They say that football is a game of inches. That it’s won and lost in the trenches, and not by the flashy plays that make the highlight reels. The same could be said then for Madden. The long running football series is built year after year by small improvements, rather than game changing new features (I’m looking at you quarterback vision cone).  This year’s game is no different, new features like Dynamic Player Performance are a welcome addition, and it’s still a satisfying game of pigskin, but there isn’t much new here to separate it from last year’s offering. Though it may be more Kerry Collins and less Peyton Manning, Madden NFL 12 is still a great time for fans of the sport.

The biggest addition to this year’s game is unquestionably the Dynamic Player Progression system. Essentially, it helps players act more like their real life counterparts. Player’s ratings are now effected by everything from the hits they take, to the flow of the game and even how they’ve been playing in the last few games, meaning you won’t be able to constantly rely on the same plays to the same players all season long. For instance, if Green Bay Packer tight end Jermichael Finley is on a cold streak and has been dropping open passes lately, I may want to look elsewhere when driving down the field for that come from behind drive. These ratings are pretty true to life, as players like Manning, Rodgers and Brady have remarkable poise in tense situations, yet rookies and those known for being rattled easy like Jay Cutler will begin making dumb mistakes if you don’t change your game plan up quick.

Dynamic Player Progression is a big part of this year’s Madden feeling much more realistic than previous editions ; as does the presentation – mostly. This year, EA has put an obvious emphasis on recreating the same camera angles and production aspects you’d see on TV and in stadiums around the league. The first few times you see these new angles, you’ll be impressed, but when they happen every single game, they get old rather quickly. The stadium specific introductions are well done, though shortened; really, teams only introduce two to three starters per game.

The biggest question though? Why stop there? Being the only licensed NFL game on the market and the only game that can use the ESPN license could be a huge deal, but the Madden series continuously throws the opportunity away. Where are the ESPN video packages? ESPN branding is almost nonexistent in this year’s game.  On top of that, why not take advantage of being the only actual NFL game on the market? Why not use the ESPN logos, tickers and graphics for games? I understand it would be hard to get the licenses for packages for each of the networks that carry NFL games, but how hard could it be to give me actual ESPN Monday Night Football presentation to make these games feel that much better. Hell, why not show me NFL network video packages?

Another disappointing aspect of the presentation of this year’s game is undoubtedly the commentary. Last year I applauded the addition of Gus Johnson, but somehow this year it just feels like it’s too much. Yes, it’s great when a remarkable, game changing play takes place and he shows true emotion, but Mr. Johnson is very excitable and makes every play, even short five yard passes seem like the best thing to ever happen to the game. Oh, and Chris Collinsworth? You may want to look into why they’re turning you into the game’s comedic value – I’ve had to listen on multiple occasions how you told me how great Greg Jennings’ arm strength is, and how he can riffle passes into tough spots. Yeah, Jennings is a receiver. I’m calling it – next year I want Joe Buck.

All of that aside, Madden’s core football gameplay is incredibly satisfying. Perhaps that’s as a result of the game’s hardest difficulty being ramped up to include smarter AI and better play recognition. The defense will pick up on tendencies and exploit them, and you better have a good adjustment plan.  New defensive animations and tackling systems makes that side of the ball a ton more satisfying to play. I honestly couldn’t get enough of wrecking guys with guys like Clay Matthews and BJ Raji.  With all of its downfalls, you can take solace in the fact that yes, Madden NFL 12 is still great fun to play.

Blast Factor: Madden NFL 12 may not be the best of the series, but it is a satisfying and fun football experience. The dynamic player performance system is an interesting addition the established formula, and should change how you at least play franchise mode. If Madden NFL 12 were an NFL team, they’d be the team that misses the playoffs, but only slightly.

Well, scratch another toy off my Christmas list, as Sony announced earlier today that though its new handheld, The PlayStation Vita will be released this fall in Japan;  gamers in both the USA and European territories will have to wait until sometime in 2012.

Sony warned all along that the device may not be ready for release this year, but it was widely suspected that a release date would come before the end of the year.

Sony also commented that they do not plan to lower the price of the Vita as a result of the 3DS price drop issued by Nintendo last month.

One of the big rumors going into next month’s E3 in Los Angeles is that we’re finally going to get a real name for Sony’s Next Generation Portable, or PSP2 as it’s been dubbed. If rumors are to be believed, we won’t have to wait that long as reports say the handheld will be renamed the Vita, which means life in Italian.

The rumors were first reported by website Games Pundit, which cite the always shady unnamed source with the leak. Then, the folks over at Mega Rock Blog posted pictures with the name stamped on the system.

You didn’t think they’d go with the PSP2 did you?

In the last few years, comic book fans have been spoiled by games like Batman: Arkham Asylum and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. So it’s logical to hope that Thor: God Of Thunder, the video game tie in for the Summer movie will follow the trend  and not be just another crummy movie tie in. You hoped wrong.  Thor: God of Thunder is less Batman: Arkham Asylum and more Iron Man, it’s just what you hoped it wouldn’t be; another subpar movie tie in that doesn’t seem interested in doing enough to stand out.  Sure, it does some things great, but even those elements can be found done even better in other games.

Much like other movie tie-ins, Thor doesn’t follow the story of its big celluloid brother, rather it features its own unique story written by comics scribe Matt Fraction (who also wrote the Iron Man 2 game).  It’s a shame then that the game’s story which finds Loki tricking Thor into causing destruction on other planets, and as a result going back to have to fix things seems so uninspired. You see, rather than really fixing things in Thor, like the game tells you you’ll be doing, you’ll constantly find yourself going through area after area just smashing anyone and anything you can get your hands on. See that crate? Smash it! See that building? Smash it! Yes, you’ve saved this planet!

Most of the game is held down by this repetitiveness as well. Much of the game finds Thor running from one room to another, getting locked in said room and then moving on and repeating. Luckily, the game’s mechanics save it from being a complete bore, at least at first. It’s easiest to compare Thor’s third person action mechanics to that of Sony’s God of War series; mashing on the attack button unleashes a fury of attacks on your opponents, and redirecting the thumbstick in any direction will cause Thor to attack in that direction. It’s a simple and intuitive formula that works well here until you start to realize that it’s the same set of moves repeating again and again.

You do get a break from the monotony of the button mashing though, in the form of the game’s surprisingly well done boss fights. The majority of these bosses are much larger than anything in the game, and as an admitted scale whore, I really enjoyed each of them. While they do of course feature the same basic mechanics, the elements of timing and strategy found in the boss fights makes it feel much different than the other areas of the game.

Playing through Thor, you’ll gain experience points, which in turn will give you tokens. These tokens can be used to upgrade Thor’s abilities, unlock new attacks or health. Exploring in certain areas will result in finding more tokens for these upgrades, but the game is so linear that there’s not really much to explore. In fact, you’ll notice that going pretty much anywhere off the beaten path will result in getting more of these tokens.

Visually, Thor: God of Thunder is a mixed bag, while environments like Asgard and several cityscapes look impressive, the majority of the game looks like it’s straight out of the last console generation. Characters look awkward and move even worse, and some of the environments and objects tend to get pixilated and blocky often. One bright spot in the game is the voiceovers, which are impressive, especially for a licensed game.

Blast Factor: Thor: God of Thunder isn’t a terrible game, it just doesn’t do much to break out of the monotony that hold so many licensed games. It’s a paint by numbers third person action game that if it didn’t have the likeness of Marvel’s Thunder God, wouldn’t even be noticeable. If you’re a huge fan of the character, you may want to check out Thor, otherwise – there’s always Captain America (fingers crossed).

Square Enix announce today that The Third Birthay, the PSP exclusive installment of the Paradise Eve series will hit American store shelves on March 29.

Along with the release date, the company announced that it has hired two well known voice talents that will be featured in the game including Yvonne Strahovski (Mass Effect 2, Chuck) and Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester on Supernatural)

“I was immediately interested when Square Enix approached me with the opportunity to play Aya Brea in The 3rd Birthday. I love Aya – she’s strong, driven and ready to take on the world,” said Yvonne Strahovski. “My goal was to bring all of her characteristics to life to really tell her story and create the best experience for all gamers.”

Atlus USA has announced that the RPG, Knights in the Nightmare will be coming to the PlayStation Portable on October 19th, 2010. The game will be priced at $29.99, and will be available  via the PlayStation Network and in stores.

The new version of Knights in the Nightmare includes optimized controls, remastered visuals and sound, and a new opening movie from director Yukio Takatsu, who’s famous for his work on games like Persona 3 and 4.

Peep the official E3 trailer for Knights in the Nightmare, after the jump.

The new ‘PlayStation Protection Plan’ will be available beginning this month. The program is available to all new purchasers, as well as those who are still covered by the one-year manufacturers’ warranty for their PS3 or PSP.

If desired, the PS3′s manufacturers’ warranty can now be extended by one year for $44.99, and two years for $59.99. PSP owners will get one year for $29.99 or two years for $39.99. PSP owners can also buy the Accidental Damage Plan, which extends the system coverage to include cracked screens, for an additional $10.

If your original one-year warranty is still active, yet you would prefer the comfort of an extension, you can have the new plan start when your original warranty expires. Those interested in extending their coverage can do so by calling 1-866-716-7669. Full details can also be found at Sony’s Web site.

Via: Gamespot

Kratos returns to the PlayStation Portable this year in God of War: Ghost of Sparta.

Developed cooperatively by the famed Ready at Dawn Studios, the team that brought you God of War: Chains of Olympus, and Sony’s Santa Monica studio, the title, set in Greek mythology, tells the tale of Kratos’ rise to power as the God of War.

It follows up the events of the original God of War and developers say it “made significant strides to give players a realistic feel that has never been seen before on PSP or any other portable platform.”

In the game you’ll finally learn about Kratos’ scar and more about his backstory and his family, something that’s intrigued me for a while now.

“Excitement for the God of War franchise is at an all-time high and we’re thrilled to continue that momentum with God of War: Ghost of Sparta,” said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. “This new adventure will showcase Kratos on PSP like never before in an experience that fans and newcomers can enjoy on the go, anytime, anywhere.”

The game is said to be bigger and  better than Chains of Olympus, as it will encompass 25 percent more navigable land space and will incorporate a new weapon system, new magical powers, more on-screen enemies, and bigger boss battles, making Ghost of Sparta a true pocket rocket.

Expect more details this summer at E3 2010 June 15-17.

One of the most exciting titles headed to the PSP this year has got to be Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The first gameplay trailer was posted by konami on youtube yesterday. There is some pretty rad stuff shown in this trailer, especially the Dark Knight-esque parachute used to airlift incapacitated enemies out of the combat zone called the Fulton Recovery Device. You also have an invisibility blanket, a scanner for disabled bodies and a slew of tranq darts.

The storyline for Peace Walker bridges the gap between MGS3 and MGS, if that makes sense. The chronology goes MGS3, Portable Ops, MG, MG2, MGSolid, MGSolid2, MGSolid4.

The point is that this time you play as Big Boss, and there’s like an army of Snake clones that can play the game with you via online co-op (up to 4). You’ll play through what happens between MGS3 Snake Eater, and the original Metal Gear.  This one is personally directed by Kojima as well.

After watching the trailer, you’re likely to move this one to your must-buy list. No matter how corny it gets, there’s just always something special about Metal Gear. Peace Walker is available May 25th in the US…

It’s no secret Valve doesn’t develop for PlayStation 3, outside of the Orange Box of course.

Speaking with industry site Computer And Video Games, Valve said it didn’t put its “best foot forward” with the aforesaid game and is actively seeking to “get better” working with the system.

The Xbox 360 version of the Orange Box was very well received but the PS3 iteration, outsourced by Valve to Electronic Arts for development, was plagued with issue after issue.

Valve wants to make good though and Left 4 Dead writer Chet Faliszek says the studio won’t develop for the system until the team is ready to put out the best product.

“We thought that the Orange Box didn’t put our best foot forward with the PS3 community. We don’t want to do something like that again on the PS3. We want to give PS3 owners the best possible experience.

“Some of that will come from us learning and getting better. Before we can go onto the PS3 again, we want to make sure we’re better at developing for it.”

This news comes following Valve’s statement last week of its intent to develop for the system “down the road.”

Nothing too confrontational or controversial here. Glad to hear Valve won’t do PS3 until it can do it right.

Source: CVG

Atlus U.S.A. today announced Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 for the PlayStation Portable, confirming our speculation, and bringing one of the highest-rated role-playing-games of all time to Sony’s handheld.

It’s not a straight port from the PS2 and is said to include over 100 hours of gameplay and will bring about “numerous additional improvements and enhancements serve to streamline the experience for optimal handheld RPG enjoyment.”

From the mouth of Aram Jabbari, Manager of Public Relations at Atlus:

“Persona 3 Portable takes everything that made Persona 3 such a tremendous, award-winning hit and translates it into the perfect handheld RPG experience.”

Well now, we’ll see just how true that claim actually is when the title releases July 6.

But for now, hit up the game’s official Web page for more.

Atlus has just released a new trailer for their upcoming game Metal Slug XX.

Cartoon Mayhem, over-the-top action and lots of bullets. When the game hit’s stores on February 23, this trailer will hopefully be on your mind when you see the title and debate whether or not this game is worth owning.

The vintage arcade feel of the game seems a little outdated compared to the more sleek graphics which we are used to on PSP games, but it certainly looks like a lot of fun. The arcade-like nature of the game will be a draw in for old school gamers looking to make a gradual move into newer gaming systems and please fans of the series. Anyone who likes those kinds of games will enjoy the game. Not sure where you stand? Check out the trailer below to see if the game is something you’d be interested in playing.

For more info, check out the official Metal Slug XX website.

Atlus has announced yet another game for their 2010 release schedule.

Hexyz Force is the latest RPG being developed for the PSP, set for a March 25 release. They claim that the game will have non-existent load times (I’m skeptical, but here’s hoping) and “the most polished visuals and sounds found to date in a handheld RPG.”

The game focuses on two separate campaigns which are complete and whole in order to present two stories from radically different sides of a saga. The narratively driven game essentially gives the price conscious two games for the price of one.

The plot is summarized as such:

“Long ago, Norvia, the Goddess of Creation, descended from the heavens.  Using the Holy Vessel, a divine chalice charged with all Force (the spiritual energy in the universe), she created life and the Divinities, shepherds of existence.  For a while, all was good.  After a time, Delgaia, the God of Destruction, brought about a great calamity known as the Gods’ Remorse.  He intended to return all Force to the Holy Vessel, returning Berge to the void.  The Divinities sacrificed themselves to defeat Delgaia, delivering Berge from doom and sealing the God of Destruction away deep within the earth.

As Berge lay in ruin, a result of its bitter war, Norvia made a covenant.  She would restore Berge to its former beauty on one condition.  An Hour of Judgment would eventually come to pass, and in it, the world would have to decide its ultimate path: creation or destruction.”

If this sounds like your kind of game and you want to learn more, check out their website. The game will be on sale for $29.99.

No, it’s not a porno.

Metal Slug XX is the latest side-scrolling, arcade-style, run and gun shooter for the PSP. Metal Slug has been a premier franchise for over a decade, so arcade fanatics can play old school coop arcade play on the latest system.

You can team up with a friend in ad-hoc multiplayer to outrun and outshoot hundreds of enemies and liberate as many prisoners as possible.

There are six zany characters and shoot through seven action-packed levels with varying obstacles, numerous enemies, and diverging paths.

Confident players can put their skills to the test by playing more than 70 mission-based trails in “Combat School.” Atlus is definitely pushing this game as the “definitive” portable Metal Slug arcade experience.

Metal Slug will be released on February 23, so mark your calendar and have $20 ready for the MSRP of $19.99.

Want more info? Go check out their website!

EA, in conjunction with GGL and AutoTrader, announced the Need For Speed Shift Gaming Competition on December 4th. The Competition will run through March 7th and challenge the top video game racers in the world to compete in the ultimate driving competition. The Top 4 players will play in a live final at Black Box’s studio in Vancouver.

Why should you care? Well, if you’re a racing fanatic, there are $40,000 in prizes to be won and the grand prize winner will receive $30,000 for a car on AutoTrader.com! The top 4 finalists will receive a trip to Vancouver to compete!

If you’re interested, you should totally sign up. Need more info? Check out their website to learn more. Good Luck!

Block Cascade Fusion is going to be released in the new PSN minis section and Gamelion has released their first trailer for the game.

The game comes off as a warped version of Tetris. The goal is to create a line of at least five similarly colored blocks by rotating and arranging the falling squares properly. Once the timer stops, the fusion will start and erase linked blocks. The basic concept is simple but the game looks like it can be addictive and fun once tried out. The game comes with trance and dance music which will make the game play incredibly interesting. The more you win, the more trophies you can unlock.

Check out the trailer here.

Interested? Check out the game’s website page. Want something more streamlined? They’re on twitter and Facebook too!

On Jan 12 we’re going to be able to experience Army of Two: The 40th Day in all it’s glory. As a special treat for everyone looking forward to the game, EA has released a new trailer highlighting the 4 co-op modes available: “Warzone”, “Co-op Death Match”, “Control”, and “Extraction.” The modes will pit players against other teams for intense game play.

For those unfamiliar with Army of Two, the story focuses on a two-man private military team:  Salem and Rios. Trapped in a besieged city, the pair must put their skills to work and help each other fight against a horde of enemies.

The trailer definitely sets the game up as a kick ass adventure for friends who like teaming up to go head to head with a horde of enemies. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Army of Two: The 40th Day will be available on 360, PSP and PS3.

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble is a new PSP game which comes straight from Japan. The premise alone is enough to get someone hooked. You’re a bancho (head badass) in a prefecture in Kyuoto and you rule with an iron fist. During a school trip, numerous schools from around the country converge in one location for one week. This one week is all the time you get to go around asserting your dominance by finding and beating the banchos from other prefectures. Do you think you have what it takes to be the number one bancho in all of Japan?

The premise had me sold from the start. I set off on a quest to find and beat all the banchos in the region. Instead of just walking up to the banchos and beating them, you are required to find them through itinerary sheets held by the banchos’ henchmen. You find the henchmen, start trash talking and then you beat them to a pulp before getting their information.

From the premise alone, you’d assume that this is just a straight up brawler. However, this is where it gets interesting: the gameplay is very weird. As you go around, you travel by bus, train or taxi. When you want to start a fight, you need to shoot someone in the face with a laser that you shoot out of your eyes like Superman. You then start trading predetermined insults with your opponent in order to improve your "badass" rating. Then you start fighting. You choose what type of attack you want to use and then use an attack which falls under that category. As you beat more and more banchos, you learn their signature moves, which you can then streamline into your fighting arsenal. This makes the fighting system slow and inefficient and makes the battles seem more machine like that I would have hoped. Instead of more fluid movements, I was left feeling as if the battle system was a bit underdeveloped.

Aside from fighting, you get to travel the city and create a life for your bancho. You can dress him up as you please. Surprisingly, these changes show up in cutaway scenes, which I thought was pretty cool since some games don’t let you do that (I’m looking at you GTA: San Andreas). You can also interact with other characters from your school which allows your Bancho’s personality to shine through as he shows soft spots for certain classmates and romances several girls in the process.

The weirdest part of the game is travelling within the game. When you move around there is no sound. No background music to entertain you. So this is a game which requires you to make your own soundtrack with your iPod. I felt this was a very unorthodox decision and made me wonder if the game was broken, but the lack of music was intentional. As disappointing as it was to travel around, the plot and customization kept me addicted to the games. Plus corny insults can be therapeutic sometimes!

Now let’s talk graphics. This game is nothing very special graphics wise. It’s mediocre at best when compared to other video games which have come from Japan. While I liked the cartoon nature of the game made me imagine that this was like Yu Yu Yakusho when Kuwabara and Yusuke were solidifying their power pre-supernatural days. It’s a shame the graphics aren’t sleeker.

Blast Factor: This game has quite a few weaknesses which detract from how enjoyable it is, but the free roaming and customization serve the plot well. My overall view is that the game feels unpolished and, if updated would be fantastic. A more streamlined fighting system and music would help with the tone of the game, while improved graphics would make it a stronger title. The plot is solid and it can be a fun game if you add your own soundtracks. There’s no real tutorial so you’re going to have to learn everything on the fly, but that’s part of the fun.

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble is available exclusively on the Playstation Portable, and retails for $39.99. A copy of this game was given to us by the publisher for reviewing purposes.

I haven’t had much experience with tower defense games outside of the Final Fantasy VII Fort Condor minigame. Having not played a tower defense game since, I went into Creature Defense with an open mind. The plot is simple: you defend your fort from an enemy onslaught in order to keep them from destroying it. You use magic cards to summon creatures which will defend your fort and the game is smooth sailing from there.

Visually, this game isn’t that impressive compared to what has been released for the PSP. The cartoony feel preserves the overall tone of the game, but it doesn’t really have that "wow" factor to prevent it from becoming an eyesore. When looking at the defensive magic cards, they are presented in an anime style manner which, while appealing to anime fans, leaves much to be desired.

Now, granted that the visuals aren’t that impressive, the game itself is very enjoyable. The key to it is patience. This game requires that you wait a bit and strategize your summons so that you can take out your opponents and survive the round. As you defeat enemies, you get to collect them as cards which effectively means that the more enemies you defeat, the more summons you have available to use in the next round. Each monster has its own special ability but the abilities really don’t come into play that much to matter.

Blast Factor: The game is a fun but unspectacular tower defense game which doesn’t really leave a lasting impact. It’s great for long car rides and trips and has good replay value, but the underwhelming nature of the game makes you feel like it should have been left as a minigame in a larger game. However, if you are a fan of tower defense games and have a few extra dollars and space on your PSP memory stick, it probably wouldn’t be a mistake to pick up a copy of this game.

Creature Defense is available exclusively on the Playstation Portable for $7.99. A copy of this game was given to us by the publisher for reviewing purposes.

If you preorder a copy of LittleBigPlanet for the PSP before it hits shelves next Tuesday, you’ll get a voucher for 6 additional Sackboy costumes.

Now you can complete Sackboy’s epic journey in some cool costumes. But not just ANY costumes, no. We’re being offered costumes that are based on Killzone:Liberation, MotorStorm Arctic Edge and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

Here’s the breakdown of the costumes from each of the games:

Uncharted 2 Character Costumes: Nathan Drake and chloe Frazer

Killzone 2: Helghast Officer and Tank Costume

MotorStorm: Arctic Edge – Lucky Jack Flynn and Candy Buzzbomb.

The offer is only available at Best Buy, Amazon, Gamestop and Gamecrazy. So if you’re a fan of LittleBigPlanet and like the PSP, check out the game. Excited? Let us know below.

Eleven days from now…you will want to be the most bad ass you can be. On November 10, Kenka Bancho will be released to the world and the PSP will receive a great new entry. So to commemorate the upcoming release and to keep you wanting more, we’ve got some special screens just for you! Enjoy the screens and, if you want more info, check out the game’s official website!

Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto: Chinatwon Wars on the PSP and PSPgo today, and to complement the release, the studio also set loose a new gameplay trailer.

The video, titled “Out For Revenge,” shows main character Huang Lee, and all the violence, mayhem, and weaponry, the game has to offer.

Additionally, Rockstar today released new additions to the Rockstar Games Social Club including Peking Duck Hunt, a browser-based mini-game that earns players in-game cash and other goodies.

Check out the entire Rockstar announcement at the Rockstar Newswire

October 22. Mark that date on your calendar. The official Rockstar-branded storefront opens on the PlayStation Network. Among the titles offered are Beaterator, GTA: Chinatown Wars, GTA: Vice City Stories, GTA: Liberty City Stories and The Warriors. All of the titles will be available for digital download. WE’re also happy to announce that beginning October 15, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition, Midnight Club: L.A. Remix and Manhunt 2 will join the Rockstar Legacy Collection and be available for digital download on the PSN as wall.

MotorStorm and PSP fans rejoice! The PSP’s version of MotorStorm: Arctic Edge is wonderful. Spectacular. Amazing! There aren’t enough adjectives to describe my love for this racing game. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty damn close.

Visually, this game is very impressive. The crisp details are shockingly clear. I haven’t played a racing video game on the PSP with such sleek and impressive graphics. The courses designed for the game are beautifully done and crafted to be exciting and with a varied experience. The visuals are on par with those of PS3/PS2 games which is very impressive. The visual experience definitely helps keep players addicted to the game and leaves an impression. When you see your vehicle crash, it will leave a mark. Especially if you get it to explode (props!).

The game itself is easy to understand. You’re playing as a racer in the MotorStorm Festival which is being held in the Arctic. You race around using one of 8 types of vehicles and fight to win each race. This sounds like there isn’t alot of variety, but the fact is, there is so many modes to go through, the replay value is immense! The main modes you’ll play through are Festival Mode, Time Attack and Free-Play Mode. Time Attack and Free-Play mode are like most standard racing modes. Festival Mode is the basic career mode. You race against opponents, and earn Badges as you win. The more badges you win, the more features you unlock which allows for more control over customization of your vehicles. People who love customizing their rides will love this aspect of the game.

The best way to play this game is online. When you go head to head with other players, it feels amazing. Once you’ve played through Festival Mode, Online mode is where you test your skills. If you think you can hold your own, you may be right. Or you may be dead wrong and have your ass handed to you by your opponents. This brings us to difficulty. The difficulty levels are like a standard videogame. You start out on a relatively easy level and the A.I. lets you get the hang of what’s happening. Once you’ve one a few races, the difficulty ramps up a lot. By the time you’re finishing up Festival mode, you’ll be cursing how hard the A.I. is going against you. With over 100 levels and such a difficulty range, the game doesn’t get boring anytime soon.

The levels provided are very dynamic. There are numerous routes around the track and the terrain varies quite a bit at times. The ramps and turns on each level will effectively teach you how to race with each vehicle type at your disposal. Now the eight vehicles are: Bikes, Snowmobiles, ATVs, Buggys, Rally Cars, Snowpluggers, Big Rigs and Snowplows. Each type is especially designed to tackle a certain type of terrain. When you play, you need to be ready to execute moves perfectly with your vehicle or else you’ll end up losing badly.

Two other noteworthy aspects of the game are its soundtrack and Photo Mode. Photo Mode allows you to take pictures while you drive, so that you can save it and send it out to your friends. This is a very cool feature which allows for showboating when you take down your opponents! And there’s no better way to take down your opponents than by doing it to a kick ass soundtrack. The game’s soundtrack helps get the blood flowing as you drive frantically around the track. It can wear on you a bit after 30 or so races, but Arctic Edge anticipated this: The game allows you to import your own soundtrack into the game when you need it, so if it gets annoying just rotate it out and race to your own soundtrack.

Now while this game doesn’t break new ground, it does everything right. There are a few technical problems which are apparent during races, but they are minor and do not ruin the overall experience. When racing against more than six players, the game can lag a tiny bit but it’s not a big deal. This is counteracted by the smooth visuals of open track and the tiny effects which make the game all the more impressive. So if you see a cool visual effect, be sure to have the Photo Mode ready!

Blast Factor: This game is beautifully done. It’s entertaining, it has everything you could possibly want from a racing game – cool cars, great visuals, and dynamic tracks. The replay value is fantastic but the online mode is one of the best ways to truly test your racing prowess. The game deserves to be recognized as one of the best games available on PSP today. If you’re a racing aficionado or a casual gamer looking for a road trip game, this is one you should definitely consider.

Motorstorm: Arctic Edge is available exclusively on the PSP, and retails for $39.99. A copy of this game was given to us by the publisher for review purposes.

RockStar games teamed up with Timbaland on a very special project for prospective DJs and musicians called Beaterator. While it’s for the PSP and comes with a UMD, Beaterator is not a game. Many may recall that RockStar had initially hosted a Music Mixing application on their website a while back. They were developing it into a potential PSP application when Timbaland jumped aboard and gave them a slew of beats and loops to work with. The celebrity endorsement gives the mixer serious backing, but my real question starting the game was whether or not it is any good.

Right off the bat you’re treated to a tutorial of how to use Beaterator properly. An animated Timbaland gives you a play by play on how to make music and the options available: Live Play or Studio. Live Play is an animated mixing session where you use 8 different looping tools to play during your songs. The loops and beats initially available are the preprogrammed settings on the game, but when you get better you can make your own loops and beats to replace them. You can record the songs you’re making and gradually make changes so that the song transitions itself naturally to the next one. Once you finish your song you can edit it bit by bit to tweek any problems you encounter. Live play is for easy on the freestyle song making.

The in depth song making comes with the Studio option. In the Studio option, you are presented with hundreds of loops and beats to choose from and must sample them one by one to see if it’s a loop you want to use. The loops themselves range from “inspired” to “half-assed” and can annoy someone who is casually exploring the game. You can create songs from these beats or upload your own sounds and music from your computer in order to expand the type of songs you can create. The Studio is definitely for a musician with a basic knowledge of Synthesizers and willing to put a lot of time into carefully molding songs.

The app itself is a very good tool which musicians will love. But there are numerous problems which will keep it from being embraced by the general public. While Live Play is easy and quick to use, Studio is complex, and not as well explained in the tutorial. Using the Song Crafter part of the application is difficult, since you need to change numerous things in order to get a song just right, and the PSP’s controls can be a very big hindrance. The beats and loops are for the most part great, but you can tell that too much was put into the application. Sampling beats can take a while to load, even for clips which are a few seconds long. This can be problematic to say the least, and the lag indicates just how much data is on the UMD.

Blast Factor: This is a music mixer which will take a lot of people time to fully access. The studio mode is very comprehensive but can be a little bit of a turn off because of how complex it seems. The beats and loops available are very impressive for the most part, and can be expanded upon with sounds from your computer. The tutorial doesn’t go in depth, so the mixer is not as simple to use as the casual user would like. The undertaking was ambition, and the end result is effective but not terribly efficient. It feels as if a touch screen based media player/system would be better suited for the creation of music, so I’ll probably end up checking out Beaterator on the iTouch. For the price it’s being sold at though, it’s a very affordable solution for artists who can’t afford to buy the PC software.

Beaterator is available for $39.99 on the Playstation Store and all major retailers. A copy of this game was given to us by the publisher for review purposes.

Need for Speed Shift is out and we have a new walkthrough video highlighting Kent, England’s Brands Hatch. Brands Hatch was originally a dirt track for motorcycles but is now an extremely technical .7 km course with a mixture of high and low speed corners and some very deadly drops. The level is a pain in the butt, so check out the video.

For any readers heading over to California, be sure to go to the Irwindale Speedway on Saturday (Oct 17), since there will be a Need for Speed booth at the Formula D Round 7 Championship. Pro drift racers will compete to see who can post the best lap in the Royal Purple Need for Speed Shift Time Attack Challenge, so be sure to check them out. If you want to read our review of Need for Speed Shift, check it out here.

Alright Ladies, time for lesson two.

You ever heard that “the clothes don’t make the man”? That saying is false. So we’re going to teach you that a Bancho’s outfit does more than make you look cool. The amount of clothing you’re wearing decides how much stuff you can carry. If you’re naked, you can carry three items, but you’ll look stupid. If you dress right, you can carry twice as many items (up to 8). Visit the Kagura Threads shop to buy some clothes from the smart mouthed shopkeeper.

Verdict? Kagura Threads where all the Banchos go.

Alright everyone, Chinatown Wars is coming to the PSP this month. Rockstar took the Nintendo DS version and has tweaked it around for the PSP. There are a slew of new features and PSP exclusive missions. The newest set of screens focus on Huang fighting Yardies in a room full of drugs. “Factory Fun” focuses on Huang escaping the warehouse. Rockstar is really committed to provide an experience which is faithful to the DS version but at the same time, adds new material so that it isn’t a total rehash. I’m looking forward to it, and I hope you are too!

Now that Beaterator is finally out, RockStar has started a series of monthly Beaterator parties in Sony’s exclusive Listen@Home space in PlayStation Home. Gamers should upload their Beaterator tracks onto the Rockstar Social Club and the top songs will be played during the Beaterator Sessions! So get your PSPs ready and make some killer songs. The first party is on October 16th, so get your butts in gear. Beaterator is available on UMD and will be available for iTouch and the iPhone later in the fall. Check back for our review of the music mixer later this week!

A huge part of the gaming experience is the score that backs the gameplay. If you’re going around shooting a crap load of enemies, you’re gonna need a soundtrack as epic as the 300 movie soundtrack. EA Games realized that the only way to give the sequel to Army of Two the energetic (and epic) score it needs to keep players engrossed,they’d have to hire someone who can make great fight music. So they did the one thing that guarantees that they’ll get the best score possible for the co-op action game: They hired Tyler Bates to compose the score. Bates, famous for composing the scores for 300, Halloween and Watchmen, will provide Salem and Rios with a great action score to enhance their battle through Shanghai. Definitely an AWESOME choice for this game. Check out the video interview with Bates below and a sample of the score.

The game’s coming out January 12 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP, so mark your calendars and start saving up! Comment below with you thoughts on the score sample and video.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars released 7 months ago in March exclusively on the Nintendo DS, but in two weeks, it’ll find a new home in Sony’s portable line, the PSP and PSPgo.

Chinatown Wars for PSP is bulkier than its DS counterpart. Its got exclusive missions, music, and graphical enhancements that you can brag about to your dual-screen-wielding friends/family members/strangers if you’re so inclined.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars comes to the PSP and PSPgo October 20.

Sony today announced a partnership with Amazon.com to make available a ton of PlayStation Network content in download-code form on the mega-shopping site.

Much like the system already in place for Xbox Live content and WiiWare games, Amazon.com will sell you a download code for a game or piece of content of your choice and immediately email you the code to download in the PlayStation store.

What I like about this is the ability to gift content to friends and family. That is, if I’m feeling generous.

“With more than 600 million pieces of content downloaded to date, consumers are turning to PlayStation Network more than ever for digitally distributed entertainment content,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president of Marketing and PlayStation Network. “We are excited to team with Amazon.com to expand our reach with Amazon’s market leading ability to target current and future PlayStation consumers.”

Commence downloading bliss over at the Amazon PlayStation Network Hub!

Source: PlayStation.Blog

Got your copy of Beaterator? Mastered all the skills yet? Awesome. We have good news for you! Rockstar Games is announcing the Beaterator Band Challenge, a competition that offers millions of artists and bands on Myspace the chance to win $5,000 (!) by creating a track using the song crafting tools provided in Beaterator. To enter, just go and fill out an entry form. Rockstar Games will choose up to 100 bands for the semi-finals. These bands will be provided with a PSP system and a copy of Beaterator. Each semi-finalist who submits a track will be showcased on the website and then people who visit Mypace and IGN will have the chance to vote for their favorite songs. In addition to winning $5,000, the winning track will be featured on the PlayStation Network and Myspace homepages. So get cracking!

Sony finally got around to pegging an exact release date and final boxart for LittleBigPlanet PSP this weekend.

According to the PlayStation.Blog, the overly cute project for PSP and PSPgo, will hit retailers and the PSN, November 17 in North America.

Here’s the final boxart for the game. Nothing too special, but creative enough for me to believe MediaMolecule made it!

In other LittleBigPlanet news, Sony unleashed a “Who Sacks the Watchmen?” DLC pack on the PSN for the PlayStation 3 version this week.

We’ll have a review of LittleBigPlanet PSP next month, and stick with us for our continued coverage of the game!

It’s been a long time coming, but finally Sony’s driving opus, Gran Turismo, fits in your hands. While it’s certainly appropriate to level complaints at the PS3 version for not pushing the series forward to compete with newer semi-simulations like Grid and Need for Speed Shift, fans of GT will discover a comfortably familiar racing groove on the PSP with impressive specs and beautiful graphics. Launching with the PSPGo (though fully compatible with the regular PSP), this downloadable racer shows off the power of the under-rated system remarkably well–though not without some caveats.

Fans of the console versions of Gran Turismo will love how you can just jump right into the action here. First and foremost, the controls, the physics, and the feel of the handling are done amazingly right. Even on the PSP, Gran Turismo still feels like a racing simulator. The sensation of speed mixed with great graphics further assures a true GT experience.

Beyond that, there are the cars and tracks. 35 tracks full of variety and challenge around the world make sure that you’ll have plenty of road to conquer. And you’ll need to learn them well to make enough money to buy even a fraction of the 800+ cars in the game. Like all Gran Turismo titles, every car is a real, licensed vehicle, ranging from familiar Toyotas and Mazdas, amazing and challenging supercars, and a huge variety of gorgeous exotic dream machines. The dealerships in the game offer a limited amount at a time, rotating models and styles at random, so there’s almost always something new to offer.

All the cars and tracks are modeled with remarkable accuracy as well, and GT is certainly one of the best looking racers (if not the best) on the PSP. Still, there’s regular, if slight texture tearing on the tracks, but the framerate is rock solid and there’s little else to complain about. The audio is pretty good as well. Certainly not as powerful as the console versions, the car engines and race sounds are still modeled with an ear for detail and realism.

If there’s a real problem with the portable GT, it’s in the lack of a true career mode. You can instead jump right into a single race with whatever cars and tracks you have access to at any time. Choose the number of laps, the car, the track and go. The only options are to race against a measly three other cars, or race yourself in a time trial or drift event. The latter is an interesting feature for diehard racers, as drifting in GT requires a good deal more skill than in more arcade-styled racers.

The closest thing the game has to a career mode is the challenge mode, which starts as a training ground for drivers. In this mode, you complete an wide array of driving tasks to build your track skills. There’s little actual bonus rewards for the challenges though, and while these events add some needed variety to the racing, a full-on career mode is still sorely lacking.

The other big problem with the game, especially as a Triple-A launch title for the PSPGo is the lack of online multiplayer. For a game meant to show off an entirely internet-centric gaming system, only having local wireless play is awfully anticlimactic. The multiplayer action is certainly rock solid, but this would have been a golden opportunity to evolve GT into an online community with leaderboards and tournaments much like the competition on the big consoles. On the upside however, you’ll actually be able to boost your garage in the upcoming PS3 version with the cars you unlock now.

Blast Factor: Gran Turismo has made an overall successful leap to the portable realm. The driving and variety of cars is still amazing, the graphics are excellent, and for lovers of serious racing, GT is still king. It’s a great racing game in need of evolution, but those are mostly complaints that are easier to level on the PS3 version. As far as portable racers go, GT is still the king.

Gran Turismo is available exclusively on the PSP and PSP Go, and retails for $39.99

With Uncharted 2 looming on the very immediate horizon, already earning some of the highest review scores we’ve ever seen, a jaunt to the PlayStation Portable, in much the same way LittleBigPlanet did, feels more than likely according to a developer interview.

In an interview with website Examiner, Doug Wells, creative director at Naughty Dog said “We’d love to see Uncharted grow beyond the PS3. It would be interesting to see what sort of changes to the design one would make for a portable system. But right now Naughty Dog is purely focused on PS3 development so we can’t promise anything from us in the near future.”

Naughty Dog did however promise another Uncharted game on the PlayStation 3, likely after another 2-3 year development cycle.

Would you enjoy an Uncharted experience on your PSP?

Alongside that gargantuan PlayStation Network update we told you about this‚  morning, came PSP Minis.

These little guys are all priced at below $10, and are meant to be like a one night stand; quick and special for the time being, but not much more.

All kidding aside, there are 7 of them available today, two of which are Tetris and Soduku, and we know those are fun!

All the Minis run on both the PlayStation Portable and the PSPgo, which launched today.

Here’s all 7 Minis. Anyone snag any of them yet?

• Alien Havoc ($4.99)
• Tetris ($9.99)
• Hero of Sparta ($6.99)
• Brainpipe ($4.99)
• Fieldrunners ($6.99)
• Sudoku ($4.99)
• Funky Punch ($4.99)

Sony today revealed that purchasers of the new racing title Gran Turismo PSP through the PlayStation Network will score a free in-game vehicle.

The car is a 2009 GT-R Spec V in a sleek and stylish Metallic blue finish and the game is available today on the PlayStation Network and at retail, though to score the car, you’ll have to buy on the PSN.

Sony’s latest handheld, the download-only PSPgo also released today and Gran Turismo, in our opinion, would be a great way to commence the gaming goodness on the go.

The free-car promotion ends October 15. So what does that mean? You’ve got two weeks and Gran Turismo PSP bundle purchasers will be left in the cold, as that edition hits 5 days late on October 20.

Dissidia is the culmination of the first ten Final Fantasy main series games. Rather than in a straight up RPG, like the Tales series has done with its universe-blending titles, Square Enix united its main characters and villains from the Final Fantasy series in one RPG/fighting game. Cosmos, goddess of harmony, and Chaos, god of discord, are waging a war for control of the universe. The balance tips in Chaos’s favor when he summons villains from throughout the Final Fantasy universes to aid him in his quest to defeat Cosmos. In retaliation, Cosmos summons the heroes to defend her and help her vanquish Chaos. As many heroes are killed, the warriors are brought to the brink and Chaos his final assault. ‚ It’s up to the heroes to band together and defeat Chaos.

Story mode focuses on the ten heroes fighting for Cosmos. Each player has their own unique storyline which plays out as you progress through the game. Each character’s arc is a piece of the larger story, so the game requires you to play through the battles with each character. It can get a bit tedious, but the antagonist section “Shadow Impulse” definitely makes the Story mode worth playing. These chapters let the story of the war between Chaos and Cosmos unfold naturally, without cramming too much into a few cut scenes. ‚ Story mode not your thing? That’s fine. If you’re just looking for a quick fight, the Arcade and Quick Battle modes allow for quick one on one battles with the computer. Communications mode allows you to fight friends using the PSP’s Ad Hoc wireless system. Additional levels can be unlocked for an expanded game play experience.

The fighting system of the game is fantastically designed. The 3D arena allows fighters to go head to head while using the arena itself to enhance the experience. During the fights, timing is everything. You need to be able to block and evade the attacks while launching counter attacks as quickly as possible to get the upper hand. During the battle, you rely on your HP and Bravery Points. Using Bravery attacks allows you to steal your opponent’s Bravery and then use a Limit Break to launch an attack that will decimate your opponent using the accumulated Bravery Points. This brings a level of balance to the fight which is reminiscent of the fighting systems of the original games. The coolest aspect? When you fight, you can glide across walls and fly across the arena in order clash against your opponent with very cool special effects.

Which brings us to graphics. Graphics wise, Dissidia is on par with Crisis Core and in some ways exceeds it. The special attacks are presented in a fantastically colorful and creative manner. When your character slides across mako energy streams, the graphics sleekly show the character glide through the air as if it was natural. Sometimes when executing special moves, the graphics can lag a little, but this isn’t a major detractor from the game. When the graphics are coupled with the RPG element, you are given a truly fantastic experience.

One of the best aspects of the game is customization options. Armor, weapons and accessories help customize the characters and boost your fighting stats. One of the highlights for me was being able to unlock Squall’s Cadet uniform and Cloud’s Advent Children costume. The customization is optimized by Dissidia’s character play styles. Each character has their own fighting style which makes playing each fighter a unique experience. Each fighter is forced to face off against their nemesis in a final epic showdown which will help guide their story arc. While most fans will recognize that the pairings make sense, some will obviously point out the Jecht wasn’t Tidus’ main villain (but then again Tidus was about as real as the spoon in the Matrix, so we can disregard that small issue).

As a Final Fantasy fanboy, this game delivers on all fronts. As a fighting game fanatic, this game holds up to some of my toughest criticisms. The game is an experience, with a lot of unlockable content and beautiful graphics. The story comes together in a good way that can satisfy the diehard fans but could leaves something more to be desired. There is a secondary card battle system which players may want to explore for additional fun, but multiplayer is definitely where the game shines. Points accumulated throughout the game (fighting and card game) allow you to unlock the numerous bonus features (including two hidden characters that fans will be happy to unlock). When you go head to head with your friends, it’s a fun way to see who is better at coordinating themselves within the arena. My advice is to train on the highest difficulty level in order to train your reflexes during the harsh battles. Playing on difficult is incredibly brutal, but rewarding when you fight on normal and can easily block and counter your opponent’s moves.

While this game is fantastic, there are some points where it disappoints. Like most Japanese to English games, sometimes it is very apparent where the lip moves are not in sync with the voice track. This is no big deal, but it’s a little issue that can take away from the experience. While the roster is strong, the new story doesn’t give the characters the depth their original games did. In this respect, new comers may not appreciate the full scope of the characters and think that they are not as fully developed. The scheduling system for the game could be a bit of a turn off from casual players, but it isn’t a major feature if you’re just looking to fight.

Blast Factor: This game helps unite all the Final Fantasy games in one spectacular game.‚  The pinnacle is definitely the head to head fighting between each game’s hero and villain. Those battles alone are the realization of the final battles from each and every Final Fantasy game and beautifully remind diehards why they fell in love with the games in the first place (and continuously email Square Enix to remake certain chapters for the new consoles – *cough* Final Fantasy VII *cough*). This is a fantastic game and definitely one PSP owners should have. For a compelling story and an excellent fighting experience, check out Final Fantasy Dissidia. You’ll spend hours exploring this game fully and won’t want it to end. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go play some more.

You think you’re a badass because you’ve got a black coat and your hair’s kinda shiny? Let Chiba-chan teach you how to be the top Bancho in the new PSP game Kenka Bancho.

Here’s the first lesson in becoming a Bancho: You need to find banchos before you can fight them. Earn experience and fight until you discover an Itinerary to tell you where your enemies are hanging out. To get an Itinerary, just beat it out of some schoolmates.

Sound like something you’d be interested in? Pre-order the game before it’s November 10 release. For more information, check out the official website.