PlayStation Blog

Escape Plan: A Touching Adventure for PS Vita Escape Plan: A Touching Adventure for PS Vita

Chris Millar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:37:10 +0000

What better day to share a labor of love than just on the heels of Valentine’s Day? Fun Bits Interactive and our partners at SCEA Santa Monica Studio are proud to see Escape Plan release tomorrow as a PS Vita launch title, exclusively on PSN for $14.99.

Since Escape Plan’s global unveil in August 2011 at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, we have been hard at work breathing life into Lil & Laarg, porting the Unity engine to PS Vita, and creating a new style of “survival humor” gameplay that takes full advantage of the unique features of the PS Vita in stunning black-and-white graphics.

As we let Escape Plan loose on the world, some of the biggest critics out there are already sharing their thoughts on the game:

Ryan Clements, IGN: “Escape Plan plastered a smile on my face: the characters, the music, the comedy — even the deaths.”

Matt Peckham, TIME/Techland: “Escape Plan looks to be the breakout hit of the launch lineup.”

Steven Hansen, Destructoid: “The whimsical musical score, hilariously hapless protagonists, strikingly saturated art style and comedic undertones are just too good to be true.”

Stephen Totilo, Kotaku: “This is the PS Vita game I want most.”

Alex Navarro, Giant Bomb: “Escape Plan really impressed me quite a bit.”

Matthew Keast, Gamesradar: “This PS Vita game has personality dripping off it…”

Neon Kelly, Videogamer.com: “It’s weird stuff, but also hugely likeable.”

We’re truly excited about Fun Bits’ first title and we’re hoping this is just the beginning. We look forward to hearing your feedback, and hope you enjoy helping our hapless heroes, Lil & Laarg, find their way out.

ModNation Racers: Road Trip – On A Bus, On A Plane, On A Boat Or A Train

Mark Wilson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:00:10 +0000

In just a few short days, ModNation Racers: Road Trip will hit store shelves alongside the release of the much-anticipated PS Vita! Our team at San Diego Studios has worked very hard to produce what we think is the best portable kart-racing game on the market. We’ve added many new features (see below) to the already acclaimed ModNation Racers franchise and we are quite excited to finally get them into the hands of gamers everywhere.

Sure, it may sound a bit silly to the uninitiated but the Mod, Karts, and Tracks YOU create become a small extension of yourself. You experience a sense of e-pride (just made that word up) similar to whipping out your wallet to show pictures of your gorgeous wife and kids to anyone who will listen. You’ll notice a grin on your face and a slight swell in your heart (admit it or not) the first time you hand your PS Vita and ModNation Racers: Road Trip to a friend as they “ooh and ahhhh” at YOUR “genius” creations.

Trust me, you will hear at least one of the following comments…

YOU did that?
How did YOU do that?
Make me! Make me!
Do I know you?
Let me try
Ding!, fries are done.

or quite possibly…

Wow, I really like your Mod! … are you single?

We hope you’ll agree the kart racing experience in ModNation Racers: Road Trip is second to none. Perfectly tuned racing physics and spectacular graphics add to the intense yet intuitive racing. With well over 500,000 tracks to race you’ll be busy until the next millennium going through them all. We know, We counted.

So if you are a fan of ModNation Racers, the Play Create Share family, or just kart racing in general we know you will enjoy ModNation Racers: Road Trip. If you haven’t made the leap into this great game and even greater community of players then we have just one suggestion – Try it – you’ll be hooked for life!

ModNation Racers Road Trip: Recent Features Preview
Track Studio I
Track Studio II
Mod Studio
Kart Studio
Racing Features
Big, Bad Weapons
New Career Mode
Mod Postcards
Online Features

ModNation Racers Road Trip: Tutorials Week 2
Track building has come a long way since using mom’s kitchen utensils to scrape out your course in the dirt. We’ve got some new-fangled track creating tools in ModNation Racers: Road Trip and these videos will help you get acquainted with the ins-n-outs of creating those tracks of your dreams!

Track Editing

Terrain Editing

ModNation Racers For PS3

Creations of the Week: Happy Valentine’s Day – ModNation’s Cutest Couple

Hot Lap Track of the Week: The Dragon’s Lair by Biver_

Monday: Mt Mahh-Chuk-Chuk by its2l84that
Tuesday: Valentine by Bongsoldier
Wednesday: Heart of Darkness by OnePoppa
Thursday: Thriller House by marusarusa
Friday: EATEN BY THE SNAKE by RADMANROB
Saturday: The Dragon’s Lair by Biver_
Sunday: Yeshua’s Tomb by prob_alex
This Week’s Top Tracks: PROJECT TIMESHIP – Week 2

This is what happens when a great group of creative people get together…

ModNation Thursday Fun Races
Join ModNationSD for an evening of fun racing this Thursday from 4:30-5:30 PST. This is a great opportunity to meet some fun people in a casual racing environment. Bring your favorite Mods and Karts and strut your stuff out on the track. Check our ModNation Facebook page on the day of the races on how to join.

Let’s See What You’ve Got!
If you are interested in submitting your Mod, Kart or track for consideration as “Creation of the Week”, please visit us on the official ModNation Community site. Do you have the skills to make it into the blog? You’ll never know until you try!

UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss Opens The Black Market

John Garvin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:31:26 +0000

As we get closer to the launch of PS Vita and UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss, the team at Bend Studios is getting amped! We’ve been working on this game for a long, long time, from early brainstorming sessions on the PS Vita beginning in 2008, through the production phase that wrapped up at the end of 2011. When given the opportunity to create a launch title for PlayStation’s new next-gen handheld, we jumped at the chance. When asked what game we’d like to make, we said UNCHARTED! Here’s why.

From the beginning, our goal was to create a great UNCHARTED game. We wanted to give players, including ourselves, more of what they love, but with the PS Vita’s unique spin. The cinematic experience, the gunplay and weapons, the compelling story and characters, the mystery and treasure hunting based on real history, the puzzles, the platforming, and of course, the colorful and detailed imagery… it’s all there. But it’s on a gorgeous five-inch screen that you can take with you.

If you’ve been following all the pre-release news, then you know that UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss also has a ton of collectibles — more than 300, in fact. We wanted to not only give the game some replayability with some additional exploration, but also to tell more backstory, which we do through the items you collect, locations you photograph, and other puzzles you solve. All of these are tied to Trophies that can be earned. We didn’t forget the gamer who prefers gunplay, either: one of the collectible types in UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss are the Bounties. These drop randomly from fallen enemies throughout the game and represent things that might have been found in the area you’re fighting in: old Spanish playing cards, gold and silver coins, and so forth. Many of these items are scarce, and some are really rare. You’re not going to collect all these on a single playthrough!

But we’re not cruel. To make it a little easier to collect all the Bounties, we created The Black Market. This is a near application that allows you select a Bounty type from your collection and send a request out to the Black Market. If any other PS Vita players out there (in the area where you made the request) have a Bounty that you’re missing, the Black Market will send you a copy of their Bounty, even the rarest collectibles. We even created a sixth Bounty type that you can obtain only through near: if you send a request to the Black Market and no one has what you need, the Black Market will send you a carved Fetish for you troubles. Again, all of these are tied to Trophies. If you want that Platinum, you’re going to want to take your PS Vita with you!

PS Vita’s launch is right around the corner. We can’t wait!

Super Stardust Delta for PS Vita: DLC and New Screens Revealed

Josh Miller — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:45 +0000

Super Stardust Delta launches exclusively on PS Vita this February 15th, and we couldn’t be more excited! Built from the ground up for PS Vita, this PSN downloadable game brings all of the interstellar action of the original PS3 arcade shooter to the palm of your hand. In addition to the fully re-designed classic PS3 modes, we’ve included exciting new mini-games such as Crush, Disc Slide, Orbit Bomber, Rock and Roll, and Trucker. We’ve also utilized PS Vita’s front touchscreen, rear touchscreen and motion sensors to introduce all-new controls that enable you to launch missiles, create black holes, unleash crush attacks and trigger massive shockwaves. You’ll also be able to access Super Stardust Delta’s robust global online leaderboard via PS Vita’s Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities, so you’ll be able to compare your scores on-the-go.

Super Stardust Delta will be available for download at PS Vita’s launch for $9.99. On day one, you’ll also be able to download the Super Stardust Delta “Blast Pack” to pick up four additional game modes including Endless, Impact, Bomber and Twin Gun. The Blast Pack will be available separately on the PlayStation Store for $8.00. You’ll also be able to score the full game and the Blast Pack for just $14.99 if you choose to download them together in the “Interstellar Bundle.”

In the meantime, we’ve provided a fresh batch of screens below give you a taste of Super Stardust Delta’s vibrant galactic visuals. Be sure to get in on the asteroid-blasting action and pick up Super Stardust Delta when it launches next week!

The Drop: Week of February 13th 2012 New Releases

Rey Gutierrez — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:00:11 +0000

Let it be forever known: the 70th edition of The Drop marks the debut of PlayStation Vita game releases! For the past year, PlayStation fans and gamers have eagerly awaited this momentous day, PS Vita will officially arrive stateside and around the globe starting February 15th with the PS Vita First Edition Bundle, and PlayStation Store will spring to life with over 15 PS Vita titles, ready to supply you with hours of insane portable gaming.

On the PS3 side of things, PlayStation’s longest-running gaming franchise returns triumphantly with the long-awaited release of Twisted Metal. This Valentine’s Day, skip the cliched romantic dinners and give your significant other an experience they won’t forget, whether you’re sightseeing the dilapidated suburbs of Sunsprings or getting frisky by the polluted waters of Watkyn’s Harbor. Join the Clowns, the Dolls (my favorite), the Skulls, or the Preachers…and get ready to bleed!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Valentine’s Day dinner reservation with a hot, curvy and sexy little thing called the PS Vita. Enjoy this week’s historic edition of The Drop!

PlayStation 3

Twisted Metal – High atop his penthouse office, a mysterious ringleader named Calypso lords over the contest of vehicle combat known as Twisted Metal. He returns again to host the ultimate contest of skill and destruction. Contestants have been chosen to compete and, should they emerge victorious, win whatever prize their heart desires.

Twisted Metal, the longest-running franchise in PlayStation history, is back exclusively on the PS3 system. With four factions battling for control, players step into the combat boots of a twisted disciple in a high octane, highly destructible world. Disciples strategically dismantle opponents in vehicles loaded with weapons of Twisted destruction. With a robust online system, players unleash destruction with up to 16 players through PlayStation Network and battle through a variety of favorite and new game modes.

UFC Undisputed 3 – UFC Undisputed 3 is the 2012 installment in the critically acclaimed and best-selling mixed martial arts (MMA) video game franchise based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The game marks takes players inside the virtual Octagon with extensive focus on intense toe-to-toe combat, impressive visual presentation and significantly increased accessibility, including the introduction of PRIDE Mode, two new weight classes and an impressive playable roster of more than 150 UFC fighters.

Grand Slam Tennis 2 (PS Move Compatible) – EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis 2 is the ultimate tennis experience, featuring all four Grand Slam championships and Wimbledon. Players can experience the thrill of serving up aces on Wimbledon’s prestigious Centre Court, hitting cross-court winners on the clay courts of the French Open, play under the bright lights at the U.S. Rise to stardom with the revolutionary Total Racquet Control as you challenge a deep roster of elite players, including Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, Sharapova, Borg, and McEnroe.

PlayStation Vita

UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss (PSN/Game Card) – Uncover the dark secret behind the 400-year-old massacre of a Spanish expedition as Nathan Drake follows the murderous trail of an ancient and secret Spanish sect in Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Caught in the middle of a rivalry between Jason Dante — his old friend — and Marisa Chase — the granddaughter of an archaeologist who has mysteriously vanished without a trace — Nathan Drake races into the treacherous river basins, undiscovered temple ruins and karst caverns of Central America in search of a legendary lost city, only to find himself pushed to the edge of the Golden Abyss.

Developed by award-winning Sony Bend Studio, Uncharted: Golden Abyss is the portable system debut of the multi-million selling Uncharted franchise. The game offers a cinematic experience on-the-go complete with industry-leading motion capture, a rich storyline, highly-detailed environments, and special effects that truly captures the look and feel of the Uncharted universe.

wipEout 2048 (PSN/Game Card) – Get ready to experience the thrill and speed of anti-gravity racing as the original hyper velocity racing game, Wipeout 2048, is back and completely rebuilt for the the next-generation PlayStation handheld. Rebuilt exclusively for the intuitive game handling of a touch interface, motion active tilt, and voice activated controls, players can race against anyone anytime (including PS3 players) with up to 8 players simultaneously and compete for first place within the online leaderboards.

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational (PSN/Game Card) – Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational offers a completely new way to play Hot Shots Golf! The over-the-top golf franchise is back with a bag full of PlayStation Vita system features. Never leave the golf course with non-stop challenges from friends or bitter rivals. Add to that new PlayStation Vita system specific functions that enable you to better prepare each shot from tee to green.

ModNation Racer: Road Trip (PSN/Game Card) – ModNation Racers is a thoroughly fresh take on classic kart racing that empowers the player to personalize their entire game. Players can express themselves by creating their own Mod character, styling their own racing kart and even building — in just minutes — an imaginative track that can be shared with the rest of the PlayStation community via the free PlayStation Network service.

ModNation Racers: Road Trip for PlayStation Vita brings endless hours of Kart racing to players fingertips, where creativity rules on and off the track. Get on the starting grid of over 300,000 tracks available to download, or just race in the competitive circuit. Race with a new set of controls enhanced with the Vita’s array of features, including touch control, six-axis motion steering and social media tools like ModTraveler and ModMiles.

Escape Plan (PSN)– From the Producers of Fat Princess and the Development Team behind Fat Princess: Fat Roles comes a “touching” adventure. Escape Plan features two hapless characters, Lil and Laarg, who have been captured and need your influence, skill and brainpower to escape from a dark labyrinth of irreverent puzzles and traps. By interacting with the environment and influencing Lil and Laarg, only you can help them survive each deadly room before their captor and nemesis, Bakuki, recycles them and turns them into his minions… or sheep.

Using a high-contrast chiaroscuro style, Escape Plan takes advantage of the PlayStation Vita’s multitouch display, rear touch panel and gestural swipe interfaces. Swipe, squeeze, poke and slap this little guys to manipulate and interact with the diverse environments. Escape Plan gives players unique and memorable moments throughout the gameplay, whether it’s the triumphant thrill of victory or the hilarious agony of defeat.

Super Stardust Delta (PSN/Demo Available) – The Super StarDust franchise blasts its way into players’ hands with Super StarDust Delta. With brand-new features made specifically for PS Vita, players can access an arsenal of weapons with the PS Vita’s touch control screen, including freezing time, unleashing missiles, creating black holes, and crush attacks. Players can also tilt the screen to view beyond the horizon and shake the PS Vita to create a devastating Shockwave attack.

Hustle Kings (PSN/Demo Available) – Hustle your way to the top of the global leader boards in this beautifully chic, yet minimalist pool setting, all displayed in ultra-realistic environments with the PS Vita’s OLED screen. Control every move with intuitive front and rear touch interface and keep the game moving online or offline with quick push notifications between turns. Just be sure to hone your skills and earn cash before entering the bustling online scene.

Lumines: Electronic Symphony (PSN/Game Card) – Shine on with this PlayStation Vita entry into the popular puzzler franchise. Lumines: Electronic Symphony marks the return of Q Entertainment’s landmark puzzle series, bringing together addictive block-dropping puzzle action, an all-new 3D graphics engine, and some of the most significant names in electronic music history.

Lumines: Electronic Symphony offers, for the first time in the series, special new block mechanics give players additional strategic options to give you new ways to play through Journey Mode, Duel Mode, Stopwatch Mode, Master’s Mode, and other exciting play experiences. The game also offers unique new touch input for a uniquely tactile Lumines play challenge. Groove out to tunes from top electronic acts such as The Chemical Brothers and Kaskade in the ultimate portable Lumines puzzler jam!

Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 (PSN/Game Card)– In Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, fill the shoes of legendary characters from both the Marvel and Capcom Universes –including massively popular characters such as Ryu, Wolverine, Iron Man, and Morrigan, as well as fan favorites such as Trish from Devil May Cry and the wise-cracking Deadpool. They all come to you battle in a living comic book art style powered by Capcom’s MT Framework.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 prepares to take the battle to all-new heights in a updated version of the original hit fighting game Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. With brand new iconic characters from the Marvel and Capcom universes — now with 48 characters on the disc — a refined fighting system and new modes, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 continues the Capcom fighting game legacy.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II (Also on PS3/PSN/Game Card) – BlazBlue is a high definition 2D fighter from the makers of Guilty Gear. Players throughout the world can participate in online matches, or enjoy the immense story mode featuring individual stories for each character.

This is a second edition of the Continuum Shift arcade expansion edition (which originally added two new characters: Tsubaki and Hazama.) For Continuum Shift II, the character Valkenhayn R. Hellsing is now a playable character.

EA Sports: FIFA Soccer (PSN/Game Card)– EA Sports’ FIFA Soccer on PS Vita gives you the same physics-based, data driven technology that powers FIFA gameplay on home consoles. Take part in eight different game modes, including 11 vs. 11, Tournament Mode with over 50 real-world competitions, a full in-depth Career Mode, and compete online with Head-to-Head matches against your friends and gamers around the world. Create custom online leagues with your friends and compare your online performance with global and friend focused leader boards. Innovations that utilize a rear touch pad and touchscreen create an intelligent and unique gameplay experience. Rear touch pad shooting delivers pin-point accuracy and removes the element of “hit and hope” from shooting and touchscreen passing opens up the field of play for more creative and precision passing.

Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition (PSN/Game Card)– Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition provides a full console experience at the palm of your hand, with 22 of the world’s best players and legends from the past coming together on Playstation Vita. Brand new features unique to Vita combined with the hi-res graphics and lifelike gameplay of the Virtua Tennis series provides players with the greatest tennis experience, anytime and anywhere.

Asphalt Injection (PSN/Game Card)– Add more fuel to the fire with Asphalt: Injection. Master over 100 races in Career mode, collect over 50 world-class luxury cars, and share your best performances with your friends. Arcade racing at its finest with collectibles, crashes, jumps, shortcuts, and nitro for thrilling races. 52 licensed cars from prestigious manufacturers including Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin plus legendary models and 2011′s hottest cars. Race on 20 unique tracks inspired by real cities like Rio, Shanghai, and Monte Carlo rendered with cutting-edge graphical effects. Master 10 different event types laid out in a full-featured Career mode with more than 100 unique events

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance (PSN/Game Card)– Join forces and drive back the darkness! Dungeon Hunter: Alliance is an epic quest set in a dark fantasy world, that you can revisit in intense multiplayer mode.

Michael Jackson: The Experience HD (PSN/Game Card)– He is the legendary King of Pop! In this game, players step into the shoes of Michael Jackson himself and re-live his most iconic performances through their own singing and dancing. The game includes the most famous tracks from Michael Jackson’s extensive catalog such as Beat It and Billie Jean, as well as an array of his awe-inspiring dance moves for players to learn and emulate within the game. Additionally, fans can sing along and test their vocal skills while immersed in the performance.

Rayman Origins (PSN/Game Card)– When the Glade of Dreams is overrun by nefurrious Darktoons, the Fairy Council hastily invokes Rayman to save the day. To help him, Rayman teams up with his best friend, Globox, and two crafty wizards, the Teensies. Together, the world’s most hilarious team of heroes will need to restore peace to the Glade or watch as their beloved home vanishes like a bad dream…

PlayStation Network

The House of the Dead III (PS Move Compatible // Demo Available) – Defy the undead with shotgun in hand as you explore a post-apocalyptic wasteland of unrelenting terror in The House of the Dead III. Fans of the series will thrill to an abundance of 3D gore, time-sensitive gameplay, and a wide variety of branching paths. Gamers take out wave after wave of horrific zombies as they travel different routes and advance the story line, uncovering new secrets and hidden areas along the way. The all-new shotgun comes in handy when surrounded by an army of undead. Players must use it wisely to take out multiple enemies in a single blast as they plow their way through the most exhilarating nightmare yet.

Grand Theft Auto IV (Full PS3 Game) – GTA IV reinvents the series with a renewed version of Liberty City detailed to the last pothole and rooftop vent. There are now four boroughs to explore plus extra area outside of Liberty City proper. With the ability to climb obstacles, drive cars, steer boats and pilot helicopters, the world of GTA is more accessible than ever before.

In this fourth installment of the popular series, players take on the role of Niko Bellic, a rough-around-the-edge chap from Eastern Europe. Niko has arrived in America, in Liberty City — a land full of promise and opportunity. His cousin convinced him to emigrate, to join him in his mansion and life of luxury, but as soon as he steps off the boat, Niko discovers the truth about the American way. Still, the wealth, the comfort, the bliss of the good life, it all really is here … And it’s all for the taking.

Worms: Ultimate Mayhem – Worms: Ultimate Mayhem is a souped-up, re-vamped, high-definition re-imagining of Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem, bringing both games together in one incredibly over-stuffed, over-the-top package. The game includes 60 missions, 38 weapons and 12 graphical themes, as well as full online play for up to four players.

Demos

Mass Effect 3
Binary Domain

PlayStation Portable

Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom – In Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom, a young woman by the name of Chizuru comes to Kyoto in search of her missing father, and soon encounters danger and the Shinsengumi in quick succession. When it becomes clear the Shinsengumi are also searching for her father, Chizuru is put under their protection. But odd things are afoot in Kyoto—possibly even supernatural happenings. Can Chizuru navigate this maze of mortal danger and political intrigue? Amidst so much mystery and death, can she find romance?

[Editor’s Note: The following dates are subject to change. Game details are gathered from Press Releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

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.

Starhawk Lands in PlayStation: The Official Magazine

Roger Burchill — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:07:39 +0000

We loved Warhawk’s frenetic online battles back in the PS3’s early days, so we’re excited about its spiritual successor Starhawk — this month’s cover star for PlayStation: The Official Magazine. An innovative Build & Battle system that allows players to quickly and intuitively construct fortifications looks to ramp up the multiplayer action, while the all-new campaign fleshes out the universe and introduces us to space cowboy badass Emmett Graves. We can’t wait to jump into a Hawk and take the battle to the stars.

Our March issue also means that it’s time to celebrate V-Day. No, not Valentine’s Day. We’re talking about the really most important date in February, the 22nd: PS Vita’s launch day! Hands-on time with PS Vita is more potent than any cupid’s arrow, so the PTOM editors reveal which games and accessories they’re coveting and break down the purchasing decisions you’ll need to make on day one.

Elsewhere in the mag, the love fest continues with our first in-depth look at Lollipop Chainsaw. Zombies and cheerleaders?! Sounds irresistible to us. We’ve also got big previews on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and the gorgeous new JRPG Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. And we put Street Fighter X Tekken through its paces to determine the game’s most potent tag-team combo.

Things are also picking up on the reviews front as some of the biggest first-quarter releases have finally arrived. SoulCalibur V proves that its weapon-based fighting action is as sharp as ever, the Jak and Daxter Collection fuels our nostalgia for the good ol’ days, and we finally get to see whether action RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning lives up to its considerable potential.

Check it all out in the March issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, hitting newsstands on Tuesday, February 14—you know, that other V-Day.

Welcome to PlayStation Vita

Rey Gutierrez — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:08:05 +0000

PlayStation is just days away from embarking on another historic console journey with the launch of PS Vita — the most ambitious entertainment device you’ve ever held in your hands. PS Vita was first unveiled to the world as NGP, the “Next Generation Portable,” in January 2011 and formally christened as PS Vita during E3. In the time leading up to the big global launch day on February 22nd, we chronicled the designers as they created the world’s most advanced handheld gaming system and heard from some of the most-respected game developers in the business.

We also recently revealed what’s in the box for the PS Vita First Edition Bundle launching to early adopters on February 15th. Today, we wanted to welcome you to our world with this new video. Guy Longworth, Senior VP of PlayStation Brand Marketing, and John Koller, Senior Director of PlayStation Handhelds, show you everything you need to know to enjoy the out-of-box experience moments after you wake your PS Vita for the first time.

The day we’ve been waiting for is nearly here! Remember, kids: Never. Stop. Playing.

Honor Twisted Metal’s Return by… Blowing Up Sweet Tooth’s Truck

Chad Cox — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:01:13 +0000

As you know, the epic return of Twisted Metal is less than a week away and we’re going launch it with a bang … literally. Ever since the announcement at E3 2010, we’ve been fighting over who gets to keep the real Sweet Tooth truck, and we had an idea … let’s shoot at it till it blows up! So that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.

We happened to get our hands on a couple M249-SAWs (for the layman: fully automatic machine guns) and enough ammo and explosives to wipe out a small nation. Put those things together and we’re gonna make the truck go boom (for the layman: we’re blowing Sweet Tooth’s ice cream truck off the face off the earth). But here’s the kicker: it’s not gonna be us who are shooting it. It’s gonna be you!

That’s right, we’ve hooked these guns up to a satellite so you can control them remotely from your computer. Yes, you read that correctly. You can shoot a real gun with real bullets at a real truck from your computer, in a crazy, two-day, shoot-till-the-truck-goes-up-in-a-gigantic-ball-of-flames-style internet spectacular. It’s all happening at shootmytruck.com via live stream.

So go to shootmytruck.com right now to sign up for a chance to shoot. I can’t think of a better way to spend Valentine’s Day than shooting up a truck from your computer and then going out and buying Twisted Metal. Get your trigger fingers ready, America. It’s shooting time.