Deal of the Morning: Jeanne D'Arc for $20

Filed under: Software

If you want to grab one of the best SRPG's available on the PSP, Level 5's Jeanne D'Arc is the ticket. It's accessible for new gamers but deep enough to interest veterans. Of course, the game itself has started to become harder to find, but only slightly. The price, therefore, hasn't really decreased in many areas. Enter Amazon with their special deal: $20 for the game, brand-spankin'-new. It's entirely worth it, so take advantage while this deal lasts!

[Via CAG]

Take a gander at the Super Robot Wars Portable A trailer

Filed under: Video

While we can't embed the video for you to view here, we can point you towards the website where the official Super Robot Wars Portable A trailer can be viewed. It pops up in a separate window and takes several seconds to click into action, but fear not! It works and it really shows off some absolutely stunning 2D sprite animations. Incredibly fluid, incredibly cute robots, incredibly painful-looking robotic destructions ... it's everything you need and nothing you don't. Enjoy!

[Thanks, Torin!]

Look at the mini-games of Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2

Filed under: Hot Shots Golf, Video

When you want to take a break from golf, you can always ... well, play more golf. The mini-games of Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 don't appear to stray far from the formula. At least, not according to this GameTrailers montage. Watch as this player shows us the many ways to avoid successfully sinking a golf ball.

PSP Fanboy has just received their preview code of the game, and will be providing you impressions shortly.

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Why Crisis Core is on PSP, not DS

Filed under: Final Fantasy

Square Enix is a firm supporter of both handhelds, with a number of great titles available on both Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. However, why was (arguably) their biggest game developed exclusively for PSP, instead of the more-popular DS? Pocket Gamer talked to producer Hideki Imaizumi and executive producer Yoshinori Kitase about exactly that: "Yes, there are a lot of DSs out there - but does that mean that our products sell in relation to that? That our sales grow with how many DSs or PSPs there are out there? It's not really the case."

The PSP seemed appropriate for a number a reasons, one being the more adult age group the PSP seems to attract: "the demographic was higher teens to young adults as opposed to small children. The PSP seemed closer to that demographic than DS in general. So we feel we really made the right choice."

As a joke, he added "We'll make a DS game called Brain Age: Final Fantasy for DS [laughs]." To be honest, we wouldn't mind trying that out.

Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G reaches 2 million mark

Filed under: Monster Hunter

This Monster cannot be contained. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G has reached the magical 2 million shipped point -- this benchmark is a first for the Monster Hunter franchise, and also a first for any PSP game released in Japan.

The series' incredible popularity has never translated onto this side of the Pacific. However, with sales like this in the mainland, we're certain Capcom doesn't mind. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G continues to sell well in the Japanese charts: it was only beaten by the newly released Mario Kart Wii on last week's charts.

God of War TV spot rains blood 'en Espa�ol'

Filed under: Video, God of War

Dios de la guerra en Español! Hopefully, that translated well. Our Spanish-speaking readers will have to point out the possible (read: probable) butchery of their language. Apologies are to be arranged. Anyway, what makes this TV spot so special? Aside from being in a foreign language, this God of War: Chains of Olympus advertisement has blood rain down from the sky. Why is that happening? Haven't got a clue. This ad is pretty interesting to watch, even if it doesn't directly relate to anything that happens in the game.

echochrome demo strikes US PSN tomorrow

Filed under: echochrome, Store

The fine folks at SCEA wanted us to tell you that an echochrome demo will be available in tomorrow's Thursday PSN update. If you haven't been keeping updated, echochrome is a unique downloadable puzzle game that plays with perspective. Watch the trailer above to get a feel for the game.

This is the same demo we made available a few weeks ago. SCEA's Scott Goryl added: "Yes, this is the same demo that was available on the Japanese Store. Except, well, you know, with English." That's an added plus for many of you, we're sure.

Until then, check out our new updated gallery of the PSP version.

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Upcoming Harry Potter film gets games for all platforms

Filed under: News

EA have announced that the next film in the Harry Potter series will be getting an army of new games to coincide with its release. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth book in the overarching Potter world will get games on all platforms; more interesting to PS Fanboys, the titles will be on the PS3 and PSP.

Details on the Half-Blood Prince games were scarce; all that's really known right now is that they will follow the events of the upcoming movie. Speaking of which, the film is expected for a November 21, 2008 release. It follows that the games should be ready by November as well.

[Via press release]

GTA PSP titles selling at $15 each on Amazon

Filed under: Grand Theft Auto

What better way is there to anticipate the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto IV for the PS3 than by playing through the two portable adventures on PSP in preparation? Now you have no excuse, because Amazon are selling both Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories for fifteen bucks a pop. Two great PSP games for $30 is a great deal, so go ahead and take advantage. Beware though, you've got less than a week before GTAIV -- good luck completing both games before then.

Read - Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories @ Amazon
Read - Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories @ Amazon

[Thanks, Joe!]

Heartland: all the things Jaffe didn't like about the Bush administration

Filed under: News

David Jaffe's canceled PSP-exclusive FPS game Heartland was supposed to be more than just "the definitive shooter for the PlayStation Portable." It was supposed to have a message, one that echoed the sentiments of the always-opinionated God of War creator. Jaffe told The Escapist in a revealing feature: "It wasn't supposed to make you hate the Bush Administration so much as, as a layperson political junkie, it was supposed to put into light - using games as a medium - all the things I didn't like about the Bush Administration."

Unfortunately, a number of factors led to the cancellation of this project. It appeared that developer Incognito (team behind PS3's Warhawk) simply wasn't interested in working on the game. "They weren't really impressed with A) my politics, and B) story-based games to begin with."

Heartland may have been too ambitious and too graphic for the handheld. "The one thing Sony seemed uncomfortable about was naming the enemy," says Jaffe. "We were going to do some pretty intense stuff." Intense stuff indeed: players would see decapitations, and would face brutal choices: "The player chases after the teenage son, beating him and dragging him down the stairs, and throwing him into the living room. The commanding officer orders the player to douse the family and the house with gasoline, and set it on fire."

Super Robot Wars Portable A gets much more than a facelift

Filed under: News, Imports

It's an understatement to say that Super Robot Wars A Portable has gone through a few tweaks for its PSP release. Originally on the Game Boy Advance, it should be fairly obvious that a straightforward port wouldn't satiate the desires of many robot fanboys. So what's new?

Graphics have been overhauled to near PlayStation 2 quality -- it's like having a console version in your hands or something. Battle scenes are now fully-voiced, more detailed 2D maps with a zoom feature along with other elements from the PS2 versions. There's also some gameplay tweaks. New skills abound and a "Trust" system has been instigated where your attack and defense will be affected as well as upgrading your equipment. You can opt between a 4:3 or 16:9 mode and enjoy some shortened load times if you're using the PSP-2000. The game's out in Japan on June 19th, so get your import cards ready!

[via PSPHyper]

PSP rising in Africa

Filed under: News

The gaming scene in Africa isn't always on the bleeding edge. But, that hasn't stopped the growing popularity of the PSP in Africa. A GamePro report covers the growing number of "PlayStation arcades" in Sierra Lione, where people are paying significant sums of money to play PS2 games.

Apparently, PSP is also gaining traction (although not to the same degree as its PS2 cousin). Many residents receive their PSP systems as gifts from abroad. Used UMD movies are becoming a commodity, earning about $10 for a used disc. That's probably more than you'll get here in the States.

It's fascinating to see how gaming is developing in other parts of the world. Although gaming is far from a ubiquitous activity for our African friends, it's interesting to see how PSP fits into the community.

Latest screenshots show more of Acquire's new RPG

Filed under: News

Ken To Mahou To Gakuen Mono appears to be a dungeon-crawler RPG with a school setting. The gist of this game sounds so familiar, we wonder where from. Of course, school is boring; the kiddies need extracurricular activities ... like say exploring cavernous terrains. Yes, that is most appropriate.

In the real world, it's very dangerous for these rambunctious children to frolic in such places. So please, supervise them. Watch over their activities carefully by looking at these screenshots.

Infinite Loop: a ghastly new game from Nippon Ichi

Filed under: Imports

Nippon Ichi Software holds a special place in the hearts of hardcore RPG gamers. While most famous for the Disgaea series, their upcoming Infinite Loop looks quite different than their previous titles.

A plague strikes a town during the Middle Ages, taking away the lives of many -- including the King. When the prince tries to find out the real cause behind the plague, his life is also ended. However, his spirit, mysteriously spared, must find out the secret of the disease and the mysterious eye that seems connected to it.

The prince will be able to attach to the living, and through the conversations he listens to, he'll find clues to continue his journey. His time is limited, though -- take too long to find a clue, and his spirit will die. With diligence, players will be able to break out of the "Infinite Loop" and solve the mysteries surrounding this town. It's an intriguing premise, one that'll certainly be heavy in text. Find out more at Gpara.

[Via PSPHyper]

Midnight Club: LA Remix coming September

Filed under: Midnight Club

Rockstar continues to show its love for PSP with the announcement of Midnight Club: LA Remix. It will release on the same day as its PS3 console brethren -- on September 9th. Rockstar London, the team behind Manhunt 2, will helm the PSP project.

Expect more information soon.

American PC Store update for April 17th

Filed under: News, Gran Turismo, Store

We hope you guys like Gran Turismo, because there's nothing else for you this week. Just a couple of GT5 Prologue videos which, depending on whether you have a PS3 or not, could be enticing or insulting. If you don't have a PS3, download the videos anyway and pretend you're finally playing Gran Turismo Mobile. That'd be fun, right? Here's the full release list:

• GT5 Prologue Friendly Fires Video (Free)
• GT5 Prologue Beyond the Apex Trailer (Free)

Before you send us any emails asking what went up on the European PC Store, we'll tell you here. Nothing, that's what. There wasn't a single new piece of content added to the European PC Store. So even if you're not particularly chuffed with the above GT5 videos, be happy you at least got something.

PLAYSTATION Store for PC gets cosmetic makeover

Filed under: Store

Just like its PS3 brethren, the PLAYSTATION Store for PC has also received a mild facelift. Changes are mild, but apparent. From the moment you type the URL into your browser, you'll see the country select screen has changed. Instead of choosing from a drop-down menu, you can simply click on your country. Yes!

Beyond that, you'll notice a few aesthetic differences. For example, you'll see a red PlayStation bag icon appear on items you've already purchased. Head over to the Download List on top to get anything you've already purchased.

While the PS3 Store redesign is far more significant, it's nice to see the Store look as sleek as it does now. Now, we're hoping to see some real content appear on the Store. This Thursday, perhaps?

English language screenshots of Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2

Filed under: Hot Shots Golf

Golf is the kind of sport that transcends languages, right? Regardless, SCEA has just released new screenshots of the upcoming Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2. This PSP-exclusive follow-up to Open Tee features the classic Hot Shots gameplay we've all grown to love, but adds a key feature: Infrastructure multiplayer, so you can take your shots online.

Check out our new gallery below:

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Yu-Gi-Oh! GX games go annual on PSP

Filed under: Imports

Surprise, surprise?

Anime games get a lot of traction on PSP, and Konami's not afraid to milk them for all they're worth. Yet another Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force game has been announced for Sony's handheld -- the third in three years. While many of you may not follow the series, it's clearly popular enough amongst PSP fans that Konami keeps on coming back for more. And at least it's only one per year -- let's not forget how prolific Sony's Bleach Heat the Soul games are.

Listen in on Star Ocean: Second Evolution's sountrack

Filed under: Imports, Star Ocean

Of course, you could wait and assume the soundtrack for the Star Ocean: Second Evolution remake will be awesome, or you can take the advice from SiliconEra and check out this promotional page Square Enix has put up for everyone. Under the "check" section you can sample six songs from the game and even fade between two songs via the slider on the webpage. Not sure why you'd really care enough to do that, but it can be strangely intriguing to listen to two songs at once. The soundtrack goes on sale May 2nd in Japan, with an album of arranged music tracks to follow on the 21st.

Higurashi Daybreak battles its way onto the PSP

Filed under: News, Imports

What makes Higurashi Daybreak so different from other fighting games? Well, 2-on-2 matches are a start, we guess. Take that concept, pull it off of the PC and slap it onto the PSP with 4-player ad-hoc communications, and you've got yourself a handheld party game. This game has been pretty popular in the past, so we're glad Alchemist, the publisher, is bringing it onto the PSP for everyone to enjoy.

[via PSPHyper]

Interview with Crisis Core's Tabata describes hopes, aspirations

Filed under: Interviews, Final Fantasy

If you've tired of playing as Zack from Crisis Core, now would be an adequate time for a reprieve. We've caught wind of a short interview with the game's director, Hajime Tabata, and what his thoughts are on some random bits of the game, as well as any future plans he has or would like to get involved in.

Tabata uses past influences to generate his ideas, citing the Japanese comic "Doraemon" specifically as an influence. Unlike Zack, Tabata claims he could probably only do 50 squats in succession and unlike Sephiroth, uses less than a bottle of shampoo per shower. Yep. It's that kind of interview.

He also says he would not be interested in working on spin-off titles for other Final Fantasy games -- only the world in VII seems to interest him. Tabata said that, if anything, he'd like to create a gun-action game in the VII world with a new character who uses both guns and magic. Like Dirge of Cerberus, but less horrible. Currently, Tabata is working on Agito XIII as well as some other unnamed titles. Maybe he'll get his wish someday!

Rumor: LittleBigPlanet in development for PSP

It seems that CVG has been informed by an insider that the upcoming PS3 cute-em-up LittleBigPlanet is also in development for the PSP. Apparently Studio Liverpool, of WipEout fame, are managing the creation of the PSP version. That's all the information that's available, unfortunately -- and we don't have any idea how true it is, at that.

A PSP version of LittleBigPlanet could only be a good thing, in our opinion. Whether it's a shrunken down version of its PS3 cousin or simply a portable version of some of the content creation features, being able to interact with the LBP universe away from your PS3 would be awesome. If it's true. Hopefully we'll hear more about both the PS3 and PSP versions at some point soon. Nothing's been said about the game for a little while and the suspense is killing us.

Win PSP accessories from Nuritech

Filed under: Fan Stuff

You've read our hands-on impressions of these PSP skin cases from Nuri Tech. Now, it's your turn to get one -- for free! You can win one of these prize packs:

Prize #1:
System Skin Case for PSP-2000, Portable Mini Stand, Skin Guard Easy, and Micro Fiber Digital Pouch. (MSRP $36)

Prize #2:
System Skin Case for PSP-1000, Portable Mini Stand, and Skin Guard Easy (MSRP: $27)

• To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, telling us if you own a PSP-1000 or PSP-2000 (or both!).
  
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
  
• Limit 1 entry per person.
  
• This entry period ends at 12:00pm ET on Monday, April 14th. We'll randomly select 2 winners at that time.
  
• For complete rules, click here

Thanks to our friends at Nuri Tech. Check out all their products here.

Hilariously large PSP battery

Filed under: Peripherals, Video

We love Sony's extended life battery for PSP. Although it protrudes slightly out of the system, it offers so much juice for the system that we can't complain. However, this third party effort doesn't really compare, does it? Watch as you discover the "biggest PSP battery ever."

Firmware version 3.95 now available [Update]

Filed under: News

That's right, another firmware update - and less than a month after the last one, too. Whether you're a fan of frequent updates or not you won't be able to enjoy this latest revision to its fullest without access to a PS3. A miniature update, by all accounts, that adds two PS3-based features to your favorite handheld. Eric Lempel details v3.95, which will be "made available shortly" on the PlayStation.Blog. The update contains the following:

• While playing PSone games on your PSP, you can now customize how the buttons are assigned by going to [Controller Settings] > [Assign Buttons] and select [Custom]
• You can now quit Remote Play and choose to turn off your PS3 or leave it on after quitting. This is useful if you are performing a download and want to quit Remote Play, but still want your download to continue on the PS3. Select [Quit and Turn Off the PS3 System] or [Quit Without Turning Off the PS3 System] from [Quit Remote Play] when you press the HOME button on the PSP system.

[Update: Firmware is now available through Network Update.]

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters drops to Greatest Hits price

Filed under: Ratchet and Clank

The Greatest Hits line-up continues to grow. Well, at least according to amazon.com and Best Buy. Greatest Hits games are available at a budget price of $20. If you didn't pick up Size Matters yet, this is a great time to pick up a copy. Our review was quite favorable on Ratchet's first PSP outing -- at $20, it's a stellar deal.

This price drop seems appropriately timed to get PSP fans ready for the upcoming Secret Agent Clank, another PSP follow-up to the always-popular Ratchet franchise.

[Thanks, MikkoH.!]

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We dare you to import Moe Moe World War II

Filed under: Imports

Why do we dare you? Not only because it's the latest in wacky Japanese anime-girls-in-scant-clothing title, but because what little clothes the ladies do wear sport Nazi symbols. Yep, this is a sexy Nazi anime girl game. It's probably harmless, but really, would you want to get caught playing this? Sure, it's a strategy and adventure game at heart, but people wouldn't notice that. They'd notice exactly what you see above, which we cropped to make ... less ... not safe for work. It's your call.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on PSP by Sept. 16

Filed under: News, Star Wars

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is hitting the PSP this coming September 16. In case you didn't hear about it yesterday over on PS3 Fanboy, Force Unleashed lets players run amok as Darth Vader's secret apprentice. That means feel free to kill any and all younglings your dark heart so desires.

The PSP version of Force Unleashed is not being developed by LucasArts but is under the care of Krome Studios. The portable version will also not be featuring the Digital Molecular Matter and Euphoria engines that make the PS3 version so life-like; however, it will include exclusive levels. Expect this title to ship out to Southeast Asia and Australia by Sept. 17, and Europe on Sept. 19.

PEGI rates Magna Carta Portable, possible European version on the way

Filed under: News

Siliconera sniffed this one out, finding a PEGI (Pan European Game Information) rating for Magna Carta Portable. Currently, this port of Magna Carta: Tears of Blood is still only for Japan; however, this might change if this discovery does lead to an eventually-released game. The listing has 505 Games as the publisher, the same group that brought the original PS2 title to Europe.

While Magna Carta was far from being an excellent game, we're still always happy to hear about portable RPGs. Most of all, we get awestruck every time we witness anything that Hyung-tae Kim draws. Best character artist ever.

Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G already getting DLC

Filed under: Monster Hunter

Just mere days after selling a gazillion copies, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G is ready to have its first piece of downloadable content (DLC). Available tomorrow, this extra quest will involve defeating three different monsters: Tigarex, Daimyou Zazami and Ganototos. Vanquish 'em all and get a special title for your character.

[Via PSPHyper]

A comprehensive look at Monster Hunter special edition

Filed under: Monster Hunter, Peripherals

We'd love to meet the man that runs PSP GadgetZ. Indeed, he is the most dedicated PSP fan in the world, having collected pretty much every PSP accessory imaginable. He recently acquired the Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G special edition bundle, and decided to show off the goods. You'll find pictures from all sorts of revealing angles, some which may get you quite fluttered. Considering the popularity of the game in Japan, we'd like to think that he's now super-popular with the ladies.

Lead Artist Nathan Phail-Liff talks about working on God of War

Filed under: Interviews, God of War

We're sure a lot of you are snickering right now, because Ready At Dawn's lead artist's last name is an internet-savvy spelling of "fail"; we snicker at you though, since this man got to work on God of War: Chains of Olympus and thus earns the respect of millions. What did he do on the project? How does he feel about it now that it's out? We're glad you asked.

For the first eight months, Nathan was actually programming tools to bring what we see in the final product to life. After he programmed all the necessary components, then he went back and actually used them to help create what ended up in our hands. That's pretty impressive. Working on an existing IP, he said, is a blessing and a curse. Especially for God of War since there are so many expectations surrounding it. The stylistic guidelines they used to keep the game familiar to fans is pretty clever.

The challenges faced by the staff for making the PSP game were numerous -- insert all sort of technical mumbo-jumbo here. Cramming the game onto the PSP is one thing, but only having 15 artists to do it really puts the workload into perspective. If you want to hear more about his experience programming for the game, or his proudest accomplishment, read the full interview. It's really quite entertaining.

Download new Star Ocean themes

Filed under: Star Ocean

The Second Evolution has just gone on sale in Japan, and Square Enix is celebrating the release of this new PSP-exclusive remake by making new themes and wallpapers available on their official website (click on "Special"). Initial impressions from Tokyo's Akihabara suggest that the game has done rather well in its first week: finding a new copy proved difficult, due to eager early demand.

With Monster Hunter and Star Ocean, we expect the Japanese metro system to be filled with PSP players.

[Via PSPHyper]

Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2: debut trailer

Filed under: Hot Shots Golf, Video

If the anime-inspired hijinks of the recently released Hot Shots Golf game on PS3 couldn't satiate your appetite for the sport, have no fear. SCEA is bringing over a new Hot Shots Golf game to the PSP, unsurprisingly named Open Tee 2. The franchise has been known for its easy, accessible gameplay, and we don't expect that to change in this iteration. It looks to retain all the wackiness the franchise is known for. Just look at that awesome penguin suit for proof!

R-Type Command screenshots satiate wait until May

Filed under: R-Type

One look at the PSP release calendar in April will send shivers down your spine: there's almost nothing coming out on PSP this month. Why is that? We're not exactly sure. Perhaps developers are in a post God of War and Crisis Core daze?

The next big game on our radar is R-Type Command, set for release in May. While that's a long while away, we can at the very least, look at these new screenshots released by Atlus. That's something, right?

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Monster Hunter 2nd G outpaces original's first week sales

Filed under: Monster Hunter

Everyone in the PSP scene knows that Monster Hunter Portable 2nd made the Japanese gaming public turn into ravenous Monster Hunter-hungry zombies -- the title went on to sell over 1.7 million copies in Japan alone.

Well, it looks like the Monster Hunter virus has returned. The expansion pack, 2nd G, has been selling an impressive amount: 670,000 in the first week alone. That bests even the original Monster Hunter Portable 2nd, which managed to sell 512,000 copies.

This doesn't mean that 2nd G will ultimately outsell its bigger older cousin. However, it certainly has come to an incredible start, one which bodes well for the PSP community at large.

[Via PSPHyper]

Celebrate 30 years of Space Invaders with snuggle pillows

Filed under: News, Imports, Fan Stuff

Has it already been 30 years since Space Invaders first conquered the hearts of gamers everywhere? It seems like such a long time ago. We're happy though, make no mistake. We want to get in on the celebration, and one way that we can is with these Space Invader pillows.

These little 45 cm pillows are priced at $29.90 each at NCSX. They should be available by mid-late July; that's probably right in line with Europe's summer release of Space Invaders Extreme.

[Via DS Fanboy]

A heartfelt look at Carpenter Story

Filed under: Imports, Video

The upcoming Japanese 2D action game, Carpenter Story, has a surprisingly sappy trailer. The soothing vocals and piano overlays what should be a rather chaotic game. It might not be the most hyped game out there, but we think niche importers will keep their eyes on this one.

Mod for slim PSP adds second analog stick

Filed under: Hacks, Mods

It is sort of baffling why anyone would need to mod a PSP in order to have two analog nubs. Why isn't one enough? Is playing Me & My Katamari just that difficult? Or maybe there is some sort of massage therapy simulation game out there that requires the most accurate symmetrical touch scheme? Perhaps a Karate Kid game -- wax on with the left nub and wax off with the right nub. Well, whether it's useful or not, someone still made it.

LordNico of AcidMods made this slim dual analog stick PSP. The second analog nub replicates the functions of the regular four-buttoned pad. While it's a neat trick to pull off, it's something completely unnecessary. We suggest just to check out the dual nubs in action in the clip after the break and not try it yourself.

[Via Engadget]

PS Nation becomes official podcast of PS Fanboy

Filed under: PlayStation Fancast

The Joystiq network of PlayStation sites (PS3 Fanboy, PSP Fanboy) is proud to announce a brand new collaboration with the most popular PlayStation podcast on the web. At the Midwest Gaming Classic, PS Nation announced their new partnership with the Fanboys. New episodes will be produced with collaboration with the PS Fanboy team, and will be made available for download on VGEVO.com and on the PS Fanboy sites.

"We're very excited to work with Glenn and the PS Nation team," said PS Fanboy lead Andrew Yoon. "We know firsthand how difficult it is to make a quality podcast. We know that by teaming up with PS Nation, we'll be able to give our readers what they deserve: the best PlayStation podcast on the web. With our combined resources, we're hoping to provide even more exclusive interviews, in-depth previews and reviews every single week. PS Nation has more than proven they can deliver the goods. We're glad to be joining forces."

"Mark and I are excited to partner with the Fanboys, and we hope that we can continue to be entertaining and informative for all of our listeners. This partnership opens a very large door for us, and allows us to bring the community better and more timely information than ever before," said PS Nation producer Glenn Percival. "Our format won't change much, so the show you know is staying relatively the same. The biggest change is that we'll have many more guests, and more interviews with Industry insiders. For those of you in our community that have stuck with us over the last year, don't worry, you'll still get plenty of Shenanigans and jokes about Chuck's Mom."

New episodes will premiere in April and will be available every Friday.

PSP Fanboy review: Warriors Orochi

Filed under: Reviews, Warriors Orochi

What can we say? Koei likes their Warriors formula. There's something different about Warriors Orochi though. Even though we've sifted through similar games, nay, almost identical games in the past, this title stands out. Perhaps it's the fact it's not lifted from the pages of history. Perhaps it's the sheer size of the character roster. Maybe we were just bored. Still, for Warriors fans, Warriors Orochi is the best of the franchise on the PSP, but everyone else will find the game repetitive and just like the others.

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The story is simple: evil demon Orochi uses his "mystical abilities" to bend time and space, forcing the characters from Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors to fight one another and against the Orochi Army. The plot is threadbare, but it's interesting to see the game take a different approach than historical battles from China and Japan. In this game, you start with a small force in either the Wu, Wei, Shu, or Samurai Warriors camp and go on to find and rescue your comrades while making friends along the way. A total of 77 friends. The roster is impressive, but everyone plays essentially the same -- we'd really like to see why they labeled the characters with different "classes" when it doesn't really matter.

See, each character is either a "Speed", "Tech", or "Power" fighter. It doesn't matter or mean anything, apparently, as levels are just as easy regardless of your character lineup. You can choose to take three warriors with you for each mission and switch between them on the fly. Again, it doesn't really matter other than for chaining together Musou Attacks, which are horribly less valuable than other iterations in the franchise. So long as you don't care who's on your team, there are 77 characters with the ability to choose 3 at a time. We forget the formula to figure out how many potential combinations that gives you, but it's a lot. Other than the character roster, a few other bits of the game deserve mentioning: the maps and customization.


Why are we mentioning the maps? Because unlike other handheld Warriors games, this one actually gives you an entire battlefield to run around on instead of blocking it off into chunks. There are quite a few maps, as well. The only problem is you can't see very far on them and there's essentially no detail in the maps at all: a poop brown road against a dim blue sky is more or less what you'll see. Granted, the locales are varied, but there's nothing really to write home about from a technical standpoint. What deserves our accolade, though, is the very fact this game feels at home on the PSP. This rendition just ... works. It's hard to explain, but holding something so epic and giant in your hands is pretty cool. Not many other games have created such a giant world to destroy enemies in other than, like, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron. This is why we say for Warriors fans, Orochi is the definitive handheld experience.


Customization also makes this game a pretty fun journey. Across 77 different people (did we mention that already?) you can customize what abilities you have (increased speed, defense, et cetera) but you have a very intense weapon customization system. As you gain weapons in battle, you'll notice some have abilities attached to them like a fire element or increased attack range. After battle, you can use the growth points you gained from the fight to fuse weapons together. This allows you to increase the number of slots available for you to equip the aforementioned abilities as well as the weapon's base attack. It can get pretty intense, but while this is really cool, it's something we've seen before. Ever play the first Parasite Eve? The customization system is somewhat like that, but easier. If you don't customize your weapons, the game won't punish you. It's not necessary by any means, but it's a waste if you don't.


Overall, the game has great customization options, a large number of maps and missions, a huge character roster, but ultimately falls to the curse of the Warriors franchise. A weak story, repetitive gameplay, and completely generic and replaceable characters. The PSP fits this game really well and it feels quite epic to have in the palm(s) of your hand(s), so in a way, we kind of hope Koei leaves the tired Warriors formula on the PSP and uses consoles to try something fresh. This is a fun diversion, but doesn't bring anything new to the table. Veterans, you'll enjoy. Everyone else can give it a shot, enjoy it briefly, but ultimately forget about it. We liked it, but the point of this review is to be objective, right? It's good. Not great, but good.

PSP Fanboy Score: 6.5

Super-exciting Bleach: Heat the Soul 5 trailer!!!!!

Filed under: Bleach, Video

We love Japanese game trailers. Especially anime ones. This overly enthusiastic commercial includes one of the most energetic Ichigo performances we've ever heard. Maybe he's really psyched about this upcoming PSP brawler? Heat the Soul 5 somehow manages to extend the series to its fifth iteration (in the course of three years!) -- introducing new characters and fighting elements to the mix. With the current popularity of Bleach in the States, you'd think at least one of these PSP-exclusive fighting games would cross the Pacific. Right?

American PC Store update for March 27th

Filed under: Store

Not a bad haul this week. While most of the update consists of videos that are also going up on the PS3 Store, there's also an R-Type Command demo which might help persuade a lot of you whether the game's worth a purchase or not. Here's the full release list:

• R-Type Command demo (Free)
• God of War: Chains of Olympus TV spot (Free)
• GT5 Prologue Mars Volta video (Free)
• GT5 Prologue Thin Lizzy video (Free)
• GT5 Prologue Weezer video (Free)
• Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer 4 (Free)
• Winter X Games '08 Play the Pros (Free)
• Wyclef's Fast Car Music Video (Free)
• R-Type Command Wallpapers (x3) (Free)

It may seem a bit cruel to release trailers for Gran Turismo 5 if you haven't got a PS3 yet. If you watch these videos and still don't feel like picking one up then make sure you cross your fingers and hope that one day - one day - Gran Turismo for PSP finally gets released.

PSP theft on the rise, cancer patient's PSP stolen

Filed under: News

What is the world coming to? This next story of PSP theft is a true tearjerker. Kyle Springs, a seven year old cancer patient on his way to a chemotherapy appointment in Dallas gets his PSP stolen. Not only that, but his school homework, medicine, and medical records were also taken. Worst of all, it happened the day before his birthday. Tragic.

There is some good news, however. Officers from the Dallas Police Department presented Kyle with a new PSP, and also raised more than $1,000 to pay for the lost medication. The PSP was important to Kyle; his mother stated that videogames helped alleviate the pain her son's condition inflicted.

While Kyle's story is heartbreaking, it does raise some valid questions. Why is PSP theft seemingly on the rise? And most of all, is there really anything we can do to stop it?

Pictures from the Crisis Core launch event

Filed under: Final Fantasy, Fan Stuff

Ryoga Vee was kind enough to take pictures during the Crisis Core launch event in San Francisco. Unfortunately, the cosplayers stayed home, with nary an over-dramatic hairdo to be seen. Thanks to these two for dressing up and making us proud.

According to Ryoga, the premiere was an "inflated event just to buy the game. No frills, no glam like the other events in the past." You can check out the no-frills event yourself by checking out Ryoga's Flickr here.

Sony issues consumer alert: PC PSN illegally accessed

Filed under: News, Hacks

Sony has issued a consumer alert stating that the PC version of the PlayStation Store may have been accessed illegally. Sony said that a small percentage of user passwords may have been changed through the unauthorized access, making it possible for the hackers to view personal information. The company wants to ensure consumers that Sony is taking "immediate measures to rectify this issue and [making sure that] system security is restored."

It is very likely this is just a small incident; however, it is a smart idea to stay cautious. To verify that your account is intact, sign into the PSN with your pre-set password. If you are successful, then your account is not affected by the incident. Currently, Sony is contacting customers who may have been affected. You can find more information about that at Sony's Knowledge Center.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]