Digital Comics Reader Now Available for PSP – Get a Free Issue!

Hi Everyone –

As you’ve already heard from Eric Lempel, the latest PSP firmware update v6.20 added the Digital Comics Reader to the XMB on the PSP. The PlayStation Network comic service on PlayStation Store will be coming in December (U.S. Only). In the meantime, you can get your hands on a free issue ofStar Trek: Year Four – The Enterprise Experiment from our partners at IDW Publishing. Once you download the free Digital Reader, visit PlayStation Store on the PSP and enter the following promotion code:

724K-A4BG-JLD7

This code is only valid until December 16, 2009. The code must be redeemed directly on the PSP (not through PS3 or Media Go).

You should also check out www.playstationcomics.com for more information and to find a code for another free digital comic. (Hint: For those of you following PlayStation on Twitter, you might want to check there, too.)

Stay tuned for more details about the PlayStation Network digital comic service for the PSP.

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

GTA: Chinatown Wars Launching Today for PSP on UMD and PSN

With Grand Theft Auto: China Chinatown Wars hitting for PSP today, Rockstar Games sent along a brand new clip from the game. Like you’d see on any talk show, they also set up the clip; here’sRich Rosado, a R* producer.

Hello all! It’s pleasure for me to introduce this next clip for the PSP and PSPgo fans reading this out there. We know that a lot of fans have been waiting to finally get their hands on Chinatown Wars and we’re thrilled to finally bring an even more refined version of this game to the PSP.

For anyone that hasn’t heard anything about Chinatown Wars yet, I can tell you that it brings a unique, arcade-like approach to the series. We really rethought the way a portable GTA experience could work from the ground up. On the PSP, the game includes some exclusive missions, music, re-optimized controls, and an intense high-resolution graphical overhaul that could only be done on this platform.

Some may still not realize this, but Chinatown Wars is actually the biggest portable GTA we’ve ever done – even bigger than Liberty City Stories or Vice City Stories in terms of polygon counts, lines of code, and especially environmental assets. Altogether, we have something that clearly looks and feels different than the Stories titles in our legacy lineup (both of which are launching on PSN this Thursday) – but the end result is one of our proudest achievements thus far, non-stop, innovative Grand Theft Auto gaming. We can’t wait for everyone to dive into it on the PSP today.

In this clip below, you can get a look at how we’ve chosen to weave the mini-game elements into the broader gameplay without ever forcing players to take their hands off of the system. These gameplay elements feel even more tactile on the analog stick, and it’s an integral component of the game that highlights the graphic novel style we’ve incorporated into the game.

When stealing certain cars, you disassemble the steering wheel column to hotwire the car with the analog stick – and as you can see, it works seamlessly. Whether you’re screwing together a sniper rifle to focus in on a headshots, or directing the fire hose on a fire truck onto a car that’s in flames and about to explode, the controls in the game have been optimized for a much faster experience on the PSP. This is especially true for when players are looking to throw projectiles weapons, either on foot or while driving. You don’t have to stop moving in order to pinpoint a grenade onto the hood of a rival gang’s vehicle. Here you can also see Huang taking on one of the Triad bosses above a construction site in a helicopter. Locking on with the R-button and firing away with an RPG-missile should do the trick. And this is one of those scenarios that I love, an old-school, arcade style boss battle. That’s really the direction we wanted to move in with this entry into the series: Quick, explosive, and precisely designed to work best as a portable gaming experience. It’s really unique, and unlike anything we’ve done on a handheld before.

There’s plenty more I’d love to be able to share with you about this extraordinary game. With all of our past PSP titles from Rockstar Games hitting the PSN storefront this week, along with the launch of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, I’d love to be able to answer any of the burning questions that many of you might have. As the team said, please feel free to send over any questions you have for me and I’ll be answering as many as I can right here on the PlayStation Blog very soon.

Rich has worked on all of Grand Theft Auto’s PSP iterations thus far, so send along your CTW questions and we’ll get ‘em answered.

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

NBA 2K10 New Demo and Features

Hey NBA 2K fans,

My name is Ronnie and I am the Community Manager here at 2K Sports. Many of you know me asRonnie2K. I am the guy that gets to take part in the ridiculous stunts that we pull off here at 2K Sports. I attend all the athlete motion capture sessions (my buddy Andre Iguodala), put on events for fans across the country (Alex Ovechkin greeting fans from a Zamboni in the heart of Manhattan), interview the brightest stars that represent our company (shout out to James White, expecting a big year out of you sir!), and bring together and distribute the most exclusive 2K Sports swag. Being a huge basketball player in my time and getting to work for the best NBA simulation on this planet is truly out of this world. Do I really get paid for this stuff? But don’t get me wrong, I am the guy that’s just like any of you: a huge fan of our video games and our company and I want to give you guys a voice here at 2K Sports. Feel free at anytime to drop me a line, ask a question, or challenge me to a game. I am a pretty challenging NBA 2K10 match-up if I do say so myself.

I wanted to discuss why NBA 2K10 is going to be the most realistic, simulation basketball experience to date. Our team has added all-new gameplay components, out-of-this-world graphics, even more realistic Signature Style animations, all-new presentation elements, and an unrivalled online system. The demo for PlayStation 3 will be out October 8th 15th. It will feature a one quarter match-up between last year’s NBA Finals opponents: pitting the Orlando Magic at the Los Angeles Lakers.

You will get four of the most intense game play minutes to become familiar with the game and get a taste of why NBA 2K10 will be unrivaled in the basketball arena. It still amazes me how all ten of the players on the court match their real life counterparts, both physically and in their tendencies. I probably shouldn’t be surprised after watching all the development team’s motion capture efforts from the past few months. It is no surprise that the game’s artificial intelligence is more intelligent than ever and will give you the freedom to have complete control of the actual outcome and actions of your player and match-up. This season you won’t just play the NBA, you’ll TAKE OVER.

I also want to take the opportunity to explain modes that you won’t see in the demo, but are among the finest features within the full game that hits stores everywhere October 6th. My favorite one is the new NBA Today integration. My biggest gripe over the years is that when it came to commentary, presentation, and overlays, a regular exhibition game was happening in a vacuum. There was nothing “real” about it. It was a fantasy matchup that had no real-world context and no impact. I had the pleasure of meeting both Kevin Harlan and Clark Kellogg and talked to them about this issue. It amazed me how deep their knowledge of the game was and how we didn’t capture that fully before. They could talk about what was happening in that particular game and they could talk about what happened last season. That was pretty much it.

Now that your game and the NBA are in sync, the door is thrown open for dynamic commentary that’s based on what’s really happening in the real NBA. During the action, the play-by-play commentary is interspersed with real-life facts that touch on how the players and teams are doing during the season and how they played in their last outing. We spent hours recording thousands of lines of audio with Kevin & Clark, so that in game they can discuss a team’s previous real life win or loss, and what the determining factors were in that game. The commentary and presentation will constantly be changing throughout the season to coincide with the real league and transition from pre-season to regular season, and finally, to the postseason based on what is happening in real life.

Obviously with no previous game context going into the demo game, there is no audio in the demo, but something that you should look for in the full version of NBA 2K10 that will bring your experience to a new level. Another great mode is My Player. You will get to build a budding NBA player and make a ton of decisions in his career that will influence him in his transformation to potential star. You will get to create and customize your player, both in terms of looks and play style, put him through intense drills to increase his skills and attributes, and play in games where he must fit within the team flow, while completing both Offensive and Defensive objectives and achieving career milestones. Doing so will put him on course to becoming the next icon in the NBA. In brief, My Player brings role-playing to basketball and allows you to create any type of player at any position. Should be great fun to see what you guys come up with!

I am looking forward to how impressive I can make my 6’7” Athletic Small Forward that I built in the pre-release NBA 2K10: Draft Combine. I hope many of you got an early start on your career by grabbing the Draft Combine SKU. You will only get to take part in the NBA Draft if you work hard and go through the Combine. It’s available to download from the PlayStation Store if you want that early boost. I am partial to those two features because a career mode and realistic commentary/presentation have been my biggest gripes over my ten years playing NBA 2K basketball, but there are so many more cool features I didn’t even get into in NBA 2K10. Feel free to drop a question if you have one below. But grab the demo on October 8th 15th and make sure to get your copy of NBA 2K10!

- Ronnie

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

Ninja Gaiden Sgima 2 and Undead Knights in Stores Now

Two PlayStation exclusive games grace the consoles with intense action.

TORRANCE, Calif., - Video game developer and publisher Tecmo announced today the release of both NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 on PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and UNDEAD KNIGHTS on PSP (PlayStation Portable) system. The latest installment in the critically acclaimed series, NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2, releases in North America today, followed by Japan and Europe on October 2nd, 2009. The gut-wrenching, limb amputating, hack-n-slash zombie action game UNDEAD KNIGHTS also releases in North America and today, followed later by a digital download release to play on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) go.

NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2:
NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2's Collector's Edition will be available exclusively from GameStop in North America, and includes the Official Soundtrack with over 30 tracks, and an 80-page book featuring:

• A 30-page Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 prologue comic written and designed by Team NINJA. The comic is a printed version of the in-game digital comic.
  
• Mini-Strategy Guide: A starter guide covering Ryu, Ayane, Momiji, and Rachel's weapons, ninpos, Story Mode basics, Team Missions and more
  
• Art Gallery: A peek at various character concept artwork
  
• Commentary from Team NINJA producer Yosuke Hayashi and the team's lead artists

In addition, consumers who pre-ordered NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 at GameStop will receive an exclusive downloadable costume available through the PlayStationNetwork.

Story
As super ninja Ryu Hayabusa, you roam the world and hunt down the Demon Statue that was stolen by the Black Spider Ninja Clan to prevent the resurrection of the evil Archfiend. From Tokyo to New York, follow Ryu as he encounters vicious enemies and acquires an extensive assortment of ninja weaponry along the way.

Game Features

• New Playable Characters: Ninja Gaiden's Rachel, Ayane from the Dead or Alive series and Momiji from Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword appear as sexy new playable characters
  
• Team Missions mode (Co-op): Two players can engage in online co-op play with voice chat in more than 30 different missions. View and record your play through "Ninja Cinema" and share your Cinema and Mission results via PlayStation Network
  
• Chapter Challenge mode: Master your favorite chapter and compete against others for the top Karma points
  
• Ninja Record: View your complete stats for every mode played, number of enemies defeated, drops and throws, combos, rescues, character usage rate and more
  
• Rewards: Over 50 trophies to earn throughout the game and a dozen unlockable costumes. Weapons acquired can be leveled up to strengthen their power and gain new battle techniques.
  
• Visual Diversity: Over 30 unique characters, 17 stages with a variety of environments, and a storyline which unfolds in 70 impressive cut-scenes
  
• Variable AI: Contributing to the increased difficulty level, the gameplay differs each time you appear in a level as enemies engage in a variety of different actions as they assess the current situation
  
• Gameplay Innovation: A finishing blow system can be used in battle to quickly defeat an enemy in one dynamic action

More information on the title is available at www.ninjagaidengame.com.

NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 is rated "M" (Mature) by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and will carry a suggested retail price of US $59.99 (Collector's Edition US $69.99).

UNDEAD KNIGHTS:
UNDEAD KNIGHTS is the first title from TECMO to be released on both a UMD for PSP system and by digital download for the PSPgo system. The packaged good for PSP system is in stores now, following a digital release in October.

Story
Playing as the anti-hero, rage through the wrath of fearless enemies and build the nastiest and most profane army you can think of in this new-style invasion action game. Prepare to wash the mouth of your army with soap as they can't help but engage in zombie bashing dialogue over a raging metal soundtrack that helps your channel your inner anger. If you can deal with the gut-wrenching, Smack-talking, fluid-spitting, and limb amputating ways of your army, you can embark on your journey of vengeance to defeat the king.

Features

• The Dark Hero Persona: This game atypically allows you to be the "evil" main character who serves as an anti-hero figure
  
• Create a Zombie Army: Defeat as many enemies as you can to transform them into your own personal soldiers
  
• Combo Attacks: Choose up to ten different combo attacks to fight your way through varied enemies ranging from animals to soldiers
  
• Show Some Personality: Prepare to wash the mouth of your army with soap as they can't help but engage in zombie bashing dialogue
  
• Head-Banging Madness: A raging metal soundtrack helps channel your inner anger
  
• On a Mission: Get ready to face the king in the fifth mission for each of the four main areas
  
• PSP Ad-Hoc Multiplayer: Challenge up to three other players in VS play or collaborate with them in co-op play

More information on the title can be found at www.undeadknights.com.

UNDEAD KNIGHTS is rated "M" (Mature) by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and will carry a suggested retail price of US $39.99.

 

Credit : ps3.ign.com

Gran Turismo Update: Video Interview with Jay Leno

As many of you might know, comedian and nightly talk-show host Jay Leno is a gearhead through and through. His passion for cars is legendary, and so is his vast garage. It was in this very garage that the Qore crew caught up with Jay to talk about his inclusion in the upcoming Gran Turismo title for PSP, which is due out this Thursday, Oct 1 on UMD and as a digital download. Jay Leno lent his iconic voice to Gran Turismo game and his Voice Over can be heard from the first time you fire up the game on PSP. Check out the video segment below that ran in the September issue of Qore on PSN.

Keep an eye on the PlayStation Blog for more Gran Turismo updates this week.

Video

For more on Gran Turismo for PSP, check out the new GT website.

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

TGS 2009: Valkyria Chronicles 2 – your questions answered, multiplayer confirmed

I’ve made no secret of my love of last year’s Valkyria Chronicles, the beautiful PS3-exclusive strategy RPG. I know I’m not alone in that regard, based on the favorable reaction to last week’s announcement of Valkyria Chronicles 2, coming next summer to PSP.

We caught up with who answered some of your questions, confirmed online play modes, and indicated openness to create another Valkyria game for PS3.

What made you decide to develop the official sequel for Valkyria Chronicles on the PSP? (Submitted by user: Trollkotte)

For the original PS3 version of the game there were two key features: The Canvas graphics system and the BLiTZ combat system. So when we were discussing the sequel we obviously wanted to bring these two features over, but we wanted to upgrade it somehow. When we looked at the BLiTZ battle system specifically — especially in the Japanese market — co-op play and wireless play is becoming more and more popular and we felt that would expand the gameplay for the title in a great way. When we went further in that direction we discovered that the PSP is the perfect platform to take advantage of that.

Are you adding new unit classes, weapon types or vehicles? Will there be any returning characters from Valkyria Chronicles 1? (Submitted by user: BigBoss712)

Yes. In terms of new weapons and units, not only will there be more of each, but there will be expanded customisation options for both. We have Scouts and Stormtroopers, as we did in the first game, but Scouts may branch into Scouts who run faster or are more meant for battle. In that way, each of the units will branch into new units. In terms of weapons, in the first game a rifle might branch into three different rifles as you progress in the game. The amount of variation is even greater in the sequel. In terms of returning characters, you’ll definitely see Alicia and Welkin come back and you might see other members of Squad 7, too.

We can also customise tanks this time around. You can equip different weapons and change the colour, which will affect how the tank moves. There are many ways for you to customise your own troops, just based on all the different character, tank and weapon options.

With Valkyria Chronicles 2 going portable next year there have been rumours of its return to the PS3. Is that likely? (Submitted by user: G-Force08)

We’re still developing Valkyria Chronicles 2 so, to be honest, we’re not really thinking about Valkyria Chronicles 3, 4 or 5 at this point. Just in terms of how our team develops titles and our way of thinking when we choose the platform for each of our titles, it’s not necessarily “let’s make a PS3 game!”. It’s more a case of “what kind of game do we want to make?”. For example, the first Valkyria was on the PS3 because of all the features we wanted to incorporate into the game and we felt the PS3 was the most suitable platform, so that’s how we develop games in our team. So potentially Valkyria Chronicles 3, or another title that we work on next might be on the PS3, it might still be on the PSP, we don’t know at this point.

Because we’ve already got experience of working on the PS3 and now we’re developing another game on the PSP, that just adds to our level of experience and understanding of these platforms and will definitely help us in determining what is the best platform for the next game that we make.

The PSP is seeing a lot of success, particularly in Japan, with regards to its online and ad-hoc multiplayer. Will you be taking advantage of that in Valkyria Chronicles 2?

We are incorporating wireless ad-hoc play into the game, which will feature both co-op and versus modes. We can’t really talk too much about it in detail yet.

Are there any plans to add a versus mode to Valkyria Chronicles 1?

Valkyria Chronicles’ engine wasn’t made for this sort of gameplay, so we can’t just patch a versus mode into the first game. But if fans really want that, and the development team really feels that it would be a compelling addition to the Valkyria Chronicles franchise, then that might be when we create another Valkyria Chronicles game for the PS3.

How does the difficulty of Valkyria Chronicles 2 and the character progression system differ from the first game?

What has changed the most is the way the game flows. If you remember back to the first game, it’s like reading through a book, with a certain number of missions per chapter. So if you hit a particularly hard mission you have to use trial and error to get past it, or you’ll never progress. But Valkyria Chronicles 2 is mission based, so if you reach a mission you can’t clear, you have the option of trying other missions before returning to the more difficult one. By doing that you can level up your characters or you might meet someone who can help you clear this mission. It’s a different method of progressing through the game. Overall the game’s difficulty will be about the same as Valkyria Chronicles, but because the game flow is different you might find the game is easier or, depending on the player, more difficult.

After the interview, we went down to the show floor to go hands-on with the game for the first time. As a fan, I can safely say that Valkyria Chronicles brings everything that I loved about the original game to the PSP: It handles very similarly, looks great, and has the added benefit of portability.

SEGA also released a new batch of (Japanese) screens for VC2, you can find some of them here.

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

First Look at New Brandon Roy NBA 10: THE INSIDE Trailer, Demo Available This Week

Hoops fans, to get you fired up for the October 6 launch of NBA 10: THE INSIDE, have an exclusive look at the new trailer featuring our cover athlete, NBA superstar Brandon Roy.

video

For those who can’t wait for the game to hit shelves, head over to the PlayStation Store later today and you’ll be able to download a free playable demo of NBA 10: THE INSIDE, which includes:

• NBA Regular Season Gameplay – Pick from two selectable teams and play a full four quarters at a smooth 60 frames per second.

• Block Party Mini-Games – Looking for the lighter side of basketball? Then check out some of the new mini-games in our Block Party…

 

• Open Lanes – Three frames of our brand new min-game, a traditional 10 frame bowling game with…you guessed it…an NBA look and feel.

• Cherry Pickin’ – One board of our other new mini-game, a puzzle based game where players shoot colored orbs that stick to a game board made of additional colored orbs. The goal is to line up at least three orbs of the same color to remove them from the board. Once you clear out all the orbs on the game board, you can proceed to the next level.

And if you’re looking for even more behind-the-scenes insight into NBA 10: THE INSIDE, check a recent Q&A with our producer Bob Staite on GameZone.com and some early previews onESPN.com, GameSpot.com, IGN.com and Kotaku.com.

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

MotorStorm Arctic Edge — A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Making Of: Part 3

Hi again, and welcome back to all the MotorStorm fans out there. We hope you’ve been enjoying our series of behind-the-scenes videos that give some exclusive insight into the development of MotorStorm Arctic Edge for PSP (If you missed them, be sure to check out parts one and two!). For part three, Bigbig Studios takes a trip to Alaska to get the snowy scenery just right on the PSP — see how the different types of weather influence gameplay in Arctic Edge. Also, see how you can customize your experience, how the game integrates into PlayStation Home, and get details on the Ad-Hoc and Infrastructure multiplayer features.

Video

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

Countdown to Race Day: Gran Turismo (PSP) TV Teaser

Hello, PlayStation.Blog readers. I’m here with some exciting news about Gran Turismo for PSP, which launches in just a few weeks on October 1. If you have been following Gran Turismo for PSP lately, you will remember that the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 graces the cover of the game.

Well, we’ve got some exciting things in store for Gran Turismo, starting with this video:

 Video

What does it mean? Watch for more news on this in the coming weeks, and remember to pre-order the game before October 1 to get one of the exclusive pre-order items.

For those of you planning on picking up a PSPgo, or just prefer to download your games, Gran Turismo is also coming to PlayStation Network on October 1. Those who purchase the game via PSN in the first two weeks after launch will also receive a special bonus item, a metallic blue Nissan GT-R Spec V, to add to their in-game garage.

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

PlayStation Gives Parents Ratings Guidance on the Go

ESRB ratings are familiar to all gamers and most parents, as well. However, despite high awareness and use of the ESRB ratings, it’s still critically important that we as an industry sustain our efforts to educate parents about the rating system and the tools we provide that help them manage the games their children play.

To that end, SCEA is doing its part with the ESRB Video Game Ratings Guide that comes pre-loaded right on the new PSPgo device itself. I got a peek at the Guide as it was being developed and it was great to see its straight-forward and thorough overview of the ESRB rating system as well as a step-by-step walkthrough of the device’s parental control features and settings. Definitions of the ESRB age rating categories and content descriptors give parents a good understanding of how the ratings work, examples of titles that carry each of the ratings provide a useful point of reference, and the tutorial on setting up parental controls makes putting those ratings to work on the system a quick and easy process.

It’s a great tool that I highly recommend parents check out to familiarize themselves with ESRB ratings so they are well-prepared to manage the games their kids play on their new PSPgo.

Credit : blog.us.playstation.com

SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 Deploys November 24

We’ve got a lot of exciting news for all you SOCOM fans! Today we’re happy to announce thatSOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 will be hitting the shelves on Tuesday, November 24 2009. So mark your calendars and plan to spend some quality time with your SEAL team over the holidays.

We also like to present you with the very first look at the final packfront for SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3. Check it out below:

To further whet your appetite as we gear up for launch, we’re happy to announce the pre-order program which kicks off today. Gain the upper hand in multiplayer gameplay with two powerful new multiplayer units outfitted with new lethal weapons when you pre-order your copy of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3. See details below:

New Special Forces

Kommando Speizialkrafte (KSK): Play as the deadly KSK. Formed at the end of the Cold War, the KSK operates under the Special Operations Division. KSK operators go through an intense training program, taking up to three years to complete over 20 counter-terrorism specialist courses.

Special Air Service (SAS): Compete as the elite British SAS. Often considered the template by which other Special Forces are organized, the SAS has its origin in the North African Theatre of World War II. The motto of the SAS is “Who Dare Wins,” a solid description of their skill and mindset.

New Weapons

F2000: The German KSK are outfitted with the powerful F2000 assault rifle. The F2000 offers the most popular features of the modern assault rifle including a compact bullpup layout, completely ambidextrous handling and a modular design with plenty of options and add-ons which allow the rifle to be tailored for any mission or tactical situation.

AS-50: The British SAS come armed with the deadly accurate AS-50 BMG sniper/anti-material rifle. The AS-50 .50 BMG sniper/anti-material rifle enables operators to engage targets from long range with high accuracy. Lightweight and transportable, the AS-50 can be disassembled in less than three minutes and serviced without tools.

You can find these pre-order programs at retailers like Best Buy, GameCrazy, GameStop, Amazon.com and other participating retailers. Fans who purchase their copy of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 from the PlayStation Network within the first 30 days of launch will receive the pre-order Special Forces.


Credit : blog.us.playstation.com