For many years now Sony’s Playstation brand has ushered in new an innovative ways in which we play games and utilize our home entertainment consoles.  Today millions of gamers are accustom to a certain level of quality and innovation from the Playstation family.  As we all know the Playstation 2 was  the first entertainment console to offer the dvd format while the Playstation 3 was the first console to offer and introduce blu-ray format as an HD movie playback feature and allow  for the use of an internet browser among other features.

As the Playstation brand has evolved so has our expectations, however recently certain in-house Sony restructuring decisions have rasied an eyebrow on  the future of Playstation.

According to Bloomberg, the Playstation brand will now be merging with Vaio and Walkman into the Networked Products and Services Group which will be headed up by Kaz Harai, CEO of the game division. It seems Sony is looking to not only merge Playstation with their in-house services but also integrate them as well.

“Sony said it will combine its VAIO personal-computer, Walkman and PlayStation businesses in the Networked Products & Services Group to focus on creating gadgets that can work with each other and connect to the Internet. Kazuo Hirai, who’s in charge of the game business, will head the new division. “- VGChartz

On the surface this sounds interesting but just how much integration will added to the playstation offerings from their in- house partners is the question.  More importantly will these new integrations spike cost in the future with forced add-on that are not optional ala the PS4. Even though this is something not in the immediate future some questions have been raised on the subject. In the meantime, with a bright future ahead of the PS3 and PSP some rather cool integration might be coming our way through this merger in the near future.

An interesting new look at Activison’s new shooter, SINGULARITY.

Where do I begin? Well, let me start by stating the obvious. Amazing! From the time we picked up the dualshock 3 controller and begin this epic battle against this unyielding and relentless beast known as the Helghast until the final credits began to roll, we were absolutely blown away by KILLZONE 2.

At times, I almost wanted the action to calm down just a little early on because it was borderline insane(in a good way of course). The aggression displayed by the enemy AI was extremely challenging. I must add that I completed the game on veteran and half way through the Helghast made it obviously clear that I had bit off more than I could chew. However despite tasting death more than I would have liked, the punishment was definitely worth the experience. KILLZONE 2, despite being a standard first person shooter truly has it’s own identity.  From the artistic style of the universe and the intimidating reddish-orange glowing eyes of the enemy to the aggressive sound of the weapons and sophisticated enemy AI, KILLZONE 2 will beat the hell out of you again and again and you will love it.

There have been tons of reviews done on KILLZONE 2 and if you are like me you have probably read many of them. After completing the campaign mode and diving into the multiplayer component for many hours I came away looking through many reviews again to see which reviews echoed my experience.  While I did come across many reviews from the more recognizable video game publications that shared my sentiment, there was one that even though it was not written by a so-called gaming professional, it hit at the heart of the KILLZONE 2 experience.

This review was written by a hardcore gaming enthusiast who goes by the surname Nib95. For many months this KILLZONE 2 connoisseur has been providing preview updates to fellow gamers in the IGN forums in anticipation of this Sony “I told you so” title.  For the written review of what we believe is the ‘Best Shooter’ of this console generation please read below.

KILLZONE 2 Review by Nib95

After years in the making, an insurmountable amount of hype and negativity, positivity and pessimism, it’s finally here. It’s been a long and hard battle for Guerrilla Games (GG) these past few years. Having to try and match up to the massive expectations of the community. Mine were also huge, so the question is, how has Killzone 2 fared against them?

To get a sense of what the sequel has achieved, I’ll start with the original Killzone, a game that never quite grabbed me in the way I’d hoped. Sure, it had impressive visual and artistic appeal, a fairly decent story and likeable characters. But the gunplay (number of bullets needed to down enemies/aiming/controls), technical issues and pacing, left me wanting more and ultimately in my eyes designated it to being simply mediocre and ever shy of greatness.

Then along came Killzone Liberation, a PSP title that in many ways proved that GG had more to offer. It was a solid little third person shooter, but not quite enough to remove anxieties that the developers had what it took to make the sequel AAA.

Visuals.

Naturally the first thing that will hit you about the game is the incredible presentation values and visuals. From the opening cut scene which is both powerful and bold, to the very first time you lay your eyes on the gameplay visuals, the game is set to stun. The graphics throughout the title are nothing short of breathtaking and exude a level of all-encompassing technical sophistication simply non-existent in other console titles thus far. Almost everything in the game has an impressive aesthetic appeal about it, most notably the lighting, complexity of level geometry and the detail of weapon models.

Attention to detail manages to entwine itself in almost every facet of the games visuals. Volumetric smoke from explosions and gun fire sways and drags across the screen with realistic opacity and a sense that it is affected by wind. Every shot fired depending on the weapon and material evokes a violent reaction of physics affected sparks, debris, particles and even heat haze. Gas canisters will leak, burn and smoulder, dust will plume around levels, and lightning will light up an entire level and everything in it in the blink of an eye. Shadows are dynamic and react to surroundings and everything in them. Directional motion blur, barely a jaggy in sight, excellent character models, you name it this game ticks nearly every box. Heck, your character even leaves footprints! Possibly the only complaints with the visuals could be the odd low res texture here and there, and rare frame rate drops (usually only when all hell is breaking loose on screen). But in the grand scheme of things, these are severe nitpicks. Especially when the game doesn’t require an install and has only a handful of load screens, one per level (most loads are split second affairs that occur in game).

Killzone 2 not only corrects the technical faults of its predecessor, but sets a new benchmark for all other console games to come.

Gameplay Gunplay.

Contrary to belief, while the visuals may be the first thing that inspires awe, they are not the most addictive thing about the title, nor what will keep players coming back for more. No, that, I’d have to hand to the fantastic gunplay on offer.

Killzone 2 controls and handles quite different to other shooters. You will quickly notice everything has a great sense of weight and realism to it. This game demands effort and isn’t shy about reminding the player they are wearing heavy armour, or that they are carrying a heavy, cold chunky tool of death that doesn’t give free kills, but instead makes you earn them. There is the bare minimum auto aim on offer here; KZ2 will not hold your hand in any way. Whilst the controls and aiming may seem alien at first (to some I’d imagine they will feel alien for a while), stick with them, learn and practise them and if you have what it takes, you will create such a symphony of death that your killing spree’s might almost be regarded as a work of art. Here, it’s all about delicacy and precision, a heavy hand and lack of patience will get you nowhere. Learn to use the variance of the analogues, to use subtle touches when needed, to make use of the extra efficiency and accuracy of short controlled bursts, and you’ll be rewarded by the bucket load.

On the topic of patience, the games inclusion of a first person cover system really aids in giving fire fights an added tactical dimension. Whilst the cover system doesn’t work flawlessly (some walls are immune to cover, and the fact that you can’t move whilst reloading is a tad annoying), it is on the whole quite functional and successful at what it tries to achieve. On the harder difficulties in the game, you will find that cover will act as your Guardian Angel. Run in guns blazing and you’ll likely meet a black screen of death in seconds. Cover will save your life more times than you can count, and often times you will have no choice but to cower behind cover, clinging on to dear life as enemies pin you down with near frustrating ferocity. Use it wisely though, and it can be key to dominating the enemy, controlling waves and ensuring you retain an upper hand.

Much talk has been made of Killzone 2’s AI, a part of the game I was always concerned about. I’m happy to report that those concerns were unfounded. The game’s AI for the most part is very potent indeed, especially on the harder difficulties. Enemies will not shy away from pinning, flanking or melee’ing you, working together in a team, using the environment (and cover) to their own advantage, darting about avoiding gun fire, placing well aimed grenades right at your feet, or knowing when to bail when things go belly up. One particularly impressive element of the AI is the way enemies sometimes slouch behind cover until you can no longer see the top of their heads. They’ll do this (on harder difficulties) when they sense a bullet go whizzing past their head, and once they do duck completely behind cover, they will pop up at a different (unknown to you) spot behind that cover to take quick pot shots at you. A breath of fresh air from the usual ‘hold your aiming reticule above their head till they pop up’ manoeuvre. The same praises cannot be sung for the squad AI, which is competent, but not exactly overly intelligent. They will often come to your aid, maybe even save your life shooting enemies you were unaware of, but other times they’ll target the wrong enemies, die too often or end up getting in your way.

One of the games other features that really adds to the sense of immersion and quality of gunplay on offer is the brilliant hit detection system. Enemies react realistically in orchestrated harmony to each and every one of your bullets. Excellent physics amalgamated with motion captured animations and extreme blood splatter, make things feel real; give kills an added sense of devastation and feedback. Everything here reacts in a tactile way. Weapons give you the correct amount of punch and kick, and every bullet you fire has a sense of lethality about it. These elements couple together to make kills that much more satisfying and consistently fun which in turn ensures killing never gets too repetitive

Audio.

The audio in the game is generally superlative (but not always, read on) and also really adds to the sense of immersion. Each weapon has a unique and effective sound effect. Rifle fire will thunder, bullets will whizz, muzzles flare, shell casings ping, all with commendable clarity and grunt giving optimal feedback. Some sounds you will grow accustom to, one’s that have more of a tactical emphasis, like the rising beeps of a cooking grenade, symbolising when you should be running for dear life.

The soundtrack in my opinion is one of the greatest achievements in the game. The music has an almost Hollywood blockbuster esque appeal about it, invoking numerous reactions from the player. Most commonly tension, the bleak harsh reality of war, the growing fear/sense of battle or a rise in motivation to help usher the player on. This time the soundtrack also has more cutting and raw audio elements, akin to sounds found in The Dark Knight, which in my opinion work perfectly given the dark, moody subdued harshness of the Helghan world and the battles that unfold within it. The dynamic implementation of audio matches gameplay succinctly, and helps keep things intense when needed, or calming when not. Tempo, ferocity of instruments, volume, the intensity of a track etc are often extenuated based on specific actions within the game.

Where the quality of audio falters however, is with the Voice Acting (VA), which sometimes works, and other times has a level of cheese or detachment that is near cringe worthy. Certain narrative segments help to get across the narrative successfully, allow us to get a sense of a character or scenario, but don’t expect anything overly deep or engaging here, you’ll find nothing of the sort. The problem is usually not with the VA itself, but with the script or lines on offer. I didn’t go in expecting Oscar winning performances, so it didn’t leave me particularly disappointed, but honestly, this is classic soldier/grunt extreme crude, rude, overly confident and unnecessary VA right here. You will hear curses left and right, and other insults that are laughable. Now and again though, the VA will get a decent reaction out of you, the odd smile, laughter (when something is meant to be funny), odd bit of anger, tension and what not. The main cut scenes are done pretty well, and the Helghan VA is especially good. Characters like Natko don’t work quite as well however.

Campaign.

The campaign took me roughly 8 hours on Trooper (Normal, one of 4 different difficulties) and around 10 hours on Veteran (Hard). Overall it’s a decent length, nothing too long and meaty, but not so short that it leaves you wanting more. In-fact by the end you wouldn’t be embarrassed to feel slightly exhausted. This is one very intense game that requires a lot of input from beginning to end. It’s also one of my negatives with the campaign. That negative being that the beginning few levels of the game are perhaps too intense (first quarter or more). The game starts with a bang, and doesn’t let up, in-fact; it only keeps getting more and more intense. This aids getting across the notion that this Helghan war is brutal and demoralising, but can also be too much to take in early on. Thankfully, after the first quarter or so the game starts to have more balanced pacing, with more moments allowing you time to breath, explore, or enjoy the world and characters on offer. It’s after this point that the game really starts to excel. Levels become more varied, gameplay more diverse (weapons, turrets, enemies, mechs etc) and the narrative begins to flesh out and get a bit more personal.

The early segments of the game tend to take place in very urban type environments, however later on things open out a bit more. There is a decent amount of level diversity, but nothing too extreme. Not the level diversity of say Gears 2 or Resistance 2, but more than Gears 1 or Call of Duty 4. It’s just enough to keep things fresh. Just don’t expect any bright colours and grassy fields. Whilst there is variety on offer, most of it still has a bleak and harsh appeal about it, which fits perfectly in-line with the nature of planet Helghan. Some of the levels do however have spectacular set pieces that literally make jaws drop.

As much as the gunplay in KZ2 is rewarding and satisfying, the game delivers in just enough little trinkets or gameplay mix ups to keep things constantly engaging. Thrown in among the mayhem are some interesting and rather unique weapons such as the Electricity gun, that makes you feel near God like in power if only for a very brief, but oh so satisfying time, a bolt gun that not only impales enemies but whose harpoons detonate, a flamethrower that pours molten napalm over screaming (literally screaming) enemies, and then there’s turrets, anti-aircraft guns, a tank and a mech (etc) thrown in the mix for good measure. These things certainly help spice up the gameplay, and make the experience that little bit more unforgettable. Some of the segments are particularly awesome and really make you grin with glee and enthusiasm. Controlling the Mech (which can run, and jump quite high!), was particularly fun. Again, there are some brilliant little aesthetic touches, such as the Mech’s health bar being indicated by cracks on its glass cockpit or electricity and sparks flying everywhere within it.

The story in the title is one of the weaker aspects of the game. It certainly had great potential with the complex background story; however the story within the game barely touches on this. Go in expecting to learn a lot about the Killzone world, history, saga and reasons for the war, and you will leave disappointed. Killzone 2’s story focuses squarely on Team Alpha and the discoveries, actions, missions and objectives of the characters within it, through the eyes of the main character (Sev). There are some nice little twists thrown in throughout the game, that certainly help the narrative by, but none are particularly ground breaking or memorable. It’s a relatively standard military affair here, with some decent and fairly interesting characters thrown in (Radec, Viscari, Sev, Rico, Templar etc).

Multiplayer.

The online multiplayer (MP) component of the game is actually the star of the show. This is the part that will keep you coming back for more, and this will likely be the thing that not only gives the game lasting appeal, but seals it as a fps classic.

The brilliant thing about KZ2’s MP is that it brings all the functionality and polish of popular online shooters from the past (COD4 and TF2 for example) but gives them an injection of realism and tactility, along with 32 players, visuals that near enough match the single player campaign and dedicated servers for lag free gaming too. Minimal auto aim, realistic aiming, motion, character reactions and so forth make for some highly addictive online play. Mix that in with the fantastic reward system (unlock multiple badges that give you different skills and abilities, far more comprehensive than unlocking perks in COD4 for example), amazing level design (multiple access points and routes to segments/action points on maps, vertical spanning gameplay as well as horizontal), a decent array of weapons (each one with unique functionality and learning curve) and the dynamic missions (constantly changing mission objectives for diverse play) and you have a winning formula.

The badge system is particularly well balanced and impressive. Giving an extra level of team and tactical play rarely found in shooters. For example, if the objective is Search and Retrieve (Capture the Flag variant), you can switch to Assault class for the extra speed boost and armour, that way once you get the Propaganda Speaker (flag) you can sprint across the map double as fast. Find that the enemies are controlling your spawn point? Switch to tactician and plant a second team spawn point elsewhere, perhaps behind the enemies for a tactical flanking advantage. Search and Destroy? (Planting a bomb at the enemy base.) Switch to Saboteur so you can temporarily cloak in to an enemy skin, to try and walk straight in to the enemy base and plant the bomb near undetected! If your base is the one where the bomb is to be planted, why not switch to Technician and set up turrets surrounding the bomb point to protect it from enemies.

These are just a few examples as to the sheer range of tactical options on offer because of the badge system. As you gain more experience, you can also mix secondary badges with primary one’s for even more variance in play. This ultimately brings me to an indirect negative of the MP component. In many ways it may be a touch beginner un-friendly. Whilst there is a ranking system to ensure that if players want, they only play against similar ranked players, the game still demands a lot from players and has a fairly steep learning curve to boot. Learning all the ins and outs of the badges, even earning the badges themselves (which can take countless hours) can be quite a feat. One that I’d imagine only the very hardcore of gamers will truly appreciate and explore to the fullest. Thankfully, there are online and offline bots for people to play with as to gain some practise before going in for the real thing, as well as a whole host of options for online play (choose specific badges, weapons, maps, modes, friendly fire on off, number of bots etc).

The clan system (set up or join clans, arrange clan matches and bet clan valour points), the online website stat tracking, the online tactical battle replays and the Lobby system (32 man lobby’s where players stay in the lobby after each game until leaving) all help to booster the community aspects of the game.

Conclusion.

Killzone 2 is certainly more of an evolutionary leap in shooters than it is revolutionary. It is true that it does little new. Outside of the first person cover system, the hit detection system, the added sense of realism and the rather comprehensive multiplayer mode, it is underneath it all, a slightly standard fps affair. In that it chooses to stick to the underlying mechanics previously explored in the genre. You will go from certain box or corridor like areas to another, in sequential order as you defeat waves of enemies. You will go along a relatively linear and controlled path (there are however numerous levels that allow you some degree of freedom to how you approach a particular area or gun fight), it does have a linear story with fairly straightforward progression. However, none of these things necessarily take away from the game or the merit of how well it does these things.

What Killzone 2 does is take all these elements previously found within the genre, and execute them with such cinematic splendour, realistic tactility, aesthetic beauty, technical wizardry, rewarding satisfaction and polish, that it ends up defining its own little niche. This is the true Hollywood multimillion dollar blockbuster come to gaming, but with an added raw and cut throat pang. Whilst you may have done similar things in other shooters that you will be doing in Killzone 2, the chances are you will have never done them quite like this. Take shooting a shotgun for example, a common weapon in most shooters. I’ve not found one of them as satisfying as the one in KZ2. The moment you pull that trigger you become the harbinger of death. Heads will fly; blood will gush out in an over exaggerated spherical explosion, you will hear the crunch, crack and squelch of battered body and you will see the enemy fly back in completely believably fashion. And you will love it. And you will want more, and more. And that is what separates KZ2 from other shooters. It is true gun porn.

This is the most realistic, cinematic and tactile shooter to grace a system. And while it may have its flaws, it’s polished to such perfection that you’d be hard pressed not to forgive most of them. Aside from the lack of co-op (a sorely missed feature, but one made up for with everything else on offer), there’s an engaging highly repayable epic SP campaign, an extremely sophisticated and comprehensive online multiplayer component, numerous unlockables and more. This game is fantastic value for money, and stands a chance at being the PS3’s “it” online shooter for months if not years to come. It’s also the best show piece graphically for the console yet, so as long as you’re not expecting anything overly innovative and not expecting Oscar winning performances, go grab the game now. In my honest opinion it is one of the, if not the best shooter of the generation and I say that after completing the game 4 times and putting in over 100 hours in the multiplayer. See you online soon!

Presentation: 9.5 Graphics: 10 Sound: 9.0 Gameplay: 9.4 Lasting Appeal: 9.4

Overall score: 9.5

Now I’m sure at one point in time we all have imagined ourselves being our favorite superhero (Spiderman, the hulk, etc…), especially since they have been scorching the silver screen. We as gamers look to bring our imagination to life by purchasing the movie based video for our respective systems. After reading reviews, watching countless hours of videos, and playing the demos, we quickly learn these games are more worthless than an expired Burger King coupon. The question is why do they suck so badly? Excuse me let me be a little more politically correct, Why do they really suck so badly?

Lee Andrew Henderson of Associated Content, gives three logical reasons why video games based on films aren’t that good.

#1

“As much as I love walking around aimlessly and destroy things a really good video game has to have a good story in my opinion. Most video games that are based on movies don’t have good stories for two reasons. The first is they often have the exact same story as the movie. What is the fun in that? We already know what’s going to happen. That brings us to the second problem, which is this. Most of the big budget movies that get video game adaptations don’t have good stories to begin with.”

#2

Video game fans hate it when a video game is supposed to come out on a certain date and then the release date gets moved back. A lot of times this is a good thing though. Unlike movies or comic books when a video game’s release date is moved back it’s usually because they are still working on making it better. But video games based on films have a deadline that can’t be moved because they have to be released at the same time as the film. So sometimes the video game can’t be made as good as possible because of the time restrictions.

Ironman, despite being a great movie was a disappointing adaptation as  a videogame

#3

The purpose of most video games is simple. Most video games are made in order to make an enjoyable video game. Okay, so really the purpose of video games is to make money but more than any other form of entertainment video games have to be good to make money. The purpose of a video game based on a film isn’t to make a good video game; their purpose is to advertise the film.

Will we ever be the recipients of a great movie based video games? Maybe, but we are not holding our breathe. What’s your take on movie-based video games? Can they be done correctly?

Another week of awesome update is here. This week the US receives the KILLZONE 2 demo along with other great updates. Enjoy!

PULSE

PULSE 2/26 Edition (free)
PULSE presented by the PlayStation Network is a free high definition video showcase of what’s happening right now on PlayStation. Featuring new game releases, demos, movie and television arrivals available for your PS3 and PSP systems, PULSE is a fast-paced new source to keep you connected and informed about the world of PlayStation.
Hosted by Christina Lee.
File size: 207 MB (HD) 346 MB (1080)

Downloadable Games

No Gravity: The Plague of Mind for PSP ($9.99)
In a distant future, a mysterious mind disease is spreading and the road to the cure lies somewhere in the depths of space. Choose between the best pilots and complete a wide range of missions in this fast paced 3D space shooter.
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 51 MB

Digital Guides

Killzone 2 Strategy Videos ($5.99)
This features video strategy on how to obtain the toughest trophies in Killzone 2 and provides the perfect tactics with which to complete the final boss battle.
ESRB Rated M
File size: 1063 MB

Add-on Game Content

BUZZ! Quiz of the Year 2008 ($5.99)
How much of the world’s big events from 2008 do you remember? Flaunt your gobal knowledge with the new BUZZ! Quiz TV quiz pack, Quiz of the Year 2008, featuring hundreds of questions about the year 2008 to play in any of your favorite BUZZ! Quiz TV game modes. Download this quiz pack today and turn your party into the ultimate trivia showdown. Challenge your friends and family with new questions and “Show ‘em Your Trivia!”
File size: 45 MB

Disgaea 3: Demon & Detective Set ($3.99)
This package file adds new custom characters Kogure and Marjoly, and a Kogure custom theme.
File size: 1255 KB

Disgaea 3: Kogure ($1.99)
This package file adds a new custom character called Kogure.
File size: 1.22 MB

Disgaea 3: Marjoly ($1.99)
This package file adds a new custom character called Marjoly.
File size: 1.22 MB

Street Fighter IV’s Femme Fatale Pack ($3.99)
The Femme Fatale Costume Pack includes all-new alternate costumes for Street Fighter IV’s deadly female combatants: Cammy, Chun-Li, Crimson Viper, Rose, and Sakura. More than just color changes, these five costumes allow you to give your fighter a new look for all to see. In this pack, Chun-Li wears a sleek dress, Cammy is battle-ready in new gear, and more.
File size: 118 KB

Skate 2 San Van Classic Pack ($4.99)
Skate the Community Center, Elementary School and Parkade locations from the original skate, but freshened up with skate 2 style!
File size: 181 MB

The Lord of the Rings: Conquest Content Pack #2 ($9.99)
All-new content for your game, including 2 more Hero Arenas, 3 new Heroes, and 2 new multiplayer maps each with 3 game modes.
File size: 386 MB

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

• “Lucky Denver Mint” - Jimmy Eat World ($1.99)

• “Futures” - Jimmy Eat World ($1.99)

• “Sweetness” - Jimmy Eat World ($1.99)

• “Jimmy Eat World Pack 01 ($5.49) - Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Jimmy Eat World Pack 01. This pack includes: “Futures,” “Lucky Denver Mint,” and “Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World.

• “3 Dimes Down” - Drive-By Truckers ($1.99)

• “Time Bomb (Live)” - Old 97’s ($1.99)

• “Satellite Radio” - Steve Earle ($1.99)

• “People Got a Lotta Nerve” - Neko Case ($1.99)

• “Can’t Let Go” - Lucinda Williams ($1.99)

• Alt Country Pack 01 ($8.49) - Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Alt Country Pack 01. This pack includes: “3 Dimes Down” by Drive-By Truckers, “Can’t Let Go” by Lucinda Williams, “People Got a Lotta Nerve” by Neko Case, “Satellite Radio” by Steve Earle, and “Time Bomb (Live)” by Old 97’s.

File sizes: 20 MB - 38 MB (singles), 94 - 126 MB (track packs)

Guitar Hero World Tour
For all song credits please visit www.guitarhero.com.

• “Get Out of Denver” by Bob Seger ($1.99)

• “Her Strut” by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band ($1.99)

• “Old Time Rock & Roll” by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band ($1.99)

• Bob Seger Track Pack ($5.49) - Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring “Old Time Rock & Roll” and “Her Strut” by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, and “Get Out of Denver” by Bob Seger.

File sizes: 30 MB - 42 MB (singles), 109 MB (track pack)

Game Demos (free)

Killzone 2 Demo
Killzone 2 single player demo is now available for download.
Two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta, the ISA are taking the fight to Helghan. Their goal: to capture the Helghast leader, Emperor Visari, and bring the Helghast war machine to a halt.
ESRB Rated M
File size: 1.18 GB

Major League Baseball 2K9 demo
Put your skills to the test with the Major League Baseball® 2K9 demo. Play three innings at Citizens Bank Park as the Tampa Bay Rays or Philadelphia Phillies, and experience newly improved pitching, hitting, fielding and baserunning controls. 2K Sports’ Major League Baseball 2K9 delivers the Major Leagues™ down to the minor details. Play Ball 3.3.09!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1012 MB

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X Demo
Download the Demo today, and be the first to dominate the skies in Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. Hone your skills to rule the leaderboards when H.A.W.X launches on March 3rd.
ESRB Rated T
File size: 834 MB

Game Videos (free)

Metal Gear Online SCENE Trailer
File size: 183 MB (1080)

Blu-ray Trailers (free)

Lakeview Terrace Trailer
File size: 155 MB (1080)

Rachel Getting Married Trailer
File size: 113 MB (HD), 145 MB (1080)

Cadillac Records Trailer
File size: 108 (HD), 138 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes

Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice Kogure Custom Theme ($0.99)
File size: 1724 KB

St. Patrick’s Day Theme ($1.49)
File size: 5.40 MB

Irish Girls Theme ($1.49)
File size: 4.18 MB

Bald Eagles Theme ($1.49)
File size: 5.33 MB

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games

* No Gravity: The Plague of Mind ($9.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)
In a distant future, a mysterious mind disease is spreading and the road to the cure lies somewhere in the depths of space. Choose between the best pilots and complete a wide range of missions in this fast paced 3D space shooter.
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 51 MB

Add-on Game Content

* Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero? - Flonne’s Castle ($3.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)
This package file adds a new stage and a boss character called Flonne.
File size: 2.07 MB

Game Videos (free)

* PULSE 2/26 Edition (also available from PS3 storefront)
File size: 207 MB (HD) 346 MB (1080)

PSP Themes

* Irish Girls Theme (also available from PS3 storefront) ($1.49)
File Size: 283 KB

* Dancing Skies Theme (also available from PS3 storefront) ($1.49)
File Size: 467 KB

* High Voltage Theme (also available from PS3 storefront) ($1.49)
File Size: 487 KB

* Seaside Sunsets Theme (also available from PS3 storefront) ($1.49)
File Size: 393 KB

* Nordic Majesty Theme (also available from PS3 storefront) ($1.49)
File Size: 477 KB

* Polar Bears Theme (also available from PS3 storefront) ($1.49)
File Size: 553 KB

Well the moment of truth is almost upon us as the highly anticipated PS3 shooter KILLZONE 2 makes it’s US debut. Expectations are high and based on a few Gamestop sources, most of their stores are getting KILLZONED with callers asking about midnight launch locations. Well, at least in the Valley of The Sun. Arizona gamers are extremely excited about KILLZONE 2.

As of lately Arizona has definitely been a highly recognizable state. From Jordan Sparks the Arizona native who won the hearts of American Idol fans to Arizona hosting Superbowl XLII followed by the Arizona Cardinals making it to Superbowl XLIII to Arizona hosting the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Arizona has been quite the busy state. Many Arizona Cardinal fan are still aching from the Superbowl lost but after looking at the Helghast war machine, they sort us of remind us of the Pittsburgh Steeler, so I guess we’ll be getting our frustration out at midnight with the standard ISA Assault Rifle.

After much deliberation Playstation ThEvolution has compiled 20 Gamestop store locations throughout the valley that will be hosting a KILLZONE 2 launch at midnight. Many store managers are making suggestions to show up at 10:30pm. However,  for those gamers who already have their pre-orders you are guaranteed a copy.

GAMESTOP MIDNIGHT LAUNCH LOCATIONS

1)GameStop
Gilbert Gateway
4980 S POWER RD
MESA AZ, 85212 US
(480) 988-3818
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

2) GameStop #3283
Superstition Gateway
S 1752 SIGNAL BUTTE RD
Mesa AZ, 85209 US
(480) 380-1388
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

3) GameStop #4740
Val Vista Towne Ctr
1385 E WARNER ROAD
GILBERT AZ, 85296 US
(480) 926-5660
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

4) GameStop #5614
San Tan Village
2795 S MARKET ST
GILBERT AZ, 85296 US
(480) 722-2074

5) GameStop #3578
Greenfield S/C
1766 S. Greenfield Road
Mesa AZ, 85206 US
(480) 632-0088
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

6) GameStop #2837
San Tan Gateway
1005 S ARIZONA AVE
Chandler AZ, 85286 US
(480) 726-1963
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

7) Alma & Queen Creek
S 2860 ALMA SCHOOL RD
Chandler AZ, 85286 US
(480) 855-8490
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

GameStop #899
Mesa Grand
1639 South Stapley Drive
Mesa AZ, 85204 US
(480) 892-1055
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

9) GameStop #4763
Red Mountain Gateway
2015 N. POWER ROAD
MESA AZ, 85215 US
(480) 981-1361
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

10) GameStop #2856
Casa Grande S/C
1747 E. Florence Blvd.
Casa Grande AZ, 85222 US
(520) 836-1709
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

11) GameStop #5994
Country Club SWM
350 West Baseline Road
Mesa AZ, 85210 US
(480) 461-9986

12) GameStop #2268
Copper Point
4030 West Ray Road
Chandler AZ, 85226 US
(480) 839-5516
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

13) GameStop #3362
The Groves
1320 West Elliot
Tempe AZ, 85284 US
(480) 491-2137
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

14) GameStop #4741
Foothills Park Place
4802 E. RAY ROAD
PHOENIX AZ, 85044 US
(480) 893-1996
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

15) GameStop #3674
Tempe Marketplace
2040 East Rio Salado Pkwy
Tempe AZ, 85281 US
(480) 968-2303

16) GameStop #4518
Arizona Mills
5000 ARIZONA MILLS CIR
TEMPE AZ, 85282 US
(480) 838-3958
Mon-Sat 10am-9:30pm, Sun 10am-7pm*

17) GameStop #886
Scottsdale Pavilion
8980 East Indian Bend Road
Scottsdale AZ, 85250 US
(480) 991-8554
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

18) GameStop #2760
Sonoran Village S/C
15227 N. 87th St.
Scottsdale AZ, 85260 US
(480) 951-0362
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

19) GameStop #4742
Paradise Valley Mrkt
10810 N. TATUM BLVD.
PHOENIX AZ, 85028 US
(602) 569-1000
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

20) GameStop #2860
Village Plaza
12611 N. Tatum Blvd.
Phoenix AZ, 85032 US
(602) 788-2032
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-6pm*

Playstation.blog states;

“A couple days ago I visited with Incognito studio director Dylan Joben(you know him well) about the Warhawk space that launches today in Playstation Home. Dylan was nice enough to walk us through the Warhawk Command Center, and specifically through the Sand Table where you can lay out strategies for all Warhawk maps. It’s all really slick, and Dylan goes into some great detail about how it all works.

Also, starting today you can purchase Warhawk for $19.99 on the PlayStation Store (that’s $10 off!) for two weeks, ending on March 11. Individual Warhawk Booster packs are dropping down to $4.99, and the Booster Combo (all three individual Booster packs) drops to $9.99. But remember, the special Warhawk pricing ends on March 11, so be quick about it!”

In the sequel to 50 Cent: Bulletproof, players again become one of the world’s biggest hip-hop stars in an all out battle to protect 50 Cent’s assets and to collect payment from a crooked overlord. The game features 50 Cent in a multi-player online drop-in and drop-out co-op world that allows him to call on his G-Unit pals to watch his back in intense gameplay action. 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand features interactive counter-kills that let the player take control of the finishing moves. And for the first time in a game, 50 Cent finds himself behind the wheel and flight stick in a variety of driving missions and aerial combat challenges. It also comes packed with more exclusive unreleased music from 50 Cent and G-Unit, that provides a new arsenal of beats to listen to as the player battles to regain control of 50’s possession’s. -  IGN

THQ

SWORDFISH STUDIOS

THIRD PERSON ACTION SHOOTER

MATURE

2 PLAYER

Review Score 75

ThEvolution utilizes preferred review publications to assess an accurate review average of the given title. The final review average is subject to be higher or lower depending on the added reviews from preferred publications.

GAMEINFORMER - 80

“50 Cent’s first foray into video games (50 Cent: Bulletproof) was a hot mess of action clichés and poor control, so kudos to new developer Swordfish Studios for delivering a vastly improved sequel. It’s a thuggish, high production value exercise in excess – not unlike the music of the man that inspired it.”

G4TV - 80

“In short, forget what you’ve learned about 50 Cent games in the past. Somewhere in the beginning of the development process of Blood on the Sand, I swear Fiddy himself sat down with the developers and said, “Seriously, don’t embarrass me this time. A bad show? A bad album? It happens, but this is a video game, and my friends are going to play it. Make me look good.”

Is it derivative? Yes. Is that a bad thing? No. Have I spent the last week of my life beating this game 6 times over and STILL going back for more? Um, what I do in my spare time is between my consoles and me.”

IGN UK - 76

“Swordfish Studios has taken a knowing and often wry eye to the swagger of the 50 Cent juggernaut, and in the process created a near-perfect popcorn game. Its gunplay is solid and backed up by a plethora of neat ideas, its co-op is strong and there’s an undercurrent of savvy humour that helps to negate the heavy posturing and more dubious elements of the paper thin plot.”

IGN AU - 75

“Being honest, we’re not huge fans of 50 Cent as a rapper, but it’s hard not to warm to him in Blood on the Sand – provided you get what the dev team is trying to do. This is great mindless fun, with a huge head-nodding Fiddy soundtrack, highly competent visuals and a high score aesthetic that clicks enough to keep you playing.”

IGN - 71

“There’s no mistaking that this is a fun game to play — particularly with a buddy — but it’s in no way excellent. Though I’d love nothing more than for people to put some coin in Fiddy’s piggy bank, I’d recommend renting rather than buying.”

GAMEPRO - 70

“All things considered, I won’t lie: I’m nowhere near above an old fashioned trigger-happy bloodbath, and Blood on the Sand lives up to its name in that respect. If you want variety, depth, and a story you can really sink your teeth into, look elsewhere. If you’re in dire need of a mindless gold and platinum coated shoot-em-up experience, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand might just be right up your alley.”

PROS: Visually impressive; solid controls; hilariously campy story
CONS: Texture popping; no local multiplayer; repetitive gameplay

PSU - 70

“For 50 Cent fans Blood on the Sand is a must-buy, but devotees of the genre will also be pleasantly surprised at its impressive features and rampant gameplay.”

Well the wait is almost over as KILLZONE 2 will be gunning it’s way into million of PS3 homes as of Feb 27th. Many gamers will definitely be busy fragging each other in the multiplayer ‘WARZONE’ and outside of the pure enjoyment of killing Sony has added a nice incentive to the equation. Sony has announced that they will be giving away one Helghast StA52 Assault Rifle replica per day to one the KILLZONE faithful. Yep, that’s right, everyday from March 1st to March 14th.

Winners will be decided based on stats from the campaign and online multiplayer which will be available on Killzone.com.

Pick up Killzone 2 early and prepare for battle. For the first 14 days of March, you have the chance to win a replica of the Helghast StA52 Assault Rifle. Each day we will be watching the leaderboards closely and the winner will be picked based on the criteria below.

*

• Day 1: Max number of Helghast killed by a single grenade
• Day 2: Total Number of helmets popped
• Day 3: Least time taken to kill Radec
• Day 4: Total amount of Boltgun Kills
• Day 5: Most Assassinations
• Day 6: Highest Kill ratio
• Day 7: Most revives performed
• Day 8: Highest All Weapon Accuracy
• Day 9: Most spawn deploys
• Day 10: Best sniper Accuracy
• Day 11: Highest killingspree
• Day 12: Most headshots
• Day 13: Most Games Lost
• Day 14: Most games played as ISA

A very interesting list of titles, I guess this proves that we are all entitled to our own opinions.

Come March 13th, Capcom’s highly anticipated Resident Evil 5 horror fest will be flying off retail store shelves worldwide. Ever since the initial announcement of Resident Evil 5 for the next generation consoles, assumptions of how it will look and play have been talked about extensively.

Today millions of PS3 and Xbox 360 users are experiencing Resident Evil 5 for themselves in the form of the recent game demo. While the visuals are nothing short of amazing, the gameplay and controls have been in serious debate.

For anyone who has ever played previous Resident Evil titles, it is apparent that the controls along with the pacing of the games in the series have their own distinct play style. Through the years the game mechanics have really never changed too much. Not until the more recent Resident Evil 4 did the series allow for a more intuitive control scheme. Resident Evil 4 introduced hectic and refreshing mechanics such as jumping off ledges, diving through windows and shooting explosive canisters.  Resident Evil 4 delivered an incredible gaming experience however at it’s core the controls felt similar to previous Resident Evil titles.

Resident Evil 4

Four years after the release of Resident Evil 4, Capcom is finally releasing the next installment in the series. From the impressions of the demo, Capcom has decided to keep the game with the same core control mechanics despite the robust capabilities of today game consoles. From our recent demo playthrough, Resident Evil 5 plays almost identical to the previous titles in the series.

At first glance the game definitely offers some incredible eye candy however as you play through the demo, frustration quickly begins to settle in as you realize that you are unable to move with the fluidity of the more common next-gen horror titles such as Left 4 Dead for example. The controls in Resident Evil 5 project the feeling of walking on rails restricted from evading danger or stuck in the mud unable to move. The characters are completely stationary while aiming or firing their weapons and while this may have been excusable 4 years ago, today this feels extremely ancient. Many have stated that these signature control restrictions in Resident Evil 5 are purposely implemented in order to give the game it’s unique style however, I like many others beg to differ. While there is no doubt that I believe these controls are purposely implemented I do believe this strongly holds the series back. Other issues found in the demo were instances where while shooting and reloading the characters do not auto-reload, also bringing up your item screen almost feels useless if you’re in the middle of a skirmish.

Resident Evil 5

After many trials with the demo it seems clear that Resident Evil 5 will be better enjoyed cooperatively. But then again this is just the demo. At the end of the day I believe and hope that Resident Evil 5 will offer a next-gen experience despite the nagging old-school control scheme.

Check out this Resident Evil 5/Resident Evil 4 comparison video. It echoes some of the concerns that have been brought up about the controls. Outside of the technical enhancements of Resident Evil 5, it plays almost identical to Resident Evil 4 and while this may not be a bad thing it definitely feels dated.  If you haven’t already I recommend downloading the Resident Evil 5 demo and giving it a playthrough.

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According to GameIndustryBiz;

The PlayStation 3 could be about to receive a price cut, with Sony due to make an announcement imminently.

That’s according to Janco Partners’ Mike Hickey, who has said in his latest note to investors that Sony needs to cut USD 100 off the asking price of the luxury console.

Recently XboxLIVE user were introduced to a rather nice preview video of the upcoming CAPCOM brainchild LOST PLANET 2 which featured some incredible gameplay footage. As circulation of the this video has increased many have asked whether this sequel will be introduced on the Playstation 3 and while there really is no word on the matter some have speculated that more than likely LOST PLANET 2 would eventually appear on the PS3 after it has been released on the Xbox 360, leading to the assumption that a timed exclusive would in order.

From what know LOST PLANET 2 will feature 4 player co-op. Also more of the game was explained in an interview with LOST PLANET game director Kenji Oguro on XboxLIVE,

“The original game’s frozen planet, E.D.N.III “has experienced a massive change in climate which has melted the snow and created brand new environments, such as jungles. That “such as” implies that “Lost Planet 2″ won’t only be jungle-bound.”

At no time has it been stated that LOST PLANET 2 will be an Xbox 360 exclusive or a timed exclusive. With nearly a 50 million consoles  install base between both the PS3 and Xbox 360, this writer is leaning toward the assumption that CAPCOM will sooner or later be offering LOST PLANET 2 as a multiplatform title.

Konami is looking to give fans of the blockbuster hit, Metal Gear Solid 4 a taste of this PS3 legend right in the palm of their hands. MGS4 is coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch. Not much has been brought to light on this touch screen shooter but plenty of screenshots and a trailer has surfaced. Looks like I’ll be buying an iPod Touch very soon. Enjoy the trailer!

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There is no denying the herculian accomplishments of the Gears of War franchise as an Xbox 360 exclusive. There is also no denying that millions of PS3 users would love to see the Gears of War franchise grace their black beauty.  Combined, both titles have gone on to sell over 10.5 million copies worldwide. Yes, all on one console, very impressive indeed.

From it’s graphical superiority to the robust audio quality the Gears of War franchise has been a technical powerhouse for Microsoft. Frankly, Gears of War is one of those franchises that you display when you have company over or for the more confident type gamers in the world, this is the title that lets you talk s… to your friends who only have the PS3.

As we entered 2009 many gamers began talking about the possibility of the Gears franchise hitting the PS3 and to the surprise of many this could potentially become a reality. Unlike the HALO franchise who’s licensing rights are solely owned by Microsoft, the Gears franchise belongs to Epic, the creators of the popular Unreal Tournament franchise.

Could Gears of War really come to the PS3? Sure. Will it happen? Well, this is a question better answered by Epic, Sony and of course Microsoft. However, due to certain PS3 perks such as the blu-ray format for example, some rather cool features could be nicely realized if Epic decided to broaden their horizons just a bit.

For starters, there has  been speculation that Gear of War 3 could potentially arrive before the end of the year, truthfully it may be too much to ask for in a multiplatform Gears of War 3. However, if the Gears of War franchise came to the PS3 before Christmas 2009 in the form of Gears of War 1 and 2 featured on a single blu-ray disc I don’t think PS3 users would concerns themselves too much with Gears 3. The automatic assumption would be that Gears of War 3 will inevitably grace the PS3 sometime in 2010.

Gears of War 1 and 2 as sort of a hybrid blu-ray PS3 title could send shockwaves through the worldwide gaming community. Because of the format Ps3 users could finally experience the Gears franchise as one large epic adventure. Epic could port the title while adding extra footage to the end of Gear 1 that ties right into Gears 2 as a continual experience. This extra footage could be exclusive footage to the PS3 version which goes more in depth into the understanding of Marcus Fenix or the Locust Horde of maybe both. Nevertheless it would combine the games so the experience feels like one full roller coaster ride.

On the multiplayer side, by utilizing the PS3 and the blu-ray format Epic could finally broaden the playing field to feel more epic (no pun intended), allowing for the possibility of 32 player online matches on larger maps while offering additional maps for the PS3 version. I am sure 32 players online could be realized on the Xbox 360 and this might just become a reality for Gears of War 3.

As I mentioned earlier the Gears of War franchise has gone on to sell millions of copies, so with that said both Epic and Microsoft have seen a very prosperous relationship in this franchise. If Gears of War on the PS3 ever became a reality there is no doubt that a prosperous return would be in the works.  As a PS3 hybrid title, a retail tag of $59.99 would be smart as it would sell aggressively on the system, the 21 plus million install base would see to it.

This would be a win win for Epic, Sony and PS3 users. Here’s to hope!