Another week and another update for the PlayStation Network Store. This time round there’s several expansion packs available for both the PS3 and PSP. Also on the PSP are five full games for download including Monster Hunter Freedom: Unite and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09.

Numblast is available on both systems for £3.99/€4.99. Move the cursor around the board to swap the numeric cell positions. Combos can be achieved by lining identical numbers up in 2×2 squares.

Read the full list of games added after the break.

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Sony patents method to emulate PS2 games on PS3 (Rumour)

Rumour has it that Sony are currently involved in a new patent to emulate PS2 games on the PS3. It is already possible to play your PS1 discs on the PS3, and as we all know, when the high overpriced 60GB model PS3 was first introduced on the market, it could play PS2 games. However, since then, Sony removed that feature and a few other features, a few USB ports et al taken out to cut the price of the current now 8oGB model (although they replaced it with a 40GB model initially). Confused? Yes!

Sony have it rumoured to have patented the emulation software as the PS3 contains the PS2 chip! Remember the bitchin Sony gave MS for 360 non Backwards compatibility forcing MS to make emulation software downloadable to play xbox 1 games on the 360? Well, now, Sony are coming back with a vengenance on the PS3 and backwards compatibility. Acccording to Kotaku:

A patent discovered by Siliconera, however, suggests that Sony might be re-thinking this stance. Filed in December 2008, it’s basically a patent for a method that would allow the PS3’s Cell chip to translate code from the PS2’s Emotion Engine. Not half-assed software emulation (which in previous PS3 models couldn’t run some games), full, total replication of the functionality of the Emotion Engine.

Which means, theoretically at least, you could play any PS2 game on any PS3, regardless of the model or year of release.

Whether this would allow you to play actual PS2 discs, or would just be the advance party for the sale of PS2 downloads on the PlayStation Store is unclear. We’d like the former, but with Sony being a business and all, would expect the latter.

Lets hope this move is due to Sony’s 10 year lifecycle theory of the PS2 ending next year and therefore dropping the PS2 form the market finally, and concentrating on the PS3 fully. It would make more sense as PS1 games aree already playable, and many PS2 games would be welcome to be played on the PS3 instead of digging out that PS2 to finish off that God Of War game or FFX game etc.

About Trine:

“In Trine™, players work together to create and use objects to solve challenging physics-based puzzles and defeat dangerous enemies. Set in a kingdom on the verge of chaos, a warrior, a wizard, and a thief are bound by a powerful artifact known as “the Trine”. Together, they must battle the forces of space, energy, and motion to put an end to the reign of the dark sorcerer that rules the kingdom.

Featuring three-player cooperative play, each character has specific talents to invent new solutions to puzzles and original ways to defeat enemies. The Wizard can use magic to create objects and new paths, the Thief can use her agility and accuracy to quickly deal with enemies, and the Warrior unleashes pure destruction everywhere he travels.”

Trine will be coming to PCs in summer 2009. A PlayStation Network (PS3) release is also planned.

Download the demo here

GTA: Chinatown Wars coming to PSP/PSPGO! and PSN!

GTA: Chinatown Wars was rated has the highest age rated game on the NDS and sold only 89,000 copies worldwide! maybe this shows that the DS is really just a family handheld console after all, as sales figures like that are pitiful for a GTA title on any platform. Take Two Interactive announced this morning that GTA: Chinatown Wars will be coming to PSP (2000/3000), PSP GO! and PSN Store! According to Kotaku and Take Two:

“We’re proud to extend this truly unique handheld Grand Theft Auto experience to PSP and offer a downloadable version of Chinatown Wars for PSPgo,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “Rockstar Leeds has shown incredible talent in creating games that raise the bar in terms of depth and innovation on portables, and with Chinatown Wars we have a rich, fast-paced, and incredibly addictive entry into the series.”

Of Course our old favourite mouthpiece from Sony - Jack Tretton states -

“Rockstar’s work with the GTA series has been an enormous part of the success of PlayStation platforms,” said Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. “We’re excited to welcome the critically acclaimed Chinatown Wars to the outstanding line-up of great games headed to the PSP platform this fall.”

Besides a UMD release for PSP 2000/3000 and a digital download release for PSP GO! it will also be available for download on the PSN Store and playable on the PS3 (we hope!)

Pics Courtesy Kotaku: http://kotaku.com/5299516/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-coming-to-psp

The world’s largest third-party video game publisher says it may stop supporting Sony’s consoles.

In an interview with The Times (London), Activision CEO Bobby Kotick expressed concern for the PlayStation 3 software sales and the cost of development:

The PlayStation 3 is losing a bit of momentum and they don’t make it easy for me to support the platform. It’s expensive to develop for the console, and the Wii and the Xbox are just selling better. Games generate a better return on invested capital on the Xbox than on the PlayStation. … If we are being realistic, we might have to stop supporting Sony.

While I would love a price cut on the PS3, I think this is a bit premature on Activision’s part. I mean we just had E3 and there are a slew of games coming out people are buying the PS3 just not at the rate Sony and game producers want. I say stick in there Activision and the rewards will come.

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) has created the official God of War III website. Thereis plenty of screen shots and updates for those of you who are counting down the days.

Make sure to take a minute to sign up for the “God of War III Spartan Army” which grants you access to some exclusive content on the game. God of War III will be available on March 2010 for the Playstation 3.

Oh yes there are screen shots and the game looks beautiful. I want it and I want it now. I haven’t played a Final Fantasy games since, well I can’t remember to be honest.

I hope you enjoy the shots as much as I do.

Final Fantasy VII was released on the Playstation Store last week for $9.99. As expected, the popular RPG is currently the most downloaded content on the digital store for both the PSP and the Playstation 3. Resident Evil: Director’s Cut is second on both storefronts as well.

Hopefully there will be more games released on the PSN, the fact that you don’t have backwards compatibility will probably make it possible for more releases and that this game is still popular after all these years.

The European Capcom website has announced that it will be bundling Monster Hunter Freedom Unite with the Mystic Silver PSP-3000. The main features of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite are:

• The biggest Monster Hunter title to date, with over 500 hours of gameplay
• Huge variety of character customizations, including 1500 weapons and 2000 armor sets
• Players can form a team of up to 4 players through wireless Ad-Hoc play and experience the multiplayer social gaming phenomenon
• “Media Install” option where players can save the game to a memory stick, allowing the game to load from the memory stick and UMD simultaneously for faster loading times
• AI “Felyne” companion who will accompany players on quests and gather extra resources. With the ‘felyne casting’ feature players can share their companions with other players, transferring data using the PSP’s sleep mode.
• Fans of the series can transfer their character data from Monster Hunter Freedom 2 to continue their adventures

Expect this beauty to be released on June 26th across most European territories and will come with a Monster Hunter PSP carry-pouch, screen wipe and Monster Hunter skin which fits right over the PSP, along with the copy of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is due for release on the PSP in just a few weeks. To celebrate the launch of it, Sony have released a playable demo of the game for the PSP. The quickest way to get the demo, is to access the PlayStation Store on your PSP and download the demo directly to your PSP. If you haven’t got WiFi to connect your PSP to, you can also download it from the PlayStation website. Media Go for PSP software is required to download software from the Store, but it’s a quick and simple install. Once the game demo is downloaded, transfer the demo over to the PSP memory stick in the GAME folder.

via

Well girls and boys don’t expect trophies for your psp games anytime soon. You can blame the hackers for that or that Sony still hasn’t wrapped up a secure enough system to implement Trophies on the portable.

Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Network Operations was quoted as saying this when asked about the possibility of Trophies on the PSP :

You’re not going to see Trophies on the PSP.” Lempel continued: “if people can artificially inflate their rankings and amounts of Trophies [then it] kills the whole [Trophy] system.”

Sorry to crush all your hopes and dreams. But really who needs Trophies on the PSP when you can hack it and add themes and let’s not forget CFW. Sorry Sony but you are the ones losing out not the PSP owners.

The lucky guys over at UberGizmo have gotton hold of Sony’s newest portable device which is due for release in October. They’ve given the PSP Go a look over as well as taken several snaps for us to drool over.

The actual product is smaller than it looks in the photos and remains portable. It’s also comfortable to hold and use, while being small and light. Games and apps, ran fast, if not faster than the current PSPs on the market.

Unfortunately the PSP Go doesn’t add a second analogue stick which is a disappointment, especially for FPS fans. The buttons are also described as being on the small side, which could make games such as Guitar Hero, or Tekken difficult as they require a difficult string of buttons and there isn’t really room, for more than one finger.

So just a quick summary of the Sony portion at E3, I worked a long day today and watched bits and clips, but I am surprised there were no big announcements from the Sony camp, or what seemed like big announcements to me.

PLAYSTATION 3 announcements:

PS3 Motion Controller announced and demonstrated. Coming in Spring 2010.

Agent announced for PLAYSTATION 3 from Rockstar Games. PS3 exclusive.

Assassin’s Creed 2 gameplay demo shown and PS3 to PSP interoperability confirmed.

Final Fantasy XIV Online announced. Online MMO game coming in 2010.

Gran Turismo 5 shown.

Trico (The Last Guardian) trailer shown.

ModNation Racers coming in 2010.

God of War 3 first minutes of gameplay shown. 20 minute playable demo at E3. The release date of God of War III was announced for March 2010.

PlayStation Portable announcements:

PSP Go officially announced. Includes 16GB storage, WiFi, Bluetooth. No UMD slot. Available at $249.99 on October 1, 2009.

Media Go announced for PC (media management solution for PSP).

PSP Toolkit reduced 80% to encourage new development on the PSP.

All PSP titles going forward will be released as UMD and digital download.

Gran Turismo for PSP shown. Runs at 60 FPS. Uses Ad Hoc mode to race with up to 4 players. Trading and sharing of cars with other players.

Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker announced. Takes place 10 years after MGS 3, in the 1970s. Coming in 2010.

Resident Evil for PSP announced.

Final Fantasy VII announced for PSP (PSone classic). Available today on PlayStation Store.

Crysis 2 is the second game of the planned Crysis trilogy, and EA has just confirmed it’s destined for the PC, Sony PS3 and Xbox 360.

That’s a big step for developer Crytek, as Crysis 2 will be the first game it’s made for consoles, as well as the first being built using its CryENGINE 3 game engine.

There is no release date for the game as of yet but I am sure more details will come during E3.

I can’t wait to play this as I didn’t get to play the first one, it seemed only NASA computers could get the game running.

Capcom and game developer Foundation 9 are getting ready to release Marvel VS Capcom 2. The classic 2D fighting game is scheduled for a Summer 2009 release on the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade for $14.99 (1200 Microsoft Points). Here’s the latest on Marvel VS Capcom 2, from Capcom:

“Marvel VS Capcom 2 features the biggest roster of challengers to ever square off in a Capcom fighting game, a total of 56 combined brawlers from both the Capcom and Marvel universes. From the world of Capcom comes characters such as Ryu from the Street Fighter® series, Jill Valentine from the Resident Evil® games and unofficial company mascot Mega Man®. Marvel is represented by some of its biggest names, including the Invincible Iron Man, Captain America, the Sentinel of Liberty, and War Machine, Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D. Players can mix and match from both worlds in order to create their own ideal three man/woman/robot/monster team-up.

Marvel VS Capcom 2 is designed to be a gateway for new players to experience the fun of fighting games while providing a deep system for hardcore fighting fans to dig into. Action is based around colorful, exaggerated attacks that include gigantic projectile attacks (such as Ryu’s fireball or Dr. Doom’s Plasma Beam) and high-flying aerial moves (like Spider-Man’s Maximum Spider or Cammy’s Killer Bee Attack). The controls are somewhat simplified from the classic six-button system at the heart of Capcom games like Street Fighter® IV, utilizing a four-button control scheme for the action, with two “assist” buttons that pull in your team members for additional support.

Due to the amazing combination of Marvel and Capcom characters and the game’s celebrated fighting system and graphics, MvC2 has been a hotly sought-after title on the game collector’s circuit. Previously owned copies for older game consoles have been demanding more than $100 in auctions and at specialty video game outlets. Now players who have been desperately searching out used copies of the game will be able to go hands-on and play online with the same great online experience from Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. Additionally, Capcom has added an optional advanced visual filter that improves the overall appearance of the game and added online modes, including Ranked Matches and the popular Player “Quarter” Match, that allows up to four people to watch and chat while two others are battling it out.”

Features of Marvel VS Capcom 2 include:
- Over 50 characters from the Marvel and Capcom Universes!
- 3 on 3 tag-team matches
- New online matching mode, including Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix’s “Quarter Match” mode ; enjoy the arcade experience from your console
- New optional visual filter smoothes out the game’s graphics
- Four button controls introduce new players to fighting games; compatible with the Mad Catz Street Fighter IV joysticks and Fight Pad
- Available for the first time via digital distribution on Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Network

From Capcom

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony (PSP)
While everything is calm on the surface, the world of Lunar is slowly devolving into chaos. The legendary Dragonmaster Dyne and his faithful companions have faded into obscurity only to have a shadowy figure known as the Magic Emperor begin to wreak havoc on the world created by the Goddess Althena. Meanwhile, in a small, humble village far removed from the turmoil in Lunar, lives a young man named Alex. As one who idolizes the legendary Dyne, Alex dreams of one day becoming the next Dragonmaster and matching the accomplishments of his life-long hero. Egged on by his childhood friend Ramus and with his adopted sister Luna in tow, Alex heads off on what seems to be a meaningless adventure, unaware that it would be the first step in an epic journey with the fate of the entire world at stake.

Since it debuted over a decade ago, Lunar: Silver Star Story has continuously captivated fans with its timeless tale of love, betrayal and redemption, expertly woven into its involving gameplay and cinematic presentation. The classic masterpiece has now been reborn on the PSP as Lunar: Silver Star Harmony with all new graphics, added gameplay features, and a re-mastered soundtrack so a whole new generation of fans can experience this legendary first entry of the Lunar universe, while added story elements are sure to intrigue returning fans alike. This title is being developed by Game Arts and is scheduled to be released Fall 2009 exclusively for the PSP.

Half-Minute Hero (PSP)
For centuries, an epic battle between humans and evil lords has been raging and destroying everything in its path. The civilized world is under attack by the relentless evil lord and all that remains are ruins of castles and the bodies of faithful knights who once proudly protected them. Throughout time, heroes and legends have risen above the chaos, only to eventually disappear into the ashes. As the last wandering sage and final hope for humanity, it is up to the protagonist to somehow transcend time and death to unite these legends and their unique powers in one last battle against the Ultimate Evil Lord.

An unorthodox approach to traditional RPGs, Half-Minute Hero combines adventure, an epic storyline, legendary characters and a punishing countdown clock to destruction, to create an adrenaline pumping experience that will blow past conventional fantasy games. Choose between four modes of accelerated gameplay, each complete with original quests, enemies and attacks. Hero Mode consists of random battles with classic RPG leveling-up elements, Evil Lord Mode involves a high degree of strategy to summon the appropriate monsters against the varying oncoming enemies, Princess Mode involves fast-paced shooting action as you guide the princess safely to and from her castle, and Knight Mode challenges the player to protect the sage in any way possible, including carrying the sage away from danger, clinging to monsters to halt their movement, or even throwing yourself at enemies to cause physical damage. Each of the gameplay modes contains 30 stages in which players have 30 seconds, or a half-minute, to complete their tasks. Retaining the charm inherent in classic RPGs, Half-Minute Hero is a breakneck foray into an ancient land of monsters and magic, 30 seconds at a time. XSEED Games partnered with Marvelous Entertainment USA to secure the North American rights to publish and distribute Half-Minute Hero. This title is being developed by Opus Studio and is scheduled to be released Fall 2009 exclusively for the PSP.

FRAGILE: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (Wii)
Seto is an extremely special young boy; he may be the last remaining human being alive on the planet. As Seto searches through the eerily calm and beautiful ruins of a civilization lost, he comes across a mysterious girl named Ren, who quickly scurries away from him despite possibly being the only other living human in the world. As he struggles to locate Ren and search for other survivors, he must also fight off the ghosts and demons that haunt this forsaken land and piece together the mystery behind the disappearance of mankind.

In FRAGILE: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, players will explore a dark and abandoned world with the aid of their Wii Remote™ that functions as a flashlight and as a proximity sensor to track invisible ghosts. The highly cinematic presentation, coupled with an emotive soundtrack, bring the narrative of a lonely and lost soul to life as players encounter memorable characters and discover the back story behind scavenged items that provide insight on people’s last days before the apocalypse. FRAGILE: Farewell Ruins of the Moon is scheduled to be released Winter 2009 exclusively for Wii.

Arc Rise Fantasia (Wii)
From Marvelous Entertainment and Image Epoch, the same partnership that created the highly lauded Luminous Arc, comes Arc Rise Fantasia, an epic RPG developed exclusively for Wii. Arc Rise Fantasia is a product of old and new, combining gorgeous graphics with modern gameplay while bringing classic Japanese high fantasy role-playing action involving airships and dragons, exclusively to the platform. Arc Rise Fantasia is scheduled for release Winter 2009.

Flower, Sun, and Rain (DS)
Flower, Sun, and Rain is a unique mystery adventure from the legendary twisted mind behind No More Heroes, Suda51. Originally released on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and having quickly gained notoriety for its eccentricity, Flower, Sun, and Rain had never previously been available outside of Japan. This updated Nintendo DS release features all the creative quirks that made the original a cult hit while adding Touch Screen functionality and 50 new puzzles in what’s sure to please loyal fans of the original version. Flower, Sun, and Rain is scheduled to start shipping to retailers on June 16, 2009.

JU-ON: The Grudge (Wii)
It is said that when a person dies with a deep, burning grudge, a curse is born. This title is based on JU-ON, the Japanese inspiration for the hit horror film, The Grudge, with the original director, Takashi Shimizu, acting as a consultant on game development. JU-ON: The Grudge is billed as the first “Haunted House Simulator” where accessibility and instant scares are given priority over all other gameplay aspects. Using the Wii Remote™ as a flashlight, players more forward with the touch of a button and explore haunted areas such as an abandoned warehouse, a dimly-lit hospital, and a mannequin factory. Much like a haunted house, the player must proceed forward even after being frightened and knowing that even more horrible surprises await. JU-ON: The Grudge is scheduled to be released in October 2009.

Little King’s Story (Wii)
Little King’s Story has an art style that is very ‘story-book’ in look and a magical fairy tale quality that will intrigue and delight gamers. The storyline, visual look, and lyrical music of Little King’s Story, work in concert to transport players to an interactive, enchanting, fairy tale world. By combining gameplay elements from life-simulation, real-time strategy, and adventure genres, the many aspects of creating a vast kingdom come to life! As King, players will manage and involve their townspeople in the goal of improving and expanding their kingdom by enlisting them to dig for treasure, clear away obstacles, and otherwise better their community. Of course, leadership is a two-way street, so as King, players will try to grant as many requests from the townspeople as possible while striving to conquer rival nations to create a single unified kingdom. The game transforms the Wii Remote™ to a royal scepter and offers players the chance to be the best king in the world! Little King’s Story will be released July 2009.

Ragnarok Online (DS)
Ragnarok Online DS is based on the worldwide PC MMO phenomenon, and brings the same addictive gameplay of customization and exploration to the Nintendo DS platform that has attracted more than 3 million registered users in North America. In Ragnarok Online DS, players upgrade their characters’ armor and weapons as well as earning Status and Skill Points each time they gain a level. These points can be used to further customize your battle party to best suit your playing style. Staying true to the community and teamwork for which Ragnarok Online is renowned, the DS version allows players to team up with two other friends wirelessly to take on the Mirage Tower which includes over 50 floors, randomly generated maps, and the chance to obtain rare items. Ragnarok Online DS will be available Winter 2009 exclusively for the DS.

Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga (Wii)
Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga is an epic adventure RPG available exclusively on Wii. It is the follow up title to the original Valhalla Knights and Valhalla Knights 2, and expands upon the series by introducing a new online feature that allows two players to adventure through the land of Eldar co-operatively. Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga continues the series trademark of no random encounters while updating the real-time battle system to now include battles taking place on the world map instead of a separate battle screen for a seamless experience. Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga will be available Summer 2009.

From XSEED Games

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be developing and publishing games based on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The first Lord of the Rings game coming from Warner Bros. is The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest. It’s a third-person adventure headed to the Wii, PS2, DS and PSP.

Details on Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment :

“In The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest, preparations are underway in Hobbiton for a great party to welcome Aragorn, King of Gondor, and honor Samwise Gamgee for his service during the War of the Ring. The children of the town are eager to learn more of this great man and so Samwise, now Mayor, embarks on a tale of the revered warrior, Strider—as Aragorn is known in his Ranger days—and his most valiant battles. Players assume the role of Aragorn and embark on his greatest quests from The Lord of the Rings trilogy as they wield his sword, bow or spear on foot and on horseback through an action-packed gameplay experience. On the Wii platform, two-player co-op gameplay featuring Gandalf will allow kids, families and friends to work together in the heart of the action.”

I have never played a LOTR game and honestly I don’t think I ever will. They look cool and like they could be a lot of fun this one included!

How lucky can PS3 owners get? Game publisher Natsume announed that they will be publishing Afrika for PLAYSTATION 3 gamers in North America. The game, or photography simulator, was released in Japan on August 28, 2008. Now you’ll soon be able to play as a photojournalist, out on a mission for that perfect virtual shot.

“We are very excited to be releasing “AFRIKA” in North America, and thrilled to be working with Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios,” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume. “The team has put an incredible amount of work into replicating the African safari experience, and the results are simply breathtaking.”

About Afrika, from Natsume:

“In “AFRIKA”, players step into the role of a freelance photographer exploring a brand new conservation area. They’ll document the wildlife and photograph incredible sights such as a titanic clash between hippopotamuses, a pride of lions watching over its playful cubs, and a cheetah’s lightning-fast chase as it runs down its prey! All of the game’s animals and environments are rendered in photorealistic detail with animals that move, behave, and interact with each other just like their real-world counterparts.

The photography in the game is as meticulously modeled as the animals themselves; players will need to learn from the game’s innovative photo-grading system and compose their photographs with the eye of a professional photographer if they want to earn top dollar. The money they earn can be used to purchase new licensed lenses, cameras, and safari equipment. If players are good enough, they just might find their photograph on the cover of National Geographic.

Produced in cooperation with National Geographic, “AFRIKA” features a wealth of information about each of its animals, including footage and photographs from the magazine!”

I don’t know about you but this is a game I could get into, if I owned a PS3 that is. Watch for Afrika to be available in early fall 2009

Some screenshots from God of War 3 have surfaced and you may have seen them before but so what? I haven’t posted news in a bit so this is what you are getting. They are amazing and I almost want a PS3.

It only will make you anticipate the PS3 game, and have you thirsting for more from E3.

A new LEGO Star Wars game is coming out, but it won’t be on gaming systems. The good news is it will be free and the first playable demo is online now. It’s LEGO Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2 and you can play it now here

About LEGO Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2, from developer Three Melons:

“It begins when, lost in space, R2-D2 starts emitting a distress call without knowing that his signal contains the blueprints to build a powerful secret starship. Whoever can amplify that signal will get both the droid location and this unique new weapon! Players can choose to join either side of the Clone Wars conflict and fight their way to victory. If you’re wondering if Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi and Count Dooku will be in it, the answer is yes! You’ll also get to show off your light saber skills.

The full game will consist of fifteen levels to be released throughout the year, which will include an asynchronous multiplayer option and a few other special features.