Sunday Service - PS3 News (01/02/2010)

New Borderlands DLC - Gearbox Software and 2K Games have released the first details for the third DLC expansion to Borderlands. Called The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, the new content is pitched as having "never-before-seen enemies in a huge new environment complete with tons of brand new missions." New weapons and items are also promised, along with a previously confirmed raising of the character level cap above 50 (However Gearbox have yet to confirm the new ceiling). Still, Gearbox states there will be "new challenges and opportunities for growth for characters from around level 34 to level 50."

I personally cant wait for the DLC and am looking forward to blasting some fresh deranged denizens of Pandora with some new brutal elemental weapons!


God of War 3 - Kratos fans rejoice!!! God of War 3 has finally got a release date - 16/03/2010. While this is the American release date SCEE have said that it is highly likely it will hit UK stores the same week (Friday 19th March?). Once the guys at SCEE have confirmed a definite date I will let you know. It has also been confirmed that the UK will not be getting the Collectors Edition of the game that was recently unveiled by a Swedish Retailer, which is a shame. A UK Sony Rep stated that the reason us Brits will not be getting our hands on it is because they have decided to go for the Ultimate Trilogy Edition over the Collectors Edition. While the latter is lovely and better in every way, it is twice the price at £110. Oh well best get saving...

On the back of the announcement regarding the release date and multiple editions, Sony have also announced that the release of the AAA title will be backed by a massive marketing campaign. Starting on Feb 1st, Sony will be teaming up with several large retail chains and at least one major soft drink company and unleashing a series of God of War 3 themed products. For example 7-Eleven in the States will be offering a 'Kratos Fury' Flavour Mountain Dew (I want one! ).

Finally the last bit of info regarding God of War 3 is that Sony have confirmed that the new trailer will be air on US TV on 11th of Feb. Once it hits the 'net i'll post it up for your viewing pleasure. Bear with me while I book the 19th March off work....


..and finally: PS3 fans will be happy know that Bayonette has finally been patched......by Sony. It seems one of the major problems with the PS3 version of the game has been fixed, the excessive loading times. Since launch many people have said that this particular problem made the game almost unbearable to play. However a patch has been released allowing players to install a huge part of the game onto their HD and in turn speeding up loading times. However it is rumoured that this patch was not created by Sega or Platinum but Sony. If this is true, then shame on you Sega. JB

PS3 News (Week Starting the 11/01/2010)

Greetings friends...There have been some particular juicy news stories this week in the wake of CES 2010 and I have decided to post um up here for your reading/viewing pleasure, ease of reference or even just in case you have simply missed some...

First of all let me start with the game I am probably looking forward to the most...God of War 3. From reading some of my previous posts you may have got the impression that I am a tad excited about Krato's new and final (?!?) adventure. Well if I was excited before I am practically shaking with anticipation following the release of some recent screenshots (click on the link and see for yourself. you won't be disappointed, i promise!). While they are only scans from a Japanese magazine and a bit crude, you are still able to get a feel of the scale that Santa Monica Studio are aiming for with God of War 3. Just check out the pic halfway down of what seems to be Kratos scaling the arm of a gargantuan Titan... awesome. Enjoy!

Furthermore there is a statement on the same page saying that video footage is scheduled for release on the 18/01/2010. I'll post it up here once unleashed...

Finally on the subject of God of War it was announced earlier today (11/01/10) by Sony that the God of War 3: Ultimate Trilogy Edition will be priced at £109.99. While on the surface this seems expensive (seeing as you will probably be able to get GoW 3 for £35-£40 and presently the Collection is going for £27 on Movietyme) on further inspection it is a particularly nice package. For your 110 notes you get GoW 3 and (previously only available in the US) the GoW collection, 2 audio CDs, full length documentary, exclusive artwork and a ton of DLC. On top of that it comes in a lovely replica of Pandora's box. It is a genuine thing of beauty. If you compare this to the ridiculous Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige edition which was £120, then i think its a steal!.

- Next up Gran Turismo...With it looking more and more likely that GT5 will finally see the light around Easter, in Japan at least, some new gameplay videos have surfaced and it all looks rather nice (understatement!?!). Watch the vid's below and make your own mind up..."Forza what?" I here you say ;o





- Its also been announced by Sony that a Heavy Rain demo will be released before the game drops on the 26/02/10. So even if you are a bit on the fence about this one then at least you can 'try before you buy'. As detailed in our previous post HMV is releasing an exclusive Special Ed of the game for £39.99. For those who may have missed my Facebook post last Friday regarding the new video footage then check out the video below.



- Rebellion have confirmed Alien Vs Predator will receive a demo too...however no release date has been set.

- Beta for Sony's Modnation Racers goes live on 22/01/10 for EU Residents...They have confirmed that it will be available from the store on a purely 'first come first serve' basis with a total of 100,000 invites being made available. If you're interested don't hesitate in logging onto the PSN on the 22/01/10.

- Playgamer: Issue 4 is out and contains some great features on Just Cause 2, Bioshock 2, Army of Two: 40th Day, Dark Void, Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 as well as The Force Unleashed 2. Issue 5 has an exclusive Dante's Inferno review and is due to be published on the 28/01/10, weather pending of course!!!! (NB - the picture is of issue 1, the recent issue has Just Cause 2 on it)

...And finally my PS3 Brutal Legend review will be posted up in next few days so check back soon. Till then keep gaming!JB

As One Year Ends, Another Begins...

As 2009 has come to a close and the Top 5 have been drawn up, I thought I'd have one final look back over '09 while simultaneously looking forward to 2010.

Amongst all the big guns that were unleashed on the world in 2009 there were some games that while may have had a lower profile (for one reason or another) were also great. The first being The God of War Collection...while at time of writing only available on Import from the United States of America, it is easily available from sites like Movietyme or Gamesbasement (and of course as the PS3 is region free there are no issues when trying to play it in a British PS3). For those not aware this is a blu-ray reissue of the PS2 classics. With its HD overhaul (upped res and frame rate as well as trophy support) this looks better than ever and plays like a dream. While almost 5 years old this is still as good as anything being peddled as true next gen gaming today. The story is truly one of the best I've ever come across and the violence is brutal (its fair to say Kratos has a few issues!). Overlook this 'last gen' beauty at your peril!!!

Another game that caught my eye this year was Flower...a bizarre game in which you play as a flower dreaming of sunnier climes. While I appreciate it sounds quite lame and a tad 'hippyish' it really is all about the lovely visuals and brilliant use of the (horrendously under used) sixaxis' motion sensing functionality. I've read elsewhere that people say that you don't play Flower as much as experience it...it is like taking control of a Pink Floyd video. It is different and the fact that I picked it up from the US PSN store for £3 makes it a must.

Finally the last game I'd like to mention is Eyepet. Now while its not my normal gaming fare I was rather impressed with it. It is basically a super fancy Tamagotchi whereby you have to feed, groom and play with the titular Eyepet. Unlike the aforementioned Tamagotchi it does grip your attention for more than 2 minutes. Now while there are loads to games to play and things to do it is not for this reason why I mention it. The way you interact with Eyepet is by using the Playstation Eye which allows the virtual pet to interact with people and objects in the real world. Using augmented reality the Eyepet appears to be aware of its environment and surroundings and reacts to them accordingly. The player can place objects in front of the animal and the game will interpret what the object is and respond to it. For example, if the player rolls a ball towards it, it will jump out of the way to avoid being hurt. It will also react to the player's actions and sound allowing the user to, for example, tickle the animal or clap their hands to startle it. To see the little creature doing his thing, head over to Youtube and check out this video. The use of the tech is really quite cool and has generally made me quite excited about the release of Sony's new Wii challenging Motion Sensor Controller (It doesn't have a name yet but 'Gem' has been mentioned).

Anyway enough with the reminiscing and lets look forward and see what will be invading the gaming landscape in the next 12 months. Due to the sheer volume of great (or at least potentially great) games being released in the next year I am only going to be able to mention a handful. Lets start with a franchise I've already mentioned, God of War...

In March God of War 3, the third and final part of David Jaffes Greek Mythology based Epic, is to be released. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the demo a few months back (thanks Sony) and I must say it didn't disappoint, in fact it totally blew me away! It took the already tried, tested and loved game play of the previous PS2/PSP games, cranks it up a few notches and adds a (the decapitation of Helios is eye-wateringly brutal!) lush PS3 polish! If the full game is as good as the demo (and I have a feeling it may even top it) I think this will be a strong contender for game of the year. I...cannot...wait...

The next game, and say it quietly, is Gran Turismo 5. I think they started making this game in about 1973 and they've been decanting the lines of code from angel tears ever since. What will be completed first, Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia or GT5? All joking aside if (and it should be as it scheduled for release in Japan in March and SCEE has only today released photos of the box art) this is released in 2010 it will be MASSIVE. I personally think it's going to be nigh on impossible to live up to the insane level of hype that has surrounded this racing monster since its it was announced at E3 in 2006 but I hope I'm wrong. At the time there were rumours we could be getting our hands on it before Christmas 2007. Ha ha, how we laugh at this now! I've seen some videos and screenshots (as well as play the all too brief GT 5 Academy Demo) and the way this game looks is something else...the lighting, Physics, detail on the cars, it looks all so very real. Also this time round we can expect car deformation/damage (yay!!), online multiplayer, a 1000 cars and 70 track layouts. In addition to this there are rumours regarding head-tracking using the PS Eye and a track editor. If this all comes together with the usual Polyphony pizazz (I thought GT PSP was amazing!) and sheen then it could just be the game we have been dreaming of since it was announced.....

Deadspace 2 - While this might not be at the forefront of everyone's 'gaming mind' at present I'm pretty sure it will be come the Autumn. Anyone that knows me knows how much I loved the 1st one and I can tell you that I am very excited about the sequel. The first game was a brilliant combination of action and atmosphere. It took the well established survival horror formula of classic games such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill and put a wonderous Alien/Event Horizon spin on it. I loved everything about this game from the slick controls to the great story and from the awesome use of surround sound to the genuinely eery atmosphere. If its only half as good as the original then it will still be better than a lot of games released in 2010!

Heavy Rain - I first read about out this just after I got my first PS3 in December 2007 and I remember being mesmerised by the film grade visuals. I didn't know anything about the story or what type of game it was but I was instantly hooked and wanted to know more. Until relatively recently information on this game has been slow coming other than the fact that it's a 'mature' adventure game which surrounds 4 central characters and how there lives change following a series of murders (check wiki for some more info). The way you control your characters and the style of gameplay sounds like a 21st Century Dragons Lair remake over seen by David Lynch!. At the end of the day this could end up being a pretentious, dull, overblown turkey but you've gotta give Quantic Dream respect for trying something new and original. If it is good it could genuinely be a turning point for the games industry. Watch this space.

Finally lets not forgot some other games that are also due in the next few months like Rebellion's 'Alien Vs Predator', Visceral Games' 'Dantes Inferno', Square Enix's 'Final Fantasy XIII' and Rockstar's 'Red Dead Redemption'. Its scary looking at the release schedules as this seems to be just the tip of the iceberg.....While I don't know whether any of these games will replicate the quality of the 'class of 09', i do know that my bank account is gonna take a beating! See ya kids online. JB

Filling the Void: Things that kept me entertained this week

Bayonette Demo (PS3 Version - PSN): I had heard some contrasting stories about this before I got my grubby mitts on it. On the one hand it's suppose to be a killer 3rd person beat-um up in the vein on God of War and Devil May Cry and on the other it was suffering from some serious technical issues. Good news is I didn't experience any of the horrid screen tear and frame rate issues that people had reported on the Japanese version. Game wise I did really enjoy it. It was fast paced, fun and a stereotypically colourful Japanese game. Once I finished the demo I felt that it would be the perfect starter/warm-up to God of War 3...but that was before I played....

Dante's Inferno (PS3 demo - PSN): Lets start by getting it out of the way - Its true what you've heard, it IS identical to God of War 3! The controls are the same, the moves are the same and the level up system is pretty much the same but hey if you're gonna rip something off, you might as well steal from the best! The only difference is that GoW 3 is based on Greek mythology and Dante's is based on Christian Mythology. I always had faith in this game since it was announced as Visceral did an amazing job on Dead Space. I especially thought the power to 'punish' or 'absolve' enemies in the game was a really nice, original touch. The game played and looked incredible and I am really excited about getting stuck into the game when it is finally released...Kratos may have to watch his back as a new boy has rolled into town. (Available now from the American PSN Store)


Playgamer - Issue 2: I saw this in my local WHSmiths and decided to buy it seeing as it was only £2.99. I've been waiting for ages for a dedicated PS3 to come out that was less than £5! To be honest I never want or watch the free CD/DVD/Blu-ray that you normally get free so I'm really happy that one has been released without one and inturn therefore a lot cheaper. It contained some cool articles on Darksiders, Alien Vs Predator, Dark Void and EA MMA. The layout is quite refreshing and there are not reams of adverts. Issue 3 is due out on 17/12/09 - so check it out (www.play-gamer.com).


New Family Guy - 'Something, Something, Something Dark Side': My initial thoughts are that while it was funny it wasn't as good as Blue Harvest. The jokes aren't as clever and it has more of a random feel than Seth McFarlane's first animated vision of the Star Wars universe (not dissimilar to the more recent seasons of Family Guy). Unlike the original I think you need to have seen Family Guy as much as Stars Wars to get the most out of the multitude of Family Guy based in-jokes. It obviously has a high budget but the story doesn't seem quite as polished. That said there are still some quality moments with the best of these being the scenes on Hoth. Like the recent series of Lego games it is very enjoyable seeing humorous takes of some of your favourite cinematic scenes. If you like Star Wars or Family Guy, or perhaps both (like myself) then give it a watch and you will love it. However if you are an uber Star Wars Geek I think you'll enjoy the Robot Chicken Stars Wars episodes even more.

I also started playing inFAMOUS and The Orange Box (PS3 Version) this week as well as seeing Richard Kelly's 'The Box'. With regards to the latter if I can get my head round it I may post up a review in the near future!

Finally check out my retrospective article about Kiss' Music from "The Elder" on my mates blog, 'Into The Void'

Still working on my 'Games of 2009' list and I hope to post it up in the next few days, so check back soon! Till then "Party on dudes!"