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Final Fantasy and Tetris top PSP's sales charts for 2010 (so far)

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 20th 2010 at 12:00AM }

The latest episode of PlayStation Network's Pulse revealed the top ten downloaded PSP games for 2010 so far. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Square Enix's classic PSone RPGs have topped the list in the first quarter of the year. Only one mini makes it into the top 10: Tetris, whose steep $10 price tag apparently hasn't scared everyone away.

1. Final Fantasy VII (PSP/PS3)
2. Final Fantasy VIII (PSP/PS3)
3. Tetris
4. God of War: Chains of Olympus
5. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
6. LittleBigPlanet
7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
8. Madden NFL 10
9. Gran Turismo
10. Resident Evil 2 (PSP/PS3)

Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake squeezes onto UMD and PSN April 27

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 19th 2010 at 10:30PM }

If our comprehensive video preview of Fat Princess for PSP whet your appetite for more, you'll be glad to know that the full experience isn't too far away. Fistful of Cake will be appearing on both UMD and PSN on April 27, promising "new game modes, new maps, a new extended storyline for single player." And although the single player options have been greatly expanded, multiplayer remains a big focus for the game, with 8-player Ad-Hoc and Infrastructure support.

The PlayStation.Blog features a Q&A, a new trailer (posted after the break) and box art. Curiously missing from the announcement, however, is a price. An SCEA rep told us the price has yet to be "100% confirmed," and that an announcement would be forthcoming.

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Heavy Rain 'Taxidermist' DLC hitting PSN for $4.99 on April 1

by Griffin McElroy { Mar 19th 2010 at 1:00PM }

We have a hard time watching films where people get caught being in places they totally shouldn't be. We get no enjoyment from watching a Misery or a Rear Window, for example. That kind of scenario is the bread and butter of Heavy Rain's first downloadable chapter, "The Taxidermist," which pre-order customers of the game have already gotten their hands on. The rest of us will have our chance to grab the suspenseful scene on April 1, when it hits the PSN storefront for $4.99.

Check out the video above for a brief teaser of the chapter's events. Actually, it doesn't look that scary to us. Madison climbs in a window, walks up some stairs, and accidentally intrudes on a woman taking a bath. What's that? The woman is dead? Yes, well, that is significantly more upsetting.

See Sonic 4's Splash Hill Zone, Eggman

by JC Fletcher { Mar 18th 2010 at 11:00PM }

For those of you who have yet to decide to boycott Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Sega has released some new media of the downloadable rodent-racing platformer. Including ... the second known character to appear in the game. Okay, before more of you start boycotting, it's just Eggman (or Dr. Robotnik, or whatever). And he's shown in one of his spheroid flying vehicles, implying that he's in the game in boss capacity only.

The site also features a few screens, music and a description of Splash Hill Zone, which can be summed up as "Green Hill Zone in HD." And that's a good thing, right?

PSN Thursday: Sam & Max pre-order, Heavy Rain soundtrack

by Alexander Sliwinski { Mar 18th 2010 at 8:20PM }

Max: Lissssten to my voice, you will pre-order Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse for $30.

We will pre-order Sam & Max

Max: You will also watch the next episode of The Tester.

We will also ... wait, do we have to?

Check out the full PSN update after the break.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

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Hands-on: PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap (PSN)

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 18th 2010 at 7:00PM }

As the first PixelJunk game from Q-Games, Racers was largely misunderstood by most. Now, after the success of Monsters, Eden and Shooter, Q-Games is ready to go back to its first concept and give it a second chance. PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap isn't just an add-on to the original PSN game, but a new game (with new features like Trophies) that warrants a second look from fresh PixelJunk fans.

Like the original, 2nd Lap is a unique interpretation of classic top-down racers of yore. However, Q-Games' take on the genre makes it more of a puzzle or rhythm game, rather than a racing game -- an easy mistake for players to make, considering both the game's look and title. While some modes do require "winning" a race, most are about achieving rather specific goals. For example, you may need to complete a number of laps in a constantly-accelerating vehicle, while avoiding all the other cars on the road. "Sunday Drive" will have you trying to get past as many slow-driving cars as possible. It's a frustrating recreation of being stuck in traffic, yet it's oddly compelling.

In its second iteration, PixelJunk Racers remains essentially a collection of car-themed minigames, with the ultimate goal of scoring as high as possible on the leaderboards. Thankfully, 2nd Lap has been made considerably easier and more accessible than the first game, easing players into a much easier single-player experience. The addition of YouTube recording support should appease the show-offs, while the presence of PSN Trophies may make the overall package far more rewarding. (Don't worry Trophy hunters, Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert told us that they've learned from PixelJunk Eden and Monsters, and will make the Trophies much easier, akin to PixelJunk Shooter.)

Gallery: PixelJunk Racers: 2nd Lap

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Free DLC for Echoshift available through April 1

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 18th 2010 at 4:15PM }

Have you tried out Echoshift, the excellent new puzzle game for PSP? Whether or not you've bought the game, SCEA has a pretty sweet deal for you to take advantage of. Starting later today (once the PSN update is live), current owners and new purchasers will be able to get an additional set of seven levels absolutely free. For current owners of Echoshift, you'll be able to find it by searching for "Echoshift" in the PlayStation Store.

New purchasers will be able to take advantage of the promotion by simply buying a new bundle -- which includes both the original game and additional levels -- from the PlayStation Store for $14.99. This is a limited time offer, so if you want to take advantage of this deal, you'll need to act before April 1st.

Do you want to become a PlayStation Home community volunteer?

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 18th 2010 at 1:15PM }

Now that PlayStation Home is twelve million strong, Sony is looking for community volunteers to help newcomers ease their way into the PS3 virtual world. Applicants need to be "friendly and knowledgeable" as they help new users navigate the various community events available online. According to a recent call for applicants, the program "offers a great outlet to the most passionate Home users to help give back to the community."

To submit an application, you must be at least 18 years old, a resident of the US, and have "dependable access to email and Internet." Also, not only will you need to describe your most embarrassing PlayStation Home experience, you'll also have to answer this very telling question: "Do you have more friends in real life or in Home? Which do you prefer?" Don't worry, you should answer truthfully. We won't judge you.

Finally: Final Fight Double Impact arrives April 14 and 15

by JC Fletcher { Mar 18th 2010 at 12:35PM }

We've been waiting patiently for Capcom to release Final Fight yet again, this time in the form of the PSN/XBLA Final Fight: Double Impact set (which also includes Magic Sword). Capcom just let us know that the magical combination of classic brawling and online play will be available on Xbox Live April 14, and on the PlayStation Store April 15.

In case you haven't been keeping up with old game news, Double Impact features optional graphical filters, remixed soundtracks, and, most importantly, drop-in co-op. Capcom doesn't explicitly mention this, but each purchase also contributes to the Mike Haggar mayoral campaign fund.

Gallery: Final Fight: Double Impact

Impressions: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Mar 17th 2010 at 9:41AM }

Giant spiders. Why'd it have to be giant spiders?

Mind you, seeing Lara Croft gun down squealing, eight-legged monstrosities doesn't bring with it the tinge of regret that I've come to associate with her tendency to permanently cross off creatures from the endangered species list. Had Crystal Dynamics opted to switch out the spiders with tigers, there'd be enough fur coats left over to give everyone in the world a warm winter.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is heavy on the action, with territorial enemies swarming the eponymous explorer and a newfound partner, the Mayan warrior Totec, from all directions. Thankfully, the guy knows how to fire a gun and toss a spear -- though I pray he doesn't mix the two up when the situation gets out of hand. If you're playing the game with a co-op partner, either online or on couch, you'll have someone to yell at should that happen.

The game's isometric camera angle and twin-stick shooting mechanics bring to mind Assault Heroes (or Geometry Wars, at a basic level), but the pacing here is different. A more apt comparison -- that takes into account the lulls in action -- would be Left 4 Dead, especially when one player is tasked with manipulating a puzzle object while the other defends the rear.

Gallery: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

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Hands-on: Dante's Inferno: The Trials of St. Lucia (DLC)

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 16th 2010 at 3:00PM }

If there's one thing Dante's Inferno lacked, it was originality. Lacking the "holy sh–" impact of God of War III, Visceral Games' hack-n-slash felt incredibly pedestrian. That changes with "The Trials of St. Lucia," an upcoming premium DLC pack that introduces the game's first bit of originality.

The DLC add-on is made up of three new features: online co-op, user generated trials, and St. Lucia, a new playable character inspired by Christianity's Saint Lucy. Like Dante, Visceral's reimagining of her character is rather far-off from biblical canon. The playable martyr looks like an angel, and dons a move set that's completely unique from Dante's. (The differences between the two characters are comparable to those between Dante and Nero from Devil May Cry 4.)

The basics of her offensive powers are familiar: light and heavy attacks, and grabs. However, St. Lucia also has the ability to fly. Flight enables a brand new move set for players. I was able to quickly fly to the other side of a comabt arena, sweep multiple enemies, and then slam one of the larger enemies with a quick combo. The new flight dynamic is a lot of fun and, because St. Lucia's controls are so similar to those of Dante, it's easy to pick up and play.

Gallery: Dante's Inferno: The Trials of St. Lucia

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Wakeboarding HD splashes onto PSN this month

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 15th 2010 at 7:00PM }

Take one part Wave Race, mix it with some Tony Hawk and Smash Cars and you get Creat Studios' next PSN game, Wakeboarding HD. The game has you snatching all sorts of collectibles while you navigate the choppy, trap-filled waters left in your jetski's wake. Stunts seem to be a crucial aspect of getting a high score, as is trying to keep an "action chain" alive throughout each race.

Wakeboarding HD will be available on March 18th in Europe and March 25th in North America for $14.99. Check out a trailer after the break.

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GDC: EA DICE on building a bite-sized Battlefield

by Griffin McElroy { Mar 13th 2010 at 7:30PM }

EA DICE has been a fairly prolific developer during the current console generation, churning out both a high-profile title based on original IP (Mirror's Edge), as well as ones based on established franchises like Battlefield. EA was searching for a way to capitalize on the downtime between these blockbuster releases -- a game which would be relatively quick and painless to create, while still standing up to the quality standards set by their previous releases. Thus, the idea for Battlefield 1943 was born.

Battlefield 1943 producer Patrick Liu explained the studio's unique design philosophy while making the game, which boiled down to "make the game as long as resources last." They maximized the amount of content they produced under this strategy by settling on the somewhat smaller scope of the game early, and focusing on recreating the Battlefield experience to adhere to that scope.

Some decisions made under this philosophy include making ammunition and health auto-regenerate, cutting down on tiresome resource runs back to your home base. This decision led to others, including the removal of the medic and engineer classes. It also let them focus on perfecting a handful of maps and gametypes, which, while iterated from previous installments in the franchise, also saw major adjustments in 1943.

The result was a project developed by 15 series veterans at once, at one-tenth of the cost of a full DICE game, which broke day one, week one and month one downloadable sales records. It's no surprise that Liu expressed interest in developing more "games of this size and scope" -- when handled correctly, it sounds like a miniature entry in a major franchise can be quite the profitable cash cow.

Gallery: Battlefield 1943

Sam & Max PSN pre-orders start March 18; other console versions a 'definite possibility'

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Mar 12th 2010 at 6:00PM }

Sam and Max will bring their off-kilter humor to PlayStation 3 for the first time in The Devil's Playhouse: The Penal Zone, the first episode in a new season of Telltale's episodic adventure series. In a first for the PlayStation Store, the full season -- consisting of five monthly episodes -- will become available for pre-order on March 18, nearly a month before The Penal Zone launches on April 15.

While PC and Mac owners will receive substantial benefits for pre-ordering the full season, including a free game episode, access to developer chats and extra downloadable goodies, Telltale noted that it also has a deal in store (you know, actually in the store) for console players. According to Telltale PR manager Chris Schmidt, pre-ordering the full pack will reduce the cost to $29.99, a minor but not unwelcome discount from the regular price of $34.95.

Speaking to Joystiq at a meeting during the Game Developers Conference on Friday, Schmidt also addressed the obvious question: Will this season of Sam & Max come to Xbox 360 or Wii? He called it a "definite possibility" a few months down the line, and noted that it's in Telltale's best interest to work with more partners and deliver its games to as wide an audience as possible. Designer Chuck Jordan jokingly added that Telltale would ultimately like "to get the games on everything that has a chip in it."

Forget the 360 -- what could be better than getting Sam & Max in a tube of Pringles?

PSN Thursday: Mega Man 10, some BioShock 2 'Sinclair Solutions'

by Alexander Sliwinski { Mar 11th 2010 at 9:40PM }

The Blue Bomber -- who is inconveniently red in the pic above -- returns in the retro-centric Mega Man 10. Those who returned to Rapture with BioShock 2 can also pick up the "Sinclair Solutions Test Pack" for $5. There's also the fourth episode of The Tester -- how's that going? Oh yeah, for those with an interest in baseball (it's a game played with a stick), there's a demo for MLB 10: The Show. For those with a PSP, it's another solid comic book update. Check out the full PSN update after the break.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Continued →