Ready to check out "Big Surf Island"? Burnout Paradise is expanding quite a bit in 2009, and that includes a brand new island to drive around. The premium DLC won't be free, but considering how much Criterion has already added to the game, we don't mind the opportunity to finally give them money for something. The island is all about crazy jumps, as this new episode of the CrashTV podcast reveals. Don't want to watch the podcast? Check out the screens in our new gallery.
[Thanks, Monik!]
Gallery: Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island
![Deals: Amazon Blu-ray sale and Black Friday sneak peak [Update]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.ps3fanboy.com/media/2008/11/4324_blackfridaymob_slide1_564253453.jpg "Deals: Amazon Blu-ray sale and Black Friday sneak peak [Update]")
Friday Only:
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway - $17.95 (Reg. $59.99)
Madden NFL 09 - $29.95 (Reg. $59.99)
NASCAR 09 - $29.95 (Reg. $39.99)
NBA Live 09 - $29.95 (Reg. $49.99)
NCAA Football 09 - $29.95 (Reg. $49.99)
Buy a PlayStation 3 80GB console and get Resistance 2 Collector's Edition and a PlayStation 3 Component AV & USB cable free
Buy a PlayStation 3 80GB console and get Wall-E Blu-ray (2-Disc set) and Disney Sing It! Bundle with Microphone for free
Buy a PlayStation 3 160 GB Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Pack and get $60 off a future video game purchase.
Friday to Monday:
Condemned 2: Bloodshot - $14.95 (Reg. $39.99)
Dragonball Z: Burst Limit - $29.95 (Reg. $39.99)
Far Cry 2 - $39.95 (Reg. $59.99)
Golden Axe: Beast Rider - $29.95 (Reg. $59.95)
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Wireless Bundle - $49.95 (Reg. $99.99)
LEGO Batman - $24.95 (Reg. $49.99)
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition - $19.95 (Reg. $39.99)
Major League Baseball 2K8 - $19.95 (Reg. $29.99)
Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe Collector's Edition - $49.95 (Reg. $69.99)
MotorStorm - $14.95 (Reg. $29.99)
NBA '09 The Inside - $19.95 (Reg. $59.99)
Ridge Racer 7 - $19.95 (Reg. $29.99)
Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution - $39.95 (Reg. $59.99)
The Bigs - $19.95 (Reg. $29.99)
The Club - $14.95 (Reg. $49.99)
Top Spin 3 - $19.95 (Reg. $29.99)
Viking: Battle for Asgard - $14.95 (Reg. $39.99)
Warhawk (No Headset) - $14.95 (Reg. $29.99)
WWE: Smackdown vs Raw 2009 Collector's Edition - $39.95 (Reg. $79.99)
PlayStation 3 Blu Wave Remote - $7.95 (Reg. $19.99)
PlayStation 3 Charge Base 2 - $9.95 (Reg. $29.99)
PlayStation 3 Charge Link - $4.95 (Reg. $12.99)
PlayStation 3 Component AV Cable - $9.95 (Reg. $24.99)
PlayStation 3 Component AV Cable & USB Cable - $14.95 (Reg. $39.99)
Playstation 3 Energizer Power & Play Charging System - $9.95 (Reg. $29.99)
PlayStation 3 Frontman Wireless Guitar - Black - $6.95 (Reg. $49.99)
PlayStation 3 HDMI Cable - $14.95 (Reg. $29.99)
PlayStation 3 Memory Card Adaptor - $4.95 (Reg. $14.99)
PlayStation 3 Zero Wireless Controller - colors may vary - $4.95 (Reg. $49.99)
All Blu-ray deals can be found here.
SmackDown vs Raw 2009 on PSP puts a full roster of WWE superstars in the palm of your hand.
The WWE's unique take on sports entertainment is back on PSP with an updated roster, brand new game modes and the explosive Inferno Match, bringing the best grappling package yet to the table, and then setting the table on fire and powerbombing you through it.
In making SmackDown vs Raw 2009, developer Yuke's received close support from World Wrestling Entertainment. The result is a comprehensive package with incredible attention to detail and accuracy.
The headline addition is Road to Wrestlemania mode, where you select one of five superstars - Triple H, CM Punk, The Undertaker, John Cena or Chris Jericho - and guide them through an entire year. Each personality has their own storyline developed by the WWE's writers and featuring hours of voice acting from the wrestlers themselves, which adds authenticity.
Career choices
If your favourite isn't amongst these, then there's also a Career mode, where you take your selected wrestler from the bottom of the ranking list to the World Heavyweight Championship. Standing between you and the belt is a list of wrestlers that you'll need to defeat to earn enough ranking points for a title shot. You're also given a list of matches to choose from before each bout, allowing you to play to your strengths and preferences.
There is an impressive array of match types on offer; if they do it in the WWE, you can bet its in SmackDown vs Raw 2009. There are standard matches for any combination of combatants, be it one-on-one, tag team, a handicap match against two or three opponents, or a six-person free-for-all. Tag team matches in particular have been updated this year. The team member waiting on the outside now has a more active role and can interfere in proceedings by holding an opponent for his partner to pummel, and running into the ring to break a pin. If you're getting bashed in the ring, your partner can build his or her Hot Tag meter, then, when tagged, they will burst in with a flurry of devastating attacks.
For the more hardcore, there are Table Matches, where the aim is to smash your opponent through the furniture set up around the ring; Ladder Matches, where you can use stepladders to dish out punishment and retrieve the belt hanging high above the canvas; Hell in a Cell, in which up to six wrestlers fight inside and on top of a giant cage; and the Royal Rumble, where 30 superstars strive to be the last one standing and are only eliminated when they are thrown over the top rope.
Making a move
The controls are simple, with the Square button dealing out punches and kicks, and the Circle button, along with one of the directional buttons, performing power moves such as slams and submission holds. The reversal system allows you to counter an opponent's attack and adds depth to matches. The L and R buttons reverse strikes and grapples respectively, so the route to a good defence is reading your opponent, correctly predicting which type of move they will go for and hitting the corresponding button at the right time.
Complementing the in-ring action, there are several customisation options that allow you to inject your own personality into the WWE. Create a Superstar lets you build your perfect wrestler from the ground up, whether that's a muscular version of yourself, your favourite star from the 80s or a neon-clad figment of your imagination. You can also create an entrance if you want them to arrive at the ring in style, and their own finishing move, to ensure they leave with similar panache.
Whether you're a fan of the WWE or not, the quality and variety of gameplay available in SmackDown vs Raw 2009 is impressive. With more than 50 playable characters, dozens of match types and two immersive campaign modes, there are hours of gameplay here before you've even touched the fun multiplayer, which allows up to four PSP owners to connect wirelessly for a rumble, whether that's in the jungle or on the bus.
Executive producer Tony Casson and Konami’s head of console division, Phil McDonnell, talk about bringing GTI Club+ to PlayStation Store.
How did you decide to remake GTI Club?
Phil McDonnell: The timing just seemed right. We all loved the arcade version when it came out and spoke about possibly releasing it on PS one, but we were unsure how you could replicate the handbrake feature of the arcade cabinet. The analogue triggers on the PLAYSTATION 3 Wireless Controller work perfectly.
Have you made any changes to the original?
Tony Casson: One change we have made is to make the Lancia Delta driveable. We didn't even realise it was in the game until we saw it on a video clip. But the only change in terms of gameplay is the addition of online multiplayer. And there's PLAYSTATION Eye support, so you can see whoever you are racing.
PM: We've also included customisation, so you can change the colours of the cars, choose your own number plate and stick decals to the bodywork. And then there's Trophy support as well.
TC: I think we've been complimentary to the original, but if the title is good to begin with, then there's no need to go overhauling everything - it's just such a great game.
What kind of research did you do?
TC: Phil managed to get hold of an original arcade cabinet and we spent days and days playing it and poring over everything. One thing you can do when you're developing is use a debug camera, which lets you see things from whatever angle you want, but because all we had was an arcade machine, we couldn't do that. So we had to play over and over again and study which routes each car took to make things as accurate as possible.
What are the advantages of publishing on PSN?
TC: With this being a relatively small game - it's only a 350 MB download - you get it into people's home straight away and it's convenient for them, because they don't even have to leave the house.
PM: Also, the PlayStation Network is a very attractive platform for releasing a relatively short, but fun game at an attractive price. And we can keep adding to it with new cars and courses.
Do you have any plans for downloadable content?
TC: We have a car pack coming at the beginning of 2009, which adds modern cars, such as the new FIAT Abarth. The new cars will handle very similarly to the existing ones. Something that we loved about the original was that all the cars were similar to drive; it was about the driver and having fun, as opposed to how fast your car was.
PM: We all remember the original having great multiplayer, so that's something we really wanted to retain. And we plan to add more multiplayer modes and games further down the line.
What do you want the player to feel when they play GTI Club+?
TC: Just simple fun.
PM: That's what the original was all about. For example, in the original there was an unlockable where if you won a certain race, you could turn your car into a dog, which we've kept in GTI Club+. All these little touches are there to make you smile.
Arcade games are a dime a dozen lately on the PlayStation Network. Will Namco Bandai's PowerUp Forever be able to compete in a growingly competitive field? Well, why not take a look at this new trailer to judge for yourself? This PSN download will be available this winter.
Gallery: PowerUp Forever
Go behind the scenes of Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell's short film Bitter with Shoot! in this exclusive interview and making of video.
Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell are two of the UK's best young directors. They have worked on a number of short films as well as directing commercials for Virgin Trains, Kodak, Walkers Crisps and The Times newspaper and have now set up Eleven Film Limited, which has produced a number of documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4.
Given the PlayStation stimulus word Discover, Joel and Jamie created Bitter - a terse, humorous story set in a pub - with help from Michael Winterbottom as Executive Producer.
Download their short film, Bitter, and get these videos directly on your PLAYSTATION 3 or PSP by signing into PlayStation Store.
To access PlayStation Store you will need a PlayStation Network account.
For more information about Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell's work you can visit elevenfilm.co.uk.
Visit PlayStation Store to download the Far Cry 2 Fortunes Pack.
Loaded with three new weapons, two new vehicles and four new multiplayer maps, this expansion pack adds even more depth to the open world first person shooter set in the African savannahs.
New weapons...
Silenced Shotgun: Power and stealth in one gun.
Craftsman Shotgun: An ornamental shotgun with power and class to get people talking.
Crossbow: Use explosive bolts to take out vehicles or start raging fires from a safe distance.
New vehicles...
ATV: Leave the roads and hit the fields with this all-terrain Vehicle.
Utility Truck: Perfect for charging unsuspecting camps and taking out a couple of mercs.
Plus...
Get set to take out friends and enemies alike in these new environments: Last Resort, Cheap Labour, Lake Smear and Fort Fury.
Visit PlayStation Store now and let the mayhem begin.
A film by Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell available now as part of Shoot! on PlayStation Store.
Bitter is the tale of a man who is set to meet his daughter's boyfriend for the first time. When he meets him he is faced with his worst nightmare - they are the same age and the encounter is a tale of the unexpected.
Given the PlayStation stimulus word Discover, Joel and Jamie created Bitter - a terse, humorous story set in a pub - with help from Michael Winterbottom as Executive Producer.
Download this exclusive film, as well as interviews and a behind the scenes video by signing into PlayStation Store on your PLAYSTATION 3 or PSP.
To access PlayStation Store you will need a PlayStation Network account.
Get ready for the most outlandish addition yet to popular arcade smash 'em up, Pain.
Pain has already gathered a huge following thanks to its whacky comedy action where you launch a crash test dummy style character into a variety of painful situations thanks to a giant rubber band catapult. And things are only going to get better with the forthcoming inclusion of a certain TV star.
David Hasselhoff marks Pain's most famous addition yet. He's conquered the roads, the beach, and brought the Berlin Wall down, and now you can launch The Hoff into a world of Pain, complete with a real voice-over from the actor/singer and three costumes to choose from. You can put The Hoff through his paces in any of the wide number of environments available, including the new Pain: Movie Studio add-on, which lets you have some Pain-ful fun in the likes of a Western saloon, gladiator's arena or a sinking ship.
Sega and Sports Interactive have a goal - to create the most compelling portable football management title ever. Have they scored a winner with Football Manager Handheld 2009?
Football management titles are common on home computers, less so on handhelds. There are thousands of footballers with their own history, personalities, match statistics and more to take into account, let alone the football clubs themselves, each with a wealth of information to express before throwing all of this data into the blender for each match that plays out. It's a massive task... and Sports Interactive has stepped up to the spot once again to take the challenge with Football Manager Handheld 2009.
Small time Charlie
Whether you have experience with it or not, football management is hard work. Which is exactly why Sports Interactive makes it handheld in essence, as well as in name. Picking your favourite club from a selection of ten European nations (including England, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal), you're put in charge of a squad seeking sports glory, taking the big elements of real life management and paring it down into something a bit more... manageable.
You'll never once take to the pitch yourself, as there's plenty to deal with when considering the range of superstars and starlets that can be the key to success or the weight that drags you into an unpleasant meeting with the Chairman of the Board and possible unemployment. Players need to fit within your formations and tactics (such as an attacking 4-4-2 or even your own custom line-up) with passing style, tackling aggression, attacking/defending emphasis and other factors to take into account.
Because each player has his own personality with specific aims, preferences and bias, it's not as simple as just picking your strategy and going into a match. They may not like playing in a certain position, or sometimes they don't get on with teammates, leading to training ground friction; or maybe they just want to leave the club because they don't think you're good for the job.
This is football
It's these little details which add up to a lot in FMH09. Decisions make or break you. Taking time out to praise your star player may seem like a good idea, until you realise he don't like the spotlight of public adoration and would have preferred a private word instead. Likewise, leaving someone on the subs bench for too long could have him slapping a transfer request on your desk the following morning.
While keeping the players happy is essential, their desires could put you in conflict with the Board, so it's a delicate balancing act and part of the compulsion of the game. Each choice has a consequence that may come have a positive or negative effect over an indeterminate period of time, and it's the unpredictability and stark realism that makes Football Manager what it is.
In the actual matches themselves the key component lies within the commentary, which gives you a number of clues as to the mental state of the players, along with a wealth of stats to gauge their performance. Complimented by a 2D viewpoint which shows the action during important moments, it's easy to get absorbed in your team's on-pitch fortunes, be it jubilation when you see a ball bounce in off the post for a goal or head hanging despair when you watch your defence crumble.
A permanent fixture
Football Manager Handheld 2009 absorbs your time in small chunks, dragging you back with its blend of detail, compulsive gameplay and portability to play. The excitement of watching your team come together, putting in transfer bids for big stars that could be the solution to your woes, and the air punching joy of getting it right is a vital part of the game's charm.
Addictive football wherever you go? Sounds like a match winner - and that's exactly what Sega and Sports Interactive have on their hands. And now, you can have it in yours too.
![100,000+ Home beta invites sent out for load test tonight [Update]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.ps3fanboy.com/media/2008/05/gamingiswinnar1.jpg "100,000+ Home beta invites sent out for load test tonight [Update]")
Take your whole world with you when travelling with PSP.
You can take your creature comforts with you thanks to PSP. Any trip, business or holiday, is made more enjoyable when you can choose the entertainment you want, when you want it.
Taking your PSP along for the ride means you're no longer at the mercy of the in-flight entertainment, if nothing grabs you just pop in a game or a UMD movie and escape to other worlds or challenge yourself with brain stretching puzzles for a few hours. echochrome offers an innovative dose of the latter, while God of War: Chains of Olympus is the ultimate escapist fantasy for anyone who fancies themselves as a warrior of yesteryear. Long flights, train or bus journeys will just fly by.
PSP is equally useful when you arrive at your destination. New cities or unfamiliar countries will never be daunting with Go!Explore, a nifty little device that turns your PSP into a GPS. It comes packed with points of interest and information on hotels, restaurants, bars and more, letting you make the most of your time. With map packs available to download from PlayStation Store, you're never going to be lost again while away from home.
Missing your family and friends? You can keep in touch with the world thanks to PSP. With Go!Messenger and Skype you can use the PSP-3000's in-built mic to chat for free with anyone else on the service or, if you use the Camera attachment, make video calls from PSP to PSP. Keeping in touch just got easy and free with PSP.
Connecting to a Wireless network opens up a whole world of possibilities in your hands. With your PSP online you can browse the Internet and content on PlayStation Store, giving you access to the latest entertainment when you want.
Being online means you're also free to use PlayTV. If you've got a PLAYSTATION 3 back home with PlayTV, you can watch live or recorded TV or even set recordings from anywhere in the world using Remote Play. No longer are you stuck with searching through the channels on your hotel room's TV, your favourite shows and films instead come to you.
Travelling or being away from home is made easier with PSP. It can do a whole host of amazing things, but it is what it can do for you that is most important. With PSP you have your games, your music, your movies... Your whole world in your hands.
As PlayStation Home nears its open beta development stage, selected PLAYSTATION 3 users are invited to look around.
As PlayStation Home, the 3D social online gaming service on PS3, prepares to go into its open beta stage, hundreds of thousands of users are being invited to give it a try.
Check the email inbox linked to your PlayStation Network account to see if you're one of them. If so, then please help us test the service by accessing it on Friday November 21 at 7pm GMT and leaving any feedback you have on the forums. If not, then look out for an invitation when a second batch is sent out next week.
Selected users are welcome to take a look around, chat with their fellow beta testers, try the fun mini-games in the Games Space and check out the latest trailers in the Home Theatre. It's all just a taste of what's to come from the online service, which is set to revolutionise how PS3 users play and communicate with each other.
Keep checking eu.playstation.com for further PlayStation Home updates.
Eu.playstation.com takes to Covent Garden to see what the general public makes of LittleBigPlanet.
For four weeks in October and November 2008, the Thomas Neal Shopping Centre in London's fashionable Covent Garden became a bubble of creative energy as members of the public got their hands on LittleBigPlanet.
Visitors of all ages descended on the Pop-it Store to play the final version of the game, grab some free goodies and make a beautiful mess with glue and glitter in the arts and craft area.
Curious shoppers pressed against windows to see where all the laughter was coming from as visitors of all ages spent their afternoons charging about the game's Story levels and receiving Create mode tuition from on-hand virtuosos.
Fun with friends
Londoners Sam Wijngaard, Elliot Williamsand George Nindi spoke while bamboozled by a chunk of sponge attached to a piston, somewhere in The Savannah.
"The levels that come with the game are amazing," enthuses George, when asked for his first impressions. "I really like the one with the skateboard."
"It's definitely more fun to play with friends," adds Elliot, "although sometimes you forget you're playing against each other."
"It can get quite competitive though. Earlier, I got slapped and landed on some spikes, and then me and Sam jumped on a skateboard and left Elliot behind," concludes Sam.
Sackboy of the Colossus
While the Story levels were popular, visitors would have to wait for the game's release to play user generated levels. Nevertheless, many had read about and seen videos of the beta community's efforts and couldn't wait to play everyone else's contributions, and make their own.
"I haven't tried to create my own level yet," says Sam, "but I'll probably do that at home when I have more time to concentrate. I've seen videos of some of the levels though - someone made a calculator."
"I saw that," George interjects. "It was crazy."
"It's cool how everything you see on the story levels, you could make yourself if you wanted. I really want to see people make their own versions of old games," says Sam.
"Yeah, Shadow of the Colossus would work really well. You could make a giant boss, and then people would have to climb it to get past," George adds.
Something for everyone
It's fascinating to see how different people spend their time with the game. Some charge through levels with reckless abandon, while others plod through, collecting every prize bubble. Many head straight to Create mode, while others are content in their pod, choosing outfits and sticking stickers. John RibbinsandVincent Olutayo, both from London, spoke while struggling to control a disobedient skateboard.
"It's really slick," sums up John. "I'm especially impressed by Create mode."
"Yeah, creating things is instantly addictive," Vincent agrees. "It will be different for each person, but I can see myself spending more time making levels than playing them."
"I've worked on games myself and just from a design point of view, having a real time editor, where you can instantly switch between editing and playing, is so useful," adds John.
"I don't know what I would make first... possibly some kind of vehicle... something that flies," Vincent muses.
"From what I've seen, the best user levels have been the ones based on other games; the Mirror's Edge level was really stylish," says John.
"With such a range of materials to play with, it seems like the only limit is your own imagination," Vincent concludes.
Big thanks to Sam, Elliot, George, John and Vincent; can't wait to play your levels.
With the festive season approaching, the latest SingStar titles will get your Christmas parties swinging.
SingStar Vol. 3
SingStar's third outing on PLAYSTATION 3 has 30 brand new tracks, including contemporary classics and all-time greats. Michael Jackson makes his SingStar debut with Billie Jean, which is sure to provoke some extravagant dancing at your next party. 1979 is not only a track from The Smashing Pumpkins, it's also the year Kate Bush recorded Babooshka, and both great songs are on SingStar Vol. 3.
Also, get involved with the SingStar community at My SingStar Online. You can record your best performances with the PLAYSTATION Eye and share them with the world, or watch and rate others from around the world.
SingStar ABBA
Whatever the time of year, it's impossible not to sing along when you hear a track from Sweden's biggest pop group, and SingStar ABBA, on both PS3 and PS2, has all of their biggest hits. Why not wrap a piece of tinsel around your head for some added 70s glam?
SingStar Singalong with Disney
With the turkey gone and the wrapping paper recycled, SingStar Singalong with Disney on PlayStation 2 is the perfect way for the whole family to have fun together. Whether you're a grandmother or a toddler, everyone remembers Disney movies from their childhood and here you'll find 20 of the most memorable songs from classics such as Aladdin, The Jungle Book and The Lion King.
SingStore
There are hundreds of downloadable treats to be found in the SingStore, from the latest tracks from the hottest acts, to SongPacks - the perfect way to kick off your collection if you're new to SingStar. They each include five songs based around a theme and are available to download at a special price.
To celebrate the season, the Festive Fun SongPack is coming soon, featuring:
Celine Dion Christmas Eve
Toni Braxton Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Babyface Sleigh Ride
Paul McCartney Wonderful Christmastime
Shakin' Stevens Merry Christmas
It joins the Essentials SongPacks, which include the most popular tracks among the SingStar community, and the Queen SongPacks, celebrating one of the greatest acts in rock history, so head to the SingStore and download your personal party playlist.
Impressive. That pretty much sums up how we feel after watching this new collection of PlayStation adverts for holiday season 2008. The three commercials you are about to watch are all very different, but they have one unifying theme (well, other than PlayStation duh). They all utilize holographic images to show off PS3-exclusive titles. Our favorite one is posted above, which shows off some exclusive action titles: Resistance 2, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, and the Dark Knight film on Blu-ray.
Another commercial touts the PlayStation Network. It clearly promotes lively, social gaming as you'll notice the happy people going about their daily business. It's interesting to note that each person has their own holographic game image imposed on their bodies giving a hint at saying, "hey, we've got a little something for everyone." A sharp contrast to this one is the next, somewhat dark series of adverts. It's sort of eerie with its slow-motion and starry-eyed actors. It's an interesting piece that asks you "have you made your wish list yet?" We wonder if you have?
Check out the other two vids after the break, or, get ready to see them on TV very soon.
The winner from our LittleBigPlanet Costume Competition talks about the winning design, which is now available on PlayStation Store.
In September 2008, eu.playstation.com hosted a LittleBigPlanet Costume Competition, in which entrants were asked to send in designs for a new outfit for either Sackboy or Sackgirl.
With over 500 entries from across the PAL region, developer Media Molecule had their work cut out picking the winner, and finally settled on the Sack-EatingPlantCostume created by Forum member Ayumi82 from Spain.
Describing her creation, Ayumi82 said: "I think it’s funny, eye catching and striking, mixing well with the natural environment of our hero, so humans can’t see him. It has vines hanging from both sides, simulating whips to protect the flower pot. The head is a huge mouth with teeth, and in-between them you can see the eyes of Sackboy. In the top part it has small prickles to protect him from the enemies, and finally I added some decorative leaves, as the plant itself is really beautiful."
The inspiration for the costume came from "a small carnivorous plant my mum bought for me...when I saw it eating flies, I found it so amazing that I thought the carnivorous plant costume would be original and funny."
Talking about LittleBigPlanet in general, Ayumi82 said: "Firstly, the graphic presentation is great and it captivates your attention from the very moment you see it. The other thing is the high level of interaction and great variety of themes that are reflected in the different levels I was able to try. I would also like to mention the individuality of the different characters, as it’s very difficult to find two similar ones, so players will constantly find it interesting. Finally, LBP offers the possibility of open-ended play, with the ability to create new levels, so it’s a game you will never forget in a drawer."
Thank you to Ayumi82 and all the other people who entered the competition. To download this costume, as well as a host of others for LittleBigPlanet, visit PlayStation Store with your PLAYSTATION 3.
Shoot! directors, Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell, talk about their short film Bitter and making it in the industry.
Given the PlayStation stimulus word Discover, Joel and Jamie created Bitter - a terse, humorous story set in a pub - with help from Michael Winterbottom as Executive Producer.
Why did you want to become a director?
Joel Wilson: I always enjoyed acting and then I realised at university that I preferred quietly sitting at the back and knowing that the work going on, giving people pleasure, was mine and without the audience necessarily knowing it. I preferred to sit there in the middle of the applause thinking, I did that.
Jamie Campbell: I like coming up with ideas, seeing them through from the beginning to the end, and direction is really the natural method to achieve that, that is why I tend to gravitate towards it.
Joel: We're both musical, we both can play instruments, we both have acted and we both write. We're perhaps jacks of all the trades. That is quite a useful thing to have as a director, to understand all of those things, to be able to do them to a certain degree but not necessarily be as expert in them as the people you work with.
What are your major influences? Do you bring different things to your films?
Jamie: I think we're quite different in lots of ways. Probably including what we're good at within the actual making of films and in terms of what our preferred films and influences are. I suspect they're quite different.
Joel: How can you define that? [laughs]
Jamie: Well you can ask what my favourite film is. [laughs]
What is your favourite film?
Joel: Jaws and early Woody Allen films. Perhaps I've got slightly coarser tastes generally; I think just generally I have coarser tastes than Jamie does. [laughs]
Jamie: I can't comment on that, at all. [laughs] Jaws and Woody Allen, right up my street. I thought you were going to say Back to the Future...
Joel: Back to the Future, Back to the Future II...
Jamie: And then I was going to say Dolce Vita and that would have been a nice...
Joel: Dovetail.
Jamie: Well... Dove-split...
Joel: Yeah, we both enjoy... There isn't any conflict necessarily in the things we like, but I think Jamie's more literary... Is that a good way to put it? [laughs] Jamie's more involved in writing than I am and I'm more interested in... Equipment... [laughs]
Jamie: I think you should answer all the questions. It's hilarious. [laughs] Just to expand on that, in the documentaries that we make, as we mainly make documentaries together, we will be involved in all aspects of the project but often Joel will be more involved in the technical aspect of it, while I will be more involved in the writing of it.
How did you get involved in the Shoot! project?
Jamie: We had been developing a number of projects for a while and this seemed a great opportunity to try and put one of them into practice. We've been collaborating with George Kay the writer for quite a few years and this is the first opportunity to formalise our relationship and make something together. His last film [Where Have I Been All Your Life?] was directed by a guy called Jim Field Smith and starred Imelda Staunton and James Corden, and did very well. So we're really pleased to be working with him and Michael Winterbottom who we've known for quite a few years and admire greatly. It's a really fantastic opportunity for us to work with him.
How do you know Michael Winterbottom?
Joel: We went to university with someone who moved on to work for Michael's company, Revolution, and they have a very open and really inspiring setup. They're very good at helping people out, getting people involved; their constant mantra is, "just get out and do it." They've been very helpful to us and an example of that is Michael's involvement in this project.
Jamie: We've quite often made documentary films that haven't been commissioned at the beginning, we quite like seizing the initiative and going out, filming something that takes our fancy. I think the spirit of Michael's films is quite similar and so we're really pleased to be working with him.
What is your short film Bitter about?
Joel: It is about the awkward relationship between any father and his daughter's boyfriend. This relationship in particular is compounded by the fact that the boyfriend is the same age as the father, bringing up all sorts of psychological issues.
Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to get into film making?
Jamie: There quite often seems to be large barriers to making something that is both good and successful, so I think the film industry can be quite intimidating. But particularly given that the hardware is so accessible and increasingly cheap, and considering lots of people are often willing to help make your film with you for very little money or for nothing, we've always been of the opinion that you should just seize a project that you like and try and make it and see what happens.
Joel: And even if that project itself is not a success it will at least start to equip you with the skills and allow you to make mistakes, so that when you come to do something which has got money behind it, you won't make the mistakes and have a lot more of an idea how to go about it.
What is the most valuable thing you've learnt as a director?
Joel: If you have any suspicion when you're shooting something that you should do something again, or you should do anything at all in fact, do it, because you always should have done. Do it because you will always discover you're instinct was right in the first place.
Jamie: I think curiosity is an important attribute in directing, and it is quite a difficult thing to learn, but it seems to me curiosity often pays off.
Download Bitter, as well as interviews and a behind the scenes video by signing into PlayStation Store on your PLAYSTATION 3 or PSP.
Gallery: Super Street Fighter II HD
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