PS2 - PS1 - PS Store Updates

[Cuddly Knife]

A thread to discuss PS1 and PS2 games, plus a place for what's new on the Playstation Store.

So, what're you playing as far as b/c games are concerned? I always have the Oddworld games in my PS1 mix, plus these days I'm playing Test Drive Off-Road 2, to compare it to Motorstorm. I also started up a new game of Rayman. 2-D platforming at its best.

For the PS2 it's still Maximo and Twisted Metal Black, and today I got DMC2, so i'll start hat one up soon, for old times sake.

Sometime soon, I'll make a post detailing all that's on the PS Store.

[folken001]

I don't think I will get any PSone or PStwo games. It's because I bought all the ones I liked. That's why I said they shouldn't just ported the games. They should give extra characters, storylines or w/e. I would most likely to get them again if that's the case.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

Honestly, I don't even play PS2 games on my PS3. I tried out two, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness and Mercenaries. For Castlevania, the sound was distorted for some reason. That's crucial, because the music in the game is great. For Mercs, the game froze on me. That pretty much put an end to any b/c on the PS3. With my PS2 still running strong, there's no reason for me to play those games on the PS3.

As far as the Playstation Store, I'll probably just stick to anything free and worth downloading. I barely bought anything from LIVE Marketplace, so there will be even less (try none) purchasing of stuff on PSN.

It will be cool to list and discuss any of the store updates, which appears to be on Thursdays only (sucks).

[Cuddly Knife]

Yeah, what's up with the Thursday-only updates? MS does it whenever, right? I remember Mortal Kombat 3 even showed up on a Saturday or Sunday!

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I'm thinking that either: A) Sony doesn't know what they are doing with PSN or B) They are holding back until the possibly lame (IMO) Home is released. I'm thinking it's more of B. Home will probably have Sony and Co. to update stuff just as much as LIVE Marketplace.

Is Home supposed to replace PSN when it's released?

[Cuddly Knife]

Damn, I forgot about this thread. Oh well, here's what's new starting today, I think.

PSN Update (09.06.07)
Two add-on packs and two demos dominate this week's update.
by Jeff Haynes

September 6, 2007 - This week's Sony's PlayStation Store update comes fully stocked with a large amount of content for people looking to extend their PS3 experience. Chief amongst the latest update are two new add-on packs for MotorStorm and Ninja Gaiden Sigma. The Motorstorm Revenge Weekend Add-on Pack comes complete with a new track, four new vehicles, nine new races and a new online mode for $5.99. Players solely interested in the vehicles themselves can purchase each one separately for 99 cents each. The other add-on pack for Ninja Gaiden Sigma is the first of three expected downloadable items, and includes five new survival modes for $2.99.

Players will also be given two large demos to try out in the form of Stranglehold and NBA Live 08. Media fans won't be left out in the cold either, as there will be trailers for Turok and PixelJunk Racers. The fifth installments of the Heavenly Sword anime and "making of" series will debut alongside a new Heavenly Sword wallpaper. Videos for Motorstorm and Lair round out the game videos, while Drillbit Taylor and Resident Evil: Extinction showcase this week's movie trailers.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

Live '08 demo is available for both PS3 and 360. This may be a first that a demo is available for both at the same time. I'll try it out, since I'm interested in the title.

I'm not going to bother with the other stuff, though.

[ilnadmy]

I hear a Stranglehold demo should be arriving today on the PSN. Haven't checked though.

[Cuddly Knife]

Stranglehold is there. Good game, for what it is.

[T.Tashi]

Stranglehold is there. Good game, for what it is.

I agree, for what it is. I am a little disappointed. I thought it would be a little more tactical, and sometimes the graphics are great and other times they ain't so hot. Being in hidef doesn't save it. Bad graphics are just bad graphics whatever the resolution. But it is a direct sequel to one of my favorite movies of all time, and it's a good game so I can't complain too much.

One thing that's cool is shoot a guy in the ass and he'll grab his ass. Shoot in the kneecap and he'll grab his leg. Shoot the shoulder and it'll spin him. Very cool. And the combos you get for environmental damage is nice.

[Cuddly Knife]

You forgot the balls and throat grab when you shoot those areas.:D

In other PSStore news...

Ratchet & Clank PSN Demo on October 4
Witness the destruction of Metropolis! Hypnotise robots with disco! Download a demo!
by Matt Wales, IGN UK

UK, September 11, 2007 - Despite it sounding like a euphemism for robot hemorrhoids, we're big fans of Insomniac's Ratchet and Clank series. Thrillingly then, Sony's told IGN that a demo of upcoming Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction will hit PSN on October 4.

News of a demo first surfaced during an interview with the Insomniac team on website TheDaily.com.au when an unhelpfully nameless Insomniac employee commented, "We essentially flat-out demolish the symbol of PlayStation 2 Ratchet & Clank: the city of Metropolis [in Tools of Destruction]. Players will get a sneak peek of this level via a downloadable demo that should hit the PlayStation Network Store in the not-too-distant future."

We contacted SCEE for confirmation and, indeed, it seems PlayStation 3 owners will have the chance to download and revel in the game's opening level from October 4. Ratchet & Clank fans: rejoice! Anyone with robot hemorrhoids: sad face :(

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I guess the US will be getting the R&C demo around that time....

It's too far off, though. Why schedule a demo so far away? Just say "coming soon" like they did with Heavenly Sword and when it shows up, it shows up. What's going to show up on PS store between now and then?

[ilnadmy]

October 4!! Why so far awaaaaaaay!?! Damn you Insomniac!

[Cuddly Knife]

Since Sony is getting rid of the chip that is used for PS2/1 game running, does that mean that us early-ish adopters can keep playing the games that are made for the PS2(I predict as long as the Wii is kicking:D), and later adopters can't unless Sony releases game updates like MS?

With the PS3 being region-free, does that mean I can also play games from Japan that were made for the PS2 and PS1?

[ilnadmy]

No, the PS2 games are region-locked if I recall correctly.

[PapaSmurf]

NBA Live 08 Demo is sorry. Graphics are choppy and don't even look better than 2k7. The NBA game to beat this year will be NBA2k8 unless Sony themselves can match with their own NBA08 which should be better than Live 08, because Live 08 is just pathetic. EA, I'm not impressed with the next gen from you, though admittedly the only game I play on my PS3 is NCAA 08, but that has more to do with my love of college football. I'm the guy the drove 7 hours to watch Stanford get whomped by UCLA and then drove another hour north to catch the Cal vs Tennessee game this year. True story.

In other words. Tried out the Folklore demo and I must say I was impressed because I came in with below par expecatations. I might actually buy it because it looks above par.

Stranglehold, is fun. Don't know if it will have enough content to make it worthy of a purchase, but them damn running up and sliding down strair rails blasting people away, that's definitely new.

Warhawk, when I look at all you on my friends list playing games this seems to be the most popular one. Online only is really the only thing keeping me from buying this, but some good reviews from you guys and some guranteed play time with VGR guys would probably tide me over.

Lair, I'm still very intrigued by this game. It's been years since I've rented a game. I hope to a heaven a demo comes out because I at least want to try this one out. From what I hear it's hit or miss depending on the gamers style.

Heavenly Sword, well the demo hooked me, likely purchase or rent. Again it's been years since I've rented a game because I don't like time constraints.

PGA Golf - from the demo doesn't look as good as NCAA 08. Football seems to be the only thing that EA cares about.

Tony Hawk Demo - new demo just came out. Not much to it unless you're down for some old school kick flips. At least from what I saw.

DiRt. From the demo I didn't find it as enjoyable as the Motorstorm demo. Of course I wasn't expecting a realistic sim. I'm all for realism, but for a game devoted to off road racing, when I buy a sim racer i need more than just off roading.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

The Tennessee vs Cal game was good. I thought Tenn would win, simply because of how they dominated the game early on last year. Justin Forsett was a beast vs Tenn. They couldn't stop him. I expect Cal to be in contention for the Pac 10 title.

[ilnadmy]

The Stranglehold demo is 1337 MB. That's so leet.

[Cuddly Knife]

Did you play it, il? What do you think?

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I'm kind of surprised you didn't pick up the 360 version when it was on sale, Cud. It was $47.99 at Circuit City during its release week.

[Cuddly Knife]

I would've, if I had any kind of store like that in my area. All I have is a Wal-Mart and a crappy mom and pop type place called The Video Game Outlet. The closest real store is 3 hours away. I don't mind waiting on this game, since I'm extremely happy with skate, and plus all of the other games coming out really soon. This will be one I pick up when the months are slow.

[ilnadmy]

I played the demo yeah. It seemed fun, but the action felt a bit loose. Basically you're just diving every which way turning the camera around to see if you can find where the person is who's shooting at you, and then you blast him full of holes. And then you repeat it again and again. The sliding over tables thing wasn't really utilized all that much, since most of the tables are tiny and not worth sliding over really.

It never got boring though, and in some parts I had some fun, like diving over a table, blasting a guy with the shotgun, then turning around completely while still in the air and blasting a guy behind me. I don't know, maybe I'm playing it wrong. I try to take cover behind things but the game is really picky about what it'll let you take cover behind, so I just end up diving all over the place. I also never run out of Tequila points, so I can keep healing myself constantly.

I do like the way John Woo is directing the game though, the cutscenes are very stylish, and the graphics are awesome. I think the game is coming to PC too, so if I do get it, it'll probably be for PC.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I would've, if I had any kind of store like that in my area. All I have is a Wal-Mart and a crappy mom and pop type place called The Video Game Outlet. The closest real store is 3 hours away. I don't mind waiting on this game, since I'm extremely happy with skate, and plus all of the other games coming out really soon. This will be one I pick up when the months are slow.

Does Wal-Mart do price matching? It would be great if they did, so anytime there's a sale at Best Buy or Circuit City, you can get the same deal at Evil Mart. I have a feeling Mom and Pop stores don't do too many price matching, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to find out.

[PapaSmurf]

Circuit City only price matches stores that are reasonable driving distance away. I would know...

[Cuddly Knife]

Same for Wal-Mart.

And the weekly Store update is in.

Loco Roco - 6.99
skate demo
Sega Rally demo
DMC4 video/wallpapers
Folklore video
Lair video
Some other stuff that I can't remember.

This place doesn't get enough content to warrant the once-a-week updates. They should just whip it out when it's ready, and it'll make the small waits the more easier to deal with.

[Cuddly Knife]

Everyday Shooter Blasts This Week's PSN Update
On Thursday, get a piece of Everyday.
by Jeff Haynes

October 8, 2007 - PS3 owners eagerly await news of what comes in the latest PSN update every week. While trailers and videos have become the norm, most look forward to getting their hands on more games. Today, our sources within Sony informed us that the psychedelic title Everyday Shooter will be released this Thursday on the PlayStation Store. The downloadable game is reminiscent of Geometry Wars with guitar underscoring, chained combo attacks and funky visuals.

The title will be available for $10, and will feature unique musical selections for each stage. We'll have more on Everyday Shooter soon.Effin sick-o!

[Cuddly Knife]

Well, I haven't been here in a while.

DMC4 demo drops January 24

While Capcom confirmed in December that Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gamers would get a forward taste of the potentially sentimental infernal beings in Devil May Cry 4, the publisher said only that the demo would arrive in early 2008. Unconfirmed speculation arose last week that the demo date would be January 31, but Capcom today has smited said controversy, definitely pegging the sampler's due date for the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Marketplace as this Thursday, January 24.

Rather than standard first-level fare, the DMC4 sampler will include a number of sections from various points in the game, with the highlight new hero Nero and his "Devil Bringer" power. The demo culminates in a boss fight with the fiendish Berial, and offers a look at the seaside city of Fortuna.

Rated M for Mature, Devil May Cry 4 is expected to inflict its barbaric difficulty on Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers on February 5.

[Cuddly Knife]

Man, I feel kind of like a dick for never updating this thread like I said I would, but when PS Store first started, it was kind of a joke and the updates were hardly worth mentioning. Well, now, it's even worse, but at least we have the new store look!

What do you all think of it? I like it, even though it's really only cosmetic, or at least it seems that way to me, since I only browsed it for a few seconds, got me some lame GT trailers, and hopped out.

News to go with this post:
PSN Cards and In-Game XMB are Coming
Sony comments on two of your requests.
by Greg Miller

April 15, 2008 - With the launch of the revamped PlayStation Store as a backdrop, Peter Dille, senior VP of marketing and the PlayStation Network, stopped by the PlayStation Blog today to talk about the future of Sony's online plan.

He lauded the new store, mentioned some upcoming downloadable games, and even touched on a PS3-centric video service (they'll announce something soon), but the most concrete news in Dille's post was that an in-game cross media bar is coming this year and that PlayStation Network cards are "rolling out" to retailers as you read this.

"They will have the PlayStation Cards in denominations of $20 and $50 starting this spring," Dille wrote about the cards.

We'll let you know when we see them in stores.

[Aylmer]

I dl'd the demo of R-Type Command for the PSP and was underwhelmed. Neat graphics and audio, but the gameplay was lame. I like strategy games, but this demo just doesn't work for me.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

The new PS Store looks better, and it is easier to navigate now. Unfortunately, with just a one week update, I still have little use to go there unless it's on a Thursday or Friday.

It's about time that Sony will have cards in stores to purchase so that gamers can buy things at the PS store. I may use it in the future.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I dl'd the demo of R-Type Command for the PSP and was underwhelmed. Neat graphics and audio, but the gameplay was lame. I like strategy games, but this demo just doesn't work for me.

I haven't played an R-Type game since the Sega Master System had that game. I loved that game, hard as hell. I figure all the others would be retreads or me too-s, and I wouldn't enjoy them as much as the very first one.

So this one is a strategy game? Ugh.

[PapaSmurf]

I logged in an I must say I was quite impressed with the new store. I mean they revamped it quite a bit. It's still definitely lacking in content though, especially compared to Live. I think this was just something to hold people over until Home is release, and from what I hear that isn't to far off.

[T.Tashi]

Strategy and Sci Fi go hand in hand for me but R Type left me underwhelmed too. I had more favoritism toward Warhammer.

I dig the PSN update but like Papasmurf says it lacks content which is surprising to me only because there's a thousand PS1 games out there and they have a little over what? A dozen? Nintendo has a more robust oldschool lineup than Sony does.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I logged in an I must say I was quite impressed with the new store. I mean they revamped it quite a bit. It's still definitely lacking in content though, especially compared to Live. I think this was just something to hold people over until Home is release, and from what I hear that isn't to far off.

I still have yet to find a reason for wanting Home.

I see you are playing College Hoops 2K8. I tried it on the 360, but couldn't find a dynasty mode where you pick your own team and go through a season. That sucks, because the gameplay wasn't bad (better than NBA 2K8).

[PapaSmurf]

I still have yet to find a reason for wanting Home.

I see you are playing College Hoops 2K8. I tried it on the 360, but couldn't find a dynasty mode where you pick your own team and go through a season. That sucks, because the gameplay wasn't bad (better than NBA 2K8).

Eh!? You pick whatever team you want. There's two options for dynasty. There's regular legacy mode which starts you off in crappiest of NCAA teams and you have to work your way up. This is the realistic mode. Right below that mode is open legacy, and that works just like any other dynasty where you can pick whatever team you want.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned on this site, that this will be the last College Hoops game because 2k basically said FU to the collegiate license people after they tried to screw em. Rumor has it EA had offered up money to keep college basketball in their hands, which makes sense from a business standpoint cuz the 2k series was in every way better than march madness and it was cheaper.

If you want a good college game I recommend you pick this one up for now and the following years to come. 2k has this great thing called 2k share implemented in the game where people upload there updated rosters and everything. There is a commited group to continually update the rosters because there will no more further iterations as of now.

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

I couldn't find the open legacy mode. That's the one I was interested in. The other mode is crap, since it doesn't let you pick what team you want. I'm not one to get a powerhouse team, but I definitely like to be in a competitive conference. I tried to get Florida State of the ACC so I can play against Duke, NC State, Clemson, and Carolina each season. Even a Pac-10 team would have been worth trying a legacy mode with.

I may pick up another basketball game and stay with that one, instead of seeing what the new versions will do. I'll skip on getting College Hoops 2K8 again, along with NBA 2k8 & March Madness, and just pick up Live 08 and stay with that one.

[PapaSmurf]

yea I just saw you had the game for 360. I don't know if there are any differences or not.

[PapaSmurf]

Btw Rogue, I think we should get at least one game on NCAA Football 08 in one of these days. I think it'd be really fun to go up against you.

On another note, I registered a UK PSN account and already have Metal Gear Online beta installed on my PS3. Downloading the update to version 1.01 as we speak. Servers don't go live until April 21st though.

[Cuddly Knife]

Oh yeah! I forgot that Europe was getting the beta for free! Woo-hoo! I'm gonna do it right now. It's on, fellas!

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

Btw Rogue, I think we should get at least one game on NCAA Football 08 in one of these days. I think it'd be really fun to go up against you.

On another note, I registered a UK PSN account and already have Metal Gear Online beta installed on my PS3. Downloading the update to version 1.01 as we speak. Servers don't go live until April 21st though.

I downloaded the Beta myself. Of course, I tried to see what would happen if I tried to start the game.....

I may be able to get in a couple of minutes of Beta early in the day on Monday, but definitely a lot in the evening, if I'm not too mentally drained. Ugh.

About NCAA 08. Uhh...ummm....I no longer have the game. As soon as I sold my 20GB PS3 to upgrade to a 60GB, I decided to trade in a couple of games to offset the price difference (since the only cash I wanted to use was from the 20GB sale), so I went ahead and traded NCAA in. I wasn't playing it anymore, and probably wouldn't until I started missing football (in gaming and real life), which happens around June of every year. It didn't help that I saw footage of the '09 version, which looks great. I think both the 360 and PS3 versions will have 60 fps. I hope the game doesn't get the arcady feel that I thought Madden 08 on the 360 had.

I still have NCAA 07 for PS2, in case I need to scratch the football itch, short-term.

[Cuddly Knife]

Japan:
PSone GAMES - ¥600 each
► Chocobo stallion
► Grille logic
► Arkanoid returns
► Yamasa Digi Selection DX
► Dice de chocobo

GAME DEMOS
► Infinite Loop (PSP) - this seems to be different from the one that went up last week.

GAME CONTENT
► Initial D Extreme Stage
-New car (free)
► Mainichi Isshou
-July Update (free)
► Minna no Golf
-Costume Set Vol.3 (¥600)
► Turok
-Additional Map Pack (¥800)

GAME VIDEOS
► Battlefield Bad Company

Europe:
GAMES
► Gangs of London (PSP) (€19,99 - £14.99)
► Siren: Blood Curse (£19.99 - €29.99) (9.8G
-4 Episodes available separately @ £6.99 - €9.99 each (3G

GAME DEMOS
► Echochrome

GAME CONTENT
► Guitar Hero III
-Virtuoso Pack (€5,99 - £3.99 - AU$9.99)
Joe Satriani - “Surfing with the Alien”
Steve Vai - “For the Love of God”
Buckethead - “Soothsayer”

GAME VIDEOS
► Linder in Shadows
-Trailer
► PixelJunk Eden
-Trailer
► Siren Blood Curse
-Characters
-Hanuda

THEMES & WALLPAPERS
► PixelJunk Eden - wallpapers

MOVEMENT - MUNICH
-Hot To The Power Of Fire
-Munich: Goth Time
-Spellbind: Champagne
-Spellbind: Kings And Queens
-Spellbind: Soapbox Race
-Interview Spellbind

North America:
Playable content

* Parappa The Rapper full PSP game ($22.99)
* Siren Blood Curse full game ($39.99 for the full game or $14.99 per episode)
* 1942: Joint Strike full game ($9.99)
* PixelJunk Eden demo (free)

Add-on content

* Guitar Hero III "Virtuoso Pack" ($6.25)
* Rock Band DLC (listed after the break)

Videos

* PixelJunk Eden trailer
* Street Fighter IV E3 trailer
* Street Fighter IV PS3 Special trailer
* Bionic Commando Rearmed "The Making Of: Part 1"

Wallpapers and Themes

* Street Fighter IV Summer 08 theme
* Siren Blood Curse theme
* 2 Killzone 2 wallpapers
* PixelJunk Eden wallpaper
* 4 Fracture wallpapers
* 5 Siren wallpapers

Rock Band DLC

* Devour - Shinedown ($1.99)
* Junkies for Fame - Shinedown ($1.99)
* Nine Inch Nails Track Pack 02 ($5.49 includes songs below or songs available individually)
o Last - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
o Burn - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)
o Capital G - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)

Summer Sale Items (all $5 for one week only)

* PAIN
* PixelJunk Monsters (a must-buy, at this price)
* High Velocity Bowling
* High Stakes: Poker
* Rocketmen Hmmm, I'm really thinking about getting Siren, since I'm really starving for a decent survival-horror. I will if it's gonna take another three months for the complete game to come out, can anyone confirm when it will come out? Or is this really the complete game?

[T.Tashi]

Hmmm, I'm really thinking about getting Siren, since I'm really starving for a decent survival-horror. I will if it's gonna take another three months for the complete game to come out, can anyone confirm when it will come out? Or is this really the complete game?

From the Playstation Blog

Now, the game is split into 12 easily digestible chunks, like episodes of a TV series. You’ll be able to purchase the game in three separate packs, consisting of 4 episodes each. These will run at $14.99 per 4-episode bundle. Or, right off the bat, you can purchase the full game for a nice discount at only $39.99. This is all available only through the PS Store. Remember, this is a full-length game, much larger in scale than most of the downloadable games available on the store. It’s on par with full-scale Blu-ray disc releases, and is all part of our effort to expand our selection of game content on the store.

It's available right now, in whole or in part. I think I'm gonna call the wife at home and ask her to dl it for me. I'm gonna want to fire it up soon as I get home.

Just talked to the wife. Even if you guy the complete game, it's still downloadable in 3 separate packs. They just make all 3 available to you.

[Cuddly Knife]

i wonder what the full size of the game is. Blu-ray shmu-ray, I don't think this game is anything that couldn't be done on a dvd, but still, even 8GB is quite a bit of space for a game, especially since I only have 12bg left on my hdd. *looks around the webs* found it.
With their hands-on preview of the first three episodes, ThreeSpeech has let out that those first three episodes average at around 600MB per download. This does not necessarily mean that each of the 12 will carry the same size, however if they happen to do so, gamers are looking at a total of 7.2GB if you'd prefer to keep them all on the HDD over time.

Siren: Blood Curse is expected to hit retail shelves this summer in both Europe and North America, however gamers will have the chance to import the game on a Blu-ray disc in late July if they choose. The imported version will contain an English audio track and all 12 episodes, thus preventing the waiting game. Import, eh? What about an American version?

So, after looking at the prices, the whole game as a single-buy is forty bones, and the game bought in chapters would be 60 bucks. Strange, since they're all DLC. I wonder how much the disc version will cost, if there will even be one?
___________________________

The Street Fighter gameplay is good stuff. Smooth as butter. I can't wait for that one.

Also, the Mercs 2 video is something nice. Very quickly becoming one of my most anticipated games.
__________________

[Fivespot]

Be sure and post impressions if you buy and play Siren. Looks like an interesting game and quite scary from what I understand. Few games pull that off these days so I'm always excited when I hear about a survivor horror game that nails the scary aspect.

1942 looks like it might be good but I'm so addicted to SSHD at the moment that I hesitate to play any other shmups.

Anyone try the Pixel Junk Eden demo? I'm reading great things about it. I'll have to d/l that one this evening.

[T.Tashi]

The dls are surprisingly small.

1035MB
863MB
622MB
and 510MB respectively.

I'm gonna watch and episode of Firefly and fire it up after that.

[T.Tashi]

Ok I got a little confused because I was thinking chapter and episode interchangeably. The 4 downloads (episodes) I mentioned in my above post make up the first chapter only. I thought you had 4 downloads total for the whole game, but you actually have 12. So just going by the first chapter which is over 3GB, the total download size for the entire game is gonna be around... give or take, prolly somewhere between 8-12GB. But... each episode breaks down into... chapters. :rolleyes:

So if you buy the first chapter only, you're buying the first 4 episodes, and you'll be making 4 separate downloads and installs. You can install them all, or install them as you finish is each episode. It seems you can play 2-12 in any order you want.

I complained about the limitations of being able to look but if you press R2 you can look all around.

No trophies

720p though at lower resolutions there's a zoom feature for making the text easier to read.

The manual says by pressing R3 you can enter 1st person mode, but so far I can't access it. Maybe it's mission specific.

You can strafe.

LOTS of profanity.

Stealth is pretty brutal. Without any weapon at all you're SOL and many times you have no weapon. Weapons seem to be mission specific. So sneaking and mastering the sight jacking is essential. Easier said than done because when you sight jack it goes into split screen with weird vision effects. But you can sight jack and move. It's disorienting tho. It also makes it a very slow paced game cause Shibito are everywhere. If you're spotted and run you'll likely just run into more Shibito (or make enough noise to get their attention) til you can grasp the map. But that just increases the tension and scare factor. And it is a scary game.

Combat is pretty bland though it does give you a few options, regular, heavy strike, running strikes, sneak strikes. Gunplay is point and shoot ala oldschool RE or Silent Hill. I think ammo is unlimited.

Archives contain weapons inventory, text and interactive audio and video for backstory.

Overall I'm pleasantly surprised for the first few episodes. It's better than the demo. Decent graphics (awesome with light but most of the game is really dark) nice voiceacting, better than average gameplay (so far) nonlinear story with multiple characters to play and it's genuinely scary. Right now there's thunderstorms so it's especially creepy.

Survival horror or stealth fans (hopefully fans of both) will like it a lot. Maybe ppl who like adventure/exploration. Beyond that niche tho, I'd be hard pressed to recommend it.

[Cuddly Knife]

Great preview, Tash. I'm all about the scary, so this one will definitely be a buy. I looked around though, and couldn't find anything on a release for a disc version. No dice?

[T.Tashi]

Great preview, Tash. I'm all about the scary, so this one will definitely be a buy. I looked around though, and couldn't find anything on a release for a disc version. No dice?

I think every region gets a hardcopy but N.A. I guess 'cause the sales of the original were so crappy here. It's called Siren New Translation and you could order a version from ebay. The ads say it's region free with subs and voiceovers in English and Japanese.

[Cuddly Knife]

Sweet. taht's what i'll do then.

In other news.
Midway Announces Mortal Kombat: Kollection Exclusively for PlayStation 2 This Fall
The special three-pack includes Mortal Kombat: Deception, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.
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July 25, 2008 - Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment industry publisher and developer, today announced Mortal Kombat: Kollection, a special collector's edition box set that combines three of the most recent Mortal Kombat releases from the award-winning, and Midway's best-selling video game fighting franchise into one explosive package.

Exclusively for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Mortal Kombat: Kollection features Mortal Kombat: Deception, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. Packing more punch, fatalities and characters into one box than ever before, Mortal Kombat: Kollection is expected to be available this September for a U.S. MSRP of $29.99, just in time for players to refine their skills before the scheduled release of the highly anticipated Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe this holiday season.

"Mortal Kombat has been a pinnacle fighting franchise for well over a decade now and this is an ideal package for fans and collectors in terms of content and price point," said Mona Hamilton, vice president of marketing, Midway Home Entertainment. "With the PlayStation 2 still holding the highest market share of any home console, we saw this as the perfect opportunity to offer an incredible value to our consumers as we ramp up for the highly anticipated launch of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe."

About Mortal Kombat: Deception

Mortal Kombat: Deception takes martial arts-style fighting and the Mortal Kombat franchise to new heights with an innovative fighting system, unparalleled depth and brutally intense action that will appeal to long-time Mortal Kombat fans as well as current-generation gamers. The game features lightning-fast, hand-to-hand and special weapons combat; secret and returning characters; new moves and combinations with death-dealing battles, and all-new life-threatening environments.

About Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an Action/Adventure title driven by intense single- and multi-player gameplay that is set in the period between the franchise's original title, Mortal Kombat, and Mortal Kombat II. As in Mortal Kombat: Deception, background interactions e.g. acid pits, spiked ceilings, etc., multiple new fatalities, and action-based puzzles play an important role in the player's quest for an "outstanding" victory as they maneuver through remodeled, classic Mortal Kombat environments. In franchise tradition, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks also features an impressive line-up of well-known characters that make frequent appearances as enemies, in boss battles and during several additional in-game interactions.

About Mortal Kombat: Armageddon

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is the latest chapter in the award-winning and Midway's best-selling video game fighting franchise. With the most complete character roster ever, including every character from the Mortal Kombat fighting universe, revolutionary create-a-fighter and create-a-fatality modes, plus a brand-new Konquest mode, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is the most complete, intensely lethal, fighting experience ever!
I'll buy this. I've been wanting to get Shaolin Monks again for years now, and I never played Deception. i have Arma, but I can give that to my nephew who likes it plenty.

[T.Tashi]

Shaolin Monks was a pretty cool beat 'em up with a nice co-op feature. The PS2 has some really long legs. It's still getting quality software.

[Cuddly Knife]

Still hoping for a Silent Hill compilation. This is a series that needs this treatment.

So, what's the word on Siren, Tash?

Also, BCR dated

Bionic Commando Rearmed Re-dated
Swinging into action this August.
by IGN Staff, IGN UK

UK, July 28, 2008 - Nathan Spencer is finally swinging onto both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, with Capcom today officially locking Bionic Commando Rearmed down to a release in the middle of August.

A hi-def re-imagining of the arcade and NES classic, the game is a primer for the all new Bionic Commando, which is due out on current generation consoles early next year. With the original game held in high esteem, the remake is itself the subject of much anticipation, and Capcom has following erroneous reports about the games release, Capcom has confirmed it is to have a worldwide release shortly, hitting Xbox Live Marketplace on August 13 for 800 Microsoft Points, with the PlayStation Network version following soon after on August 14 at a price of £6.99, or 9.99 Euros for those dwelling on the continent.

[Cuddly Knife]

I love double-posting!!

Anyways, Thunder Force 6. DAMNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/894/894543/thunder-force-vi-20080728051120869_640w.jpg

http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/894/894543/thunder-force-vi-20080728051207148_640w.jpg

http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/894/894543/thunder-force-vi-20080728051418831_640w.jpg

http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/894/894543/thunder-force-vi-20080728051250506_640w.jpg

i hope this comes to the US.

Also, I seem to remember someone here talking about Raiden 3. Maybe Folken? How was that game? Is it bullet-hell, or standard shmup action?

[Rogue Bounty Hunter]

It's about time BCR got a release date. Unfortunately for PS3/PS-store, they have cards available to buy stuff from the store ($20 or $50) but are only available at online sites so far. By the time BCR comes out, I can already have it from Xbox Live.

[T.Tashi]

So far it's pretty slick. They have a lot of variants on stealth (sometimes you're solo, sometimes you fight, sometimes you follow someone sometimes someone follows you and you issue them simple commands).

One thing that's really surprising is the game lets you deviate from mission parameters. Let's say for example you're sneaking around and you get a sub mission that says "sneak past the farmer by setting a trap". You don't have to set a trap. You can find your own way around. Of course it's easier just to attempt the mission parameters but you're welcome to explore the gameplay and find your own way. And you can play in first person if you want something more immersive or 3rd person which is more cinematic. I think they both play equally well. After I beat a mission I go back and try alternative routes just for the hell of it.

On the other hand there are certain paths you must take or the game doesn't advance. My wife and a friend were watching me play and couldn't stand to watch and left the room. That's how spooked they were. :D

Overall I'm satisfied. I was expecting something average at best but Siren is a quality game.

[T.Tashi]

One of the characters has a blog.
http://hw-biker.blog-paradise.com

Don't worry it doesn't spoil any of the story.

[T.Tashi]

Wel I beat Siren and I'll write a review for it. The first one in a long time. There's some good, bad and ugly but overall from the episodic downloads to the game itself, it's worth playing but it's certainly not without its issues.

I beat it in 7 hours 30 minutes, but it seemed at least twice as long, which can be good or bad depending on exactly what mission you're on.