SingStar Singalong with Disney songs revealed

A host of Disney classics have been announced for SingStar Singalong with Disney on PlayStation 2.

Everyone knows the words to at least one Disney song, and kids of all ages - including the ones in their 30s - can sing to their heart's content with the 20 wonderful tracks coming to SingStar Singalong with Disney.

Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmations)
A Whole New World (Aladdin)
Beauty and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast)
Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (Cinderella)
The Work Song (Cinderella)
He's a Tramp (Lady and the Tramp)
Following the Leader (Peter Pan)
You Can Fly (Peter Pan)
I Wonder (Sleeping Beauty)
Once Upon a Dream (Sleeping Beauty)
Son of Man (Tarzan)
Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat (The Aristocats)
The Bare Necessities (The Jungle Book)
I Wanna Be Like You (The Jungle Book)
I Just Can't Wait to Be King (The Lion King)
Circle of Life (The Lion King)
Under the Sea (The Little Mermaid)
Kiss the Girl (The Little Mermaid)
You've Got a Friend in Me (Toy Story)
Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh)

You'll ride a magic carpet, swing through trees and escape from a wildebeest stampede with your favourite characters as original videos from the movies play while you sing.

SingStar Singalong with Disney is the perfect game for anyone with fond memories of these classic movies, so whether you're playing at home with the kids or at a party with all the family, grab a SingStar microphone and let the magic of Disney ring from your vocal chords.

Your whole world in your hands

Your PSP world just got better and brighter with the new PSP-3000.

Putting your whole world in your hands, the launch of a new model of the best-selling PSP brings you all the fantastic features and look of PSP Slim & Lite, with two incredible new features.

The built-in microphone on PSP-3000 means you can say goodbye to leads and headsets and chat to friends online with Go!Messenger and Skype - all that's needed is a Wireless connection.

Connect with friends and family using Go!Messenger. Chat with friends using the built-in mic or even connect the PSP camera for face-to-face video chat.

Stay connected wherever you are with Skype on PSP. Make free unlimited voice or video calls to anyone else on Skype, anywhere in the world. You can also use Skype to save money on calls to landlines and mobiles by subscribing to one of Skype's popular unlimited subscriptions or purchasing Skype credit

Not only can you communicate with the world but now your world of PSP will look even better. The PSP-3000 screen is now able to produce a wider range of colours giving you more definition, plus anti-glare technology to make your PSP experiences even better in sunlight and harsh indoor lighting.

Kick start your PSP experience with some great new bundles, including Buzz!: Brain Bender and Go!Communication bundle packs, as well as FIFA 09 and LEGO Batman bundles.

Mirror's Edge demo coming this week

And by this week, we mean tomorrow. (The demo was originally planned for November.) The PlayStation Store will be updated tomorrow with a sneak peak at EA/DICE's upcoming first person parkour game, Mirror's Edge. If you've read our hands-on impressions, you know that we're in love with the intuitive and innovative movement system. You'll be able to agree (or disagree) with us tomorrow.

Gallery: Mirror's Edge

Nyko Media Hub works as expected

This is quite possibly the least surprising hardware review we've ever done. The Nyko Media Hub, available for about $20 at retailers, does exactly what it says it will do: provide additional USB ports on the PS3. This is perfect for those with recent PS3 configurations, which only feature 2 (as opposed to 4) USB ports. It may not be a big deal for many, but those that play games that require a lot of wireless peripherals, such as Rock Band or Guitar Hero may find themselves short on ports.

It shouldn't be surprising that the device works instantly. There's no indicator light to show that it's working: you just plug it in and voila. The included memory card reader is a nice plus.

The small design of the Media Hub makes it so that it doesn't stand out too much on your system. However, $20 for two additional USB ports does seem a bit pricey. This is certainly a limited appeal product, one you wouldn't be rushing out to buy. If you do decide to pick one up, at least you can be confident knowing it will work exactly as you think it will.

Entertainment on the go

Choose the entertainment you want with PSP.

You can do a lot with PSP; packing a lot of potential for a portable entertainment device, you can enjoy the games, music, and video you want, when you want.

PlayStation has always been about games and PSP is no exception. If entertainment is what you're after then games should be your first port of call. If you're into puzzles and quizzes then echochrome or Buzz!: Brain Bender might be exactly the fun challenge you'd enjoy. If wholesome carefree adventure is more your thing LocoRoco 2 is one to watch out for, while if you're seeking more adrenalin fuelled action a racer such as WipEout Pulse is the way to go.

In addition to games PSP along with PLAYSTATION 3 is also about visual entertainment. PlayTV enables you to watch, record and play back TV using your PS3. If both your PSP and PLAYSTATION 3 have access to the Internet you can control one with the other, using your PSP to watch your favourite programs from anywhere in the world using Remote Play.

Alongside being great for TV and film PSP is also perfect for audio. From music to the spoken word, you can take your soundtrack wherever you go with PSP. With Media Manager you can easily transfer audio, and other media, between PC and PSP, all it takes is a few clicks.

You can also get game, music and video content from PlayStation Store, now accessible directly with your PSP. There you can download great demos of top titles, such as Everybody's Golf 2, plus great value, full games, such as flOw, plus exclusive content, such as music video from Movement.

Games that go bump in the night

If you’re planning a night in this Halloween, here are some games that will have you cowering behind the sofa

August 3, 2007. An American television crew arrives to investigate the legend of Hanuda – a village where human sacrifices are said to have taken place 30 years ago. They soon discover that they are not welcome and the investigation turns into a blood-soaked nightmare. The Japanese are renowned for their unique brand of psychological horror and Siren: Blood Curse brings this tradition to PLAYSTATION 3 in 12 gruesome episodes.

F.E.A.R, is another scary game influenced by Japanese horror. The main character has recently been inducted into F.E.A.R, a special force set up by the US Government to deal with paranormal threats. And before long, threats are coming thick and fast as you try to take down an army of clones and a ghostly little girl called Alma.

One of the game’s creepiest features is its audio. The developer, Monolith, used methods such as dragging metal across unusual surfaces to generate sound effects that unsettle and surprise the player. The soundtrack, composed in reaction to the game’s main action scenes, heightens tension by bursting into crescendo when you least expect it.

Sticking with psychological horror and hostile locals, the critically acclaimed Bioshock is another game to look out for.

Set in Rapture – an underwater dystopian city built by business magnate, Andrew Ryan – it pits the players against hordes of human-like creatures that Ryan controls using pheromones. What makes Bioshock so unnerving is the atmosphere and the tangible sense of isolation as you try to survive your underwater nightmare.

From under the sea to Outer Space, the protagonist in Dead Space is another loner trying to stay alive amidst legions of fearsome creatures. It’s a game that sends your stomach into your throat as multi-limbed monsters jump out at you from ventilation shafts. The only way to kill them is to strategically dismember their bodies, which makes for particularly gruesome action.

If you’re not a fan of gore, Monster Madness: Grave Danger is a supernatural shooter with its tongue in its cheek. It follows four American school kids on a quest for survival as their sleepy town is overrun by werewolves, witches, vampires, and other nefarious creatures. If you have friends coming over, it’s a blast to play in four player co-operative mode.

If you can still brave the outside world after all that horror, there are plenty of frights to be had on PSP. Silent Hill: Origins takes you back to that eerie lakeside town that caused so many sleepless nights when it debuted on PlayStation in 1999.

Infected also brings its share of shocks to the handheld. New York City is in the grip of a zombie epidemic, three weeks before Christmas, and the only cure is in your bloodstream. If you can gun down enough zombies to survive, you might just be able to find someone who can harvest an antidote and save the city.

For PlayStation 2 fans, there are dozens of creepy classics worth checking out, from monster hits, such as Resident Evil 4 and Alone in the Dark, to cult classics including Clock Tower 3 and Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly.

The original Clock Tower was a point and click adventure on PlayStation; its second sequel gives the player direct control over Alyssa Hamilton as she searches for her missing mother and is transported back in time to a gruesome murder scene in London during World War II.

If you had to help two helpless Japanese schoolgirls escape a haunted village, which weapons would you choose? A camera obscura may not be the first on your list, but that’s all you have in Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly. Fortunately, it’s a magic camera; you can switch to the lens view at the press of a button and the longer you keep your ghostly enemies in the frame, the more damage you inflict on them.

Nothing gets the heart racing like a good scary game and this selection should keep you going throughout the spooky season.

Activision offers solution to World Tour drum problems

Activision has issued an official statement concerning the Guitar Hero: World Tour drum kit sensitivity problems that have been reported on the interwebs since its release. In addition to admitting the existence of said problems, they are now doing more random testing to hopefully eradicate the issue. "In the event any consumers do experience problems with their drum kit controllers associated with sensitivity issues, Activision will soon be offering a drum tuning kit that will enable players to fully optimize their drums." According to an official World Tour forum post, the solution will come in the form of Windows PC downloadable software that'll allow you to calibrate your drums.

Those with problems should get in touch with Activision ASAP, either through telephone number (310) 255-2050 or by heading here.

[Via Joystiq and X3F]

Guitar Hero: World Tour unlock all songs code, more Hendrix coming

Activision has announced two track packs for Guitar Hero: World Tour -- one with songs by Jimi Hendrix and one with songs by the group the Raconteurs:

Jimi Hendrix:
"If 6 Was 9""Little Wing""Fire" (Live version) The Raconteurs:
"Salute Your Solution""Hold Up""Consoler of the Lonely" Both packs will be $5.50. The Raconteurs songs can be purchased individually for $1.99, but not the Hendrix tracks. Finally, what you've all been waiting for: the code to unlock all the songs in GH:WT that was formerly exclusive to those who preordered from Gamestop is ... well, some people consider this kind of thing spoilers, so we'll tell you after the jump:

Source -- MTV Multiplayer -- via Joystiq
Source -- press release
Go to the "Cheats" section in the "Options" menu and the enter the following: Blue, Blue, Red, Green, Green, Blue, Blue, Yellow.

Bound in Platinum

God of War: Chains of Olympus goes Platinum on PSP.

Unchained on PSP and now available as part of the Platinum range, there has never been a better time to enter the world of the Spartan anti-hero, Kratos.

Take part in mythical adventure as you journey to lands that no mortal has ever seen as the ancient Greek world is plunged into darkness and the Gods themselves are struck powerless.

Featuring gameplay based on its PlayStation 2 counterparts, this PSP version offers you the same experience that earned the two previous titles such acclaim. Everything from finishing moves that employ a rhythm action-like style to intuitive actions and responsive attacks are waiting to be experienced in the Spartan's third outing.

Games that go Platinum do so because they're innovative titles that have often received accolades and awards. They're also some of the best-selling games available on PlayStation.

You can try out a demo of God of War: Chains of Olympus on PlayStation Store, which, with System Software version 5.00, you can access directly from your PSP when connected to a Wireless network.

“Bond lives in an elegant world”

007 makes his videogame return with a fresh face and new attitude. Adam Gascoigne, Co-design Director of Treyarch reveals some classified information on the new James Bond title, Quantum of Solace.

How do you capture the essence of a 007 James Bond game?
Creating the essence of Bond is tied in by us being so tightly involved with the people who made the film. We have a fantastic relationship with them. We were worried that they were going to be very specific about what they wanted regarding the game – they’ve been creating Bond for 46 years, they know what they want and you don’t change their mind – but that was so good for us. We could ask them how Bond does certain things and they’d refer to their bible and tell us, which was really helpful. So the essence was already there. We just have to make sure we create a game that’s intense and energises players, and really reflects how athletic Daniel Craig is.

So how did having Daniel Craig in the game change your approach to having another actor, such as Pierce Brosnan?
The first thing is athleticism. In a cheesy action movie, a fight will last 15 minutes. Daniel Craig’s Bond doesn’t do that. If someone comes out to fight him, they are either dead in three seconds, or Bond’s shot. It’s in and out, fast, really intense and realistic. The only change to that is when he’s fighting a special agent. The Bourne movies have done that as well, and it’s very indicative of what the current audience expects. They want that realism. So we reflect that in the way our melee combat works. With a gun he’s absolutely deadly.

What is it like developing a game that is generally kept under wraps because of the importance of the film license?
The biggest challenge is making sure you stay inside the universe the film makers have created. For example, one of the levels is outside the Science Centre, and you’re in an alley. Our first attempt at doing the alley had dumpsters, trash, cockroaches, all the kind of stuff game developers like to put in for that sort of scene. But when we showed it to the film makers, they said “Bond doesn’t walk through trash filled alleys. If given the choice of walking through a trash filled alley or a door, he’ll walk through a door. And then he’ll say ‘my name is Bond’”. [laughs] So that’s what we did – he still walks down the alley, but we took out the trash. And it’s a challenge to get into that mindset.

They have a phrase they use, which is “Bond lives in an elegant world”. That’s why people are attached to it. Bond’s world is so beautiful. It may be filled with evil people, but it’s full of beautiful women, the Martinis are made just right, his suit is perfect… they want that perfect world. So although it’s a challenge getting into that mindset, it’s good because you have a parent-like figure looking over you to tell you when you’re getting it wrong. And they don’t touch the game – we can do whatever we want, it’s just the nature of the content they look over.

How much of the violence did you have to watch out for when making Quantum of Solace?
We’re not really a violent team. You shoot people in the head, they’ll go down, but we don’t have blood puffs or spurts - there’s a white puff which kinda looks like dust, but it’s more to tell you that you’ve hit the enemy more than anything else. Our hand-to-hand combat is also very quick. I think gratuitous violence is when you hang on that violence, and if anything I’d say ours is a little more toned down than the movie.

I’ve heard the quote that Daniel Craig’s Bond is much more violent – I don’t think that he’s more violent; he’s more efficient, more direct. If he decides that someone is in the way, he doesn’t set up a trap to get around that person. He just walks through them. So we tried to make sure our character’s actions were direct. 

How difficult was it to get a balance between action, spying, gadgets and other elements that make up a Bond game?
It’s difficult because the audience is much more sophisticated now. You need to find your niche, something that works for your game. So to find a balance you have to follow what your team is capable of doing, because that’s a game decision and not a licence decision, and then secondly what the licence is and realise what kind of stuff is in the movie we can use.

We’ve taken the gadgets because they’ve done that in the movie – Bond is still high-tech, but he doesn’t have laser watches or stuff like that. So we’ve avoided the stuff they wanted us to avoid and made sure we focused on what our team is good at doing.

What were the main challenges in making the multiplayer mode?
You have to establish what you’re capable of doing and where you can make the most impact. Our multiplayer is a little more casual [compared to some other multiplayer first person shooters]. Core players will still get a lot out of it, but you can just jump into the game. We have an economy and class system, but it doesn’t unbalance the game; it’s not hard to play someone who has the best weapon.

We also have game types such as the Golden Gun, where you pick up the best weapon of the game and become super powerful like Bond, and we also have a Bond VS. mode, which is fantastic – one person in every round gets nominated as Bond and you have to perform a couple of actions, while everyone else is against him. It’s super intense.

What was the decision to make it a mixture of first and third person, rather than keep it fully in third person, given the permission to use Daniel Craig’s likeness?
The only agenda we had to reach on that was that the character looked like Daniel Craig. Other than that, we wanted to make sure that you saw Daniel Craig a lot. It’s not just an aesthetic thing, it’s also character attachment, to give you that connection and see who you are, but it also adds some really good gameplay elements being in third person. 

How much of the two films do you play and how did that change your approach to making the game, compared to doing just a straight adaptation?
The game is split around 40 per cent Casino Royale, 40 per cent Quantum of Solace and 20 per cent new content. The new content is from the movies, but not seen in them. For example, one of the levels is set on a train for the Casino Royale section, and you kill and replace a card player called Mr Bliss. In the movie it was left on the cutting room floor, but we did it, so we have about 20 per cent of that sort of content... stuff you’ve not really seen before.

Anything you’d like to add?
We have an extremely dedicated team who are all games players and we’re very proud of what we’re putting out and I’m very proud of the team. There’s more to come and we hope players will appreciate what they see, and see that we can go somewhere with this.

Sony: PS3 price isn't an issue this Christmas

Speaking to VideoGamer.com at the London Game 3.0 conference Ray Maguire, Managing Director of SCEUK, indicated that there were no plans to drop the price of the PS3 this year. "We have a business to run, and we have to make sure we're doing the right thing for the shareholders as well." He went on to say that "At the moment there's a marketplace for PS3 and I think for this particular Christmas, with the kind of quality of games we're seeing coming out this Christmas, I don't think the price of the console is going to be an issue at all."

It seems that sales in the UK are "absolutely on target," despite the disparity between the price of an entry-level PS3 and an entry level Xbox 360. This atitude seems slightly cavalier considering the current economic climate. People will be going for the most affordable option this Christmas. On the other hand, as Maguire states, they've a business to run and shareholders to placate. Will this years' exclusive titles such as LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2 and MotorStorm Pacific Rift be enough to push people towards the premium product?

Rumor: LittleBigPlanet sequel already in the works

LittleBigPlanet is right on the cusp of official release. However, before the game has a chance to spread to the wider public, word arrives that Media Molecule is already working on a sequel. That's according to BBC technology editor Darren Waters, who recently visited the Guildford-based team.

Considering that MM co-founder Alex Evans has said that LittleBigPlanet was the quickest and easiest game he's worked on, the feasibility of making a LBP2: The Return of Sackboy is very high. Then again, Waters could be talking about the PSP title. Anyway, it is way too early for gamers to start thinking about sequels ... or trilogies. Let's see how the first one does before getting into future titles, shall we?

[Thanks stargateheaven!]

“They’re real people, not soldiers or space adventurers”

Want a glimpse into the creation of frighteningly good sci-fi survival horror Dead Space? Writer Antony Johnston explains some of the process that came with penning the game’s story and its associated comic books.

How much freedom did you have in writing the game and the comics?
I actually had a lot of freedom. Because I was brought on board so early in development with the animation guys, we all worked together to build a master timeline and what we decided was that there were several beats we had to hit; things that the story needed to make sense. And then we decided what particular things had to be in the comic and the animated feature. But around those things we had a lot of freedom to do whatever we wanted.

That was great, as it gave me a lot of freedom and I was able to create a whole raft of characters for the comic, design lots of new visual stuff and work to expand the universe and game world.

How much control did you have in writing the actual dialogue for the game?
Loads. Obviously it’s a game, so certain events will trigger bits of dialogue and scenes, so I had to follow those. They just said “here’s what we need – go away and decide what’s the best way to do it, and come back with a script”. So that’s what I did. [laughs]. There was a lot of creative leeway and a lot of respect for what I do.

I think the industry is realising you need professional, dedicated writers if you want to get that quality of writing. I think we’ll see a lot more people like that as the games industry matures, I certainly hope so, because I think it can only be good for games.

How did you get the job as writer for the project and how did that develop?
I was recommended by [comic book writer and novelist] Warren Ellis, who had some involvement in the conceptional stages of the game, and EA decided it wanted to do the comic book as well, but Warren couldn’t do it because he was too busy. We have the same agent, and so he recommended me instead. We had a few phone conversations with the guys at EA to work out what they wanted to do with the comic and it progressed from there.

We had done all the preliminary story work but I hadn’t quite started the comic when EA contacted me about scripting the game, and I said “yeah, I’d love to do that!” [laughs] So I wrote most of the comic before I scripted the game… it all kinda blurs into one big session of late nights at the laptop. It was all organic, really. I think mainly they wanted to check that what I was going to do in the comic fitted their vision, before getting me to do the game’s dialogue.

Being a games player yourself, was writing for videogames something you’ve always wanted to do?
It was, yes! I’ve wanted to do something in videogames for a while because I do enjoy playing them, and I think it’s a whole new arena from a creative perspective. Games can be art, they’re already entertainment, and it’s something that I always thought would be quite cool. And it is, as it turns out! [laughs]

How much of the game have you played during the process of it being made and written?
I’ve been sent videos of gameplay and EA took me into the studios at Redwood and demoed the game for me. I’ve seen it being played and watched walkthrough videos that the developers have made, but I haven’t actually had a controller in my hands yet and probably wont until everyone else has at retail. Obviously because I did the dialogue I know what the story is, and I was always given as much support and access to the assets as I needed, but never got to play it!

What were the main requirements in creating the dialogue for Dead Space in terms of tone and other factors?
The main remit was to keep it naturalistic. So you don’t have people in the game talking in heroic proclamations, because they’re just ordinary guys: your main characters are an engineer, the leader of a security team and a computer geek… and the engineer doesn’t even talk. So they’re real people, not soldiers or space adventurers. That’s the approach I like to take, that’s the way I write my comics. So it was mainly just a case of finding and developing the characters and letting them speak in their own voice.

What sort of challenges were there in creating the comic and game?
The challenge in writing the comic book was making it interesting without giving away spoilers for the game. [laughs] The challenge for the game was the compression required, the economy of dialogue required. Because there’s a lot of story and plot to get across, there’s a lot of information to feed to the player in order to help them to understand what’s going on and reveal the twists, turns and secrets of the game. Because it’s a game and not a movie, you only have a few lines of dialogue to do that in – we don’t have any cut scenes and you can’t have someone talking for 30 minutes explaining things while Isaac’s walking around bored.

That was a challenge, but that’s where my experience in comics really helped, because in that medium you’re constrained by physical space, rather than duration. So as a comic writer you have to learn how to economise very heavily and get a lot of information across in a small number of words, and it was the same in the game. It was a challenge, but it was one I was used to.

Now that your work in Dead Space is finished, is working in games something you’d want to pursue more?
I’d love to. It’s the first game I’ve done and it’s been a fun and creatively challenging and interesting experience. And I’d love to do more.

The new Media Manager for PSP

The new and improved Media Manager 3 is now available for free* and is your gateway to PlayStation Store.

Download the latest Media Manager for PSP straight to your PC for free and get the most from your world on PSP. The new Media Manager for PSP is the fast and simple way to access the latest exclusive content from PlayStation Store and transfer your world of entertainment from your PC to your PSP.

Transfer your media to your PSP with the click of a mouse. It couldn't be simpler with the drag-and-drop system - copy music from your CDs, manage your photos and video, and transfer them all to PSP with just a few clicks. You can even back up your saved games.

Want exclusive content for your PSP?
Access PlayStation Store on your PC and get the latest exclusive game demos, full games and videos for your PSP.

Want access to your music on the go?
Transfer all your CDs as MP3 files to your PSP and listen to them wherever you are in the world.

Want access to your photos and videos wherever you are?
Get all your photos and videos transferred to your PSP so you are never without those all important memories.

Want to protect your saved games?
Back up your saved game data or additional game items purchased from PlayStation Store on your PC for that extra peace of mind.

NOTE

*Broadband Internet service required. Users are responsible for broadband access fees. Charges apply for some content. PlayStationNetwork and PlayStationStore subject to terms of use and not available in all countries and languages: See eu.playstation.com/terms. Users under 18 require parental consent.
Minimum requirements: PSPTM system (system software version 4.05 or later); Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later) or Windows VistaTM (Windows Media Center 2005 or later for Recorded TV [dvr-ms] files); 1 GHz processor; 200 MB hard disk space for program installation; 512 MB RAM; Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and QuickTime; 7.2 or later (included in the installer); Adobe Flash Player; Windows-compatible sound card; CD-ROM drive (for installation and CD extraction); USB 2.0 connector and USB cable (for connecting to the PSPTM system); Internet connection (for Gracenote MusicIDTM, RSS feeds, and software activation); Internet Explorer 5.0 or laterThis information was correct at the time of publication

Worldwide PS3 releases for the week of October 26th

Big smiles on both sides of the Atlantic this week. America gets three big games in the form of LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm PR and Fallout 3. Europe may not be getting their hands on LittleBigPlanet until next week, but at least they've got Fallout 3, Quantum of Solace and Valkyria Chronicles to tide them over which, from what we've seen, look to all be excellent titles. Here's the full release list:

US GamesLittleBigPlanetSingStar Vol. 2MotorStorm Pacific RiftFallout 3(Collector's Edition)Moto GP 08Baja 1000: Score InternationalGuitar Hero World TourEU Games
Fallout 3 (Collector's Edition)James Bond: Quantum of SolaceSiren: Blood CurseValkyria ChroniclesTo End All WarsBuzz! Quiz TV Special EditionHail To The ChimpAsian Games
Fallout 3FractureGran Turismo 5: Prologue Spec IIIGrand Theft Auto IVLittleBigPlanetSOCOM: ConfrontationYamasa Digi World SP: Bounty Killer
Please keep in mind that release dates are constantly subject to change, so be sure to call ahead before leaving the house. Your PS3 is happy to play any of the above titles, regardless of where they originate from, so feel free to import anything you see up there. Remember, though, that any DLC has to be bought from the appropriate PSN store so if you pick up a US copy of LBP you'll need to download future DLC (and there's bound to be a lot) from the US store. Really, it's better just to wait a week.

GHWT drums don't work with Rock Band

Whoops. If you're looking to buy Guitar Hero World Tour for the drumset, for use with Rock Band I or II, we've got some bad news. It won't work. Not sure why, we were promised, after all. Reports are that the games recognize the drum controller as a microphone, for some strange reason. Seeing as the drums were the only thing we found to be superior when compared to Rock Band, this removes a lot of the reasoning behind buying the game.

We're hearing that Rock Band instruments will work with Guitar Hero World Tour, however. So if you do actually find a reason to pick up the game, you'll be able to play it with those instruments. A Harmonix developer responded to the forum thread, stating "we are definitely looking into this. We'll keep you posted on updates as soon as more info is available." Anyone else get deja vu?

[Via Joystiq]

Blu-ray releases for the week of October 26th

With titles like Zombie Strippers! and Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, this week's Blu-ray releases are like no other before:
BarakaBeat the Devil
Dead Space: Downfall
ElfEssential Holiday Collection (The Polar Express / National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation / Elf / A Christmas Story)
The Final CountdownHell Ride
Journey to the Center of the Earth Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
The Polar Express Presented in 3-D Tinker Bell Zombie Strippers! Coincidentally, there are both several children's movie and several very adult-oriented B-movies being released on Blu-ray this week -- Tinker Bell learns to speak in her very own straight-to-video movie while Jenna Jameson learns to make fun of herself in Zombie Strippers!. Fans of the game can check out the the prequel animated film Dead Space: Downfall. More releases, after the jump.4/20 Live in Seattle Cruel WorldChihuly in the Hotshop Eye on Extreme Monster Trucks
Eye on Extreme Professional Bull Riding The Final PatientJack and the Beanstalk
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter Jewel: The Essential Live SongbookJewels
Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 Last Time I Saw Paris Mysterious Island The Prince & Me 2: The Royal Wedding The Prince & Me 3: A Royal Honeymoon The Terror
Zoroastre

Deal: Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition PS3 40GB Bundle for $450

Remember that Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition 40GB PS3 Bundle? Sure, we all wanted it, but peons like us just didn't have $599.99 to folk over for this baby. Fortunately for us, Amazon has them for pre-order now for $449.99 with free shipping for release on November 4th. Still a bit steep, but definitely more reasonable considering it only includes a 40GB PS3 with no backwards compatibility, unlike the more popular 80GB MGS4 bundle. Details on the contents of this 40GB PS3 package, after the jump. You can pre-order the bundle here.

[Thanks, Juan P.!]Gun Metal Gray PLAYSTATION 3 with a 40GB Hard DriveGray DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" (the game) which includes Metal Gear OnlineThe official "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots CD Soundtrack" including 16 never-before-released tracks by Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, Armageddon, The Rock), Nobuko Toda, and Ennio Morricone.Over two hours of additional content "Hideo Kojima's Gene" a behind-the-scenes vision of Hideo Kojima's production team and the game as well as "The Making of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" documentary

PS Nation Podcast 084 - Out of the Gutter

This week's episode includes an interview with Team RamRod -- makers of High Velocity Bowling. Catch that and more.

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New High Velocity Bowling content coming, starting today

A new PlayStation Blog post details a number of new downloadables for everyone's favorite PSN bowling simulator, High Velocity Bowling. Two new characters, Foxy Powers and Chastity Falls, are joining the character roster. The development team will also start offering downloadable ball packs, giving you access to various different ball styles. The first ball pack, which is halloween themed. Each of these downloads will cost you $0.99 when they're made available on the US PSN Store later today. Just to be clear, that's $0.99 per character.

Europeans, you're not being ignored. Mike Skinner, from Team RamRod, says that they "are working as fast as we can to release it to you as well." Maybe next week, eh?

New High Velocity Bowling content coming, starting today

A new PlayStation Blog post details a number of new downloadables for everyone's favorite PSN bowling simulator, High Velocity Bowling. Two new characters, Foxy Powers and Chastity Falls, are joining the character roster. The development team will also start offering downloadable ball packs, giving you access to various different ball styles. The first ball pack, which is halloween themed. Each of these downloads will cost you $0.99 when they're made available on the US PSN Store later today. Just to be clear, that's $0.99 per character.

Europeans, you're not being ignored. Mike Skinner, from Team RamRod, says that they "are working as fast as we can to release it to you as well." Maybe next week, eh?

Trophy Guide: Geon

Read more 'Geon' stories

A fairly easy set of Trophies for you to tackle in this PSN downloadable. The best way to get 100% would be to get a friend to jump online with you.

View Trophy Guide | View Trophy List | Visit Trophy Portal

geon king
Gold | Easy

By simply trying to obtain all the other Trophies, you should rank up enough points for this Trophy. You need to get an combined score of 200,000. You can check your progress on this by looking at the Trophy info inside the game menu.
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completist freak
Silver | Moderate

This is by far the hardest Trophy in the game, and it's not even the gold Trophy. In order to get 100% on time attack mode, you will have to earn a gold medal in all courses. It is just very time consuming. Your best bet on beating them would be to use the greed power ball for this. Always stay neat and always have a plan on how to beat each course. Most boards will be easy to get gold in.
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league of your own
Silver | Moderate

This Trophy can be very easy if you have done all the other Trophies before this one. If you have, this should not be such a task. Simply beat the first division 3 times. Winning the 50 online matches should be enough practice for this.
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gimme gimme world domination
Silver | Moderate

This is one of the harder Trophies, for two reasons. First reason is the simple fact that you have to win 50 matches. That can be very time consuming. Second would be actually getting about 50+ matches online. This is really hard to get matches in the morning. Best bet is to wait until night time to try this. Another way would be to have a buddy play with ya and let ya beat him 50 times.
--------------------

mini game master
Silver | Easy

To unlock all the mini games, so you must complete all time attack courses with at least a bronze in them. That will unlock all eight mini games. Then, simply beat each of the mini-games. Easiest silver of the bunch.
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comeback kid
Bronze | Easy

This can easily be obtained while playing in the 4th division since it is the easiest division. Simply allow yourself to get behind three points, and then go in for the win.
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use your emotions
Bronze | Easy

This can easily be obtained while playing in the 4th division since it is the easiest division. Win at least once with each powerball.
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leagues ahead
Bronze | Easy

This is yet another easy one. Simply play and make your way to the 1st division and win a match in it to obtain this trophy.
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you're a winner
Bronze | Easy

While making your way to the 1st division, you will undergo about 24 matches. Simple. Win 10 of them in a row to get this one. Can also be done in matches online or mutiplayer, but much easier in singleplayer.
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getting out more
Bronze | Very Easy

This is the easiest Trophy in the game. Just go online and play a match. Win or lose you will receive this.
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don't need no stinking powerballs
Bronze | Easy

Win without using a powerball, but you can still pick them up. The description for this Trophy speaks for itself. Best if you do it in the 4th division.
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variety is the spice of life
Bronze | Easy

When they say all game modes, they mean it. Don't forget to do a match in Last Man Standing (multiplayer), which requires 4 people. May sound like bad news, but there is a trick to this. You can simply press X as player 1 to be ready to play. Then just press your PS button and make your controller be #2. Do it again for #3, so on and so on. You don't really need 4 controllers for this.
--------------------

Guide by Kenji-san.

Deal: Burnout Paradise for $20

Well, there's really no excuse now. You must buy Burnout Paradise. It's only $20 on amazon.com. Make sure you look at the right hand side of the screen for all your buying options. It may be one of the smaller options!

If it's sold out, you can also buy it on Newegg.com for the same price. With motorcycles, Trophies, and more to come, this is one of the easiest no-brain purchases we've seen in quite some time. Go, go, go!

[Via Slickdeals.net]

A football legend returns to PLAYSTATION 3

With revamped controls and brand new game modes, Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 is in the best form of its career.

Easy to play and impossible to master is the best way to describe the Pro Evolution Soccer series. Until now, with each annual update, Shingo ‘Seabass' Takatsuka and his team have tweaked the gameplay, rather than overhaul it radically. However, this season's offering, officially licensed by UEFA, introduces revamped gameplay and a host of new game modes, and the result is a solid mix of the refreshing and the familiar.

The first of the new game modes is the UEFA Champions League. This mode allows you to play through Europe's premier club competition with any of the participating teams. It's a great accompaniment to the existing league and cup options, giving the player a real sense of the unique atmosphere that accompanies Europe's premier club competetion. The iconic music plays before each match - Handel's Zadoc the Priest, in case you're interested - and even the advertising boards around the pitch are authentic.

Pro Evo purists will feel at home in the Master League, which is back to have you pondering over formation tweaks, financial management, transfer deals and, of course, winning games on the pitch. In classic PES style, this mode seems basic in the beginning and only reveals how deep it is when you're elbow deep in contract negotiations and studying the opposition form for an upcoming match.

Legend in the making

The second major new feature, Become a Legend mode, allows you to create a young footballer and guide them through their career. You start out, at the age of 17, playing for an unknown side. Good performances will get you spotted by talent scouts and a contract offer from a more recognisable team. Once on their books, you have to shine in training matches if you want to make the first team and, ultimately, earn an international call-up.

In this mode, you only control your created player and the camera moves to behind the goal you are defending to give you a better overall perspective on the game. You can revert to the traditional side-on camera angle, but you don't get such a good view of what is happening elsewhere on the pitch. Positioning is the key to success, as teammates won't pass to you unless you have found a yard of space, and without the ball, you're not going to impress your manager enough to stay in the starting 11. You can also take your created player online and link up with up to three other players in Legends mode, where bonus points are awarded for good link play between human-controlled players.

Reigniting rivalries

The new modes are fresh and entertaining, while the first port of call for many players - Exibition matches against friends, either online or offline - is familiar, yet different enough for there to be a learning curve. Play is more frantic than in the last game, with the less forgiving passing system resulting in a midfield battlefield and considerably less time on the ball. Experts may want to revert to manual passing - a new feature that allows you to direct passes accurately using the right analogue stick. Skills and tricks are now context sensitive and occur automatically depending on the situation and the player.

The animation has been revamped, with players moving more organically, shaping their body around the ball and stretching to make important interceptions. The behaviour of the ball has also been updated and factors such as spin, pitch condition and the weather have a far greater effect on its run and bounce. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009's graphics are a leap forward from that of its predecessor, while the gameplay, with its emphasis on one-touch passing, movement off the ball and steely tackling in midfield, hearkens back to PES 5 on PlayStation 2.

For a series that prides itself on sticking to its roots, Pro Evo has undergone a fairly major makeover this season. Yet beneath the Champions League branding, the new Become a Legend mode and the excellent graphics, lies the same addictive arcade football game that fans worldwide have been trying to master for years.

PSM3 explains 'Fallout 3 looks poor on PS3' comment

The internet is a big and scary place. People can twist your words in any which way they like. In fact, someone somewhere is twisting this sentence right now. So, when the internet population caught whiff of Euro mag PSM3's Fallout 3 review, surely the quote "The PS3 version compares poorly to its Xbox and PC counterparts" was interpreted in a myriad of ways -- some more sensational than the next.

However, PSM3 wants to set the record straight as to what it meant by that statement. The mag says "the PS3 version looks the same as on Xbox," but goes on to explain a laundry list of differences such as the PS3 version having slightly rougher draw distances, 'muddier' up-close textures and choppier frame rate. PSM3 says this disparity is minute and "won't hamper your enjoyment of the game in any way." Says PSM3, " ... it's still the same huge, epic, absorbing, brilliant adventure."

Well, there you go. Anyone worried about seeing an incredibly broken version should rest easy now. Fallout 3 comes out next Tuesday, October 28.

Zombies set to infect PSN with triple exclamation points

The zombie infection is spreading everywhere these days. You just can't get rid of these rotting, animate corpses. The PSN isn't a safe haven from them either. In fact, a fresh batch of undead will be hitting the digital distribution platform in the form of Zombies!!! (yes, with three exclamation points), which is based off the original board games by Twilight Creations. The downloadable title is being developed by Big Rooster and will be available sometime in 2009.

[Thanks Dan S.! via X3F]

PSM3 explains 'Fallout 3 looks poor on PS3' comment

The internet is a big and scary place. People can twist your words in any which way they like. In fact, someone somewhere is twisting this sentence right now. So, when the internet population caught whiff of Euro mag PSM3's Fallout 3 review, surely the quote "The PS3 version compares poorly to its Xbox and PC counterparts" was interpreted in a myriad of ways -- some more sensational than the next.

However, PSM3 wants to set the record straight as to what it meant by that statement. The mag says "the PS3 version looks the same as on Xbox," but goes on to explain a laundry list of differences such as the PS3 version having slightly rougher draw distances, 'muddier' up-close textures and choppier frame rate. PSM3 says this disparity is minute and "won't hamper your enjoyment of the game in any way." Says PSM3, " ... it's still the same huge, epic, absorbing, brilliant adventure."

Well, there you go. Anyone worried about seeing an incredibly broken version should rest easy now. Fallout 3 comes out next Tuesday, October 28.

David Hasselhoff to star in PAIN expansion pack

We're not kidding folks. David Hasselhoff (of Baywatch, Knight Rider fame) will be a playable character in the upcoming PAIN expansion, PEOPLE.com discovered. "The idea of 'hurting The Hoff' or 'hassling The Hoff' was just hysterical to me," Hasselhoff, 56, tells PEOPLE. "I don't know why, I think it was from growing up watching the Three Stooges and the idea of hurting yourself was funny to me."

Not only will you be able to throw Hasselhoff around, you'll be able to listen to his cover of the classic song "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" Seriously.

PAIN Movie Studio will be available in November. Watch a brand new video trailer at PEOPLE.com.

[Thanks, Jason B.!]

Rock Band 2's twenty free DLC songs revealed

Those of you that buy a new copy of Rock Band 2 are entitled to get twenty songs through a free DLC pack, available on the PlayStation Store on November 4th. The songs are quite surprising, covering a wide range of music styles.
The 88 - "Sons and Daughters" Authority Zero - "No Regrets" Between the Buried and Me - "Prequel To The Sequel" The Cab - "Bounce" The Chevelles - "Get It On" The Cocktail Slippers - "Give It To Me" Dealership - "Database Corrupted" Endeverafter - "I Wanna Be Your Man" The Ghost Hounds - "Ashes To Fire" Hollywood Undead - "Young" Kutless - "The Feeling" The Len Price 3 - "If I Ain't Got You" Lesley Roy - "I'm Gone, I'm Going" Opiate for the Masses - "Burn You Down" Semi-Precious Weapons - "Magnetic Baby" Shaimus - "Like a Fool" Thenewno2" - Crazy Tuesday" Tickle Me Pink - "The Time Is Wrong" Underoath - "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures" X Japan - "I.V." To get all these songs for free, players must input the unique product code found on the back of the game's instruction manual. Detailed instructions will be there.

[Thanks, Daniel L.!]

Substance clad in Shadows

Fumbling in the dark and stuck in the Shadows? Let the wonderfully unique interactive title, Linger in Shadows, light your path.

Linger in Shadows is an interactive piece of digital art that is possibly unlike anything you've ever experienced before, taking you on a dream-like journey across numerous landscapes where time is of the essence. It's your job to work out exactly what you must do to progress through a total of five scenes, each one containing a sigil which you must unlock to advance.

Part of the fun is interacting with Linger in Shadows and discovering for yourself what these methods are, and eu.playstation.com is on hand to accompany and help you on this fantastic voyage, along with Michal Staniszewski, Lead designer, Programmer and Director of Plastic, the developer behind Linger in Shadows.

Don't be afraid of the dark

"Basically the main purpose of Linger in Shadows is to bring a new form of interactive entertainment to PLAYSTATION 3," explains Staniszewski. "We tried to experiment with new ideas to show some of the paths that will open a way to a form of interactive film which will surely appear in the future."

The concept of Linger in Shadows is that each scene plays out as a narrative. At any time you can pause the unfolding events by pressing the X button; this brings up a menu with icons that show what can be manipulated by you on-screen. If you let it play out without doing anything, the scene will eventually come to an end, rewind and start again, giving you another chance to determine what is needed to open up the next scene.

The sparks of a shadow

Linger in Shadows originated from Staniszewski's desire to create a demo - it ended up being about a dog being trapped in a glue-like substance, which triggered an emotional response. "The first sketches came into my head in the beginning of 2006," he says. "Of course what I had in mind looked totally different from what came in the end, but the idea was to trigger a lot of different emotions inside a viewer in a very short time.

"Back then [the term] Linger in Shadows meant: to remain with your visual style unchanged. We didn't want to affect our work by an outside force, telling us what to do. While being a demoscener [a person who specialises in producing non interactive demos] I got used to the feeling of complete freedom in things I create."

Do you have to let it Linger?

While it may seem there's no discernable story to Linger in Shadows, that ambiguity is part of what Staniszewski wants to express while you play it. "Even if there are some important points which build the main path through Linger in Shadows, still you can have your own interpretation of the story. That's the aspect which brings the most fun to the story - confusion."

However, he divulges there is a very specific theme that ties together the events you see. "It's a little surrealistic but still makes sense when you know that the whole story is about evil," says Staniszewski. "Evil in different forms."

Dark influence

In realising the numerous influences on Linger in Shadows' creation, it becomes easier to understand its aims and presentation. "Basically it will be something totally different from regular games," says Staniszewski. "I was always a big fan of David Lynch films, so if you liked Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive or Lost Highway then you will surely like Linger in Shadows. After all it's also happening in a world where time is dangerously out of control.

"I'm sure that everyone who plays games to experience storyline or cutscenes or the ones who often watch animated movies will like it - since primary school I was influenced by anime classics like Akira and Ghost in the Shell."

Dark animation

While Linger in Shadows offers something gaming currently has little of, Staniszewski would be happy to see others that follow in a similar vein - and if developers take Plastic's lead, all the better. "It's somehow very nice to see direct influences from your work," says Staniszewski.

"To be honest, what we did is a very small step but I think it was done in right direction."

 

Linger in Shadows is available to download on PLAYSTATION Network. If you already have the title and are still stuck here are some general pointers followed by specific hints for how to claim each sigil. Be warned - you shouldn't read them if you want to fully experience Linger in Shadows for yourself...

There are several general, but important things to remember when playing:

- Don't panic! As mesmerising, enjoyable or disturbing the scene may be, there are an unlimited number of times in which it will restart and play again. Linger in Shadows gives you control over its own play-time, so relax and let everything wash over you.

TIP: There are Greets (acknowledgments to other demoscene groups and peers) that can be found by manipulating the camera or objects in the demo.  Once you have found a Greet, keep the camera centred on it and you will hear a distinct sound indicating you are unlocking it.

- Experiment with the DUALSHOCK 3 Wireless Controller and see if anything reacts. If it does, keep trying it. This may well be your key to unlocking that scene's sigil.

- Pay special attention to any icon that flashes or if the screen glitches. A flashing icon is your clue to try something specific relating to that symbol, while glitches often signify you're on the right track.

TIP: The faster an icon flashes on the pause menu, the closer you are to unlocking a sigil.

- Motion control is just as vital to explore as pressing the buttons, so don't forget to shake, twist and turn the controller if nothing else seems to be working, and keep an eye on the screen for any reactions.

TIP: The more severe the glitch effect you experience, the closer you are to unlocking the sigil. 

- Enjoy it! Linger in Shadows is designed to combine art, subtle gameplay and music to create a unique experience to captivate and challenge you. Take your time and experience something refreshingly different in the videogames medium.

TIP: Some sigils have multiple steps and simultaneously flashing icons indicate several options to unlock - although only one button is required to be pressed at a time.

HINT FOR SIGIL 1:

Movement is the key to success here. Give a little shake to the DUALSHOCK 3 Wireless Controller. Did anything happen?

HINT FOR SIGIL 2:

It would be in your best interest to let the scene play through on its first go. Once that has happened, try to manipulate the time flow of the scene.

HINT FOR SIGIL 3:

Ever wanted to be a photographer of flora? No? Well give it a try just this once and let your camera explore the delights of any flowers that may wander into your path during this scene.

HINT FOR SIGIL 4:

Keep your eye on the fair feline that emerges during the scene. She'll certainly be keeping an eye on you - which is your cue to really see what you have to do next...

HINT FOR SIGIL 5:

There are a few steps to claiming this final sigil, but it's all about timing so don't be afraid to pause the scene when you feel it's necessary. There are also a number of items you can influence... only one will offer a guiding light to your solution. Once your path is illuminated, it's up to you to shake free the final obstacle to unlock all of Linger in Shadows.

“You have a reason to be afraid!”

Dead Space producer Chuck Beaver talks science fiction, scary movies and crafting a story that spanned not only a videogame, but a comic and animated movie too.

Where did the idea for Dead Space come from?
 
Our Executive Producer, Glen Schofield, had a very specific idea about a gory, third person science fiction survival horror game, set in space. Strangely, that is pretty much what we ended up with three years later, which is very odd.

Usually, the game you set out to make is nothing like the game you ship. I remember the meeting where the core idea of planet cracking came about, and the idea of something being alive in one of the cracked planets. That became the core of the fiction, and we expanded the universe from there.

One of the chief mechanics in the game is strategic dismemberment: can you elaborate on this?
 
You pretty much have to dismember every limb from an enemy before it is really dead, whereas body shots are almost a waste. You can even take it so far as to pick up their own body parts and throw them back at them as weapons. Since dismemberment is a core mechanic in the game, there’s really not any body parts you can’t shoot off.

And there’s a huge variety of states in which the necromorphs can still come after you as you are in the process of trying to fully de-limb them. Beyond those basics, many enemies in the later game ramp the tactical choices and chances for error by surprising you with how they react to dismemberment. Some burst forth new enemies if you hit them in the wrong place, others explode, others do things that are completely surprising.

What scary and science fiction movies is the team drawing inspiration from?
 
We’re just huge horror and sci-fi fans. We’re influenced by so many of them, but we don’t want to be exactly like any of them. Our goal was to create something new and fresh that could live in the sci-fi universe without being identified and compared.

We aspired to have a frame of Dead Space be as uniquely identifiable as a frame of Blade Runner, where when you looked at it, you knew immediately where it came from. Isaac Asimov and Arthur Clarke were influential in that they think on huge scales, such as not just mining on a planet, but mining a whole planet.

We were inspired by all these, and maybe subconsciously some of their stuff made it into our game, but we wanted to be unique. We’ve also got some Japanese horror influences in our looks and approach to horror, as in our fascination with tentacles.

Do you plan on putting the frighteners on people with plenty of seat-jolting shocks?
 
We rely heavily on immersion for keeping the player rooted in the moment, so that any bump or clank does have maximum impact.  And we rely on unpredictability as to whether anything lies behind each bump and clank as the means to keep them effective.

We made our combat very lethal so you have a reason to be afraid if the noise turns out to be something. And of course, silence is just as valid a place for something to happen as well.   

James Wan, the director of Saw became involved in the game, what part has he played in the Dead Space launch? 
 
We sat with James several times over the course of the project and consulted with him on his ideas and philosophies on how he approached horror in his films. We get on with James quite well, and have a very productive relationship. He also cut a trailer for us that was quite brilliant.

Is there the potential to take the story beyond what’s in the game and develop a sequel?
 
We had a hard enough time getting the whole story told between the six issue Comic series, the Dead Space: Downfall animated feature and then the game itself, so there’s more than enough room in our canon for whatever may present itself after we launch. If we are a smash hit, we may get to visit our universe again.

It’s quite unique in that you’ve done a comic and an animated prequel, it must be really interesting working on a project that spans so many mediums. Was it always the intention to do this?

Glen saw that as we were creating our backstory, it was so big and rich that it ended up bigger than the game, and we wanted to tell this entire story, so we decided to go with different extended media in order to tell it all.

It was a collaborative effort with some of the top talent in the world, such as Antony Johnston and Ben Templesmith for the comic series, and the Starz team from Film Roman with Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray as writers for the animated feature.

By engaging them, we were able to improve the quality of the overall story and the product.  Coordinating them all wasn’t too insane – Glen had separated the story into three chunks, which overlapped at their ends.  Comic first, animated feature second, game third.

This way, each was able to writhe and contort as needed to fit into their delivery schedules without wrecking the other two, except at the end points. That actually worked out quite well.

Comic book writers Warren Ellis and Anthony Johnson both worked on the game at separate stages of development, so who did what in Dead Space?
 
Warren was involved at the very start three years ago, and drafted some early treatments based on our key ideas of planetary mining and an infection that was released as a result. Warren’s a great talent to get to work with, and presented some provocative ideas and concepts.

We’ve evolved those ideas quite a bit in the interceding three years, and added Anthony to our mix along the way. Antony did an astounding job on the comic books, and also wrote most of the dialogue for the game. His fan base in the comic world from his previous works is strong, and rightly so.

It was great to have him enmeshed in the story so he could orchestrate ideas across the properties. He may go Hollywood on us soon, so we’ll need to keep an eye on his fortunes, lest he get out of reach!

OMG at MotorStorm Pacific Rift commercial

Does it get any more EXTREME than this? A new PlayStation.blog post reveals the upcoming one minute ad for MotorStorm Pacific Rift -- and it involves people riding ATVs ... out of planes. The small text at the bottom warns you: "Do Not Attempt." We agree.

Another trailer, after the cut.

Street Fighter II HD promised 'soon,' new screens released

An e-mail from Capcom's Tim Ng starts with this: "Do you remember Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix? You know that game we announced in April 2007." Yes, Tim. We do remember that game. We also remember that it hasn't been released yet.

"Well, it's actually on its way to XBLA and PSN very soon," the e-mail continues. O RLY? The oft-delayed high definition remake of the classic 2D fighter has quietly slipped off the radar. However, it may be planning a stealth release soon. Perhaps Capcom realized that this shouldn't ship so close to the next real SF game: Street Fighter IV.

New screenshots in our gallery below:

Gallery: Super Street Fighter II HD

SingStar Vol. 3 hands on

SingStar’s third outing on PLAYSTATION 3 has everything you need to throw the hottest parties this winter.

Three is a magic number and SingStar's third outing on PLAYSTATION 3 comes with a host of familiar features and a brand new selection of eclectic tracks.

By popular demand, Michael Jackson makes his SingStar debut, lighting the pavement with his magic dance steps in the video to Billie Jean.

SingStar veterans will find plenty to stretch their vocal talents, be it making the high notes in Lionel Richie's All Night Long or keeping up with Dizzee Rascal as he raps on Dance Wiv Me. And of course, there are still plenty of tracks that anyone can sing along to, such as Breakfast At Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something.

All of your favourite SingStar features and game modes remain, such as Battle, Duet and the ever popular Pass the Mic, which is great fun when you have eight players all vying for the spotlight at a party.

The two online areas, the SingStore and My SingStar Online, continue to go from strength to strength and are both accessible in-game. The SingStore is home to hundreds of downloadble tracks, and with more being added on a regular basis, you're sure to find something to get your friends on their feet. My SingStar Online is the place to get involved with the community and you can watch videos of your fellow SingStars doing what they do best, or, if you feel like really taking part, record yourself singing using the PLAYSTATION Eye and share it with the world.

Both the SingStore and My SingStar Online can be accessed via Remote Play for PSP, as long as you're within range of a Wireless Internet connection, so you can download tracks and check out the latest videos, wherever you are. This feature is especially useful for stocking up on the latest tracks, ready for you to belt out when you get home.

SingStar Vol. 3 offers all the great features of its predecessors on PLAYSTATION 3, as well as a brand new track list featuring the best in contemporary pop and several absolute classics. Online, it opens up a world of downloadable content, hilarious videos and a thriving community that is growing all the time.

Prepare for late nights and sore throats when SingStar Vol. 3 launches towards the end of 2008.

LittleBigPlanet out in Europe 'no later than' week of Nov. 3rd

Sony has seen fit to update us with a less vague (but not by much) release date for the Qur'an-tastic LittleBigPlanet in European territories. While the assumption was that the week-long delay in America would be mirrored in Europe (why wouldn't it?) it seems that may not be the case. The official line is that the game "will start to appear in stores no later than the week commencing Monday 3rd November in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, on a country by country basis."

"We appreciate all the enthusiasm surrounding this much anticipated title and we would like to thank PlayStation fans for their support and understanding," Sony continues. We're curious to know exactly what "no later than" means. Best case scenario is that the game will suffer only a week delay. Worst case is two weeks. Really, it could be worse. You could be stabbed.

[UPDATE] SCEE has confirmed that the UK release will now be November 5th. Now let's all forget about this LittleBigDelay and move on to other games for the next couple of weeks.

Unreal Tournament III to get expansion

While nowhere as successful as Gears of War, Epic Games is working on an expansion to their multiplayer shooter, Unreal Tournament III. "We're working together on a major expansion that we expect will excite and grow our UT3 customer base," Epic Games' VP Mark Reins told Gamespot.

No other specifics were provided, such as release date or format (DLC? Expansion pack disc?). Considering the game debuted on the PS3, we're going to keep our eyes peeled for any more info.

[Via Joystiq]

"Feel special as part of our universe"

Eagerly awaited first person shooter Resistance 2 is gearing up to invade PLAYSTATION 3 – want to find out more about the game that’s breaking new FPS gameplay ground?

"We want to constantly reward the player. You don't have to kill someone to gain points - we want this to be an inviting, engaging experience. We don't want it to be just for core game players."

These are the words of Ryan Schneider, Community Director of Insomniac Games. And with Resistance 2 almost ready to unleash itself on the public, there's plenty to discover about the first person shooter that is on everyone's lips.

Resistance isn't futile

After a rip roaring release on PLAYSTATION 3, Resistance: Fall of Man gathered many fans with its high production values and slick FPS action. Its sequel sees the return of Sergeant Nathan Hale in his valiant fight to protect mankind from the invading Chimera, monstrous creatures looking to destroy all who stands in their way. With the main protagonist and antagonists back in action, Resistance 2 is aiming to go even further than its best-selling predecessor.

"Scale is a big deal to us," says Schneider. "The size of the enemies, the size of the environments, the diversity of the environments... and your place as this one solider against this massive invasion in an overrun United States." And in terms of sheer physical expanse, R2 is keeping its promise of going large, with the single and multiplayer maps between two and four times bigger than the first game.

This is added to the fact Insomniac's title not only packs a massive competitive multiplayer mode for up to 60 players, but also a co-operative campaign for up to eight players - something that still stands as a truly ground-breaking feature.

Full clip

Ambitious? Schneider thinks so - and is confident the development team has got everything to fulfil Resistance 2's potential. "Any time you make a game as large as R2, it's really about making sure you can pull off what you set out to do, and we changed our production process," he explains.

"We had a longer pre-production process and a lot of prototyping going into development, which helped us determine what we could actually achieve, and we've been very lucky we haven't had to cut as much as we have in the past where we've had huge plans and trimmed back. This time we tested our vision and we're ready to deliver on it."

Better yet, it's not just Insomniac's desire to make a game of such size and ambition, the developer is also determined to keep it as open, friendly and intuitive as possible, from gameplay to presentation.

The R2 social

A big part of making Resistance 2 so welcoming is its approach to online functionality, tied into its accompanying website, myresistance.net. Schneider unveiled more information about the service in its relation to the game. "We're really bringing social networking features into what would normally be a competitive statistic tracking site and two examples would be combat badges and the ticker.

"Combat badges are like a digital football or baseball card where you'll get a visual snapshot of how you participate in the R2 universe. If you like to blog or you're a forum poster, they'll be icons for that. If you're a single player and you beat the game on Superhuman [difficulty level], if you're co-op focused, if you like to snipe, there will be an icon for all those things. It's really a great way for people to get a visual idea of how you participate in the R2 universe.

"The ticker is like a news activity feed, but it's more customisable, with game related content, developer and user generated updates. So our overall philosophy with the community is sort of a name in lights approach. Our feeling is that when you get involved in something you're passionate about you want to see how you relate to that universe. We want you to feel special as part of our universe."

You've got a friend - or 60 - in me

If you think Resistance 2's 60 player bonanza may devolve into a mass brawl due to sheer numbers, never fear - Insomniac has that covered, too. "We want to create massive battles and greater intimacy - which may seem like an oxymoron," explains Schneider. "Well, when you have 60 player battles in multiplayer like we do, which is truly groundbreaking, we wanted to make sure the experience didn't break down into chaos.

"We wanted to focus the action, so the way we're doing that is by using dynamic objectives as well as rival squads. Rival squads are five people that you will track and be assigned to compete against in skirmish mode, for instance. You'll be focused against these same people in intense firefights, but at the same time you'll be participating in a much larger battle. So you'll know what to do at any point based on the dynamic objectives, you're also going to be looking out for a small group of people that you're competing against and at the same time you'll feel like you're fighting in a large epic battle.

"Teamwork and progression are watchwords on the multiplayer aspect, and our basic philosophy there is that it's more fun working together when you're trying to accomplish something."

Are you eXPerienced?

There's a strong element of individuality in the game as well, which ties in nicely with the stat tracking. There are over 100 visual combinations (consisting of human and Chimera features, such as head and body parts) when creating your own custom character, and Berserk powers that give you a temporary boost in battle (such as Leadership Aura, which enhances your teammates' experience points) - the latter combined with the available weapons on display allow for over 125 different combinations to exploit.

To keep a constant link between all the modes of Resistance 2 - that's single player, online co-op, and competitive modes for on and offline players - your stats will be given a combined overall military style rank across your entire game, regardless of what mode you favour. "It works differently for each mode, but for competitive and co-op there will be 30 levels of progression based on classes, completing objectives, kills, that sort of thing," says Schneider.

"So you'll gain XP in each mode and then we'll combine it into a super ranking and then post on myresistance.net. Of course it wouldn't be an Insomniac game without skill driven points, so we'll have over 160 Trophies, medals and ribbons."

Fire it up

With its myriad of features and steely resolve to let you take advantage of them all while bringing as many friends along for the ride, Resistance 2 is shaping up to be an epic experience. Giant Goliath robots, fantastic new weapons such as the deadly circular blade, Splicer, and Magnum revolver to fend off the gruesome Chimera, a massive range of modes, an extensive community section, and even some offline projects are promised to flesh out the universe. Keep the crosshairs steady on this one...

The ultimate treat for quiz fans

Look out for a special Buzz!: Quiz TV collector's edition box containing Wireless buzzers and Special Edition game for PLAYSTATION 3.

Buzz!: Quiz TV Special Edition is the perfect gift for quiz fans and their families this Christmas. This boxed collector’s edition of the brilliant interactive game show features 1,000 extra questions, including a bonus 500-question Videogames Quiz and a quiz on African wildlife, set by the experts at National Geographic and packed with their world famous photos and video clips.

The Special Edition disc includes loads of game extras and features previously only available via PlayStation Network (PSN), such as extra characters and ten cheeky new buzzer noises, as well as in-game trophies to reward top quizzers plus the new Quickstart mode, which cuts out set-up time and gets you straight to the action.

Buzz!: Quiz TV Special Edition also offers PLAYSTATION Eye compatibility, which means that the hilarious Buzz! faces contestants pull at moments of tension and celebration can be broadcast in-game or shared with the world. This great new version of the top-selling Buzz!: Quiz TV comes in a gold-embossed collector’s box, to house your Wireless buzzers and games collection in style, and will hit stores in early November.

Buzz!: Quiz TV, first launched in July 2008, is the hugely successful PS3 title that turns your living room into a glitzy, glamorous and hilarious gameshow. It comes with over 5,000 questions straight from the Blu-ray Disc (and more than 6,000 questions in the Special Edition), letting you quiz across five category channels: Music, Movies and TV, Sports, Knowledge and Lifestyle. The game also comes with four all-new Wireless buzzers that free Buzz! from cables, streamline the quiz experience and keep your living room free of clutter.

Thousands of additional questions are available to download from the game’s creators via PlayStation Network – there are quizzes on everything from national culture to sci-fi movies and comedy movies. On top of this, quiz fans can create their own personalized quizzes, play them in-game and share them with players across the world via the PC-accessible MyBuzz site at MyBuzzQuiz.com. Finally, players can team up with friends and family and take on groups of like-minded players across the planet, taking part in Sofa vs. Sofa multiplayer gaming after logging on to PlayStation Network. Buzz!: Quiz TV will determine not only the smartest on your own sofa, but also pinpoint the most knowledgeable living rooms in the world.

Since its launch in July, the game has proved hugely popular, with millions of quizzes written by users and uploaded to MyBuzzQuiz.com.

Head over to MyBuzzQuiz.com for a taste of the action and keep an eye out for Buzz!: Quiz TV Special Edition box when it arrives in store in early November 2008.

Fan makes Sackboy Kratos figurine

Despite the news of the LittleBigDelay, LittleBigPlanet is still the jewel in the eyes of many. It's the reason why there was such a boisterous response to the delay in the first place -- people still want need their LBP like it's PB&J. A testament to that, someone somewhere has gone and made a 7-inch clay figurine of Sackboy Kratos (pictured).

In fact, the guy who made the statuette is selling his creation on eBay for some other fan to enjoy. At the time of this writing, the piece was at a $31 bid. Bidding ends at 9pm today, but that shouldn't stop you from at least checking out more pics of the immortalized Sackboy Kratos.

[Via GameSniped]

Over 14 minutes of Resistance 2 beta footage

A big, hearty thanks goes to Upside for capturing over fourteen minutes of direct-feed footage from the Resistance 2 open beta. For those that haven't gotten into the beta yet, this is a great way to get a feel for the overall gameplay experience. Check out the video after the cut. Once again, because the game is rated M for Mature, we ask you pretend to be over 17 when watching the vid. Thanks!

Next week's Rock Band DLC takes us halfway to Nirvana

The next Rock Band weekly DLC update is going to be huge for Nirvana fans. A seven track pack from Nirvana will be hitting the PSN next week on Thursday, Oct. 23. All songs happen to be master tracks from the Nevermind album. The pack will be priced at $10.99 for the whole set and $1.99 for individual songs. Here's the full list of songs:
BreedLounge ActOn a PlainPolly Something in the WayStay AwayTerritorial Pissings It's interesting to note that the release of this track pack for RB means all but three songs will be playable off Nevermind. "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Lithium" and "Come as You Are" (which are arguably the three most popular songs) are still not playable. Perhaps there's going to be a second pack some time down the line. Or, maybe the release of this slightly less than full album means Harmonix couldn't hammer out an album deal. Snatched up by Guitar Hero perchance?

PS Nation Podcast 083 - A Little Horse

This week, the crew goes over the Extra Life Charity that they're getting into. Also, Jeff Rubenstein phones in to reminisce his days in Tokyo and at TGS 2008. Don't miss it and download the podcast today.

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