellent.

The final mode is the weakest of the lot. It's another three player co-op mode with an objective. As with the capture the treasure mode, you'll need to find the treasure and bring it back to your chest to complete the round. Waves of bad guys try to stop you from reaching your goal and each round gets progressively more difficult, but I find it much to repetitive and it gets boring quickly. It's a mode that I wouldn't bother playing ever again. In the co-op modes, you can also heal your partners if they've been mortally wounded, but you have a limited time to do so.

My only complaint is that unlike Killzone 2, players can't just jump in mid game if there are spots open from people quitting or there not being a full amount for that particular match. You need to wait to find and join a fresh game everytime, just like in Resistance 2. This wouldn't be so bad if there was something to do while you wait, but there isn't. And wait you will (at least in the demo), sometimes up to a few minutes before you join a match, but it's not too bad and maybe it will be shorter times in the full game. So there you have it, all the multiplayer modes in more detail.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Multiplayer Demo

I tried the demo of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves on PSN. It's multiplayer only but is very generous with what you get to try out. There are four different modes and all of them were fun. My favorite being the co-op mode where you need to find treasure. It's like playing the actual game, except you've got two other players and need to work together to take out the bad guys and get past certain places. There's deathmatch in there too of course. The game looks fantastic and the multiplayer mode is excellent from what I've played.

I highly recommend downloading the demo. I'm sure it will be a purchase for most PS3 owners.


"Fortune hunter Nathan Drake returns in UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves™, a pulse-pounding third-person action-adventure/shooter created by award-winning developer Naughty Dog. Down on his luck, Drake is lured back into the treacherous world of thieves and mercenary treasure-seekers he had sought to leave behind. When a mysterious artifact propels Drake on an expedition to find the legendary Himalayan valley of Shambhala, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse against a fugitive war criminal who’s after more than just the fabled riches of the lost city. Caught in a web of deception and plunged into an increasingly deadly pursuit that tests the limits of his endurance, Drake will be forced to risk everything – but has his luck finally run out?"

Wolfenstein 3-D on XBL & PSN

I was pretty surprised to see this 17 year old title up on each respective downloadable network. It's being used a promotional tool to drum up hype for the release of the new Wolfenstein game coming out, which should be a good game by the looks of things. That's all well and good, but considering it's just a straight port, why isn't it a free download? I mean, sure, it was good at the time, but it's aged badly and this version has no graphical improvements of any kind. Even the source code is freely available. I doubt it cost a lot to port this game, it's not graphically intensive (haha...yeah) and even the iPhone version recieved a nice graphics update, while the console port gets nada...what gives?

My advice? Get the iPhone version if you have one and don't pay for such a poor port of a 17 year old game! There's no better way to tell the developers you're not happy with what they released.

Future Prediction - Handhelds Part 1

Want to know what the next handhelds from Sony and Nintendo will be like specification wise? In each part of this two post article, I will examine current technological trends, using some basic research and assumption skills to predict the next handheld offering from each respective company.

Will I be on the ball, or fail miserably, you be the judge! Either way, I hope you enjoy these future predictions and when the time comes, be sure to remember how close or far off these posts were! Read on as I analyse and predict each feature of a certain handheld, which will be known as the PlayStation Portable 2 or PSP2 for short.

The name is the easiest part. Just look at the names of Sony's consoles to get the idea. PlayStation Portable is a brand name Sony has invested in and they'll be sure to slap on a two at the end of the name for the next handheld offering.

Size and Shape

The PSP2 will have a similar overall shape to the current PSP Slim & Lite, but will have a bit more depth below the screen and be a bit thicker to fit in all the new technology. Two analog sticks will now be present. It will also be a bit heavier and have different styling, making it look a lot like the PSP1.

Screen

A 4.3inch OLED (organic LED) touch screen will take up most of the front of the handheld. This is the same size as the PSP1 screen. The OLED technology will provide the best possible screen which will put the PSP1's LCD screen to shame. Ability to play in daylight, low power consumption, super thin and superior picture quality will round off the package. Why a touch screen? After the success of the DS, Sony is sure to have learned its lesson and the PSP2 will also function as a PDA by using this feature.

Processor

After investing heavily in the Cell processor for the PS3, Sony will be using a mobile version of the chip for it's PSP2 system. The chip will use 45nm technology to save on battery life and will be clocked at 2.6Ghz.

Graphics

The relationship with Nvidia will continue and Sony will use a custom mobile version of Nvidia's graphics processors to provide the grunt work. It will run at 300mhz.

Graphics capability of games will be comparable to launch PS3 titles, but will be a bit inferior in detail and physics.

Sound

The PSP2 will have standard high quality stereo sound. Music will sound great and games will have even higher quality audio then on the PSP1.

Memory

128mb of main memory. 128mb video memory.

Storage

The PSP2 will come with 8GB space inbuilt via flash memory, but will also support the latest Memory Stick Pro Duo's for extra storage. Games will have the option of being installed on to the drive space or memory stick for faster loading time.

Media

An improved UMD drive with faster reading and seek times using a blue laser to bring storage capacity of one disc up to 6.5gb. Expect perfect quality video and no more limitations on voice acting in games.

This new UMD drive will also be compatible with PSP1 UMD games and movies, but PSP game backward compatibility will be handled via emulation.

Other Hardware Features

The PSP2 will also feature a motion sensor (similar to sixaxis), wireless and bluetooth (with the ability to use it as a controller for PS3) and a USB 3.0 port. It will also have a 3MP camera (no flash).

Operation System Features

The XMB interface will return and access to the PlayStation Network, trophies and online gaming will be available from day one. An Internet Browser just like the PS3 one will be included.

Battery Life

Expect battery life while using games to be around 4-5 hours.

Release Date

The PSP2 will be announced in late 2011 and will be unveiled in 2012 with a December 2012 release date in Japan.

Games to own - #3

Welcome to part three of games to own in your collection. I try to dig out titles that aren't your multi-million selling AAA titles, but great titles that deserve to be in your collection that you might be unaware of. But most importantly, the point is to point out great games that have been neglected and have done poorly commercially (sales wise).

The strange thing with the game I have picked today; Valkyria Chronicles, is that it IS a AAA title, yet sold quite poorly. I assume it's due to the lack of marketing behind it, which is a real shame, as it is a fantastic strategy/RPG and a must have exclusive on PlayStation 3.

There's no doubt about it, this is a very original take on strategy RPG's. The game blends three different game genres (third person shooter, turn-based strategy and RPG) all into one to create something completely unique and fun to play. How does it work? Imagine a turn-based war game with beautiful anime watercolor type graphics and great orchestral track. And just wait till you see it in motion! 

During your turn on the battlefield, you choose which character you want to move and then proceed to do so in real time, just like a third person shooter. You have a limited amount of steps you can make and you can only attack once per character. When choosing to attack, you also aim a cursor before firing your shots. The enemy will also counter attack in real time as you approach and you keep doing so until you have moved all your troops and attacked or your turn is over.

You can also hide your characters behind cover, crouch and use vehicles and various weapons (just like a real war!). It's an excellent mix of gameplay and it works so very, very well. Couple it with an interesting plot and decent voice acting and you've got a AAA title which is one of the best strategy RPG's this generation.

9.5 out of 10. Buy it now, or at least try the downloadable demo off PlayStation network, which only shows a bit of the brilliance in the full game. Support unique games and buy this one so we can all enjoy a sequel.

Games to Own - #2

I admit, I have little to no postive feelings towards EA, with their large library of shovelware, yearly rehashes of sport titles and often bug-ridden or unpolished games. If it wasn't for the studios they have acquired such as Criterion (Burnout games) and Dice (Battlefield, Mirrors' Edge), I'm sure they wouldn't have such healthy profits. But things may change for the better now as EA is attempting to produce more quality titles and fix the crash and burn yearly titles such as Need for Speed.

Anyway, you're probably thinking why I'm talking about EA in this "games to own" post. That's because, dear readers, the next one on the list is (shock, horror) an EA game. The special edition is also available at a bargain price, so I've chosen the PS3 version, but the game is also available on Xbox 360. May I present Army of Two.

Now don't get me wrong, Army of Two is not a AAA title, but it is highly entertaining and fun shooter, especially with a friend. That's where the title of the game comes into play. You'll have control of one of the two foul mouthed Army Ranger veterans working as private military for hire, wearing some freaky death masks and spouting plenty of one-liners with attitude! The government gladly throws you into some dangerous missions where you and a buddy or AI will need to use strategy and cover to your advantage if you hope to survive.

From here, the game play similar to most third person shooters such as Gears of War, but includes some special tactics for two player teamwork. The AI is acceptable and does a decent job, but the fun lies in playing with a friend, which can be easily done over the PlayStation Network. You'll play through five missions, with additional missions available as downloadable content. Humorous dialogue and some great looking graphics round off the package. Customisable masks and weapons (including weapon bling!) make it worth earning as much cash as possible.

A word of warning, the game is one of the only ones to have a multiplayer region lock. However, this is easily bypassed. To play with a buddy from any country in the world, make sure to have the same version (region) of the game and you will be able to play together no problem. This lock was meant to be removed with a patch, but this still hasn't happened. I give Army of Two an 8 out of 10.

Soldner-X Portable

With PSN games now being released on the Sony PSP system (especially shooters), wouldn't it be great to see Soldner X on the PSP or DS? Sure, the graphics would need to be scaled down a lot (especially on the DS), but the gameplay would be intact. Super Stardust Portable and Everyday Shooter have shown that it can be done successfully.

Features we would like to see in a potential PSP version would be co-op play in the single player campaign. For the DS, I'm sure the touch screen and extra screen could be put to good use. What would you like to see in a portable Soldner X?

Söldner-X: Previous Post Plus Point Two

The previous post cited an article which reviewed Söldner-X and gave it a score of 8.0. I can top that!

Not only are Gamespot users currently rating the game at 8.5, but, regarding Söldner-X on the PS3, Gamer 2.0 is giving their readers "Buy It" suggestion and has rated the game a "Great" 8.2.

Gamer 2.0's rating included a 9 for gameplay, and the only score that was below 8 was audio which received a rating of 7. You can find full Gamer 2.0 Söldner-X review here.

Whether it's the gamers themselves or the reviewers, people seem to be enjoying Söldner-X on the PS3. When you get a game this great for a price this cheap, why wouldn't you enjoy it?

Also, don't forget, this game isn't just for the PS3 owners out there. There's also a PC Version of Söldner-X that's available at a new low price which includes all sorts of extra pack-ins that you don't get on PSN.

If you're STILL not convinced, I dug up a couple more reviews of the game:

• Gaming Age says, "I actually enjoyed Soldner-X, and for $9.99 for at least a dozen hours spent playing and replaying the game, it was worth the cash"
• Worth Playing gives a bit of background about the PC version and then states, "A year later, the PSN Store would add the game to its catalog with several improvements made specifically for the PS3 faithful. Although it is without some of the extras that shmup fans might have wanted to add to their collection of art books and soundtracks, Soldner-X brings a solid action-packed experience to the console."
  

Söldner-X Scores 8.0 - IGN Review

If you still have any doubts about purchasing Söldner-X for PlayStation 3 off the PlayStation Network, you might want to check out what the biggest gaming site has to say about the game.

Praising the graphics and gameplay, IGN awarded the game an 8.0 overall. If you're still not sure whether to buy the game for a mere $9.99, then check out the full IGN review here.

Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer now available on North American PlayStation®Store

Shooter fans out there! Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer (AKA The Funny Umlaut Shooter) has made it's landing on the North American PlayStation®Store. We've been following this one closely, as you would have thought.

Not many reviews out there, but of course we'd give it a buy-recommendation nonetheless.

No (official) word yet about the Euro-Release and why do they never mention Japan? Well, anyhow, it seems the game is scheduled to reach the Asian (that means Asia w/out Japan, such as Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia et al) market the Thursday after this and the Euro release seems to be on 18th of December 2008. Yahoo!

As our friend Brandon put's it: "So if you were suckered into buying a PS3 by MGS4 or Senjou no Valkyria, now you can play a third game as well. If you're curious, the available PS3 trophies can be found here."

We wouldn't say it so harshly, but we certainly recommend you to head over to your nearest PS3, go to the PlayStation Store and play away.

And they even got hi-scores!

Update: Silly me, forgot to mention the video!