Five features you may have missed in Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time

Ratchet and Clank games usually have a little extra for true series fans who want to dig deeper, and A Crack in Time isn't looking to break that trend. Developer Insomniac wants to make sure that those who have played the game are getting out of it all that's in there, pointing out five things for fans not to miss:

• Space Radio
• Dynamo of Doom
• Community Profile
• Insomniac Museum
• Return to the Great Clock

What does it all mean? Check out the video after the break for the full details.

Continue reading Five features you may have missed in Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time

Five features you may have missed in Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Metareview: Tony Hawk Ride

We're so proud of the individuals who managed to play through the pain radiating from their twisted, throbbing ankle, and craft a review for the latest (peripheral-infused) installment in the Hawkman's gaming franchise, Tony Hawk: Ride. Here's what these brave, persistent critics had to say about the experience.

• Game Informer (5.75/10): "As a skateboarder and as a gamer, Tony Hawk: Ride is a curious idea but a letdown in practice. The huge level of frustration is not worth the time it takes to master the awkward gameplay idiosyncrasies."
• IGN (5/10): "The idea? A more immersive skateboarding game that would ride the recent wave of hit games featuring their own custom controllers. The result? An expensive proposition that neither casual nor hardcore gamers will get much out of."
• GameSpy (2.5/5 Stars): "As expected, Tony Hawk Ride is an experiment -- an interesting and ambitious experiment, but one that doesn't come together as a fully functional experience. I love the basic feel of the board, and had occasional bouts of fun amidst frequent frustration, but THR's gargantuan buy-in price is an awful lot to ask of an effective guinea pig audience."
• Giant Bomb (1/5 Stars): "While the Tony Hawk franchise has been down on its luck lately, and was probably in need of a reboot as dramatic as this, the execution is such a miserable failure that it manages to splash even more mud on Tony Hawk's legacy. I'm left with a firm belief that whichever side of the Tony Hawk/Activision partnership has the out clause in the contract should just exercise it and part ways for good. Enough is enough. "

Metareview: Tony Hawk Ride originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tekken 6 update launches Nov. 26, addresses online issues

A free update, launching on November 26, hopes to end the woes Tekken 6 players have encountered in the online King of Iron Fists Tournament. The update should improve connectivity between players and will add selectable search priorities for ranked matches.

Namco also aims to improve the responsiveness of button input and will add a cancel option for the first few seconds of a match should you disapprove of your opponent's signal strength. Or, in our case, should you find they're using a super cheap character like Devil Jin. Stop it!

Tekken 6 update launches Nov. 26, addresses online issues originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

'Turbo' movie trumps Natal, Sphere and Wii MotionPlus

We talked about the trailer for Turbo back in April, and now director Jarrett Conaway has put the entire short film up on the web for maximum watchability. While it's a short film, it manages to make a movie about video games look like ... a movie about video games (and not some overblown Bay-gasm). It also stars Justin Chon, one of the bit players from this weekend's mega-money-making New Moon, though he's thankfully not playing an emo crybaby in this.

Conaway describes his film as "The Karate Kid meets Tron," but it actually feels more like The Wizard updated with tons of CGI. Except there's no Nintendo Power Glove in it. But don't fret, there are gloves in this short film. And they definitely have some power.

Check out all of Turbo after the break. Conaway is hoping to make a full-length version of the film soon, which means you could see Turbo: The Video Game of the Video Game Movie at a store near you.

Continue reading 'Turbo' movie trumps Natal, Sphere and Wii MotionPlus

'Turbo' movie trumps Natal, Sphere and Wii MotionPlus originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony & Microsoft offer software for UK university education program

Keeping in line with recent contributions to President Obama's STEM education initative, both Microsoft and Sony have signed on for development software support to UK school Kingston University. A recent press release from the school boasts a "state-of-the-art laboratory aimed at providing the next generation of game developers with the skills needed to take computer gaming into the future," even employing "Xbox and handheld PSP game consoles" at each workstation.

According to Darrel Greenhill, games technology program head at KU, students are "working to industry standards even before they've left the classroom" with the donated software. Currently the university offers games programming and games technology degrees for undergrads, but will also begin offering post-graduate game development degrees in 2010. Unfortunately, no official date has been set for when computer gaming will reach "the future."

[Via Develop]

Sony & Microsoft offer software for UK university education program originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Japan summons one more Final Fantasy XIII trailer

Square Enix has released yet another Japanese language trailer for Final Fantasy XIII, likely the last one before the game hits retail stores across the Pacific. This five minute video features a lot of recycled footage from earlier trailers, but attentive fans will notice the reveal of new characters (villains, perhaps?).

The highlights of this lengthy preview are the franchise's trademark over-the-top summons -- made even more spectacular and grandiose for this generation's first numbered entry in the Final Fantasy series. Of course, Square Enix fans would have it no other way.

[Thanks, Brandon S.!]

Japan summons one more Final Fantasy XIII trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Bayonetta's dancing is really 'sexy'

Did you think the footage of Bayonetta summoning intricate torture devices was disturbing? Wait until you see this context-free prototype dancing footage, featuring everyone's favorite giant witch cutting a motion-captured rug (after the break). We don't know if it's the fact that the animations have yet to be finalized in this sequence, or if it's the idea of Bayonetta taking a break from her brutal revenge quest to get down, or if it's simply Bayonetta's flagrantly inhuman body proportions, but yikes.

What kind of touch-ups did Platinum do after this prototype stage? " ... on Kamiya-san's orders," animator Uchi says, "we accentuated the movements of her waist and butt to make it over-the-top in the sexiness department." You'd have to accentuate the hell out of those movements to go from that to "sexy."

Continue reading Bayonetta's dancing is really 'sexy'

Bayonetta's dancing is really 'sexy' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The terrifying prototypes of Tony Hawk: Ride

Not everyone can be as skilled as we were the very first time we tried Tony Hawk: Ride. Most people, as we understand it, are a bit daunted by the game's iconic peripheral at first. We're told it can be quite intimidating. That may be true, but just wait until you see some of the original prototypes Robomodo recently revealed to Develop. Employing wooden boards, blank decks, arcade buttons, trackballs and, yes, duct tape, the prototypes appear infinitely more frightening than the comparatively svelte final product. Check them out and be thankful for the Ride that never was.

The terrifying prototypes of Tony Hawk: Ride originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fight Night: Round 4 gets new fighters, modes, major update Dec. 3

Punch your way through to our gallery

Pugilists looking to beef up their stable of brawlers in Fight Night Round 4 will be able to do just that when EA offers up three new fighters in a DLC pack for 360 and PS3 on December 3. For the price of 160 ($2) and $1.99, respectively, you'll be able to add boxing greats Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston and Bernard Hopkins to your virtual lineup of potential pulverizers. In addition to the new DLC, EA will also bring in the cut man to fix a few issues fighters are having with the game -- you can find the full list of fixes after the break -- and will add Old School Rules and Ring Rivalry mode. Here's the fight card:

Full bundle (Xbox 360/PS3) - 800 ($10) / $9.99

• Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston and Bernard Hopkins
• Ring Rivalry game mode (allows players to choose from over 20 different match options recreating boxing's most famous matchups)
• Old School Rules game mode (simulates the common rules of boxing prior to the establishment of the Marquis of Queensbury Rules)

Three new boxers (Holyfield, Liston and Hopkins) -- 160 ($2) / $1.99 each

Old School Rules mode -- 320 ($4) / $3.99

Ring Rivalry mode -- 160 ($2) / $1.99

Continue reading Fight Night: Round 4 gets new fighters, modes, major update Dec. 3

Fight Night: Round 4 gets new fighters, modes, major update Dec. 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If Namco releases more Tekken 6 DLC, it will be free

Producer Katsuhiro Harada commented to UK.PlayStation.com that more Tekken 6 content is likely to be on the way via DLC, adding to the retailer-exclusive Cardboard Tube Samurai outfit. But we can't groan about Namco Bandai using DLC for the popular fighter as a cash machine, because the company doesn't intend to charge for it. Harada said there was a "strong possibility" of additional downloadable content for the game -- possibly for the PSP version as well, since he didn't specify. "However, even if we were to do so, it would be free to the end user."

Of course, this is the same company that released paid Star Wars DLC for Soul Calibur IV after the director said there wouldn't be. So don't go empty out your Tekken 6 DLC fund just yet.


[Via Siliconera]

If Namco releases more Tekken 6 DLC, it will be free originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GameStop 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' used game sale starts tomorrow

You've probably got a ton of brand new games you want to purchase, but with Christmas just around the corner, the available funds to buy things for yourself are likely dwindling. Tomorrow through Sunday, GameStop's got a helpful solution: A Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale on all used games. The sale is both in-store and online, though you'll need to use code B2G1FREE, along with SAVER to get free shipping on $25-plus orders.

Just so there's no confusion, we're not suggesting that you buy used games for yourself to save money, far from it. We just can't help but think how much extra cash you'd have left for Assassin's Creed 2 if you got everyone on your list a second-hand copy of Wheelman.

[Via CheapCollegeGamers]

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Check out Joystiq's Black Friday Game Deals Hub or jump to a retailer guide below:

Best Buy | GameStop | Kmart & Sears | Target | Toys"R"Us | Walmart

For more Black Friday coverage, check out Black Friday Deals, Cyber Monday Sales,
And other Black Friday 2009 stories today from Walletpop.com

GameStop 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' used game sale starts tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LittleBigPlanet PSP accessory pack on sale at Best Buy

Just in time for the release of LittleBigPlanet on PSP, Best Buy is selling a $20 accessory pack that includes an LBP-themed case, cleaning cloth, screen protector and a sticker sheet with various Sackboys and Sackgirls. It also includes an elusive Sackboy plushy -- albeit one with slightly deformed proportions.

NAYIN wrote a very exciting review for the bundle on the Best Buy website, which we've helpfully reprinted for you here:

"WELL, I REALLY LIKE LBP BECAUSE ITS AN EXCELLENT GAME FOR THE PS3 AND I REALLY THING I AM GOING TO ENJOY IT NOW WHERE EVER I TAKE IT. SO TO KEEP THE FUN WHY NOT DEMONSTRATED WITH THIS PARTICULAR DESIGNED CASE THAT LIKE I SAID THE CAFE-BROWN COLOR IS SUPER IN FOR THIS SEASON."

So not only will you be showing your dedication to LBP with this accessory pack, you'll be SUPER FASHIONABLE. Thanks, NAYIN!

LittleBigPlanet PSP accessory pack on sale at Best Buy originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LucasArts whipping up online co-op patch for Lego Indy 2

Soon, friends who see that you're playing Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues on Xbox Live or PlayStation Network won't need to sit idol-y by -- they'll be able to join in. LucasArts has tweeted that it's working on a patch that will bring online co-op play to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the latest Lego game on the block.

What's more, the publisher has also confirmed that the patch will let players collaborate in the game's level editor, tweeting, "In LIJ2's new co-op, you'll be able to join others as they build and play their levels." As for timing, LucasArts says to "give it a few weeks" before the update is transported by submarine from Cairo to a secret island base Microsoft and Sony's servers.

LucasArts whipping up online co-op patch for Lego Indy 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony replaces faulty Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines download

"Yes, there was an issue with the original download," a Sony Europe spokesperson has told Eurogamer. Said issue, which rendered PAL digital copies of Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines dead on arrival, was rectified by replacing the PSP file on the European PlayStation store -- though this came at a cost to those who had already been greeted by the defective copy's never-ending loading screen. According to the spokesperson, "It was pulled from the store and we are issuing replacement codes for those people who purchased the content before 12PM GMT on November 20."

Developed by Griptonite Games, Bloodlines follows the protagonist of 2007's Assassin's Creed, complete with 3D free-running and an Altair native control scheme.

Sony replaces faulty Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines download originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Be thankful, Killzone 2 double XP multiplayer starts this weekend

Just in time for your Turkey Day weekend, Killzone 2 will be activating double XP on all multiplayer games from November 27th to November 30th.

In addition to double XP, Guerrilla will host a Killzone 2 "retro tournament" using only the Beach Head and Southern Hills maps from the second DLC pack, both remakes of Killzone 1 maps. If you don't have the DLC yet and don't want to drop "money" on it you'll want to check out Killzone.com -- free codes will be given away later this week.

Be thankful, Killzone 2 double XP multiplayer starts this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hands-on: Spawn HD-720 brings your games to you

Now that's it's The Future, we've grown increasingly intolerant of being tied down to any specific location, even when it comes to console gaming. When you can talk on your phone and watch movies on the go, who wants to be tethered to their couches as they explore a post-apocalyptic wasteland? Nobody, that's who.

The Spawn HD-720 from Spawn Labs is designed to fulfill that promise of futuristic mobility by taking console video games and (in technical terms) squishing them inside your computer. We recently went hands-on with "Slingbox for games" to see if the future had truly arrived.

Continue reading Hands-on: Spawn HD-720 brings your games to you

Hands-on: Spawn HD-720 brings your games to you originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Join Joystiq's MAG army and get a free beta code

MAG is a pretty ridiculous title, but it does perfectly sum up what the game is all about. Massive Action Game is the first console game to feature 128 vs. 128 online multiplayer matches, which you'll be able to try tomorrow with the debut of beta 4.5.

We want you to join the Joystiq army: a 128-person squad of loyal Joystiq readers ready to represent us online. The PlayStation Network will tremble, with the Joystiq team striking fear into all that dare to step into MAG. Together, world domination will be ours!*

But, you say you're not in the MAG beta? Well, we'll fix that right now! Become a Joystiq fan on Facebook and you'll be able to score yourself a code.

Continue reading Join Joystiq's MAG army and get a free beta code

Join Joystiq's MAG army and get a free beta code originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Free Need for Speed: Shift DLC adds new cars, team racing

EA's preparing a new pack of cars for your virtual garage in Need for Speed: Shift. On December 1st, Xbox 360 owners worldwide will be given five classic rides to race around in, free of charge, while PS3 owners in Europe and North America gain access on December 3rd and 10th, respectively. Dubbed the Legendary Car pack, this new bit of DLC puts gamers behind the wheel of these five classic rides:

• 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427
• 1967 Shelby GT-500 (Nicolas Cage not included)
• 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
• 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T
• 1998 Toyota Supra Mark IV

The free update will also bring with it a new Team Racing mode, which will allow two teams of up to six racers to compete against each other online. You've got some time, so find a few friends and get ready to shake and bake.

Free Need for Speed: Shift DLC adds new cars, team racing originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Try PSP Digital Comics with these free codes

If you've downloaded firmware 6.20 for your PSP, you'll be able to access the Digital Comics service, featured under the new "Extras" section of the XMB. While the PlayStation Store won't offer comics until next month, Sony is offering fans an early sneak peek at the service by offering free codes through the official PlayStation Comics website. Americans will be able to get the first issue of Transformers: All Hail Megatron, while Europeans can download the first issue of Aleister Arcane.

Each issue will take about 40MB of space on your Memory Stick / PSP Go. To get your trial codes, visit the PlayStation Comics website.

[Thanks, Simon R.!]

Try PSP Digital Comics with these free codes originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

God of War Collection players complain of freezing issues

Some folks over on the official PlayStation Forums allege to be having trouble playing God of War Collection. Several users are complaining that the game has been locking up on them, specifically after God of War's first cutscene and during the first mission. Most of the people who claim to be running into this freezing issue are running the game on 60GB launch PS3s, though a few PS3 Slim owners have also jumped into the threads to report the game is locking up on them, too.

Additionally, commenters on PlayStation.Blog have reported the same problem and specifically implicate 60GB PS3s. While we didn't experience such issues playing the final game code on a debug PS3 unit, we've contacted Sony for comment on this report and will update as necessary.

[Thanks, Scott]

Source - "God of War Collection Freezing Issues" [PlayStation.com Forums]
Source - PlayStation.Blog comments

God of War Collection players complain of freezing issues originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pre-order 'Mass: We Pray' for free Dante's Inferno trailer

We had an icky feeling when we first watched the Mass: We Pray teaser. Not because of the toll excessive devotional gameplay might take on our souls, but because we were pretty sure we were being virally marketed to in some way or another. It turns out, our unease (also felt by a few others, including The Escapist) was spot on, as We Pray has been revealed as the latest move in the Dante's Inferno marketing campaign's fight against good taste.

Clicking to pre-order the game on the website or to get a better look at the controllers, now triggers a message about heresy, along with a trailer for Dante's Inferno and a link to the Facebook app, "Go to Hell." Sorry if you were looking forward to We Pray!

[Thanks, Thomas]

Pre-order 'Mass: We Pray' for free Dante's Inferno trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony planning to expand PSN infrastructure to non-game devices

A slide from Sony's Media & Investor Conference presentation today reveals plans for a "Sony Online Service" that features a single, convenient account for use with a variety of Sony devices. The slide shows plans for online services, built on the PSN infrastructure, for use with computers, TVs, phones, e-readers, and "New Mobile Products." The proposed system sounds more than doable, but something tells us we shouldn't hold our breath for expansive features. Cross-chat between devices? Not likely.

This unifying concept could be what Sir Howard Stringer was referring to earlier this year when he made cryptic references to expanding PSN beyond PS3. Of course, the PS3's installed base is no longer the bottleneck it once was (thanks, price drop!), but allowing more devices to download movies and other PSN content would naturally increase the potential for sales.

Source - "Media / Investor Conference - November 19th 2009" [PDF]

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Congratulations to Worvast on being the first to comment. You've been emailed a free Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta code. Click here, for more information on this giveaway. Official rules apply.

Sony planning to expand PSN infrastructure to non-game devices originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony 'looking into' subscription-based PSN services for new revenue stream

Whoa, hey. Slow your roll, sir. We know seeing the terms "PSN" and "subscription" in the same headline might have set off a few red flags for you, but let's look at this logically. Earlier today, Sony released the presentation report from its media and investor conference, one portion of which focused on the future profitability of its gaming platform. One element of the company's strategy is turning a larger profit on PlayStation Network -- and yes, according to the report, Sony's planning to obtain a "new revenue stream from subscription."

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean the currently free online service will start charging its users at some point during this next year. It's far more likely that the line in the report was referring to new subscription-based features, such as the PSP rental service or one of SOE's upcoming MMOs.

We contacted Sony about the reference to PSN subscriptions, and a representative responded, saying, "We have not made any formal announcements on a subscription based service. We're looking into a variety of options." It sounds like the company has yet to set any subscription plans in stone -- or perhaps Sony's just now gauging the community's reaction to the concept of a pay-to-play PSN. If that's the case, the comments on this post could likely provide an adequate barometer for how this news would be received. But that's just our hunch ...

Source - "Media / Investor Conference - November 19th 2009" [PDF]

Sony 'looking into' subscription-based PSN services for new revenue stream originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.