PlayStation

Sony Santa Monica Addresses ‘God of War: Ascension’ Audio Issue

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 16, 2013 | 1 comment

If you’ve been experiencing some audio issues in the God of War: Ascension single player campaign, you’re not alone. Though not wide spread, Sony Santa Monica has acknowledged the problem and is working on a fix. The primary culprit seems to be when running the game in 5.1 surround directly to your television via HDMI. Sony recommend that you adjust your in game setting to stereo as your TV cannot perform 5.1 anyways.

Running HDMI to a receive with your game set to 5.1 surround should not cause any issues. After the jump, Sony’s comment on the matter.

Why ‘The Rock’ is the Perfect Actor to Play Kratos in a ‘God of War’ Movie

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 14, 2013 | 19 comments

Jonathan York, the self proclaimed right hand of Sony Santa Monica, tweeted the above picture which inspired this entire post. Over the last five years, we’ve seen Hollywood’s take at what a God of War movie could be like. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, then you need to purchase Clash of the Titans and more importantly, Wrath of the Titans on Blu-ray and just sit back and enjoy. After you’re done with it, tell me that that’s not how a God of War movie could/would be like. I’m personally a fan of the two movies and despite what you may think of them, it proves that thematically and technically, a God of War movie is now 100% plausible.

Much like the games, a GoW movie offers a unique and untapped world to viewers with a very different ‘hero’ which is a nice change of pace for gamers and moviegoers alike. So if a movie were to happen, who would you want to play the lead antagonist, Kratos?

Sony Drops PlayStation Vita Price in Select US Locations

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 12, 2013 | 0 comments

Besides the PlayStation 4 announcement in February, the other big PlayStation news was the major price drop for the PlayStation Vita. Following the announcement and ever since, PlayStation Vita sales have skyrocketed in Japan, the only country to receive the cut. Seeing how the event took place prior the PlayStation 4 announcement which took place in the US, many assumed that a price cut would follow for the West, if not US during the PS4 announcement. Nearly a month later, we can see that no such price cut was planned for the US despite the portable living on life support.

Be it a change of heart, the success the PS Vita is now enjoying in Japan with the price cut, or Sony simply testing the water, the PlayStation Vita has also received a major price cut in the US at select Sony retail stores. Much like Japan, you can now get your hands on the PlayStation Vita Wi-Fi + 3G model for $199.97 which also includes an 8GB memory card and a voucher for a free PlayStation Network game if you sign up for data coverage. This marks a $100 price cut for the Vita, making it an offer you might not be able to pass on. So which stores carry the reduced price on the Vita? That list and more info, after the jump.

LITERAL God of War: Ascension Trailer – Hilarity Ensues

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 12, 2013 | 2 comments

If you didn’t know, a new God of War game is out this week and once again follows the story of Kratos. Much more than before, Sony Santa Monica has placed an emotional touch to the story of Kratos and the burden of the accidental death of his wife and daughter by his own hands. Leave it to the internet and more specially, Toby from Tobuscus, to have a slightly different take on the trailer. If you’ve got two minutes, then you’re in for a treat.

Will You Be Purchasing God of War: Ascension? [Poll]

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 12, 2013 | 2 comments

March 12th will be an important day for two very different reasons for two very different groups. With the resignation of the Pope in full effect, today begins the internal process of the Cardinals from the Vatican who will meet and vote on the next Pope who will lead his fellow Catholics for the foreseeable future. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum and a date that had been determined for some time, gamers will finally get their hands on the next chapter of the PlayStation-exclusive franchise, God of War. The 4th console game and 6th in the series, God of War: Ascension once again places you in control of Kratos and is set before those of Chains of Olympus, about ten years before the original God of War. We’ll be having our own multi-part review shortly, covering the game’s single player adventure and multiplayer aspect, a first for the franchise separately. All this begs the question: now that God of War: Ascension has ascended into retailers, are you planning on purchasing the latest from Sony Santa Monica?

PlayStation Vita v2.06 Software Update Now Live

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 11, 2013 | 0 comments

Just a heads up to all PlayStation Vita owners. Sony will be releasing the PlayStation Vita v2.06 Software Update soon which will

improve system software stability for some features.

Editorial: Should I Buy a Vita? – The Top 5 Games That Would Make Me Say “Yes!”

by Sarah Ingram | Mar 9, 2013 | 15 comments

All my life I have been obsessed with having all the things. I wanted every Nintendo handheld, every console, every accessory, and all the games – even if I didn’t really want to play them. However, now that I am a responsible adult, I can’t be so frivolous with my money (I miss getting allowance from Mom) and I have to wait to pick up new hardware. I’ve had my eye on a Vita for a while now, but the game library just isn’t big enough yet for me to justify the price tag. I need there to be at least a couple more game releases before I will be enticed enough to finally drop the cash on a Vita. After thinking about it for a little while, I came up with the top 5 games that would convince me to pick up a Vita.

1. Final Fantasy X HD

This has been talked about and talked about, but still doesn’t have a release date. Who knows when we will eventually see this, but an HD remake of one of my favorite Final Fantasy titles would make a Vita necessary in my house. Now before you say “Well Sarah, you can play FF 7-9 on Vita through PSN” – I know this. But they are NOT remade in HD! I would love to have an HD version to take with me on the go. This would make the Vita a definite pickup for me.

Killzone: Mercenary Gameplay

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 7, 2013 | 1 comment

For good reason, Killzone: Shadow Fall has dominated gaming coverage with its beautiful and fluid graphics, giving would-be PlayStation 4 owners something to highly anticipate. But with the PlayStation 4 nearly 9 months away and still an undisclosed release date for Killzone: Shadow Fall, how should Killzone fans satisfy their appetite? Enter Killzone: Mercenary for the PlayStation Vita. This all-new FPS runs on the same graphic engine that powered Killzone 2 and 3 on the PlayStation 3 to deliver an orignal story in the Killzone universe. Thinking that the game might be a compromise, due to the Vita’s smaller screen? That’s what I thought too – until I saw a gameplay demo. After the jump, an off-screen demo gameplay of Killzone: Mercenary on PlayStation Vita!

Get Free Games and Save on Great Deals For PS Vita’s Anniversary

by Jan Hutchings | Mar 6, 2013 | 6 comments

Great news, Sony is celebrating the the Playstation Vita’s one year anniversary this month and you’ll be able to get free games and save on great deals for PS Vita’s anniversary this week. First off, starting today you can download three classic PSP games and one PS One classic from the PSN:

Wild Arms (PS One Classic RPG)
Piyotama (PSP Puzzle Game)
Patchwork Heroes (A Unique Action game for PSP)
Patapon (PSP Original Classic)

In addition to the free games, PSN and PS Plus users will be able to purchase a number of PS Vita games for cheaper this week. PSN users will get a 30% and PS Plus will get 50% off these following games:

Is Ryan Culver the Real Life Nathan Drake? Our Interview

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 4, 2013 | 2 comments

Ryan Culver - Nathan Drake

Ryan Culver as Nathan Drake in the PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale commercial

The evolution of Nathan Drake is one for the books. Released in November 2007, exclusively for the PlayStation 3, Uncharted follows the adventures of Nathan Drake, a fortune hunter who’s not afraid of getting in over his head. Gamers and non-gamers alike soon fell in love with the Indiana Jones like character as the series offered a relatable character with a heart and not jus some muscle bound soldier thats stereotypically offered in many games. While much credit goes to the team at Naughty Dog who developed the game and helped make Nathan Drake an iconic characters, fans would soon flock to Nolan North, the man behind the scenes who not only provided his voice for Drake, but also performed the motion capture which has been widely credited for making the game life-like. By their third outing in Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Nolan North and Nathan Drake would become inseparable.

Come late 2012, Nathan Drake is once again front and center in the game world, thanks to PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The beat ’em up fighter features many of the iconic characters from the PlayStation titles, including though not limited to Kratos (God of War), Cole MacGrath (inFAMOUS), Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet) and of course, Nathan Drake. To help kick off the game, Sony created a live action ad (seen after the jump) which features the characters fighting one another. Soon after the ad aired, gamers began to ask, “Who is the actor portraying Nathan Drake?”

That daunting undertaking belonged to none other than Ryan Culver who was tasked with bringing a character that so many already knew. Translating a video game to live action has already proven a difficult task. Thanks to the power of the PS3 and developers like Naughty Dog who’ve created such a rich world in Uncharted, the task of portraying such an icon characters amplifies that much more as gamers are presented with a life like character who has established emotions, habits, and a style unique to himself. After the jump, we talk with Ryan Culver about how he brought Nathan Drake to life and the PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale commercial.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Trailer

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 4, 2013 | 2 comments

Hey Assassin’s Creed fans, are you ready to jump into the latest open world entry from Ubisoft? Set in the 1800’s, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag puts you in control of protagonist Captain Edward Kenway, who is feared even by the ruthless pirate, Blackbeard. Like any Assassin’s Creed game, the game doesn’t seem to sway too far from the traditional formula though there is even more high tides and ship-to-ship combat than the previous entry, so count me sold. Set to release on October 29th on current gen consoles and next gen when they arrive. After the jump, ~~Pirates of the Caribbean~~ Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag trailer.

Diablo 3 Won’t Allow for Cross-Platform Play Between PSN and Battle.net

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 28, 2013 | 3 comments

One of the big reveals during the PlayStation 4 press conference was the change of heart at Blizzard. The long-time PC supporter and general console snob was on stage, touting their love for the PlayStation 4 and what they hope to do with the console. More immediate however for PlayStation fans was news that Diablo 3 would be coming to the PlayStation 3 and eventually the PlayStation 4. Like all things within the industry, as time goes on, we tend to hear more details about them – some for good and some for bad, in this case. According to Blizzard:

In terms of allowing an analog controller hookup for the PC, we don’t have any plans for that kind of support right now. Similarly, since Diablo 3 for console was designed with a controller in mind, the PlayStation version of Diablo 3 will not support USB mice or keyboards.

PlayStation 4 UI Screenshots

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 28, 2013 | 2 comments

One of the most fascinating things about the PlayStation 4 is the user interface that Sony is deploying across the console. With the release of the PlayStation Vita, Sony broke away from the popular XMB found on the PS3, and now, the PS4 will continue that tradition. While the UI was never fully revealed during the PS4 press event, we did manage to catch glimpses of it during parts of the segment. After the jump, we’ve put together a series of screenshots found on different websites that help capture the radically different design language that the PlayStation 4 UI will encompass.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Available on PlayStation Vita

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 27, 2013 | 2 comments

At long last, Sony and Konami have brought Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker to the PlayStation Vita. Originally, the game was released for the PSP on April 2010 and eventually for the PlayStation 3 in a HD pack. Due to the PlayStation Vita’s capabilities of downloading PSP games, Konami never saw it necessary to make an official PS Vita port.

Now, all of that has changed and gamers can access the PlayStation Store to purchase Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for the PS Vita. According to the PlayStation Blog, besides the epic single player adventure, players can also partake in:

four-player CO-OPS (Cooperative-OPerationS), and six-player competitive matches using the PS Vita’s Ad Hoc capabilities

Uncharted 3 Multiplayer to Go Free-to-Play

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 24, 2013 | 0 comments

Holding up to the long time tradition of accidentally leaking their own products, the PlayStation Blog has revealed some juicy details about Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. The material which has by now been deleted revealed that Uncharted 3 multiplayer could be going free-to-play, thanks to PSN.

No further details are known about the game though the initiative does fit the bill. In late 2012, Naughty Dog promised that “very exciting information about multiplayer” was coming in 2013.

Additionally, we have some very exciting information about multiplayer around the start of next year.