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PlayStation Around The Web: What We Read

Jeff Rubenstein — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:09:45 +0000

Good Sunday to you! With the PlayStation Vita releasing to the first North American consumers this Wednesday, we’d like to answer any lingering questions you may have about the device. So tomorrow at 3pm Pacific, I’ll be hosting a live PS Vita Q&A/demo session right here on the Blog. So if there’s anything you’d like to see demonstrated, or have any hardware or PSN-related questions, please Tweet them at us using the #PSVitaChat hashtag.

Even if you don’t have any questions to ask, we’ll be revealing some new details about Resistance Burning Skies, and maybe a few other things as well. See you tomorrow afternoon!

The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of February 6, 2012

The PlayStation Recap — Totally Twisted Edition

Sid Shuman — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:53:20 +0000

It’s a rewarding time to be a part of the PlayStation community with the long-awaited birth of Twisted Metal on PS3 and the arrival of the PS Vita First Edition Bundle next week, followed by the nationwide launch of PS Vita on February 22nd. Exciting times! Oh, and before I forget, this is your last weekend to sign up for Starhawk beta early access. Don’t miss out!

In other news, Twisted Metal co-Director David Jaffe invited you to blow up his truck, Twisted Metal fans can score exclusive multiplayer skins (and a discount on flowers!), The Tester 3 launched with much fanfare, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus official joined PS Vita’s launch-day lineup, Square Enix showed of multiplayer footage from intriguing PS Vita launch title Army Corps of Hell, PlayStation: The Official Magazine revealed its new Starhawk cover story, Zen Pinball revealed its RPG-themed expansion, and we provided an inside look at the launch of PS Vita in a new behind-the-scenes video.

Are you picking up Twisted Metal or the PS Vita First Edition Bundle next week? What games are you catching up on over the weekend? Let us know in the comments!

I’m playing: Twisted Metal, Lumines Electronic Symphony

I’m watching: Chronicle, The Grey

I’m reading: Digital Foundry: PS3 Skyrim Lag Fixed?

I’m listening to: Official PlayStation Blogcast 011: The David Bleeping Jaffe Show

Most-Watched Video of the Week: PlayStation Vita – Official Unboxing

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

How to Download PSP Titles to PS Vita – More than 275 PSP games will be available to play on PS Vita day one — here’s the current list and full details.

PlayStation Store Update – Gotham City Impostors, Shank 2, The Simpsons, Jak and Daxter, new UNCHARTED 3 DLC, three new full PS3 games and more.

Woo-hoo! The Simpsons: Arcade Game Hits PSN Tomorrow – This four-player coin-op classic has spent more than 20 years in console purgatory. The wait is finally over!

Starhawk: Limited Edition and Box Art Revealed – Pre-order now to get an automatic, free upgrade to the Limited Edition and all the benefits and content that bestows.

PlayStation Vita: The Unboxing – Peer into the gleaming box of the First Edition Bundle in this new video. PS Vita is just days away!

Play as the Villains in New Uncharted 3 Co-op Adventure DLC – Fort Co-Op Adventure marks the first time you’ll be able to play co-op as the UNCHARTED villains: Zoran Lazarević, Eddy Raja, and Harry Flynn.

Jak and Daxter Collection Available In Store and on PSN Today – Whether you buy it on disc or on PSN, you’ll get access to three classic PS2 games and more than 100 Trophies.

Dive Into PS Vita’s Augmented Reality Suite – PS Vita launches with a pack of Augmented Reality Play cards and free downloadable minigames. Get a tour of Fireworks and Cliff Diving here.

Vita Hill Social Club Calendar: Upcoming Events – Wanna play Mortal Kombat on PS Vita? How about Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3? Here’s how.

MLB 12 The Show: See the New Miami Marlins Ballpark – Learn how the team at San Diego Studios accurately recreated every square inch of this new stadium.

PlayStation Around The Web: What We Read

Jeff Rubenstein — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:19:04 +0000

Most people have their Super Bowl plans locked up by now (I’ve got a rack of ribs with my name on it), but what about tomorrow? If you’re in the SoCal area, why not head on down to the Santa Monica Vita Hill Social Club for our (free) Tester Season 3 launch party. You can compete with Tester participants, meet host Meredith Molinari (she’s sweet!) and the judges, as well as my coworker Will “68 Platinum Trophies” Powers. And, you know, play some PS Vita. Click here for details.

Oh, and: Giants or Patriots? As an Eagles fan, I find the whole thing very depressing. Pass me another rib.

The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of January 30, 2012)

The PlayStation Recap — Big Guns Edition

Sid Shuman — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:27:47 +0000

I’m quietly stunned by how quickly 2012 has kicked into gear: This week gave us major new releases in the form of Soulcalibur V and Final Fantasy XIII-2; next week sees the release of The Darkness II and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, followed by Twisted Metal and the PS Vita First Edition Bundle the following week. What upcoming release are you most interested in playing?

This week saw a deluge of information for 2012′s gaming crop: Game Informer revealed its The Last of Us cover story, Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford discussed Aliens: Colonial Marines and what he knows about Prometheus, Drinkbox Studios showed off Mutant Blobs Attack for PS Vita, the team behind MLB 12 The Show served up two new videos devoted to the improved batting and pitching gameplay, a new video revealed MotorStorm RC’s online features and PS3-to-PS Vita competition, Starbreeze Studios gave us a tour of its well-received Syndicate co-op demo, The Tester 3 revealed a sneak peek of its first episode, NIS America showcased Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention for PS Vita, and Team 17 revealed its PSN release plans for Worms Ultimate Mayhem.

I’m playing: Mortal Kombat for PS Vita, Twisted Metal Multiplayer Demo, Soulcalibur V

I’m watching: Homeland

I’m reading: The End of Business as Usual by Brian Solis

I’m listening to: Official PlayStation Blogcast 010: The Curious Case of Final Fantasy XIII-2

Most-Watched Video of the Week: Mortal Kombat on PS Vita

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

PlayStation Plus February Preview: Free The Simpsons Arcade Game, Far Cry 2, Final Fantasy V and More

PlayStation Store Update

Hands-On: Mortal Kombat for PS Vita

First MW3 Maps Hit PS3 Call of Duty Elite Premium Members on 2/28

Twisted Metal Multiplayer Demo Coming to PSN Today

It Begins: 3 Ways to Win a PS Vita Early Only From Taco Bell

Dev Diary: Skullgirls is a Feature-Rich PSN Fighter

Special Launch Day PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Bundle Announced

Lumines Electronic Symphony: Q-Games’ Love Letter to Electronic Music

MLB 12 The Show: Franchise Mode Improvements

The Last of Us Coming to Game Informer Magazine’s March Cover

Bryan Vore — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:16:07 +0000

It was only a few weeks ago that a small crew of Game Informer editors and myself left the frigid winter of Minnesota for the sunny shores of Santa Monica to visit one of the best developers in the world. It’s been a tough wait, but we’re excited to finally announce Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us as our March cover.

At the studio, we were ushered past numerous awards for blockbuster series like Crash Bandicoot, Jak & Daxter, and UNCHARTED, but it was inside Naughty Dog’s impressive movie theater-style presentation room that we got to see and discuss what we came there for. On day one, Director Bruce Straley and Creative Director Neil Druckmann talked about their vision for the game while co-presidents Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra discussed their decision to double the staff and create an entirely separate team from the UNCHARTED crew.

Before long they fired up an amazing live gameplay demo showcasing the combat, stealth, and presentation style and offering a glimpse at the evolving character relationship between protagonists Joel and Ellie. The team offered frank and open responses to all of our questions and only really held back on heavy spoilers and elements that weren’t 100 percent nailed down yet. They were also gracious enough to play through the whole fascinating demo again (and we didn’t even have to beg that much).

On day two, we conducted several on-camera interviews and rounded up loads of online content that will roll out throughout the entire month of February. So be sure to head over to gameinformer.com to see our full front and back panoramic cover image and keep coming back for more The Last of Us throughout the days ahead. In fact, you don’t have to wait long. At 4:00PM Central Time today, we’re exclusively debuting the first three in-game screenshots of The Last of Us. We’ll see you there!

PlayStation Around The Web: What We Read

Jeff Rubenstein — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:57:51 +0000

Finally – games are coming out again! This Tuesday brings us some high-profile new releases, including Final Fantasy XIII-2 (find a couple of reviews below). You’ll be able to find the week’s entire release list (retail and digital) right here later on today.

Don’t forget: if you’re in the Bay Area, please join us on Thursday for David Jaffe’s Twisted Metal tournament at Mezzanine.

The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of January 23, 2012)

The PlayStation Recap — Never Stop Playing Edition

Sid Shuman — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:16:45 +0000

Lots of news to keep track of this week, from the launch of Taco Bell’s exclusive PS Vita giveaway to first details on SSX’s PS3-only Mt. Fuji mountain, to the release of MLB 12 The Show’s first trailer. Ubisoft stopped by to give us a quick look at its PS Vita launch lineup: Michael Jackson The Experience, Asphalt: Injection, Rayman Origins, Lumines: Electronic Symphony, and Dungeon Hunter Alliance. The crew of The Tester Season 3 even released a video tour of the winner’s future workplace at Sony Santa Monica Studios.

What are you playing this weekend? Don’t forget: PS Vitas are ready and waiting for you now in eight major US cities as part of our Vita Hill social clubs. There’s no catch, no RSVP, and it’s open to everybody — just go! Most locations run from 2pm to 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 2pm to 6pm on Sundays.

I’m playing: Starhawk Public Beta

I’m watching: Breaking Bad (and I just finished Season Four…!)

I’m reading: PS Vita: the inside story
I’m listening to: Official PlayStation Blogcast 009

Most-Watched Video of the Week: Armored Core V Walkthrough

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

PlayStation Store Update – Scarygirl, PS Full Games Mortal Kombat and Duke Nukem Forever, LittleBigPlanet 2 Muppets Premium level kits, Mediterranean Map Pack for Assassin’s Creed Revelations and more.

Jak and Daxter Collection Hits PS3 February 7th, 100+ Trophies to Collect – Naughty Dog’s other huge trilogy gets the deluxe PS3 treatment.

Special Launch Day PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Bundle Announced – An ultra-limited launch bundle designed to warm those of you standing out in the cold on February 22nd. The big day is almost here…

Twisted Metal Goes Gold, Comes with Starhawk Sweet Tooth Skin – Twisted Metal is top of mind for many PS3 owners, with the February 14th release date looming ominously just over the horizon.

Pac-Man and Mega Man Join Street Fighter X Tekken’s PlayStation Exclusives – You’ve changed, Mega Man. Actually…no you haven’t.

Ubisoft PS Vita Week: Dungeon Hunter Alliance Brings an Epic Fantasy Journey – I was a sucker for PSP launch action-RPG Untold Legends, so I’ll be delving into this PS Vita launch title for sure.

MLB 12 The Show Franchise Mode Improvements – More realistic trading logic, a revamped interface, PS3-to-PS Vita cross saves, overhauled player cards and much more.

Creating Monsters for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock – Get an insider’s perspective on this upcoming PS3 and PS Vita exclusive title straight from the source: BBC.

David Jaffe Wants YOU: Twisted Metal Tournament in San Francisco on 2/2 – If you’re in San Francisco this Thursday, swing by Mezzanine to play Twisted Metal and win rare prizes. I am told that Jaffe will be in attendance, so make of that what you will.

Yetis vs. Hunters Invades PlayStation Home This Wednesday – Get the full download on PlayStation Home’s new content here.

It Begins: 3 Ways to Win a PS Vita Early Only From Taco Bell

Jill Erb — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:55:12 +0000

A few weeks back I shared the big news that you would soon have the chance to win your PlayStation Vita only at Taco Bell before it hits retail this February 22nd. Well, it’s official! Starting now through March 11th, PlayStation and Taco Bell are giving you three ways to win your PS Vita: Unlock the Box, Battle, and Boast. On average, one winner will be selected every 15 minutes through March, so there are a lot of chances to win! Here’s how:

Unlock the Box: Head to your local Taco Bell today to pick up a specially marked $5 Big Box – which includes a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Crunchy Taco, Burrito Supreme and medium fountain drink. You’ll see a code printed on the top of the box; enter that code at unlock.tacobell.com for a chance to win your PS Vita!

Battle: We worked with Taco Bell to develop an exclusive Augmented Reality game based on the upcoming PS Vita game Reality Fighters. You can play Reality Fighters Dojo by downloading Taco Bell’s new mobile app for your Android or iOS device. Then pick up your specially marked Taco Bell $5 Buck Box, start Reality Fighters Dojo, point your device’s camera at the top of the box and get ready to battle. Here’s a quick look at what you can expect as you battle for a chance to win a PS Vita:

Boast: This one’s easy! Create a photo or video boasting about what you’d do to nab a PS Vita and submit it here. Submissions are already pouring in, so head to unlock.tacobell.com and click on “Boast” for more details on what you need to do to participate and how to vote for your favorite boast.

Prize Packs will include one PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system, one copy of the PS Vita-exclusive Little Deviants, one 4GB PS Vita Memory Card and your choice of one of the following: ModNation Racers: Road Trip, MLB 12 The Show or LittleBigPlanet. PS Vita winners will begin receiving their devices after February 8th and your selected game choice will be shipped on its respective launch date.

For additional details, information, and rules head to unlock.tacobell.com.

Good luck! If you won a PS Vita before it hit stores, what game would you most want to play? Let us know in the comments!

PlayStation Around The Web: What We Read

Jeff Rubenstein — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:09:15 +0000

We were humbled this week by the massive turnout at this week’s Vita Social Club meetups. We had never held more than one in a week, and here we were in five cities over two days, and close to 1500 of you turned out. That was awesome, especially considering the conditions in places like Chicago, where it was really damn cold!

If you weren’t able to make it out to one of our grand opening events last week, fear not, as we’re open in eight cities through launch. Click here for details. We’re also in the planning stages of four more events – look for details here soon.

The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of January 16, 2012)

Twisted Metal returns to PlayStation: The Official Magazine

Roger Burchill — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:01:22 +0000

PlayStation’s longest running franchise has already graced PTOM’s cover once (our November 2010 issue), but we just can’t get enough of Sweet Tooth and the rest of the demented Twisted Metal gang. As the February 14th release date of PS3’s next big exclusive nears, we visit developer Eat Sleep Play and get the lowdown on the game’s multiplayer modes. We also managed to walk away with breakdowns on vehicle strengths and weaknesses courtesy of David Jaffe himself, as well as maps and strategy tips for four locations.

The February issue also means its time for our 2011 Game of the Year awards! Time to throw out the review scores and reflect on the year’s greatest gaming experiences away from the pressures of impending deadlines. It’s one last opportunity for the PTOM crew to argue, debate, and pummel each other into submission and agreement. Sure, some of the choices might be predictable, but even we were surprised by some of the winners.

Elsewhere in the mag, we drop in and check out Radical Entertainment’s Prototype 2. The first Prototype was underappreciated and never quite found its audience, so we’re excited that the sequel’s looking bigger and better in every way. It joins an all-star lineup of previews that includes Dead or Alive 5, Silent Hill: Downpour, and Spec Ops: The Line. We’ve also got the latest and greatest on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance as Hideo Kojima sounds off on the franchise’s past, present, and future.

The holiday rush has passed, but we’ve got the review for the New Year’s first blockbuster release: Final Fantasy XIII-2. Our crack reviewer Ryan Taljonick enjoyed the game thoroughly, but something tells me that his review might incite the year’s first controversy in our Mail section.

It’s all in the February issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, available on newsstands now.