The Bike Pack adds another 9-10 hours of gameplay to our already MASSIVE game, but it’s important that we give you new things to do…not more of the same.

We’ve built another 70 Challenges. If you’re not familiar with Burnout, Freeburn Challenges are basically “online for the rest of us”. No intense competition, no getting schooled, no racing, no headshots! Just kick back, relax and tool around in Paradise City with your friends playing simple challenges that take you on a tour of the city’s most fun locations.

Half of the 70 new challenges are regular Freeburn Challenges – just hang out with friends and collaborate to get these done in your own time. The other half are timed, multipart challenges that inject a little excitement and allow you to replay to improve your best times. They include popping wheelies and staying on the back wheel to make the most of the fact you’re on bikes for the first time.

With bikes, you also get a fresh new map of the city, filled with the bike equivalent of Burning Routes (against-the-clock races). These are called Burnout Rides and bring a new dimension through 2-part checkpoint races. They’ll reward players that have spent a little time getting to know the city. There are 38 in total, and the traffic system’s been rebalanced to introduce you gently to an all new kind of Burnout racing.

And if that’s not enough, you can whip through the city breaking new bike-specific fast times set for all 64 streets.

The Bikes Pack is a massive deal for us at Criterion. Here’s why.

Firstly, we’ve never done bikes before in a Burnout game before. The way our cars handle has always taken a lot of work and getting the cars to feel just right has taken a lot of time and energy over the years. Bikes are all new, but we wanted to get them right first time. We’re pretty happy with the way they feel, and we hope you guys will be too. You can wheelie around the city and stop to pull doughnuts or combine the two!

Secondly, every new pack we build for Burnout Paradise is grander than the last. We want to change Burnout this year. Big time. And we want to do it through downloadable packs. We want you to know that if you buy Burnout Paradise, you buy much more than the disk we shipped back in January, and the Bikes Pack is the biggest indication yet of how far we’re willing to push the game.

We’ll be back next week to talk about how we’re mixing things up a little in the Bikes Pack with the introduction of Day and Night gameplay!

Judgment day has come, all bow before the one known as Kratos!

Yes, all the rumors are true: Kratos, the one and only, has made his way to Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds… and he’s looking to claim his rightful seat as the God of Golf!

In all honesty, integrating Kratos into Hot Shots Golf was by far one of the best experiences, as we got to work closely with the God of War team and the casts of characters (voice over, animators, etc) that created Kratos in his original form.

If I had to pick one of the most fun parts, it would have to be our VO sessions and watching (listening?) T.C. Carson jump into the Kratos role in a completely new environment… trust me, there were plenty of eye-watering-side-splitting laughs that day…

But aside from VO, the Clap Hanz team paid a great deal of attention to all of Kratos’ characteristics when animating him and hi chain-drivers.

So starting today, Kratos will make his way down to your local PS3 via download. You can take him out to a nice single player round offline and once you’ve mastered his technique, give it a go online against all the puny mortals that dare defy you.

For those of you that have been frustrated by the difficulty (and I know it’s a lot of you) – first off, I’m sorry for the wait (as well as the frustration factor you went through). But each submission requires a fair amount of work, so we wanted to add as many features as possible before submitting the update.

There are now four difficulty modes:

• RECRUIT
• SOLDIER
• VETERAN
• HARDCORE

RECRUIT, SOLDIER, and VETERAN have all been tamed. As a general rule of thumb I’d recommend if you couldn’t beat RECRUIT in the original release then initially stick to RECRUIT in this release. If you did beat RECRUIT but were having difficulty with SOLDIER then try the new SOLDIER. If you did beat SOLDIER then I’d recommend trying VETERAN. And HARDCORE has no extra lives per stage and is the most challenging (similar to the original VETERAN difficulty).

Now for a bullet list of other items in the update:

• Trophies – you’ll now be able to unlock sixteen trophies (12 bronze and 4 silver)
• Fully Customizable Controls – you can now map weapon selection for the primary and secondary weapons to different buttons and remap other control options. We’ve also added a Type 2 control scheme that is the default for new players. For for those of you that already have the game it will stay on Type 1 until you select Type 2 (or customize the controls) – this was done so that players not reading this post don’t get the update then wonder what the heck happened to the control scheme. And as a final note you’ll also be able to swap the left stick and right stick functionality (Steering and the Omni Cannon)
• XMB Music Playlist support – want to play your own rocking tunes instead of listening to NOVASTRIKE’s music? Now you’ll be able to do just that
• Multiple Saved Games – you can now have as many saved games as you want
• New Weapon Info pane – this is more for new players, but once a weapon is acquired the game pauses and displays an information pane showing the name of the weapon, how to select it, how to fire it, and a brief description of the weapon. While this feature is turned on by default you can also go to the ingame options menu and turn it off if you’re already are familiar with all the weapons and don’t want the interruption
• Replay Stage as well as Quit and Save options have been added to Stage Summary screen – now after you finish a stage you can advance to the next Stage (as you could in the original release), or you can Quit and Save (which will have you starting at the next stage when you later continue), or you can select Replay Stage to play that stage over again (if you failed some objectives and want to try again to get a higher score
• Restart Stage option has been added to ingame options menu – if you’re not liking how you’re playing on a stage you can now open the ingame options menu, select Restart Stage, then start the stage over (versus having to quit out and continue)
• Megapacks and repair packs will replenish the capacitor bar for the afterburner
• Seeking weapons will now target outer components on capital ships. For example, if you drop an electro-mine near a Heralder, it will now lash the outer hangar “wing” (versus the main body as it did in the original release). This makes stripping enemy carriers a bit easier
• Friendly Fire damage has been disabled in RECRUIT and SOLDIER (this is just part of the overall taming of RECRUIT and SOLDIER – we also limited the maximum number of active waves, and when your Scythe explodes it won’t damage friendlies in RECRUIT or SOLDIER, either); VETERAN now gives you two extra lives per stage as well – HARDCORE is, well, hardcore
• The Shredder’s auto-lock on enemy ground structures has been improved – in the original release it sometimes had difficulty locking onto very low ground structures (near sea-level) – this is no longer the case, and the Shredder is much more useful as a result
• Player ship(the Scythe) is a bit larger in size - but don’t worry, we made sure that it didn’t make the game harder (as the collision model is a bit larger as well)
• Brief invulnerability after respawning – this is only a few seconds so don’t try to use it to fight, but it will at least provide brief protection if you respawn over an enemy base
• Leaderboards now show the last completed stage to the right of the score and also show more than 1,000 scores (and HARDCORE has been added to the Leaderboards)

Beyond this we’re working with SCEE to try and get NOVASTRIKE out in Europe as soon as possible. I’ll be particularly interested in seeing posts from those of you that stopped playing due to the difficulty – we really hope the update allows you to enjoy and finish the game.

I’ll also be checking this blog post and trying my best to respond to any questions that are brought up. And if you made it through this long post – congrats!

Downloadable Games

Bionic Commando: Rearmed ($9.99)
Featuring intense shooting and iconic grappling action, this amazing update gets a HD makeover and more! Discover a remixed musical score, enhanced gameplay, new weapons, online rankings and new unlockable content for the upcoming sequel. Team up in the new 2-player co-op mode and take your own path while still in view on the split screen! Download the game today!
ESRB Rated M
File size: 373 MB

PS1 Classics for PS3/PSP

Street Fighter Alpha ($5.99)
FIGHT! The classic Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams returns! With an improved Super Combo system based on Super Street Fighter II Turbo, the addition of the “Alpha Counter,” “Air Blocking,” and “Chain Combos,” Street Fighter Alpha set a new standard in arcade-style fighting gameplay. Download this PSone Classic today!
ESRB Rated T
File size: 80 MB

Add-on Game Content

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

* “Constant Motion” - Dream Theater ($0.99)
* “Aesthetics of Hate” - Machine Head ($0.99)
* “My Curse” - Killswitch Engage ($0.99)
* “Clouds Over California” - DevilDriver ($0.99)
* “Runnin’ Wild” - Airbourne ($0.99)
* “Sleepwalker” - Megadeth ($0.99)
* Roadrunner Records Pack 1 ($5.99) - includes “Runnin’ Wild” - Airbourne, “Clouds Over California” - DevilDriver, “Constant Motion” - Dream Theater, “My Curse” -Killswitch Engage, “Aesthetics of Hate” - Machine Head , and “Sleepwalker” - Megadeth.

File sizes: 22.5 MB - 48.8 MB (singles), 221 MB (track pack)

Price Promotion: these tracks will become to $1.99 on 8/21. The track pack will become $9.99 on 8/21.

Game Demos (free)

Bionic Commando: Rearmed Demo
Featuring intense shooting and iconic grappling action, this amazing update gets a HD makeover and more! Discover a remixed musical score, enhanced gameplay, new weapons, online rankings and new unlockable content for the upcoming sequel. Team up in the new 2-player co-op mode and take your own path while still in view on the split screen! Download the free trial today!
ESRB Rated M
File size: 373 MB

1942: Joint Strike Demo
Based on the popular arcade series, 1942: Joint Strike combines classic top-down shooting with amazing 3D HD graphics. Maneuver aircraft carriers to take on waves of enemy fire and face off with huge enemy bosses. Recruit a wing man locally or online to employ Joint Strike attacks, combining firepower into one explosive barrage. With a whole new arsenal, prepare to rejoin the battle!
ESRB Rated T
File size: 129 MB

NHL 2K9 Demo
NHL 2K9 brings fun back to hockey video games with a brand-new in-game presentation system, pick-up-and-play controls and hard-hitting action. The NHL 2K9 Demo consists of one 3 minute period with two teams to choose from, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. Download now!
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 637 MB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2009 Demo
Take on the world in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09. Save your most amazing - and unthinkable - performances and post on EA SPORTS GamerNet, a revolutionary interactive gaming hub that hosts user-created content online. Set the bar high by posting your top moments, and take on challenges set by others, to determine the world’s greatest golfer once and for all.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1006 MB

Game Videos (free)

The Last Guy Gameplay Trailer 2
You are the chosen one, and it is up to you to rescue the last survivors on earth by leading them to safety through zombie-infested streets. With a classic arcade style overhead view, make your way through detailed real-world cities and use your heat vision to find people hiding in buildings. Then lead them to the Escape Zone before time runs out in this frantic, addictive game. Download the latest trailer today to see the game in action.
File size: 92 MB (HD)

Bionic Commando: Rearmed: The Making Of - Part 3
Explore the re-making of a classic side-scroller in part 3 of this 3-part documentary that looks at how Bionic Commando was brought back into action!!
File size: 290 MB (HD)

Bionic Commando: Rearmed Launch Trailer
Download the trailer today!
File size: 95 MB (HD)

Saints Row 2 – Gangs Trailer
Five years have passed since your crew betrayed you. Seek revenge and reclaim your throne as the rightful king of Stilwater.
File size: 192 MB (HD)

Vampire Rain Gameplay Trailer 1
Vampire Rain: Altered Species provides a whole new way to play action-stealth games. Save the human race from the Nightwalkers who have taken over. Experience a variety of characters and weapons, intense heart pounding battles, and online multi-player mode. It’s time to fight or die.
File size: 58 MB (HD)

Vampire Rain Running Alley Trailer
A quiet city street proves to be more deadly than it looks. Be careful at night—you’ll never know who (or what) is lurking in the shadows, waiting for its next meal. The Nightwalkers have been classified as highly dangerous and incredibly destructive. But how can you defeat such a strong and violent enemy? Keep your weapons close, move quickly, and always be the one to strike first.
File size: 50 MB (HD)

Legendary Behind the Scenes Teaser Trailer
When rogue art thief Charles Deckard is tasked to steal Pandora’s Box, he accidentally opens it, releasing mythological beasts into an unprepared world. Now, giant griffons rule the skies, ravenous werewolves stalk the streets and Deckard is left branded with a signet that is the secret to man’s salvation.
File size: 48 MB (HD)

Madden NFL 09 Buzz Video
Find out what the buzz is around the release of Madden NFL 09. Get a first look at the enhanced animations and the visual jump that Madden 09 possesses and see why this is the best Madden NFL ever produced!
File size: 69 MB (HD)

Madden NFL 09 Announcers Video
See why this is the best audio featured in any Madden NFL game to date. You will be able to experience the exciting new audio including John Madden delivering game analysis. Chris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond also provide detailed play-by-play and color commentary to the game. You don’t want to miss Madden NFL 09!
File size: 59 MB (HD)

Madden NFL 09 Presentation Video
From the exterior shots to the ticker, the second you turn on the game, you are going to notice the new look and feel of Madden NFL 09. The authentic visuals create a completely innovative view to the game.
File size: 108 MB (HD)

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 : Fusion
Reveal Trailer for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 - Fusion
File size: 53 MB (HD)

Mirror’s Edge Story Trailer 1
Faith and other couriers used to be ignored by the police. But things have changed. And now Faith is being hunted.
File size: 83 MB (HD)

AST Dew Tour - Cleveland FMX Jam Session
A compilation of the best moments from the FMX Jam Session at the second stop of the AST Dew Tour in Cleveland, Ohio.
File size: 90 MB (HD), 149 MB (1080)

AST Dew Tour - Cleveland Skate Thrills
A compilation of the best moments in Skateboard Park and Skateboard Vert from the second stop of the AST Dew Tour in Cleveland, Ohio.
File size: 91 MB (HD), 150 MB (1080)

AST Dew Tour - Cleveland BMX Highlights
A compilation of all the moments to remember in BMX Dirt, BMX Vert and BMX Park from the second stop of the AST Dew Tour in Cleveland, Ohio.
File size: 122 MB (HD), 202 MB (1080)

AST Dew Tour - Hear it from Nyquist
BMX Dirt athlete Ryan Nyquist talks about strategies across courses and how each dirt course on the Dew Tour brings something different to the competition. .
File size: 93 MB (HD), 154 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes (free)

BioShock Theme
Customize your PS3 system with a cool BioShock Theme. This theme allows you to change up the look of your background and XMB icons. Download today!
File size: 3.70 MB

Bionic Commando: Rearmed Theme (x2)
Customize your PS3 system with a cool Bionic Commando: Rearmed Theme. This theme allows you to change up the look of your background and XMB icons. Download today!
File size: 7.09 MB - 7.19 MB

PS3 Wallpaper (free)

Bionic Commando: Rearmed Wallpaper (x2)
Customize the background of your PS3 system with this new Bionic Commando: Rearmed Wallpaper
File size: 208 KB - 472 KB

PLAYSTATION Store for PC

Here is this week’s content release for the PLAYSTATION Store for PC. To download these games to your PSP, navigate to http://store.playstation.com. There, you’ll find descriptions of the content and directions on how to get started. For more on the PLAYSTATION Store for PC, please click here.

PS1 Classics for PS3/PSP
Street Fighter Alpha ($5.99)

PSP Themes (free)
Bionic Commando: Rearmed Theme (also downloadable via PS3)

PSP Wallpaper (free)
Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Wallpaper (x2)
Madden NFL 09 Wallpaper (x2)

Hope you enjoy!

A big thanks to the folks at Sony for making the future of video games a reality now. We’ll announce a release date soon, but in the meantime, it’ll look something like this:

The download will be $29.99, but it’s not the disk version of the game we originally released back in January. This is an all-singing, all-dancing version complete with all the free packs so far. Here are some of the highlights. All new game modes, like Online Marked Man and Online Road Rage. Awesome new vehicles, including the Hunter Olympus and Nakamura Rai-jin Turbo. 70 all-new challenges featuring against-the-clock gameplay and leaderboards plus the in-game calendar and news page. Check the details on our website.

And this is just the start. We’re all about supporting Burnout players through online this year.

We want to change the way you think about DLC. We’re bringing you much more than just a couple of cars or a new track – this is the complete transformation of Burnout. That means you’ll see new game modes, new vehicles including motorcycles, day / night gameplay, weather, a huge new island play area, stacks of new challenges and maybe even aircraft!

The next pack from us will be the free Bikes Pack that we outlined in our last post. We promised a little more detail on what to expect. So here it is.

The two bikes available from Day 1 will be the FV1100 street bike and the Nakamura Firehawk V4 racing bike. With bikes, we’re introducing characters for the first time in a Burnout game. Both bikes feature designs for male and female riders. Just make your choice in the Junkyard.

The Nakamura FV1100 is a no nonsense street bike. The sweet 1100CC engine delivers high performance with easy handling making it the most versatile bike in Paradise. The exposed engine doesn’t leave much room for stylish paintwork, but when the engine looks this good, who needs bodywork?

The Nakamura Firehawk V4 is thoroughbred racing bike. It arrives on the streets of Paradise straight from the race track! The Kanji characters on the guys’ version mean “fire”, but we also have a version for our female rider, featuring an all-new Burnout cartoon character.

We’ve got more on bikes from their Japanese creator – Yuta Nakamura – in our next video podcast, and of course our website – www.criteriongames.com

Burnout Paradise. Always changing.

Hey my friends, this is John D from Capcom. I’m pleased and honored to announce that Bionic Commando: Rearmed will become available on the PlayStation Store today for only $9.99! Ben Judd, producer extraordinaire, is so excited for this release that his head’s going to explode. And speaking of exploding heads (if you don’t get this reference, buy the game), here’s his very informative blog he prepared for all you PS fans:

Hello again fine folks of the PlayStation Blog. All good things must come to an end and with Rearmed arriving on the scene we need to finish out our all-too-short time here.

So by now you’ve seen the reviews and know EXACTLY what you are getting into. I would say that Bionic Commando Rearmed isn’t just an homage to a classic 2D game with a very innovative swing mechanic, but it’s a piece of where games started. For those who have never played a 2D game, for those who miss the classic “gamey” type games of old, for those just looking for an experience that is certainly worth your 10 dollars - Bionic Commando is it.

Even if you don’t have much interest in these types of games, I would ask you to try out the demo and decide for yourself. However, even if it’s a day one purchase for you, I would ask you to spend a little time to visit the Bionic Commando Community Site and introduce yourself. There are lots of fans of the game to share your grueling challenge room stories with, people in your area that you may be able to hook up with for a night of wild multiplayer action, and just an all around great community.

Bionic Commando is a game that I want as many people to play as possible, so it was very important to get a PSN version out the door for all of the Sony fans out there. And although I think it’s important to deliver the same experience to everyone, that doesn’t mean you can’t add in a few little things here and there to keep it interesting. So, one of the surprises is that the PSN version of Bionic Commando has an exclusive challenge room that you can only play on the PSN version of the game. It may not be the biggest of surprises, but we have tried to give a little something to the PSN users that they can keep to themselves. And with how hard this challenge stage is, it will certainly make for bragging rights!

PS Update #1: Generalissimo Killt
The charismatic leader of the Imperials, the self-styled “Generalissimo” Killt, is a former member of the FSA armed forces who became corrupted by the teachings of the long-dead dictator known as The Leader. Seeking to spread fascism across first the FSA, and then the world, Killt stumbled upon the blueprints for the ultimate doomsday weapon, known as Project Albatross, which had been created by a 20th century superpower that never survived to see it realized.

With the Albatross plans in his grasp, Killt sprung a surprise attack on the FSA, but the size of his forces compared to the might of the FSA means the conflict will be short-lived - unless the Imperials can activate the Albatross in time…

Medals
The FSA awards Medals to only the bravest soldiers for outstanding service above and beyond the call of duty. There are 12 medals to collect in total, with something to suit every type of soldier, from brawlers to thinkers.

Medal #4: Faster Than a Speeding Bullet
The Bionic Arm is a true utility device – not only does it provide many forms of attack and a nifty method of transportation, but thanks to the wonders of 2 dimensions it can also be used to defend yourself. Time your firing of the Bionic Arm’s grappling hook just right and you can stop the Imperials’ mysteriously slow-traveling bullets in mid-air! All you have to do get this Medal is to repeat that not once, not twice, but 100 times.

Super Joe’s Machine Gun
This legendary firearm is a prototype weapon developed by Super Joe himself. With all-round damage capability, a tremendous fire rate and seemingly unlimited ammo, this gun is perfect for clearing your way through the Imperial hordes. Only two things prevent Super Joe’s Machine Gun from being the perfect weapon – it requires a short reload period after each intense burst of fire, and nobody knows where Joe placed the prototype before he was captured by the Imperials. If you want to get your hands on this weaponry, your only option is to locate Joe.

John D again. I usually play and finish the games I work on. Not this one. I want to wait until the game launches, so I can enjoy every minute. I’ve played parts of this game and it really is that good.

So I’ve been hinting for quite some time that we have something in store for you PS Street Fighter fans. Well, I’m happy to announce that Street Fighter Alpha is available today in the PSone Classics section of the store for $5.99! Some of you may be asking, “Come on John D, was that’s it?” Um, if I say more, the PR team will kick my a$$, so I’ll leave it as a definitely, maybe. (Eh, my girlfriend made me watch that. It wasn’t that bad, shhh!)

As always, I’ll try my best to answer your questions and comments. I’ll be back to give you updates on Age of Booty, our strategic pirate party game, and Mega Man 9, the next installation of the classic series in 8-bit glory!

Till next time! Go-GO-Go-Bionic!

Coming off of one of the craziest NFL off-seasons in history, we’re proud to have the best sports franchise of all time, and the best portable football game ever created, available with today’s release of the Madden NFL 09 PSP Entertainment Pack. This is the bundle for true NFL fans…and will be the only place that you’ll be able to purchase the limited edition metallic blue PSP system.

We’re often asked how we determine what is placed in PSP Entertainment Packs - and the answer is simple…sign the biggest game franchises, add an incredible amount of consumer value including videos, Memory Stick Duos, and even PLAYSTATION Network game download vouchers, and combine with the best portable entertainment system available.

The secret to the Entertainment Pack business is ultimately to give to the consumer what they’ve been demanding. With the limited edition Madden NFL 09 PSP Entertainment Pack, we have - and NFL fans are going to love it. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to grab my blue PSP and go back to the business of taking my 49ers to a Super Bowl title. And Frank Gore will be MVP. I love this game.

Warhawk v1.5 Update “Free Never Gets Old!”

Posted: 11 Aug 2008 02:00 PM CDT

In our ever-changing world, a world where Brett Favre is now a Jet, things can happen very quickly! So it should be expected that another FREE Warhawk Update be released with equal quickness!

OMG…he’s a Jet…I still can’t get over it but, whatever.

We just released our v1.4 Update a month ago and we’re ready to upgrade our players to the latest version–Warhawk v1.5 which is tentatively scheduled for release on August 27th. We’re currently in the final phase of global Sony certification testing and all is looking good so far!

“Tell us Dylan…What’s in the latest Update???”

Custom In-Game Music

This feature was asked for by a bazillion players! Now players can use the XMB music player to play their own custom music. Warhawk will also detect if you are using the XMB player and automatically disable the in-game Warhawk music. Convenience for the win!

XMB Trophies

I have talked about this several times before so this is by no means new-news…especially with the recent leak of our full trophy list – gotta love the internets. BTW, the team and I are really flattered that someone would risk their job to leak confidential info about our game — Makes us feel good in a weird kinda way.

Anyhoo….

There are 56 trophies included in the Warhawk v1.5 Update. These also include trophies for the booster packs, some of the trophies are, or rather *were*, hidden and some are retroactive based on your server-side stats. Here are just a few of the trophies that are included.

Training Tutorials

As more and more people join the Warhawk community, we are seeing an even greater difference between skill-levels than ever before. New Warhawk players had to go online in order to learn the game and, invariably, they would encounter enemy players that were, shall we say, not too kind to newbies This made it really hard for players to learn the ropes, get familiar with the controls, weapons, etc.

So…The new v1.5 Update includes 4 very simple tutorials that can be played off-line. Each one focuses on the core principals of each of the 3 modes of gameplay: Infantry, Ground Vehicles and Aircraft. Now these tutorials are very, very simple and It wouldn’t surprise me if some of our more hardcore players find them way too pedestrian. But we’re looking to help the *new* player, a player that may not be that familiar with Warhawk or the shooter genre. These tutorials are an invaluable help to a newbie!!!

After completing each of the 3 core tutorials a trophy is unlocked – a nice incentive for new players and, well…all you avid Warhawk players can think of them as “easy-money”.

The forth training tutorial, “Flight Practice” is intended to be replayed over and over again, and help players get familiar with the most rewarding, and most challenging of the 3 gameplay modes: Piloting Aircraft!

In this one, you are tasked with destroying as many attack drones as possible in 3 minutes. These simple, hovering turrets fire swarm missiles at you as you practice flying and “scrubbing” missiles. This tutorial is a huge help for new players by giving them a safe, offline way to practice their piloting skills.

Now I know that there are many players out there that often engage in 1v1 dogfights for fun and bragging rights. And while these tutorials are way, way below your skill-level, you may find it fun to do “speed-runs” and compare kill counts.

Retract Clan Invites

Another feature that players, or more specifically, clan-leaders have asked for, is the ability to retract a clan invite that they have sent to a player. For whatever reason, that player maybe never responded to the invite, was being a…a…what’s a blog-safe term that I won’t get in trouble for using??? How about “tool”, yes I’ll use the term tool. So if a player is being a tool and just camping on your invite…you can pull it back. This is important to clan admins because there is a fixed number of clan invites (64) that an admin can have pending at any one time.

New Paint Schemes & Insignias

Awhile ago you all may recall that we held a competition in the USA where players could submit their own Warhawk and Nemesis paint schemes. We selected the 20 best ones and integrated them with the v1.3 update. Well, we held another competition but this time for our players in Europe. We got some great submissions for paint schemes and insignias, and we’re glad to show you all the winners! All of these, the 20 new paint schemes and 50 new insignias are included in the v1.5 update and of course they are free as are all of our updates.

GGL Ceremonial Blades

The GGL recently held a Warhawk tournament and you probably saw the post from our Sr. Producer at SCEA, Harvard Bonin. Below is an image of the new GGL-Ceremonial Knife that participants in the GGL tournament will receive automatically when the v1.5 update is released. You don’t have to do anything to enable it…the global Warhawk server knows if you were in the tournament and will auto-grant you the award.

For you members ARMED^ASSASSIN’s, the next time you player after the v1.5 update is released, your infantry combat blade will be replaced by the Champion’s Blade (seen below) and you’ll be the only players on the planet with this item!

What’s more fun than a Trophy that you can beat someone with? – I submit…NOTHING

“Rookie” Server Color-Coding

We also have added an attractive green color to all official “rookie” server names in the server list. Players that are eligible to play on rookie servers will find these servers sorted to the top of the list automagically for easy selection.

To recap the color coding, Blue servers are official Sony hosted servers, Yellow servers are games launched from HOME, and Green servers are reserved for “rookies”.

We have also fixed the exploit that allowed some players to host unlimited flag capture games, get underneath and into the battlefield and act like….like tools. We also fixed the issue with Quick Join that required you to have stats previously posted in order for it to work properly, and a few other items…ohh yeah, and the 1-minute farming of the Winning Team Ribbon has been fixed. Oh…and one more thing, we are going to be rolling-out version checking on the EULA and announcements so if you have already seen them and they haven’t changed, Warhawk will automatically bypass those screens for you.

Some of you may have read some rumors about our next Booster Pack…I can neither confirm nor deny anything…at least for right now Keep your eyes peeled for an update here on the blog and the media coverage at Leipzig which is right around the corner!!!

Last hint…and this is an easy one:

With one of these equipped, a soldier can escape quickly…even bail out if needed! ]]> http://www.psp-homepage.net/playstation-portable-network/madden-nfl-09-psp-entertainment-pack-now-available/feed http://www.psp-homepage.net/playstation-portable-network/new-playstation-store-downloads http://www.psp-homepage.net/playstation-portable-network/new-playstation-store-downloads#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:50:31 +0000 admin http://www.psp-homepage.net/playstation-portable-network/new-playstation-store-downloads Hot Shots Golf Open Tee®2
Classic Gameplay Trailer

Step out of the clubhouse and onto the tee box with
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee®2. The classic, entertaining golf
franchise returns to the PSP™ system with new quirky
characters, beautiful courses and a huge variety of
customizable options that enable you to take your golf
game wherever you go.

View Trailer Details

Snakeball™ Team Mode

Snakeball™ is a funky, futuristic sport set in a vibrant arena where you glide across the dazzling disco floor on your hoversnake, collecting balls and scoring goals. Chaotic action and energetic music bring together up to 8 players in entertaining online matches for a fun, unique gameplay experience. Upgrade to Team Mode today to buddy up and play with friends online or off for team-based gameplay fun!

$1.99

View Add-On Details

PlayStation®Home Theme Customize your PS3™ with a new PlayStation®Home theme. Be sure to download this new theme for a chance to participate in the PlayStation®Home Beta. View Theme Details

The last trophy I ever “earned” was in ROTC. That was way back in High School (tragic I know). So, I have been really excited to see PlayStation 3 trophies make their way into games both old and new. It’s a new way to show your “ePump-a-tude”. PAIN already features internal trophies that make the modes challenging. That’s why it’s so awesome to get to make a whole new set of trophies. Here’s a list of some of the Trophies you will see next month. If the names seem sophomoric or juvenile to you, then you clearly haven’t been playing PAIN enough. That’s kinda “How We Do.”

To answer some questions before they come up…

Q: When will Trophies be available for PAIN?
A: When the Amusement Park ships on 9-4-2008 we will update PAIN to include trophies.

Q: When does Amusement Park ship?
A: Duh

Q: Are Trophies retroactive?
A: Most of the trophy requirements are new so we haven’t tracked your progress until now. Some work you will get credit for.

Q: Are you CRAZY?!
A: Yes… Yes I am.

So here they are…a “somewhat” complete list of PAIN Downtown Trophies. I say “somewhat” because PAIN keeps getting bigger and bigger. There are more trophies for the Amusement Park, but I’ll talk about them some other time.

PAIN Trophies

Gold Trophies

• Affliction Addiction: Get one billion points (Good Luck)

Silver Trophies

• Dude Abides: Use “The Dude” to score 50 Strikes in Bowling

Bronze Trophies

• 10 Mill Club: Get “PAIN in the Park” and “D-Town Destruction”
• Harder Dick’s Balls: Get all of Dick’s Balls in the Block Party Dumpster without resetting
  (Heh heh heh) I really need adult supervision.
• D-Town Destruction: Get 10,000,000 score in PAINdemonium and Aftermath
• Combo Mambo: Get 20x Combo in PAINdemonium, Aftermath, Block Party and Demolition
• Attention Spam: Get every type of PAIN (Groin, Head, Arm, Hand, Leg, Foot and Body) combo in PAINdemonium, Aftermath, Block Party and Demolition

PAIN Add-on Character Trophies

• Trill: Get PAINful Tosser Trophy with Scurv Dogg or Hung Lo
• Grenade-A-Maid: Get Exploded 500 times with any female launchable character.

That’s it for now… We’re going to be releasing a lot of information in the coming weeks about the Amusement Park. New modes, new launchable characters and the brand new PAINLabs. When you have some time mosey on over to www.painps3.com that’s where you’ll get more info on all the new content!

Peace!

Those of you who purchased Episode 1 of Qore (or subscribed) will join the fray Monday, September 8th. Those of you that pre-order the full game can get started a week earlier.

Pre-order from where? How long does the beta last? How many friends can you share your beta with? (Yes, I said “share!”) The good folks at SOCOM.com have the answers you’re looking for.

Qore Digital Magazine

Qore Episode 03: August, 2008 ($2.99 Issue, $24.99 Annual Subscription)
Episode 03 of Qore: Presented by the PLAYSTATION Network goes way deep into upcoming games featuring DC Super Heroes and includes an exclusive invitation to the Resistance 2 beta, some great artwork, mini-games and a few other surprises.
File size: 1.34 GB

- Qore Annual Subscribers will be invited to the beta under “Premiere” status and be given early access.
- Qore Ep 03 (single Episode) purchasers will be guaranteed access to the beta at a later date.
- All invitations will be made via email/voucher - the beta WILL NOT be accessed through the Qore download center.
- There will be multiple programs and methods to get access (or a chance to participate) in the Resistance 2 Online Beta. Details to follow.

Add-on Game Content

Snakeball Team Mode ($1.99)
Snakeball is a funky, futuristic sport set in a vibrant arena where you glide across the dazzling disco floor on your hoversnake, collecting balls and scoring goals. Chaotic action and energetic music bring together up to 8 players in entertaining online matches for a fun, unique gameplay experience.
Upgrade to Team Mode today to buddy up and play with friends online or off for team-based gameplay fun!

NASCAR 09 Montreal Track ($3.99)
The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal is the home of the NAPA Auto Parts 200 in the Nationwide Series. This track is a long winding road course that will test the skills of even the most seasoned driver.
File size: 66.6 MB

NASCAR 09 Skin Pack 1 ($2.49)
A collection of Sprint and Nationwide alternate car skins from the 2008 NASCAR season featuring such paint schemes as Carl Edwards’ Aflac, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s National Guard Camouflage, Kyle Busch’s Snickers, and more.
File size: 12.5 MB

NASCAR 09 Skin Pack 2 ($2.49)
A collection of Sprint and Nationwide alternate car skins from the 2008 NASCAR season featuring such paint schemes as Jeff Gordon’s Pepsi, Kevin Harvick’s Platinum Pennzoil, Kyle Busch’s Pedigree, and more.
File size: 11.7 MB

NASCAR 09 Skin Pack 3 ($2.49)
A collection of Sprint and Nationwide alternate car skins from the 2008 NASCAR season featuring such paint schemes as Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Silver and Black National Guard, Tony Stewart’s Subway, Denny Hamlin’s FedEx Ground, and more.
File size: 12.5 MB

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Interscope Track Pack ($6.25)
“Carcinogen Crush” by AFI, “Tina” by Flyleaf, “Putting Holes in Happiness” by Marilyn Manson, remixed by Nick Zinner For all song credits please visit www.redoctane.com.
File size: 32.6 MB

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

• “Toxicity” - System of a Down ($1.99)
• “B.Y.O.B” - System of a Down ($1.99)
• “Rescue Me” - Buckcherry ($0.99)
• “Face Down in the Dirt”- Mötley Crüe ($0.99)
• “Life is Beautiful” – Sixx:A.M. ($0.99)
• Crüe Fest Pack 2 ($2.99) - includes “Rescue Me” - Buckcherry, “Face Down in the Dirt” - Mötley Crüe, and “Life is Beautiful” – Sixx:A.M.

File sizes: 26.2 MB - 32.2 MB (singles), 76.4 MB (track pack)

Game Videos (free)

PlayStation Home E3 Video
Take a look at PlayStation Home, the 3D social gaming community that allows PLAYSTATION 3 users to meet, chat, plan, and launch into games.
File size: x MB (SD), x MB (HD), x MB (1080)

The Last Guy Behind The Scenes
You are the chosen one, and it is up to you, a zombie from the Himalayas, the last survivors on earth by leading them to safety through zombie-infested streets in this frantic, addictive game. Go behind the scenes with this developer interview for an insight into the creative and quirky personalities behind the game, as well as a look at their unique studio in the Himalayas, complete with a company goat.
File size: 587 MB (HD)

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
The saga continues in the newest HD trailer for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed which casts players as Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice” and unveils new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy.
File size: 253 MB (HD)

Tomb Raider: Underworld Trailer
Face a new level of challenge and choice in this epic tomb raiding adventure. As fearless adventurer Lara Croft explore exotic locations around the world, each designed with an incredible attention to detail delivering a breathtaking high-definition visual fidelity that creates a truly believable and absorbing world
File size: 152 MB (HD)

Madden NFL 09 E3 Trailer
The Madden NFL 09 E3 Trailer is cut to Rev Theory’s “Hey Yeah”, and touches on just a few of the over 85 new features and enhancements in Madden NFL 09.
File size: 94 MB (HD)

Madden NFL 20th Anniversary Video
Find out all the details around the Madden NFL 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition.
File size: 102 MB (HD)

Madden NFL 09 Adaptability Trailer
Madden NFL 09 is the first sports game that adapts to you! Learn how John Madden tests your skill level. The game teaches you to become a better player if you are new to the game, or if you are a seasoned player the game will add challenges. It adapts to you!
File size: 70 MB (HD)

TNA iMPACT! Head to Head Trailer
“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles goes head to head against The “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe in Midway’s TNA iMPACT! Wrestling game coming September.
File size: 166 MB (HD)

Dead Space Dev Diary #5: Creating Horror
The Dev team talks about the techniques they use to make Dead Space one of the scariest games of the year.
File size: 309 MB (HD)

Dead Space Animated Comic Issue #4 PG-13
The fourth issue of the six part Dead Space Animated Comic Series created by Ben Templesmith and Antony Johnston.
File size: 270 MB (HD)

AST Dew Tour - Greg Lutzka’s Road to Finals
Skate Park athlete Greg Lutzka takes you behind the scenes at the Skate Park prelims on the second stop of the AST Dew Tour, the Right Guard Open.
File size: 86 MB (HD), 142 MB (1080)

AST Dew Tour - One on one with James Foster
BMX Dirt competitor James Foster talks to us about his 2007 success, what its takes to have a BMX career and the key to winning at BMX Dirt on the AST Dew Tour.
File size: 97 MB (HD), 160 MB (1080)

AST Dew Tour - PlayStation Pro Moments - 2
A Compilation of the best tricks that were thrown down during the finals of BMX Vert, BMX Dirt, Skateboard Park, Skateboard Vert and BMX Park at the AST Dew Tour’s Right Guard Open in Cleveland, OH.
File size: 40 MB (HD), 67 MB (1080)

AST Dew Tour - Spinner looks to ‘08
BMX Park rider Mike Spinner talks about his plans for 2008 and his plans to continue to progress the sport.
File size: 119 MB (HD), 196 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes (free)

PlayStation Home Theme
Customize your PS3 with a new PlayStation Home theme. This theme allows you to change up the look of your background and XMB icons. Be sure to download this new theme for a chance to participate in the PlayStation Home Beta.
File size: 4.02 MB

PS3 Wallpaper (free)

Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice Wallpaper (x3)
Customize the background of your PS3 system with this new Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice Wallpaper.
File sizes: 251 KB - 1.59 MB

Tomb Raider: Underworld Mediterranean Shark Attack Wallpaper
Customize the background of your PS3 system with this new Tomb Raider: Underworld Mediterranean Shark Attack Wallpaper.
File sizes: 244 KB - 1.05 MB

PLAYSTATION Store for PC

Here is this week’s content release for the PLAYSTATION Store for PC. To download these games to your PSP, navigate to http://store.playstation.com. There, you’ll find descriptions of the content and directions on how to get started. For more on the PLAYSTATION Store for PC, please click here.

Downloadable Games
* Talkman Travel: Rome, Paris, Tokyo ($5.99 ea)

Game Videos (free)
* Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Videos (x5)
* Home Video

Hope you enjoy!

Want to read everything about Resistance 2’s 300-foot tall, skyscraper-smashing Leviathan? Then you’ll want to pick-up of the August issue of GamePro Magazine! In the 10-page Resistance 2 cover story, you’ll see the first details and images of one of our boss Chimera, which we call the Leviathan. In addition, GamePro got the chance to play through a lengthy segment of our Chicago single-player level, and checked out our 8-player online co-op and competitive multiplayer. The issue is hitting subscribers now and goes on newsstands early next week, but if you really can’t wait, here’s a sneak peak at a couple of the new screenshots below.

Obviously, you’ll have to go buy the magazine to see more of Resistance 2, which also features an exclusive three-page fold-out cover showing some art our team created of Nathan Hale in Chicago and a few other surprises. Check out a preview here

If you are a Resistance fan, this issue is a must-have.

The truth is – we simply haven’t stopped.

We’re into our “Year of Paradise” – 12 months where the Burnout Team keeps on developing exciting new stuff to expand and change Burnout Paradise (and in the process, we aim to radically change what everyone expects of downloadable content).

We’ve so far released our 1.1 update, and our second update, codenamed: “Bogart,” packed with fixes and game-enhancing features.

Now, we’re expecting our third FREE update codenamed: “Cagney” that’s coming on 10th July (yes, that’s FREE – just put your Burnout Paradise disk into your PLAYSTATION 3 and it’ll download automatically), and we’re really excited about it as we count down to its release.

We’re talking:

3 new Online Game Modes

• Online Stunt Run – you and up to 7 others compete for the highest stunt score
• Online Road Rage – where you team up and try to stop the other team from reaching their destination
• Online Marked Man – someone gets called out and everyone else tries to hunt them down

70 new Online Timed Challenges

• Everyone teams up to pull off stunts and other feats in the world, against the clock

New Vehicles (including the Hunter Olympus)

Major improvements to our Ranked Racing system

Plus heaps more, including:

• 1080i support for PlayStation 3 owners with “almost HD” sets
• Improved Standard Definition rendering for PlayStation 3
• Support for Custom Soundtracks on PlayStation 3

Outside of the game, our website, www.criteriongames.com is changing too – we’re posting up to 4 stories daily direct from the team and we now have an audio and video podcast from the team that goes out on a weekly basis. This week’s podcast released on Friday, we’re talking in detail about what to expect in “Cagney” and the other game-changing updates beyond that.

Downloadable Games

Fatal Inertia EX ($29.99)
Climb into the cockpit and experience a brave new world of combat racing. Fatal Inertia EX lets you battle at high-speed using an unconventional array of weapons designed around realistic principles of physics and magnetism.
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 906 MB

Add-on Game Content

Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds Oceania Course ($4.99)
Download the new Oceania course now available for play in Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds. Take your favorite players and caddies and tee it up on this new, beautifully designed Oceania course and see if you have what it takes your game to a new level of play.
File size: 100 KB

Metal Gear Solid 4 Database (free)
The entire Metal Gear saga is now at your fingertips!
Information on characters, weapons and plot elements from Metal Gear (1987) to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008), accessible from three different perspectives: an encyclopedia, a relationship map, and a timeline. This digital supplement is a must-have for every Metal Gear fan!
File size: 77 MB

The Incredible Hulk Downloadable Content (free)
In addition to the epic single-player experience, THE INCREDIBLE HULK’s downloadable bonus content includes six competitive two-player mission types that test the speed, strength and skill of PS3 gamers everywhere.
File size: 381 MB

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Coldplay Track Pack ($6.25)
Three pack download containing the songs “Violet Hill”, “Talk”, “God Put A Smile Upon Your Face” by Coldplay. For all song credits please visit www.redoctane.com.
File size: 45.2 MB

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

• “Rock ‘n’ Roll Dream” - Crooked X ($0.99)
• “Afterlife” - Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
• “Critical Acclaim” - Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
• “Hammerhead” - The Offspring ($1.99)

File sizes: 25.7 MB - 53.2 MB

Game Demos (free)

Fatal Inertia EX Trial
Climb into the cockpit and experience a brave new world of combat racing.
ESRB Rated E10+
File size: 542 MB

NCAA Football 09 Demo
NCAA Football 09 arrives on campus with groundbreaking college animations and controls and all the excitement of a storied college bowl game. Develop an adrenaline-pumping home field atmosphere and see if you can build your legacy in the online Dynasty mode.
ESRB Rated E
File size: 1.50 GB

Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 Demo
One of the most popular arcade shooters is back! Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 revives classic Commando action with an all new adventure.
ESRB Rating T
File size: 112 MB

Hail to the Chimp Demo
Hail to the Chimp is a fast, furious, and funny action-party game where you and up to three friends compete to become the first President of the animal kingdom!
ESRB Rated T
File size: 374 MB

Game Videos (free)

Linger in Shadows Trailer
Linger in Shadows is an interactive coffee table piece created by a collective of artists who call themselves Plastic based in Poland. This experiment into the demoscene brings new talent with a fresh approach to interactive art into the industry. Navigate through various segments and unlock both primary and secondary goals to find the rips in reality.
File size: 68 MB (HD)

PAIN: Character Intro Trailer
What new….er….WHO’S new in PAIN? Take a look and see the latest downloadable launchees. Jarvis introduces a nurse, cheerleader, ninja, pirate, and a punk rocker who are ready to launch into superstardom….or a wall – your call.
File size: 23 MB (SD), 83 MB (HD), 110 MB (1080)

Fatal Inertia EX Titan Trailer
Climb into the cockpit and experience a brave new world of combat racing.
File size: 178 MB (HD)

Golden Axe: Beast Rider Teaser Trailer
One of SEGA’s most popular franchises storms onto the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. As the unstoppable Tyris Flare, players will engage in vicious melee combat both on foot and atop massive mythical beasts, savaging enemies with blades and magic on a quest for vengeance – Watch the Teaser Trailer now!
File size: 12 MB (SD), 44 MB (HD), 58 MB (1080)

Prince of Persia Debut Trailer
Download the first trailer and discover the new Prince of Persia!
File size: 12 MB (SD), 45 MB (HD), 75 MB (1080)

Hail to the Chimp ‘Campaign Trail Madness’ Trailer
Take a trip with Crackers and the other candidates as they rally support on the campaign trail!
File size: 73 MB (HD)

Movie and Blu-ray Trailers (free)

Step Brothers (x2)
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, who last teamed in the box-office smash Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, now star in Step Brothers.
File size: 30-31 MB (SD), 110-114 MB (HD), 151-176 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes (free)

AST Dew Tour Theme
Customize your PS3 system with a cool AST Dew Tour theme. This theme allows you to change up the look of your background and XMB icons. Download today!
File size: 1.69 MB

Game Music (free)

PAIN Theme Song
P-A-I-N, P-A-I-N…You’ve heard it while PAIN is loading, now you can download the PAIN theme song and listen to it while you play.
File size: 5.10 MB

PLAYSTATION Store for PC

Here is this week’s content release for the PLAYSTATION Store for PC. To download these games to your PSP, navigate to http://store.playstation.com. There, you’ll find descriptions of the content and directions on how to get started. For more on the PLAYSTATION Store for PC, please click here.

Downloadable Games

* Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure ($14.99) (also downloadable via PS3)

Game Demos (free)

* Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (also downloadable via PS3)

Game Videos (free)

* Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror behind the scenes
* Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror full trailer

PSP Themes (free)

* AST Dew Tour Theme

Hope you enjoy!

PlayStation Experience Back on Patrol

Posted: 19 Jun 2008 11:20 AM CDT

This Summer, our two PlayStation trucks, The PlayStation Experience & The PlayStation Patrol are back out on the road, traveling around the country to popular events and concerts to showcase the hottest PlayStation products, and, thanks to some really exciting changes, they are better than ever.

We’ve transformed the PlayStation Experience truck into a social and community-focused environment for gamers with the addition of several highly-interactive and hands-on gaming areas.

We are showing a pre-release version of LittleBigPlanet to consumers in a specially themed area. LittleBigPlanet is certain to be one of the biggest games to hit PS3 this year and we are offering an incredibly rare opportunity chance to play the game months before it even releases!

A new interactive Rock Band stage enables consumers to try out their skills with the blockbuster game Rock Band and register for our summer-long contest “Take the Stage with Rock Band On Tour,” where you and up to three additional band members have the chance to win a trip to perform on a side stage at an actual concert event! You can check out the current leaders and learn more about the contest and it’s rules at http://www.takethestagewithrockband.com/.

We also have a specially built SingStar Stage where SingStar PS3 comes alive as aspiring rock stars sing along to their favorite songs while watching the actual music video on screen from top artists including The Killers, U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Outkast, R.E.M., Radiohead, Britney Spears and The Pussycat Dolls.

We still left in plenty of regular game stations so you can check out many of the latest releases on PlayStation 3, including the exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and PLAYSTATION Network (PSN) titles such as PAIN, echochrome and PixelJunk Monsters.

The PlayStation Patrol truck has also gone through it’s own metamorphosis. We created the PlayStation Player’s Lounge, a competition area complete with lounge seating and two 52-inch LCD big screen TVs for some of the best big screen battles ever.

We did not want to stop there, so we built in two Gran Turismo 5 Prologue game stations complete with racing seats complete with Logitech Driving Force GT steering wheels!

With the five interior 40-inch LCDs still in play, along with tons of other screens on the outside, we left plenty of room for gamers to check out all the latest and best from PlayStation!

We’ll be updating both trucks with new games throughout the year, including exclusive access to this year’s most-anticipated titles prior to their general availability. Click here and here to see whether the trucks are rumbling towards a town near you.

Be sure to keep an eye out on 1up.com between now and E3 for teasers, interviews, gameplay videos and other KZ2 content. We will have a new screenshot teaser up on 1up soon, just to whet your appetite a little. Then as we get closer to E3, you’ll start to see more Killzone 2 goodness popping up, so keep your eyes peeled.

The homebrew application previously called PSP Wardrobe, XMBeditor is now moving along into a fresh direction. Homebrew coder Mr_Shizzy has pimped up his little “pimp my XMB” tool: while it was an XMB theme and mod manager before, it now allows you to go even deeper and manipulate a lot more XMB configurations.

XMBeditor is now actually in its second version. One of the biggest changes is that it’s now fully compatible with the PSP Phat. Other than that, here are the other details listed in the changelog:

• Made process of flashing theme 2 - 3X faster
• Added color selector for XMB date/time
• Added color selector for XMB busy signal
• Added color selector for XMB Battery
• other small bugs fixed

Be sure to take a fine look at the readme as it contains a lot more details about all its features and a full section on how to install the application.

Download: XMBeditor v.2

In an interview with MCV, Backhouse said that “the key software titles we have coming out this year for PSP include Echochrome, Buzz The Master Quiz, Secret Agent Clank, and LocoRoco 2.” Could this be the confirmation of the rumors that we have been hearing so much about?

We’d have to say, no. She didn’t mention what she meant by “year”. This could mean either the current year (2008) or Sony’s fiscal year which extends all the way until early 2009. We’ll be keeping an eye out for more news on this so remember to keep checking back here for any updates on this.

How has Siren: Blood Curse evolved from the PlayStation 2 title? (Is it scarier? More involving storyline?)

With Siren Blood Curse, the leap in visual presentation has helped to convey a tangible sense of fear and makes the player feel as if they’ve truly been pulled into a nightmarish world. The new split-screen Sight Jacking system also helps give the game a more active pace than the previous titles. When it comes to story, Siren Blood Curse manages to preserve the level of depth and mystery from the previous SIREN games while presenting it in a manner that makes it easier to follow.

How has the story of Hanuda developed? Does Siren: Blood Curse bring a conclusion to the storyline?

Siren Blood Curse is not a sequel or a standard remake of the other games. Suppose the events of the original SIREN were real, in that case Siren Blood Curse would be like a “movie based on a true story”, adapting and dramatizing the original. While some of the key events bear resemblance to those in the first SIREN, the characters and the background are completely different.

How has the introduction of western characters changed the SIREN storyline?

The addition of Western characters who have stumbled into horrific events taking place in a world that is foreign to them helps enhance the feelings of isolation and terror. I think they will also present Western players with characters that are easier to relate to.
This mix of Western and Japanese characters with the inevitable communication troubles that ensue adds to the frustration the various characters feel toward their situation.

What opportunities became available to you through releasing the game in episodic content on the PSN?

We were able to present the game more like a dramatic TV show in a way that hasn’t been done before.
I also hope the episodic structure will give players the sense that they are participating in an event.

How does your approach to storytelling change when working with a game released in a series of episodes?

The approach we took in the previous games was to present events much like a documentary presenting a piece of a bigger truth. The new episodic nature required more structure, and also helped to step up the overall quality of the final product.

Why do you approach the narrative of SIREN titles with such an unorthodox and fractured approach to timeline and storytelling?

The unorthodox approach to storytelling was motivated by trying to present a story in a way that only games could do. Replaying the same event while seeing it unfold in different ways is something I feel is an inherent characteristic of video games, so I wanted to take that unique element and weave it directly into the story itself.

How has the ‘sight-jack’ feature evolved and how does this aspect contribute to the Siren: Blood Curse experience?

In Siren Blood Curse, Sight Jacking has been redesigned to be split-screen, allowing the player to see through multiple points of view at the same time. Now, players are free to move while Sight Jacking, giving the game a much more active tempo than it had before.

What does Siren: Blood Curse bring to the survival horror genre?

A lot of survival horror titles in recent years have been focusing mostly on just the action element, while Siren Blood Curse puts a lot of its effort into scaring the player and presenting a rich story. I think Siren Blood Curse can serve as an example of the diverse range that games are capable of expressing.

What are the key ingredients to a good horror title and how does Siren: Blood Curse deliver these?

A good horror title has to make the player feel like they are directly involved in the terrifying events taking place, and that requires realism. I think you’ll understand just how much realism can enhance horror when you see Siren Blood Curse.

Did you consult fans on what they wanted to see in the next installment of the SIREN series?

One opinion we noticed from a lot of the fans was that the original game was way too difficult. A lot of them never completed the game because of that, and we listened. If you want to see just how we’ve taken those opinions into account, first play Siren Blood Curse and then go back and try the original.

What about Siren: Blood Curse are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the way Siren Blood Curse embodies a unique, Japanese sense of horror.

What advantage does Siren: Blood Curse have in being the first survival horror title on PS3? Or is it a curse being first next-gen survival horror title?

It’s only recently that I’ve realized that Siren Blood Curse would end up being the first, so I haven’t really had a chance to worry about any disadvantages. Of course, when it comes to advantages, I think being the first will only help the game to have that much greater of an impact when people experience its next-gen visuals.

What does Siren Blood Curse offer that titles such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill do not?

Two things Siren Blood Curse offers that those titles don’t is a sense of horror made possible in a Japanese setting, and the human drama created from the interactions of the different characters.

With the increased power of the next-gen devices, how has survival horror grown to embrace this? Are horror games now the ultimate in immersive horror experiences?

The potential with lighting and textures are areas that have greatly improved with the next-gen. These are two critically important factors for horror games, so I think next-gen will have a major, positive impact on the genre. I don’t think realism always has to be about making things more elaborate, but can also be about making even simple things have a greater impact.

Has the interest in J-Horror in the western world opened a new market for horror games based on this world?

Yes, definitely. The interest in J-Horror spurred on by the success of Hollywood remakes like “The Ring” and “The Grudge” has helped lower the barrier in reaching the West with horror games like SIREN that are based on a Japanese setting.

What are your favorite moments in the history of survival horror gaming?

It’s not a survival horror moment, but the beginning of the game “Another World” made me feel like I had really been swallowed and dropped alone on a vast, new world. That scene had a deep impact on me, and it was at that