PlayStation 3

LittleBigPlanet 2 Cross Controller DLC To Bring TouchScreen Technology To The PS3

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 9, 2012 | 4 comments

One of the more surprising announcements at Sony’s E3 presentation was the upcoming Cross Controller PS3 DLC for LittleBigPlanet2 which essentially transforms the PlayStation Vita into a touch-screen controller for the PS3 console.

Not only that, PS3 and Vita players will be able to play together simultaneously; whatever is happening on the big screen corresponds to what’s being shown on the Vita’s screen as well. In addition to that, players can use the Vita’s front and rear touch screen to make their level and game creation process much easier thanks to the simplified touch-screen creation tools included on the DLC (much like the tools in the upcoming LittleBigPlanet for the PS Vita).

Along with the cross-control functionality, Sony has also said that the DLC will come bundled with new levels, a new story, stickers, and costumes for our favorite Sackboy.

No concrete release date has been attached to the DLC so stay tuned to SRN for more details as they come.

Beyond: Two Souls Photo Gallery

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 6, 2012 | 10 comments

One of the biggest announcements during the 2012 E3 Sony press conference was an all new IP from Heavy Rain creator, David Cage. Titled Beyond: Two Souls, the game stars actress Ellen Page and dives once again into mature themes like the meaning of life and death. During the press conference, Sony played an intense 5 minute scene from the game where central character is found by a small town sherif.

After the jump, you can find a photo gallery from the PS3 exclusive game.

2012 E3 Sony Press Conference Photos

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 6, 2012 | 8 comments

If you haven’t had a chance, read through our 2012 E3 Sony press conference live blog where we revealed all Sony had to stay on a minute by minute update. For those of you with a little more visual taste, our photo gallery comprises shots from the biggest announcements to help bring you one step closer to E3.

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Actress Ellen Page To Star in Beyond: Two Souls For PS3

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 5, 2012 | 17 comments

During Sony’s E3 press briefing earlier today, Quantic Dream’s David Cage announced that the Golden Globe winner and Academy Award-nominated Canadian actress Ellen Page (Juno, Inception) will play the lead character in Beyond: Two Souls for the PS3.

As Jodie Holmes, Page is set to star in Quantic Dream’s follow-up to the successful Heavy Rain. With Page attached to the project, players can expect top-notch quality acting and emotions from enigmatic Jodie. It’s amazing how much Jodie looks like Ellen Page, with the presentation, animation, and voice fitting the role as David Cage first envisioned for the character.

Beyond: Two Souls centers on an enigmatic girl as she learns to get to grips with her supernatural powers. With militarisitic forces hot on her trail, Jodie slowly tries to understand what exactly had happened to her.

One of Canada's best actresses is set to star in Quantic Dreams' Beyond.

Beyond’s E3 demo (which was all rendered in real-time) featured some of the most realistic and astounding facial animations in a game. I’d even say that the animation and emotions as acted by the characters are truly believable. Anyone passing by as you play Beyond: Two Souls will actually think that you’re watching a movie.

Quantic Dreams promised that the game will push the limits of interactive storytelling with deep characters you can relate to in an action-packed and suspenseful story with a dramatic twist. David Cage even said:

“We want to provide gamers unique moments that players will remember for a long time.”

Given Quantic Dreams’ expertise in creating tension, mood, as well as Ellen Page’s Oscar-caliber acting, there’s no doubt that Beyond: Two Souls will push interactive entertainment to a whole new level.

Our 2012 Sony E3 Press Conference Live Blog Begins Now!

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 4, 2012 | 12 comments

As promised, we’re looking to bring you closer than ever to the 2012 Sony E3 press conference with our live blog. Our arsenal of tools to make this happen consist of a MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, 4G card, Cybershot HX5V, Bloggie Live, and Nikon D5. This means that we’re hopefully ready for whatever E3 throws at us, minus snakes…because we at SRN hate snakes. Below, you will find our live blog from the event which can be accessed from any web browser, mobile device, or tablet. Remember that you can find additional coverage by us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and Flickr.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=74b11718d6" >2012 Sony E3 Press Conference Live Blog</a>

Rumor: Sony + Gaikai Deal To Bring PS1 & PS2 Backwards Compatibility Through Cloud Solution

by Jan Hutchings | Jun 3, 2012 | 3 comments

Rumblings and rumors within the industry sound like Sony’s cloud-gaming partnership with Gaikai will include bringing PS1 and PS2 compatibility to the PlayStation 3.

Last week, there were rumors that Sony is planning to announce a partnership with either Gaikai or Onlive (both cloud-based gaming services) to bring some kind of partnership service to PlayStation.

Well, according to Games Industry International’s sources close to the deal, the Sony + Gaikai partnership will include a way for third-party publishers (as well as first party Sony products) to bring their catalogues to the PlayStation Store.

And since most current PS3 Slim models do not have backwards compatibility, it only makes sense for Sony to employ a cloud-based gaming solution that will allow players to purchase games and stream them on their console. That’s exactly what Gaikai and Onlive subscribers have been doing for the last two years.

It’s not yet clear which systems this partnership service will show up on, but one can see that the PS3 and the PS Vita would best benefit from it. And since Sony has been eyeing cloud-based gaming solutions for a while now, this new partnership will help their R&D to test the waters and understand user needs for their next console release.

We’re Headed to E3 2012 and We Wanna Take You!

by Allegra Osati | Jun 2, 2012 | 21 comments

One of my biggest goals for SRN has always been to bring you closer to the game and tech industry. This means hosting live chats with some industry favorites like David Jaffe, creator of Twisted Metal and God of War while providing live coverage of Sony’s E3 and CES press conferences. When it comes to large events like CES and E3, we all have different games and topics that interest us and sometimes, that means not seeing the thing you wanted most covered. To do that, means that you have to pack your bags, head to LA, and have an industry pass to roam the halls and talk to your favorite developers, which can not only be expensive, but it’s technically impossible for most. So if we can’t take you, that leaves us as your voice and the next best option. If you have questions you want to ask a developer, if there are pictures you wanna see from booth or a video of a specific game, we want to be your eyes and ears at E3.

All you have to do is drop a comment in our comments section below or visit us on our many different outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and Flickr. For the first time, we want your voice to help shape our coverage and the coverage you receive about E3. Though we can’t promise to get to everyone’s request, we hope that this will bring you one step closer to E3 though to be clear, we’re not about to cover Pokemon 2012 Extreme Lightning Edition or Mario Party 87 for Wii U, seeing how we’re a Sony site. Like last year, we will also be offering a live blog from the Sony E3 press conference. You can either bookmark this post which will be updated with a link, once the event is live or check back on the site on Monday, June 4th at 3:00pm PST.

PSA: PlayStation 4 Will Not Have 100GB, 20GB, or 10GB RAM. Confirmed, it Will Have RAM

by Sohrab Osati | May 25, 2012 | 13 comments

News broke out earlier this morning from a European source that the upcoming PlayStation 4, or more famously known as Orbis around the Interwebs, is going to have some crazy specs. Seeing how Sony for better or worse is a hardware company first and software second (though they are learning with the PS Vita, which has a nice mixture of both), its not hard to believe that Sony will pack the PS4 with powerful specs. While many frowned upon the PS3 with its higher price, Sony at the end was right to include units which from the beginning had built in wireless, hard drives, HDMI out, Blu-ray drives, and 3D capabilities. On the other hand, the Xbox 360, Sony’s closest competitor, has seen 10 different revisions since its launch which has fragmented the user market where some have HDMI out and others don’t while the base model still lacks a hard drive.

Still, at some point, enough is enough and with the PS4 rumored to have 10GB of RAM, we have to issue a public service announcement to help bring everyone back to reality. After the jump, let’s separate fact and the pipe dreams.

Rumor: ‘OnLive’ Cloud-Based Gaming Service Coming To PlayStation

by Jan Hutchings | May 25, 2012 | 11 comments

There have been a number of reports saying that Sony is about to announce a partnership deal with either Gaikai or Onlive to bring cloud-based gaming service to PlayStation products.

According to VG247, Sony is preparing to announce a BIG partnership with one of the two cloud-based gaming service providers at E3 next month. Though it’s not yet clear if the service will be for PS3 or Vita. Or perhaps both.

Onlive was actually in talks with Sony to solidify a partnership and to bring their cloud-gaming service to the console last year.

Hit the jump for more information.

Sony’s Sorcery Finally Comes To PlayStation 3

by Jan Hutchings | May 22, 2012 | 22 comments

Developed in collaboration with Santa Monica Studios, The Workshop’s Sorcery was finally released on PSN and in retail earlier today. Sorcery is a PlayStation Move-enabled title and lets users conjure a myriad of magical powers using their PS Move controller.

Sorcery is this year’s most anticipated PS Move-exclusive title and perhaps the killer app PlayStation Move needs to be rejuvinated.

Learn more about Sony’s Sorcery for the PlayStation Move after the break.

DmC Devil May Cry is Delayed till January 2013

by Sohrab Osati | May 21, 2012 | 0 comments

Capcom and developer Ninja Theory have announced that Dante fans will have to wait till January 15th, 2013 before they get a chance to play the latest incarnation of the good hearted ~~boy band~~ demon. DmC: Devil Mary Cry is a reboot of the then-PlayStation exclusive Devil May Cry which saw our antagonist, Dante, battle demons. Wanting to cater to a more Western audience like Square-Enix has with Final Fantasy XIII which has only pissed off long time fans, Capcom has gone out and hired Ninja Theory, creators of the PS3 exclusive Heavenly Sword (which I thoroughly enjoyed) and the multi-platform Odyssey: A Journey to the West which was plagued with technical issues and in many ways inferior to Heavenly Sword, despite being released 3 years after it.

If I sound bitter about it, I’m not; the new Dante has done little to attract my attention. With a new emo-boy band character at the helm which does little to peak my curiosity, Ninja Theory has yet to prove that they can deliver a solid multi-platform hit. Heavenly Sword, in my eyes, was a superb game with a rich world, plot, and it was a technical marvel. Once the company went multi-platform, despite an intriguing world, Odyssey: A Journey to the West was riddled with audio-syncing issues and other visual detractors which were nowhere to be found on their prior PS3-exclusive title. With the new DmC once again being multi-platform and a new character design which has ruffled the feathers of a few fans, I hope that Ninja Theory can take this extra time and really deliver something solid because I never want to see any developer fail. After the jump, the official press release and additional Dante boy band shots await you.

First Screenshot from Zone of the Enders HD Leaked

by Sohrab Osati | May 19, 2012 | 21 comments

Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner were both beloved and cult games from the PlayStation 2 era. Thanks to a given break to Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid series, the brilliant writer and video game director was able to create a new world which differed drastically from the MGS universe. Set in the late 22nd century, ZOE tells the story of humanity, after Earths colonization of Mars and and the eventual power struggle the two sides would partake in. Like any title from Kojima, the over all war between the two plants is only the back story which allowed him to dive into ethical choices and moral dilemmas that the stories hero would partake in his Orbital Frame, the start of game.

Thanks to a resurgence of PS2 classics making their way to the PS3 and now PS Vita, fans who missed out on the beloved game will once again have a chance to discover this facinating world and learn about the rivalry between Jehuty and Anubis. Like most games being retooled for the PS3, you can expect a bump in graphics, anywhere from 720p to 1080p and traditionally 3D compatibility as well though neither detail has been confirmed yet. Trophies will of course be a part of this rerelease which will let your fellow gamers know about your adventures in ~~Barsoom~~ Mars.

Zone of the Enders HD Collection is expected to land this fall for the PS3, PS Vita, and Xbox 360. Leaked screenshot, after the jump.

Naughty Dog Reveals New Look for Ellie, from The Last of Us. Is it Good? (updated with 5 additional pics)

by Sohrab Osati | May 16, 2012 | 15 comments

Via their Facebook page, Naughty Dog has just revealed a revamped look for Ellie, one of the main characters from their upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive, The Last of Us. This time around, Naughty Dog decided to go for a more “youthful look” to the surviving character. Judging by the reaction on Facebook and our own, many fans prefer the older, more mature look. With that said, we don’t know the context of the character and the older, more adult looking Ellie might have taken away from the character arch and story that the team is trying to portray. Let us know in the comments section which look you prefer. Additional 5 pictures, after the jump.

Hot Trailer: Naughty Dog Releases New Cinematic Trailer for ‘The Last of Us’

by Chris Quibol | May 16, 2012 | 0 comments

Naughty Dog took the internet by storm recently by releasing a new cinematic trailer for its highly-anticipated game, The Last of Us. The short trailer provides a glimpse at not only main characters Ellie and Joel, but also a couple of previously unseen enemies and a better look at the decaying world around the two protagonists. Those following the game closely will also notice a slight change in Ellie’s appearance as well. Be sure to check back here as more info drops on The Last of Us.

Check the trailer out for yourself after the jump.

Modern Warfare 3 PS3 Bundle Coming Later This Month

by Jan Hutchings | May 10, 2012 | 1 comment

Sony and Activision announced that they’re teaming up to bring a limited edition PlayStation 3 bundle that packs both the 320 GB PS3 game console, a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and a Dualshock 3 controller.

Love it or hate it, Modern Warfare 3 was the best selling PS3 game of 2012 and is still one of the most played games on the PlayStation Network. This new bundle is coming just in time for the newest content and map pack releases for Modern Warfare 3. Two new maps, Sanctuary and Foundation are set to release May 10, and four new maps are on the pipeline for June.

The Limited Edition Modern Warfare 3 PS3 bundle will retail for $299.99 and is coming on May 25. Keep in mind that playing the standard Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer component is free on the PSN, however, players are recommended to subscribe to Activision’s Call of Duty Elite service to get the most out of the COD games.