E3 10: Sony Conference

And the last major company conference recap is here. Microsoft was lack-luster, Nintendo impressed... so how did Sony fair?

Gameplay montage shown to start the show

Killzone 3
- Live demo shown in 3D
- Graphically it's still ridiculously amazing
- Coming February 2011
- Functional with PlayStation Move at launch

Other 3D games
- MotorStorm Apocalypse
- Gran Turismo 5
- The Sly Collection
- Crysis 2
- Mortal Kombat
- Tron: Evolution
- amongst other 1st and 3rd Party games

PlayStation Move
- Available in Europe September 15
- Available in North America September 19
- Available in Eapan October 21
- Move controller alone for $49.99
- Analog controller for $29.99
- Move with PSEye and Sports Champions for $99
- Move, PSEye, Sports Champions, and 120 GB PS3 for $399

Sorcery
- 3rd Person Action/Adventure game
- 1:1 wand control
- Move's bulb changes color to indicate actions
- Coming Spring 2011

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
- Yawn... show more exclusives please
- Wii golf in HD basically
- Update available via PSN at launch

Heroes on the Move
- Combines Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, and Sly Cooper
- Action/Avdenture game featuring Move control

Kevin Butler just appeared on stage, talking trash about Cirque du Soleil and Kinect; gives a speech about Move and PS3.

Montage of Move games shown, but I lost track. And a reveal of PSP's new, Kevin Butler-esque "Step Your Game Up." ad campaign.

God of War: Ghost of Sparta
- For PSP from Ready At Down Studios
- Releasing "later this year"

Another game montage shown, this time of recently released and coming soon PSP titles.

PlayStation Network
- Season 2 of The Tester starts casting today for a premiere this fall
- Entire E3 2010 booth has been recreated for Home

LittleBigPlanet 2
- Able to make games from nearly every genre
- Looks pretty damn fantastic
- But, we saw the trailer already, so it's not anything shocking anymore

PlayStation Plus
- New subscription service, on top of all the already free features
- Early access to demos and betas, and 'free' PSN games (PSN games, Minis, and PSone titles) and PSN discounts
- Full year for $49.99 or 3-Months for $17.99
- First three months free for a limited time
- Will include Qore subscription
- All content lasts for the duration of your subscription

Medal of Honor
- Releases October 12, 2010
- PS3 limited edition includes HD remake of Medal of Honor: Frontline

Dead Space 2
- Live demo shown, continuing from last night's EA conference
- PS3 exclusive comes with Dead Space: Extraction, now with Move support

Portal 2
- Notable PS3 hater Gabe Newell appears!
- Utilizes Steam Cloud and automatic updates, making it 'the best version' for consoles
- New trailer shown
- Coming 2011
- Now I regret getting excited about Steam for Mac, since it runs poorly

Final Fantasy XIV Online
- New trailer shown

Mafia II
- PS3 exclusive content available free at launch

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
- PS3 version will have exclusive mission pack and multiplayer beta
- New trailer shown
- Releases November 16th, 2010

Yet another gameplay montage is shown.

Gran Turismo 5
- New trailer shown
- Releases November 2, 2010
- Fully 3D at launch

inFAMOUS 2
- New trailer shown
- Character has hair now, congrats
- And ice power in addition to electricity

Twisted Metal
- Sweettooth and his truck are on-stage
- From David Jaffe's Eat.Sleep.Play. studio
- Releasing next year
- Live demo shown
- Adds flight to the series

And... that's it, I guess.

The Move pricing seems somewhat reasonable considering the functionality it adds, and considering a standard DualShock 3 runs for $50. But, asking $30 for the analog controller seems excessive... and that's $30 on top of $99 if you don't already have a PSEye, which is basically everyone, making it a $130 investment for a complete 1 player package. But hey, at least they gave us a price and release date, which can't be said for Microsoft and Kinect.

Not a bad conference, but it dragged on a lot, and I could've done without all the montages. Plus, aside from Portal 2, there weren't any big surprises. I'm just really mad that The Last Guardian wasn't even shown or mentioned. Like, that's really the one PS3 title I've wanted to see more of, and it wasn't even muttered...

PixelJunk Shooter Review

I bought Monsters far too late to review it, and Eden I bought at release but never got around to reviewing it. But I'm not going to let that happen to Q-Games' latest entry into the PixelJunk series, PixelJunk Shooter, and perhaps my most favorite game in the series yet.

Just a slight note, the screens SCEA had available are from what seems to be a really early build of the game. For a better reflection of how the game actually looks, check the video I recorded and included in this review.

Story
Because of the nature of the PixelJunk games, story has never been a huge factor. In this sense, Shooter is no different, although there's actually some sort of back story this time around that deals with a group of scientists investigating a mysterious planet, and it's up to you to rescue them. Nothing inventive, but something that gives the player motivation and something that gives the game a point.

Gameplay
The gameplay of PixelJunk Shooter relies not only on the titular shooting mechanics, but also puzzle solving with elements. The game itself is divided into three 'episodes,' each with their own levels, and each level is divided into sections. With each episode comes new elements and mechanics to deal with; so while the games first chapter only deals with lava and water, come the game's second chapter you'll be dealing with lava, ice, water, and gas, and figuring out how they all interact. But you're not just going around messing with elements, and fighting off enemies, but you'll also be rescuing scientists and collecting treasure. Come the end of each episode there's a huge boss battle, but they rely as much of the elemental features as they do with shooting... making the name more fitting.


Control-wise the game is quite simple. L1 and L2 (you're choice) are used to pick up scientists and items, and R1 and R2 (once again, it's preference) are used to shoot; flight is controlled with the left stick, and the angle at which you shoot is on the right stick, and it seems to work with ease. If anything, I found the gameplay and the progression of Shooter to be much more user friendly than that of Monsters and Eden. It really bothered me that for games that relied on simplicity would become so frustrating/unforgiving at early points in the game; Shooter has seemingly remedied that issue by having no time restraints, brutal enemies, or life limits. These may put off gamers looking for a challenge, but if I'm going to spend $10+ on a game, I should at least be able to enjoy it instead of being enraged by it, so I'm happy. Heck, it's the first PixelJunk game I've not only been able to beat, but actually earn a Trophies in.

The game also includes a two-player mode and a Remote Play mode. Since I still don't have a second DualShock 3, I wasn't able to try out the multiplayer (it's local only, the only online feature is leaderboards like in Monsters and Eden). But, I have a PSP, so I tried out Remote Play. While the game still looks decent, minus the compression from streaming, it plays a bit differently, mainly due to the PSP's lack of a second analog stick/nub which is crucial to the regular gameplay. Instead, when you move the nub, the ship will fly and shoot in the same direction, meaning when you're aiming you'll still be flying towards the enemy... which defeats the purpose of avoiding the enemy.

Graphics
Graphically PixelJunk Shooter is much more like Eden than it is Monsters or the flat-3D Racers. The game features an outline-less 2D style, with a unique color-scheme, that all together just looks fantastic when you're playing it in 1080p. The liquid elements, despite being flat, flow like liquid should, and the varying environments and elements between each episode are a treat to see in HD. It's not as much variation as Eden's levels, but at least Shooter offers unique levels in each environment instead of just making you replay the same map for longer. I also appreciated that this is the first game in the PixelJunk series to not use the annoying 'black bar' HUD, instead using a display that feels like it's part of the game. (The screenshot here is from an early version, but you can check the video to see the game's much improved HUD).

Sound
Not the most enticing soundtrack of the PixelJunk series, but the music in Shooter works really well at giving the game the right mood for exploring the depths of a planet. But as I said before, unlike Eden, which had 10+ different environments, Shooter only has you playing in 3 majorly different settings, and because of that a lot of the music repeats. Sound effect wise... the monsters in the game don't have unique cries or noises when they attack, and the ship can't really make much noise. If there's any sound that amusing to hear it's the sound of the scientists being killed, sure it indicates that you won't get a 100% score, but it's the cutest death cry ever!

Final Thoughts
I definitely enjoyed playing through PixelJunk Shooter, and I have all the intention of completely the game 100%, which is something I can't say about Eden and Monsters despite enjoying them a lot. Maybe it's because the Trophies are actually achievable without getting angry or having to change a difficulty setting (which doesn't exist in Shooter, but the other two games had them patched in). Or maybe it's the fact that the game is the first I've bough that has PlayStation Home rewards for completing certain (though I have no clue) objectives. But regardless, PixelJunk Shooter is definitely my most favorite in the series so far, and I'm looking forward to the inevitable Encore expansion.

Overall Score: 9.2/10

For more gameplay footage visit VFHvideo on YouTube.

LittleBigPlanet PSP Review

Okay, so this review is a month late, but I've been really busy lately and I didn't want another case like I had with the PS3 version of LittleBigPlanet, where I really hyped the game with news and previews, and I really really liked the game after buying it, but never actually got around to writing a proper review for it. So, I hope this makes up for lost times, as I will be discussing the PS3 version in comparison to this new PSP version. And yes, this is surprisingly new VFH's first PSP review...

Story
Like the original PS3 version of LittleBigPlanet, there's a story mode that basically gives you a bunch of levels inspired by real world locales. So you'll have your Australian outback levels, mystical Asian levels, Scandinavia, Hollywood, etc. Unlike the PS3 game though, the story doesn't get all strangely dark at the end, no kidnapping and imagination destroying sub-plots. Instead LBP PSP's story involves you getting the world's Creator Curators together for a big carnival... so, oddly enough the game's final levels are much easier than you would expect, where as the PS3 game would destroy you in its final moments.

Gameplay
This is where the game really shines, as one would hope. For someone that played (and still kind of does) the heck out of the PS3 version, I was honestly stunned how the gameplay was replicated onto Sony's much less powerful portable system. Of course, there are differences, the main and probably most detracting cut is the removal of any sort of multiplayer. If you're someone like myself that still doesn't own a second controller for your PS3, then this may not feel so terrible (although I used to frequently play with strangers online). But if you're used to playing with a group of friends, sadly, you won't be able to do that on the go, or in the car. However, there are some online capabilities, such as transferring levels between PSPs, and downloading user created levels online. Which, unlike the PS3 version, you can now save user created levels to your Memory Stick (or HDD for PSPgo users) and play them without being online, which is actually pretty awesome.

But I can't just sit here and gripe about there not being multiplayer, I still have to talk about why this game is fantastic. As I said, it plays just like the PS3 game, but scaled down for technical reasons. The first thing that confused me was how LBP PSP only have 2 fields of depth to the levels, where as the PS3 original had 3; I got used to it eventually, but it kind of dumbs down the puzzle creativity and level design. Also, there are some control tweaks, since the PSP lacks the second analog stick, and motion controls, SackPeople can't express themselves as freely, instead each emotion has a series of 4 taunts that can be activated by holding L and pressing the D-pad. Otherwise, gameplay is just like the original, which is great.

Now, the main aspect of LittleBigPlanet is level creation and customization. In terms of changing your SackPerson, it's pretty much the same when in a level, but outside of levels there's no longer a Pod, so you must go into a demo level of sort, just to change clothes, which is kind of annoying. Creation tools for the levels however, are almost exactly like the PS3 version. And being that the PS3 game has since gotten tons of updates, I was happy to see that some of that games more recent updates carried into the PSP game, things like infinite start points (actually, the PSP game doesn't even have the 3-life start points), and refined mechanics are all found here.

Some things that bothered me though was using the materials during level creation. In the PS3 game you could essentially draw endlessly with the analog stick, getting all the right curves and lengths. But the PSP game limits your material directions to a grid, and forces you to only use so much of certain materials; so if you want a big curve, now you need to use the corner editor, which sucks. And in the first few weeks of having the game, there wasn't much online activity, but like the PS3 game I just think it was having slow start.

Graphics
Like the gameplay, I was really surprised and pleased to see just how well the PS3 game transferred onto the PSP's much less powerful hardware. Levels look almost as detailed, the sense of depth from the game's backgrounds are still there, all the various materials and items still have a sense of varied textures, it's really quite impressive. I mean, while there are noticable differences (screenshots will point that out much better), in motion I sometimes can take for granted that I'm playing a PSP game, because it honestly just feels like I am playing my PS3 on a tiny screen, and I can't say I've felt that with any other PSP game before.

Sound
A lot of LittleBigPlanet PSP's sound effects transfer over from the PS3 original, in fact... I think pretty much all of the sound effects in the game came from the first game, I can't say anything really struck me as new other than some of the Creator Curator voices. What doesn't carry over from the PS3 game however is the soundtrack, which while there are some missed tracks (I miss you, Go Team!), it makes sense that the soundtrack is different, as the game visits places unseen in the PS3 game, and such the music must also arrive from other worldly locations. So, there are new tracks to like, and new tracks to hate, but otherwise it all works. Also, Stephen Fry is back as the narrator, which I was really glad to hear, and so should you.

Final Thoughts
There's no denying it, if you loved LittleBigPlanet on the PS3, then you should definitely get the PSP version. It may not have all the latest gadgets and downloadable content (yet? the manual mentions "Purchased Levels" but there's nothing available yet) that has come to the PS3 game, but SCE Studio Cambridge has done a damn fine job of replicating Media Molecules PS3 classic onto the much less powerful PSP, and everyone really needs to play this game to appreciate that. Not many PSP games release at the full $40 anymore, but if anything is worth laying that kind of money down, it's this game.

Overall Score: 9/10

I See What You Did There...

I heard that the LittleBigPlanet packages all formed together, so I went and save everyone the trouble by actually putting the box art next to each other... digitally of course.

The match up between the original LittleBigPlanet and the PSP one is pretty cool. But between the PSP one and the Game of the Year Edition, the effect is kind of lost. But, you've got to thank the design department at Media Molecule for even thinking of something that neat, as I've never really seen it done before. Regardless, I'll probably end up getting the PSP game, so maybe I'll do a real photo of this (and one year later, I'm sorry for never reviewing LBP) ...

TGS 09: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Impressions

No, there's no way I'm at the Tokyo Game Show right now. But I can imagine, thanks to IGN posting the download for the show's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker demo! I'm only a bit in so far, having already completed the tutorial section of the game and watching a cut-scene, but right now I'm stuck, because the language barrier is tremendous.

What can I say right now though? The graphics, are awesome, I've seen worse released on PS2 and Wii if that means anything. Control-wise, Kojima somehow managed to map Metal Gear Solid 4's DualShock 3 control scheme onto the PSP, ditching Portable Ops' controls entirely; it's not full DualShock controls of course, what with the lack of 2nd analog and L2/R2, but it's close enough damnit!

But yeah, the entire demo is in Japanese, from menus to voice acting, so I haven't the slighest clue as to the story or what on Earth I'm supposed to do now. The tutorial, which was reasonably understandable only helped control wise, but in terms of objective I'm lost.

On another note, some cut-scenes are full in-game CGI, while the big stuff is comic style in the vein of what Ashley Wood did for Portable Ops. Oddly enough, the style of these scenes look's like Wood's at first, but then there's a bit of Yoji Shinkawa's style in there, and quite frankly I don't know who's art it really is... it'd be nice to get an answer on that.

When I figure out what to do, I'll update you!

No More Weekly Store Updates

Hello readers, the Fall/Winter season comes upon us, things tend to get busy around here. And, as you may have seen, starting with last night's This Week in Fringe, we're going to have a bigger focus on weekly features and exclusive reviews instead of just reporting news/updates.

For me, one of the biggest pains every week was posting the Nintendo Download, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Live Marketplace weekly updates. Why? Because even though a bulk of it is just copy/paste from the shop update releases themselves, there's a lot of reformatting I need to do for something that most readers can easily just find elsewhere. The XBLM update specifically was most troublesome because it's a case where I have to check daily, and actually search to see what's new each day.

So, starting this week, we will no longer be posting the updates for digital stores. Sorry if this bothers you, but hopefully the increase in original content will be appreciated.

PlayStation Store - 9/17/09

Updates
Lemmings Update (Free)
- Trophies, rumble support

Unbound Saga Price Drop (now $9.99)
Novastrike Price Drop (now $4.99)

Downloadable Games
Interpol: The Trail Of Dr. Chaos ($9.99)
Switchball ($9.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Final Fantasy Tactics ($9.99)
Tomb Raider III ($5.99)

Game Demos (free)
FIFA Soccer 10 Demo
NBA LIVE 10 Demo

Add-on Game Content
Batman Arkham Asylum Insane Night Challenge Map Pack (free)

Guitar Hero
** AFI Track Pack ($5.49)
* “Beautiful Thieves” by AFI ($1.99)
* “Girls Not Grey” by AFI ($1.99)
* “The Missing Frame” by AFI ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Anvil Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “666″— Anvil ($1.99)
* “This Is Thirteen”— Anvil ($1.99)
* “Metal on Metal”— Anvil ($1.99)

* “Hand Me Down World”— The Guess Who ($1.99)
* “No Time”— The Guess Who ($1.99)
* “Rock Your Socks”— Tenacious D ($1.99)
* “Tribute”— Tenacious D ($1.99)
* “Pick Me Up”— Dinosaur Jr ($1.99)
* “The Wagon”— Dinosaur Jr ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
State Shift ($9.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce Pack 5 DLC (free)

Rock Band Unplugged
* “Bring Me to Life”— Evanescence ($1.99)
* “Back from the Dead”— Spinal Tap ($1.99)

Full update at PlayStation.Blog

Why the lack in DLC this week?

PlayStation Store - 9/10/09

First update of the season that I don't have my PS3 around for...

Downloadable Games
TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled ($9.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain ($5.99)
Silent Hill ($5.99)
Syphon Filter 2 ($5.99)

Game Demos (free)
Katamari Forever Demo
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes Demo
TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled – Trial Version

Add-on Game Content
High Velocity Bowling Heather ($0.99)
High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack – Graphic Patterns ($0.99)
High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack – Back To School ($0.99)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Juggernaut Playable Character ($1.99)
PAIN Celebrity Character 2 – George Takei ($1.99)
Red Faction Guerilla Multiplayer Pack 2 ($6.99)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 Gary Player GC ($4.99)
UFC 2009: Undisputed Additional Fighters ($3.99)

Guitar Hero
** Street Sweeper Social Club Track Pack ($5.49)
* “100 Little Curses” ($1.99)
* “Fight! Smash! Win!” ($1.99)
* “Somewhere In The World It’s Midnight” ($1.99)

Rock Band
* Freezepop Pack 01 ($2.99)
* “Science Genius Girl” ($0.99)
* “Less Talk More Rokk” ($0.99)
* “Get Ready 2 Rokk” ($0.99)

* The PAX 2009 Collection ($2.99)
* “Re: Your Brains”— Jonathan Coulton ($0.99)
* “Origin of Species”— MC Frontalot ($0.99)
* “Opening Band”— Paul and Storm ($0.99)

* “Miss Murder”— AFI ($1.99)
* “Gasoline”— Audioslave ($1.99)
* “Kryptonite”— 3 Doors Down ($1.99)
* “ABC”— The Jackson 5 ($1.99)


PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
WipEout Pulse ($22.99)
Wild Arms XF ($29.99)

Game Demos (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Half-Minute Hero Demo

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “Love Spreads”— The Stone Roses ($1.99)
* “I Stand Alone”— Godsmack ($1.99)

Full update at PlayStation.Blog

PlayStation Store - 9/3/09

This is the first update for September, the first update for the v3.00 firmware, and probably the first update for most PS3 Slim buyers. Oh, and I finally edited every post to use 'PlayStation' instead of 'Playstation'... anyways:

Qore
Qore Annual Subscription: September 2009 ($24.99)
Qore Episode 16: September 2009 ($2.99)

Downloadable Games
NBA 2K10: Draft Combine ($4.99)
Battle Tanks ($9.99)

Capcom Super Pack ($49.99)
* Super Street Fighter II HD Remix
* FLOCK!
* Age of Booty
* 1942: Joint Strike
* Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
* Super Puzzle Fighter 2 HD Remix
* Rocketmen: Axis of Evil
* Rocketmen: It Came from Uranus

Capcom Combo Pack ($29.99)
* 1942: Joint Strike
* Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
* Super Puzzle Fighter 2 HD Remix
* Rocketmen: Axis of Evil
* Rocketmen: It Came from Uranus

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Cool Boarders 3 ($5.99)

Game Demos (Free)
Fight Night Round 4 Demo #2
NBA 2K10: Draft Combine Demo

Add-on Game Content
FEAR 2: Project Origin Reborn Map Pack ($9.99)

PAIN
**Space Character Bundle ($1.99)
* Space Monkey Character ($0.99)
* Space Mime Character ($0.99)
* Space Granny Character ($0.99)

Guitar Hero
** The Rolling Stones Live Track Pack ($8.99)
* “I’m Free (Live)” by The Rolling Stones ($1.99)
* “Prodigal Son (Live)” by The Rolling Stones ($1.99)
* “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Live)” by The Rolling Stones ($1.99)
* “Under My Thumb (Live)” by The Rolling Stones ($1.99)
* “You Gotta Move (Live)” by The Rolling Stones ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Talking Heads Pack 01 ($8.49)
* “And She Was”— Talking Heads ($1.99)
* “Crosseyed and Painless”— Talking Heads ($1.99)
* “Girlfriend Is Better”— Talking Heads ($1.99)
* “Once in a Lifetime”— Talking Heads ($1.99)
* “Take Me to the River”— Talking Heads ($1.99)

* “Bat Country”— Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
* “Supersonic (Live)”— Oasis ($1.99)
* “Guerrilla Radio”— Rage Against the Machine ($1.99)
* “Going Underground”— The Jam ($1.99)
* “Town Called Malice”— The Jam ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Patapon ($15.99)
Fate/Unlimited Codes ($29.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “Lucid Dreams”— Franz Ferdinand ($1.99)
* “Riad N’ the Bedouins”— Guns N’ Roses ($1.99)

Full update at PlayStation.Blog

Playstation Store - 8/28/09

Hey, at least it wasn't me that was late this time, thanks Sony...

Downloadable Games
Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao ($14.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
CoolBoarders 2 ($5.99)
Tomb Raider 2 ($5.99)
SimCity 2000 ($5.99)

Game Demos (Free)
WET Demo
DiRT 2 Demo
NHL 10 Demo
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin Demo

Add-on Game Content
Fight Night Round 4 Champions Pack ($4.99)
LittleBigPlanet Artist Vera Bee Sticker Pack ($1.99)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Tatooine Mission Pack ($9.99)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 Wolf Creek ($4.99)
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen Maps & Characters DLC ($9.99)

Crash Commando
* Add-On Bundle ($4.99)
* Heist Map Pack ($2.99)
* Character Pack 1 ($1.99)
* Character Pack 2 ($1.99)
* Character Pack 3 ($1.99)

Cross Edge
* Add TP ($1.99)
* Add G ($1.99)
* Add EP ($1.99)
* Add PP 1 ($1.99)
* Add PP 2 ($1.99)

Rock Band
* “Mony Mony”— Billy Idol ($1.99)
* “Rebel Yell”— Billy Idol ($1.99)
* “Don’t Stop”— Fleetwood Mac ($1.99)
* “World Turning”— Fleetwood Mac ($1.99)
* “She’s a Genius”— Jet ($1.99)
* “I Won’t Back Down”— Tom Petty ($1.99)
* “Runnin’ Down a Dream”— Tom Petty ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “Black Sunshine”— White Zombie ($1.99)
* “She’s Not There”— The Zombies ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Worth the wait? Eh.. maybe not.

Playstation Store - 8/20/09

So what's Sony got in store for my birthday? (tomorrow actually)

Downloadable Games
Smash Cars ($14.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Bloody Roar ($5.99)

Game Demos (Free)
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey Demo
Mini Ninjas Demo

Add-on Game Content
PAIN Celebrity Character Andy Dick ($1.99)
Zen Pinball Street Fighter II Tribute Table ($2.49)

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
** All Additional Colors ($4.99)
* Additional Colors (Type A) ($1.99)
* Additional Colors (Type B) ($1.99)
* Additional Colors (Type C) ($1.99)

* Unlimited Hakumen ($0.99)
* Unlimited Rachel ($0.99)
* Unlimited V-13 ($0.99)
* Unlimited Ragna ($0.99)

Cross Edge
* Service Point Pack (free)
* Open Voice ($1.99)
* Open Gallery ($1.99)
* Beauty & Beast Pack ($1.99)
* Exotic Pack ($1.99)
* Thanks for Waiting Pack ($1.99)
* Strongest (in a Way) Pack ($1.99)
* Lots of Legends Pack ($1.99)

Guitar Hero World Tour
* “Dueling Banjos” by Steve Ouimette ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Foo Fighters Pack 02 ($5.49)
* “I’ll Stick Around”— Foo Fighters ($1.99)
* “Lonely As You”— Foo Fighters ($1.99)
* “All My Life”— Foo Fighters ($1.99)

* “There’s No Other Way” — Blur ($1.99)
* “No Rain” — Blind Melon ($1.99)
* “Inside Out” — Eve 6 ($1.99)
* “I’m Shipping up to Boston” — Dropkick Murphys ($1.99)
* “I Predict a Riot” — Kaiser Chiefs ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games
Warriors Orochi ($14.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)

Rock Band Unplugged
* “Heartbreaker” — Pat Benatar ($1.99)
* “A Favor House Atlantic” — Coheed and Cambria ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Ok, seriously, what's the big deal with Cross Edge and all of DLC available each week? It's absurd!

Playstation Store - 8/13/09

The Xbox 360 may be getting a ton of older games available digitally this week, but what does Sony have in store?

Downloadable Games
Marvel Vs Capcom 2 ($14.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Dead In The Water ($5.99)
Ten Pin Alley ($5.99)
Tomb Raider ($9.99)

Game Demos
Marvel Vs Capcom 2 Demo

Add-on Game Content
Disgaea 3 DLC Complete Set ($49.99)
Madden NFL 10 Packs and Upgrades (x27) ($0.50 – $9.99)
Red Faction Guerrilla Demons of the Badlands Pack 1 ($9.99)

Cross Edge
* Big Strong Pack ($1.99)
* Additional Dungeon 5 (free)
* Edge Stew Pack ($1.99)
* Unspoken Fear Pack ($1.99)

Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires
* Arabian Armor Set (women) (free)
* Wa Armor Set (women) (free)
* Mystic Armor Set (men) (free)
* Shinobi Armor Set (men) (free)

LittleBigPlanet
* MM Originals Pack 2 Historical ($3.99)
** Historical Costume Pack ($2.99)
* Ada Lovelace Costume ($0.99)
* Boudicca Costume ($0.99)
* Ghengis Khan Costume ($0.99)
* Mozart Costume ($0.99)

PAIN
* Knockin’ Bloks Mode ($1.99)
* Museum Environment ($5.99)
* Smooth Jarvis Character (free)

Guitar Hero World Tour
** Activision Music Track Pack (free)
* “Nothing All The Time” by H is Orange
* “The Silence is Deafening” by Awaken
* “I’ll Never Know” by Hundred Reasons

Rock Band
** Gorillaz Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Clint Eastwood”— Gorillaz ($1.99)
* “Feel Good Inc.”— Gorillaz ($1.99)
* “Re-Hash”— Gorillaz ($1.99)

* “Piece of My Heart”— Janis Joplin ($1.99)
* “Chest Fever (Live)”— The Band ($1.99)
* “Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)”— The Who ($1.99)
* “White Rabbit”— Jefferson Airplane ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “The Number of the Beast”— Iron Maiden ($1.99)
* “The Trooper”— Iron Maiden ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Finally, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, though I'm debating whether to get the "retail" package or just get it digitally... otherwise, I think Xbox wins out this week in terms of game content (albeit not new and over-priced).

Playstation Store - 8/6/09

First update of August, let's get to it!

Qore
Qore Annual Subscription: August 2009 ($24.99)
Qore Episode 15: August 2009 ($2.99)

Downloadable Games
Crystal Defenders ($9.99)
TV Show King ($9.99)

Game Demos
Rag Doll Kung Fu Demo
Batman: Arkham Asylum Demo
Crystal Defenders Demo
Worms Demo

Add-on Game Content
Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 ($9.99)
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Old West Map Pack ($9.99)
Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires Additional Music Set 3 (free)
GTI Club Plus ($1.99)
LittleBigPlanet inFamous Costumes Pack ($1.99)
Savage Moon Waldgeist Add-On ($4.99)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 Cog Hill Golf & CC ($4.99)

Cross Edge
* Latest Technology Pack ($1.99)
* Pretty Little Pack ($1.99)
* Trial Edition Pack (free)
* Additional Dungeon 4 (free)
* Enigma Synth Pack (2) (free)

Guitar Hero World Tour
* “Camel’s Night Out” by Eric Johnson ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Spinal Tap’s TAP TEN – ($17.99)
* “America” ($1.99)
* “Big Bottom” ($1.99)
* “Cups and Cakes” ($1.99)
* “(Funky) Sex Farm” ($1.99)
* “Gimme Some Money” ($1.99)
* “Heavy Duty” ($1.99)
* “Hell Hole” ($1.99)
* “(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee)” ($1.99)
* “Rock ‘n’ Roll Creation” ($1.99)
* “Stonehenge” ($1.99)
* “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Dynasty Warriors ($14.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show
* Musicians Wardrobe Add-On (free)
* Moment Maker Special Effects Add-On (free)
* Stage Prop Add-On (free)
* Fashions Add-On (free)

Rock Band Unplugged
* “Had a Dad”— Jane’s Addiction ($1.99)
* “Renegade”— Styx ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Definitely going to get the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo; can't really say anything else intrigues me.

Playstation Store - 7/30/09

Last update of July is...

Downloadable Games
Fat Princess ($14.99)
Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 2 ($14.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Spec Ops: Airborne Commando ($5.99)

Game Demos
Madden NFL 10 Demo
Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 2 Demo

Add-on Game Content
Rag Doll Kung Fu Time Saver DLC ($1.99)

Cross Edge
* Enigma Synth Pack (1) (free)
* Hero Pack ($0.99)
* It’ll Come in Handy Pack ($0.99)
* This is Equipment Pack ($0.99)

Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires
* Eclectic Armor Set (men) (free)
* Norse Armor Set (men) (free)
* Priestess Armor Set (women) (free)
* Valkyrie Armor Set (women) (free)

Guitar Hero World Tour
** Knuckle Sandwich Track Pack ($5.49)
* ”Bloodmeat” by Protest the Hero ($1.99)
* ”I’m Shipping up to Boston” by Dropkick Murphys ($1.99)
* ”New Wave” by Against Me! ($1.99)

Rock Band
** KISS Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “100,000 Years (Live)”— KISS ($1.99)
* “Deuce (Live)”— KISS ($1.99)
* “Parasite (Live)”— KISS ($1.99)

** Blink 182 Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Down”— Blink 182 ($1.99)
* “Feeling This”— Blink 182 ($1.99)
* “The Rock Show”— Blink 182 ($1.99)

** Weezer Pack 02 – ($5.49)
* “My Name Is Jonas”— Weezer ($1.99)
* “Pork and Beans”— Weezer ($1.99)
* “Undone – The Sweater Song”— Weezer ($1.99)

* “Out Here All Night”— Damone ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Brave Story: New Traveler ($14.99)
Pocket Pool ($9.99)
Strikers 1945 Plus ($11.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “Funk #49″— James Gang ($1.99)
* “Smooth Criminal”— Alien Ant Farm ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Playstation Store - 7/23/09

Holy crap! why didn't anyone tell me I forgot this?!

Downloadable Games
Shatter ($7.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Spec Ops: Covert Assault ($5.99)
WILD ARMS 2 ($5.99)

Game Demos
Call of Duty: World at War Demo (free)

Add-on Game Content
Cross Edge: Fluffy Synth Pack (free)
Cross Edge: Chicken Prediction Pack (free)
Cross Edge: No Sense of Direction Pack (free)
Cross Edge: Fickle Woman Pack (free)
Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires Additional Music Set 2 DLC (free)
Killzone 2 Napalm & Cordite Pack ($5.99)
Killzone 2 DLC Bundle Pack ($11.99)
Overlord II Battle Rock Pack ($4.99)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10: Banff Springs ($7.50)
Wipeout HD Fury Add-On ($9.99)

Guitar Hero World Tour
** Vagrant Records Track Pack ($5.49)
* “All the World is Mad” – Thrice ($1.99)
* "The Martyr" – Senses Fail ($1.99)
* "Young Cardinal" – Alexisonfire ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Kings of Leon Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Crawl” – Kings of Leon ($1.99)
* “Molly’s Chambers” – Kings of Leon ($1.99)
* “Sex on Fire” – Kings of Leon ($1.99)

** Rancid Track Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Last One to Die” – Rancid ($1.99)
* “Time Bomb” – Rancid ($1.99)
* “Ruby SoHo” – Rancid ($1.99)

** Rise Against Track Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Prayer of the Refugee” – Rise Against ($1.99)
* “Re-Education (Through Labor)” – Rise Against ($1.99)
* “Savior” – Rise Against ($1.99)

* “Sweetness and Light” – Lush ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Tomb Raider: Legend ($12.99)
(Free Theme with Purchase for one week; offer good until 7/31)

Tomb Raider: Anniversary ($12.99)
(Free Theme with Purchase for one week; offer good until 7/31)

Game Demos (free)
DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY DEMO

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Pack #3 (free)

Rock Band Unplugged
* “The Boys are Back in Town” – Thin Lizzy** ($1.99)
* “Casey Jones” – Grateful Dead ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

With my new PSP I'm actually caring if there's content for both systems now... what a strange feeling.

PSP finally!

So, just a quick notice to break up the lack of content in the past few days... I just picked up a PSP-3000 today, making me the only VFH staff member with one now. I previous had an original model PSP for a few months, but it wasn't mine.. anyways.

Point is, now that I actually have a PSP, that means you as the readers can look forward to more PSP content such as reviews, impressions, etc. which is one department I feel we've been lacking in since the start of VFH.

Stay tuned!

Playstation Store - 7/16/09

One Week Sale
WipEout HD (was $19.99, now $14.99!)
Flock! (was $14.99, now $7.49!)
Savage Moon (was $9.99, now $4.99!)
Crash Commando (was $9.99, $4.99!)
PixelJunk Eden (was $9.99, now $4.99!)
Brain Challenge (was $9.99, now $4.99!)
3 on 3 NHL Arcade (was $9.99, now $4.99!)

Downloadable Games
Namco Museum Essentials ($9.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Spec Ops: Ranger Elite ($5.99)

Game Demos (Free)
Trash Panic Demo
FUEL Demo
Namco Museum Essentials Trial

Add-on Game Content
Cross Edge Bromidic Pack (free)
Cross Edge Defense Is Offense Pack 1 (free)
Cross Edge Defense Is Offense Pack 2 (free)
NCAA Football 2010 Add-Ons (x17) ($1.25 - $12.50)

Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires
* Desert Armor Set (Men) (free)
* Lion Armor Set (Men) (free)
* Paladin Armor Set (Women) (free)
* Shaman Armor Set (Women) (free)

LittleBigPlanet
** Ghostbusters Costume Pack ($5.99)
* Ghostbusters Uniform Costume ($1.99)
* Ghostbusters StayPuft Marshmallow Man Costume ($1.99)
* Ghostbusters Slimer Costume ($1.99)
* “No Ghosts” Logo Costume ($1.99)

Guitar Hero World Tour
** Eagles of Death Metal Track Pack ($5.49)
* “Anything ‘Cept The Truth” by Eagles of Death Metal ($1.99)
* “Cherry Cola” by Eagles of Death Metal ($1.99)
* “I Only Want You” by Eagles of Death Metal ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Judas Priest Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Dissident Aggressor (Live)”— Judas Priest ($1.99)
* “Eat Me Alive (Live)”— Judas Priest ($1.99)
* “Prophecy (Live)”— Judas Priest ($1.99)

** Third Man Records - The Dead Weather Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Hang You from the Heavens”— The Dead Weather ($1.99)
* “No Hassle Night”— The Dead Weather ($1.99)
* “Treat Me Like Your Mother”— The Dead Weather ($1.99)

** Big Dipper Pack 01 ($2.99)
* “All Going Out Together”— Big Dipper ($0.99)
* “She’s Fetching”— Big Dipper ($0.99)
* “Younger Bums”— Big Dipper ($0.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This? ($19.99)
MYST ($14.99)
Unbound Saga ($14.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “My Curse”— Killswitch Engage ($1.99)
* “My Iron Lung”— Radiohead ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Well then, not too shabby for fans of Rock Band, Ghostbusters, and LittleBigPlanet. Also, I highly suggest you buy PixelJunk Eden while it's on sale, if you haven't already; it was worth the $9.99 back when I got it, and now that Eden Encore is out, you have no reason not to buy both.

Also, there's an update for Playstation Home today, including a brand new design/upgrade for the Mall, and there's some new Home Spaces as well!

Playstation Store - 7/9/09

Downloadable Games
Buzz Jr. Robo Jam ($4.99)
Battlefield: 1943 (Limited Time Offer: Bundled with Theme) ($14.99)

PSone Classics (PS3 / PSP)
Spec Ops: Stealth Patrol ($5.99)
XS Junior League Soccer ($5.99)

Game Demos
Battlefield 1943 Demo
Ghostbusters Demo

Add-on Game Content
Midnight Club Los Angeles South Central Ultimate Content Pack ($12.50)
MotorStorm Pacific Rift Adrenaline Expansion ($9.99)
Skate 2 Maloof Money Cup Pack ($2.99)

Cross Edge
* New Costume Set 2 ($3.99)
* Additional Dungeon 3 (free)
* Fresh Heart Pack (free)
* Power Up Pack + (free)
* Stone SP Synth Pack (free)

Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires
* Additional Music Set 1 (free)
* Artemis Armor Set (women) (free)
* Kempo Armor Set (men) (free)
* Queen Armor Set (women) (free)
* Empires Royal Armor Set (men) (free)

Guitar Hero World Tour
** Victory Track Pack ($5.49)
* “I Am The Arsonist” by Silverstein ($1.99)
* “Bomb The World” by The Sleeping ($1.99)
* “NJ Legion Iced Tea” by A Day To Remember ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Green Day Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “21 Guns”— Green Day ($1.99)
* “East Jesus Nowhere”— Green Day ($1.99)
* “Know Your Enemy”— Green Day ($1.99)

** Mayhem Tour 2009 Pack 01 ($13.49)
* “Black Magic” by Slayer ($1.99)
* “Conquer All” by Behemoth ($1.99)
* “Disposable Teens” by Marilyn Manson ($1.99)
* “Embedded” by Job for a Cowboy ($1.99)
* “Empire of the Gun” by God Forbid ($1.99)
* “Hammer Smashed Face” by Cannibal Corpse ($1.99)
* “This Is Exile” by Whitechapel ($1.99)
* “What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse” by Black Dahlia Murder ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Samurai Warriors: State of War ($14.99)
Ultimate Board Game Collection ($9.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “Here Comes Your Man” by Pixies ($1.99)
* “Pride and Joy” by Stevie Ray Vaughn ($1.99)
* “Still Alive” by GLaDOS and Jonathan Coulton (free)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Hmm, I guess last week's "Still Alive" was an error?

Playstation Store - 7/2/09

First update of July, and it's hours earlier than usual! Nice..

Qore
Qore Annual Subscription - July 2009 ($24.99)
Qore Episode 14: July 2009 ($2.99)

Downloadable Games
Punisher: No Mercy ($9.99)

Add-on Game Content
Cross Edge Safety Pack (free)
Cross Edge Additional Dungeon 2 (free)
Cross Edge New Costume Set 1 ($3.99)
High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack 6 - 4th of July Americana ($0.99)
High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack 7 - Route 66 Americana ($0.99)
LittleBigPlanet Sacktue of Liberty Costume (free)
MotorStorm Pacific Rift Monarch Signature Livery Pack (free)
MotorStorm Pacific Rift Speed Expansion ($9.99)
Quantum of Solace Camille Map Pack ($4.99)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 The Predator ($7.50)

Guitar Hero World Tour
** Epitaph Punk-O-Rama Track Pack ($5.49)
* “21st Century (Digital Boy)” by Bad Religion ($1.99)
* “Linoleum” by NOFX ($1.99)
* “Ruby Soho” by Rancid ($1.99)

Rock Band
** Foreigner Pack 01 ($5.49)
* “Blue Morning, Blue Day” - Foreigner ($1.99)
* “Feels Like the First Time” - Foreigner ($1.99)
* “Headknocker” - Foreigner ($1.99)

** Warped Tour 2009 Pack 02 ($5.49)
* “Hey John, What’s Your Name Again?” - The Devil Wears Prada ($1.99)
* “Image of the Invisible” - Thrice ($1.99)
* “Sweet Talk” - Dear and the Headlights ($1.99)

* Weapon of Choice” - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Capcom Classics Collection Remixed ($19.99)
Mind Quiz ($9.99)
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Essentials ($19.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Rock Band Unplugged
* “Losing My Religion”— R.E.M. ($1.99)
* “Sin Wagon”— Dixie Chicks ($1.99)
* “Still Alive”— GLaDOS and Jonathan Coulton ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Not bad, there's a free LBP costume at least. It's also the first week in awhile without any PSone games. What I don't get though, is that if "Still Alive" is free on both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Rock Band, then why is the track going for $1.99 on the PSP?

Playstation Store - 6/25/09

Delayed, long day at work, sorry...

Downloadable Games
Droplitz ($9.99)

PSone Classics
Mobile Light Force ($5.99)

Game Demos (free)
The BIGS 2 Demo

Add-on Game Content
Cross Edge Mystery Synth Pack (free)
Cross Edge Mighty Rare Pack (free)
Cross Edge Additional Dungeon 1 (free)
Cuboid Bundle Pack ($4.99)
Cuboid Level Editor ($3.99)
Cuboid Booster Pack ($2.99)
Disgaea 3: Absence Of Justice Class World Command Attack Mode ($3.99)
High Velocity Bowling 60’s Surf Ball Pack ($0.99)
High Velocity Bowling Tiki Polynesian Ball Pack ($0.99)
LittleBigPlanet Summer Solstice Costume (free)
LittleBigPlanet Artist's Sitcker Pack - Jon Burgerman ($1.99)
MotorStorm Pacific Rift Wombat Signature Livery Pack (free)

Guitar Hero World Tour
** Phish Live Track Pack ($5.49)
* “Chalk Dust Torture (Live)” by Phish ($1.99)
* “Down With Disease (Live)” by Phish ($1.99)
* “Sample In A Jar (Live)” by Phish ($1.99)

Rock Band
** “Maroon 5 Pack 1 ($5.49)
* “Little of Your Time” — Maroon 5 ($1.99)
* “Makes Me Wonder” — Maroon 5 ($1.99)
* “Wake Up Call” — Maroon 5 ($1.99)

** Pearl Jam “Ten” Bonus Pack ($5.49)
* “Alive” — Pearl Jam ($1.99)
* “Brother” — Pearl Jam ($1.99)
* “State of Love and Trust” — Pearl Jam ($1.99)

** Warped Tour 2009 Pack 1 ($8.49)
* “21st Century (Digital Boy)” — Bad Religion ($1.99)
* “The Downfall of Us All” — A Day to Remember ($1.99)
* “The Flood” — Escape the Fate ($1.99)
* “I Didn’t Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was a Wizard” — Chiodos ($1.99)
* “Reinventing Your Exit” — Underoath ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront)
Brothers in Arms D-Day ($14.99)
Chessmaster: The Art of Learning ($19.99)
Driver '76 ($19.99)

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 storefront)
Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce Pack 2 (free)

Rock Band Unplugged
* “Afterlife” — Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
* “Dr. Feelgood”— Motley Crue ($1.99)

Full update at Playstation.Blog

Whoa there Sony, 3 PSP games and a PSone game? What's the occasion?