European PS Store update for 12 September (A Day Late Edition)

Better late than never as they say, the European PS Store was updated today as promised. What is up with RockBand's "developing artist" track packs? Anyone?


Game
METALLICA ‘DEATH MAGNETIC’ FULL ALBUM, £11.99
1942 Joint Strike, £6.99
Siren Blood Curse™, £19.99

RockBand
1 Track, £0.99
3 Track Bundle, £2.49
1 Track sale/developing artist, £0.59
3 Track pack sale/developing artist, £1.69
6 Track Bundle, £4.99
9 Track Bundle, £7.49
12 Track Bundle, £9.99

Demo
ElefunkTrial, Free
Play TV Demo, Free
1942: Joint Strike, Free
FIFA 09 Demo, Free

Packs
Pain: Amusement Park, £3.49
Pain-Kenneth Character, £0.69
Pain -Yeony Character, £0.69
Pain Tati Character, £0.69

Videos
FIFA 09 TRAILER, Free
MIRROR’S EDGE E3 TRAILER, Free
TOMB RAIDER UNDERWORLD: TEASER TRAILER, Free
PURE E3 TRAILER, Free

Wallpapers
The Last Guy Wallpaper x6, Free

Themes
PixelJunk Eden Red Theme, Free
PixelJunk Eden Black Theme, Free

In Game
Elefunk Full Game Upgrade, £4.99


Source [ThreeSpeech]

Bikes, They're a' Coming September 18th

Them bikes sure do look purrty. But Criterion Games' latest free pack will bring a little bit more than bikes as we reported a few weeks back:

• Pick from 2 motorcycles featuring male or female characters and start on a whole new progression to earn your Bike License. (Author's note: don't worry, more bikes are a' coming)
  
• 38 new against-the-clock race events – Burning Ride and Midnight Ride.
• A brand new in-game 24 hr day / night cycle that impacts traffic density and available events. (It’s fully customisable – you can make it day/night/change the clock speed – it’s up to you.) (Author's note: we told you!)
  
• Dynamic weather brings an all-new look to Paradise City.
• And if that’s not enough, we’ve got 70 more Freeburn Challenges too.

I cannot sing enough praises for Criterion Games and what they are doing with Burnout Paradise. So I won't even try. You can head to www.criteriongames.com for all the details or iTunes (eww) to grab the latest Crash TV, Criterion Games' video podcast for more information on them shiny 2 wheeled automobiles.


Source [blog.US.PlayStation.com]

U.S. MyBuzz is Online, Giving Away Prizes

No longer will our European PlayStation 3 brethren will be able to taunt us with their "buzz". No, I'm not talking about pints of lager being consumed while playing our black behemoth (remember kids, don't drink and drive Burnout). North America has been deemed "buzz-worthy" by the powers that be: MyBuzz is open for business for the US.

Gearing up for the American release date of September 23rd, MyBUZZquiz.com is ready to be filled up with apple pie and NRA quizzes. But all kidding aside, there is an extraordinary incentive for us them to do so. There will be great prizes for wasting your precious time making quizzes online, take it away Associate Producer Jenny Barbour:

We’re asking you to start building your library of quizzes immediately and on game launch day (September 23), we’ll award a PS3 and BUZZ! Quiz TV game bundle to the “All Time Top Author.”

But that is not all:

A week after launch on September 30, we’ll be awarding another prize to the individual with the “Top Quiz.” He/she will receive a new PSP 3000 with BUZZ! Master Quiz (all the fun of the BUZZ! trivia franchise on-the-go!).

Pretty neat eh? I can't wait for Canadians to get in on the MyBuzz fun as well, I want to test my knowledge of hockey, Mike Meyers, Georges St. Pierre and Celine Dion.


Source [blog.us.PlayStation.com]

American PS Store Update For September 11th

What's here besides the PAIN-tastic PAIN Amusement Park? You Qore-heads have access to the MotorStorm: Pacific Rift demo to calm you until October 28, Metal-heads (yo!) can enjoy Metallica's Death Magnetic album in GH III form tomorrow (boo) but can enjoy the GH: Aerosmith demo today, and futbol-heads can try out the new FIFA demo.



Qore Digital Magazine
Just a quick note to let you know that the MotorStorm: Pacific Rift demo is now available to all Qore annual subscribers and those customers that have purchased Episode 04.

How to get the MotorStorm: Pacific Rift demo:
-Go into Qore Episode 04 under the game drop on the XMB
-Go to the Download Center
-Go to the “MotorStorm: Pacific Rift - Demo” box
-Hit the “X” button and let the downloading begin!

Downloadable Games
JEOPARDY! ($14.99)

Add-on Game Content
PAIN Amusement Park ($5.99)
PAIN: Yeony Character ($0.99)
PAIN: Tati Character ($0.99)
PAIN: Kenneth Character ($0.99)

Rock Band
“Two Weeks” - All That Remains ($0.99)
“This Calling” - All That Remains ($0.99)
“Charlene (I’m Right Behind You)” - Stephen and the Colberts (Free)
All That Remains Pack 1($2.99) - includes “This Calling,” “Two Weeks,” and “Chiron”

Arriving Friday 9/12/08
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Metallica “Death Magnetic” Album ($17.99)
“That Was Just Your Life”
“The End Of The Line”
“Broken, Beat & Scarred”
“The Day That Never Comes”
“All Nightmare Long”
“Cyanide”
“The Unforgiven III”
“The Judas Kiss”
“Suicide & Redemption J.H.”
“Suicide & Redemption K.H.”
“My Apocalypse”

Game Demos (free)
FIFA 09 Demo
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Demo

Game Videos (free)
Golden Axe: Beast Rider Trailer 2
FIFA 09 Trailer
NHL 09 Teaser Trailer
NHL 09 Defensive Sizzle Trailer
Blitz: The League II - Trailer 2
Saints Row 2 – Uncle Gary Sticky Bombs Trailer
Saints Row 2 – Uncle Gary Throwing People Trailer
NFS Undercover Launch Trailer
BiA: Hell’s Highway Brutality of War Gameplay Video
Legendary Behind the Scenes Episode 2

PS3 Wallpaper (free)
PAIN Amusement Park Wallpaper (x3)

PS3 Themes (free)
Mirror’s Edge #1 Theme
NFS Undercover Theme
PAIN Amusement Park Theme
PAIN: Kenneth Character Theme
PAIN: Tati Character Theme
PAIN: Yeony Character Theme

MotorStorm Pacific Rift Gets Release Date, Umbrella in its Drink

Is your motor stormless at the moment? Get your umbrellas ready, MotorStorm Pacific Rift is raining down upon you October 28th.

This sequel gets bonus points for not adding a number to the original title (I'm looking at you Resistance and Killzone), doubling the number of tracks from 8 to 16, adding a new gameplay element (water/lava affects your boost temperature), adding the split-screen mode missing from the original, real time deformation of tracks and those twins. That last one may be wishful thinking though...

You may start your excitement...whenever you want, I don't care. I just started playing the original under this rock I've been living under.


Source [PlayStation.Blog]

COD4 Variety Pack Half Price / Double XP - next weekend

Already reached level 55 on Call of Duty 4? Perhaps you've taken the prestigious route and now tire of sniping noobs across the Bog. What you need is some new maps soldier and what's better than four new areas to master than getting them at a cut-rate half price?

Those lunatics over at Infinity Ward have announced that next weekend (September 20th) will see the record breaking Variety Map Pack slash to half its original price (€4.99/£3.99/$4.99 - prices to be confirmed). For those wondering about where you'll be headed, the pack contains the stages "Killhouse", "Creek", "Chinatown", and "Broadcast".

To celebrate the price reduction IW have also announced (yet another) double XP weekend letting people earn double points while checking out the new maps. The 360 version sees its price cut this weekend allowing the developers to engage in some Player-Ownage on both consoles over the two weekends. The developers will be online (unceremoniously killing everything in sight no doubt) at roughly 4 p.m. PDT which is around midnight in Europe.

[Source: Eurogamer.net]

Resistance 2 Public Beta Application

For those of you PS3 owners who want to get into the Resistance 2 beta yet didn't purchase the 3rd episode of Qore then you are in luck. You can now register for a chance to participate in the public beta here.

All you have to do is fill out a short form and answer a few gaming related questions. If selected, you will have access to some sweet multiplayer action. Remember, in order to qualify you must have an active PSN Account, internet access, and be 18 years or older. Let's all cross our fingers and hope for the best. 

PS3 coming to Malaysia this month

As a proud (and often disgruntled) European I know all about jumping on the Neglected Gamer Soapbox™ and delivering diatribes about such hot topics as frustrating delays or exorbitant price plans. Then you remember just how lucky you are to be even able to buy a PS3, considering there are less fortunate regions out there still waiting to see the arrival of Sony's magic black box.
Until now, Malaysia has been a member of this unfortunate bevy but it appears that in ten day's time our friends in the East will soon be gleefully rubbing their name from this ignoble 'list of the forgotten'.

Reported on the online edition of Malaysia's English-language newspaper, The Star, Sony Malaysia have announced that the 80GB version of the PS3 will be released on the 20th of September at an event planned for the 1Utama shopping centre in Petaling Jaya.

Pricing details are not known at this point but it has been confirmed that Soul Calibur IV will be the bundled game on offer with the first hundred customers also receiving Sony cash vouchers worth up to RM1,000.

Welcome to the party Malaysia!

[Source: via Edge Online]

Media Molecule inadvertently reveals LBP Tracklist

Ok, so a few sites have reported that you can see the LittleBigPlanet manual here. But no one seems to have noticed that the last couple of pages in the manual give the credits for the music used in the game.

Is this a full track listing, or just a space filler for now?

Who knows, but the work of Daniel Pemberton is exactly the kind of thing I would expect to see on a playlist for the game, based on what has been played alongside trailers so far.

Here's the full run-down taken from the manual:

DJ Krush - 'Song 2'
Cafe Tacvba - 'Volver A Comenzar'
Kinky - 'Cornman'
Battles - 'Atlas'
The Go! Team - 'Get It Together'
Jim Noir - 'My Patch'
Alexander Nevsky Op.78 - 'Battle On The Ice'
James Pants - 'Rhythm Trax 7'
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - 'Tapha Niang'
Noveltones - 'Let Bank Two'
Ananda Shankar - 'Dancing Drums'

Original Music Composed by Mat Clark at Sonica Music, London:

'Gardens imusic'
'Wedding imusic'
'Canyons imusic'
'Savannah imusic'
'Metropolis imusic'
'Islands imusic'
'Temples imusic'
'Wilderness imusic'

Daniel Pemberton:

'The Orb Of Dreamers'
'Leaders Of Men'
'The Appliance of Science'
'Girly Goody Two Shoes'
'Rock The Jungle'
'Tricky Business'
'Cries In The Wind'
'Rainbow Warrior'
'My Advice - parts 1, 2 and 3'

So what do we think? Is that a good track list? Is it enough variety? Considering that the last we heard, we wouldn't be able to import songs into the game, I was hoping for more, but if the layering that was mentioned is done well, it could add some life to each track.

You can hear most of the non-original tracks on your nearest favourite video site.

[Source: SCEA Official Site]

GameCity Teams Up With Guinness World Records - Wants YOUR Records!

Kicking off its third iteration in Nottingham, U.K. next month, GameCity have decided to add a unique competitive flavour to the usual gamut of game conference festivities this year. Pairing up with Guinness World Records, the organisers of the festival are requesting record breaking submissions from the more extroverted (and fanatical) of gamers who will then attempt to smash such records over the course of the conference. Under the watchful eyes of the Guinness adjudicators of course.

Reckon you can clock Metal Gear Solid 4 without been seen in a record time? What about burning through Rain God Mesa in Monument Valley quicker than anyone else to become the envy of all your MotorStorm friends/enemies?

If you have a specific world beating gaming feat in mind here is your chance to bring it to the attention of Guinness World Records and get yourself added to the annals of gaming history. Simply email the gaming record you'd like to attempt to records@gamecity.org or register online at their site and they'll take care of the rest.

Of course GameCity is not just about breaking records; the conference promises to reveal some new games (including a Guinness World Records game in fact) and some other gaming related wonders. The three day festival starts on October 30th and we'll be covering it live again this year so be sure to check back for more updates.

Project Origin gets renamed

Monolith's sequel to F.E.A.R., Project Origin has been renamed. Well, actually the words Project Origin are still in the title. From now on, we can call Project Origin with its "real" name; F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin.

See, the reason why the sequel wasn't named after its predecessor (until now, that is) lies in rights between companies. While Vivendi had the rights of the name F.E.A.R., the characters and the story belonged to Monolith. Because Monolith decided to work with Warner Bros., Vivendi wouldn't give up the name.

But, we were in for a surprise. As Monolith and the publisher Warner revealed, the brand name F.E.A.R. is now in their possession. Apparently, Activision Blizzard (where Vivendi belongs to) sold the rights.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin will be available for purchase at February 10th for America, with the release date for Europe, still being unknown.

Novastrike Update Live

Trophy collectors get ready, the update for the PSN title Novastrike is a go. Highlights include toned down difficulties for those of you who have smashed one too many controllers, customizable controls, XMB playlist support, and the pièce de résistance, trophies. There is also so much more. More than I can talk about so why don't you visit the Official Playstation Blog to find out? Anyways, why are you still reading this? You should be downloading the update and earning those trophies.

Atari entices yet another Sony bigwig

The Sony brain-drain appears to continue with yet more talent leaving the House of S and taking up positions at Atari redux. The first big name to jump ship was industry maven Phil Harrison who became (the ominous sounding) Directeur Général Délégué back in March. Proving that Infogrames mean business with attracting top talent to rekindle the glory days of Atari, they have now announced the capture of Paulina Bozek. The (now former) SingStar exec will become the creative and product lead for a new Hammersmith (London, U.K.) based studio.

After spearheading the SingStar brand for Sony (and helping to generate half a BILLION in revenue for Sony), Ms Bozek is now looking forward to working at Atari noting the company's "great vision for the future".

For all our sakes, let's hope that vision is not as solitary and poorly lit as its recent under-fire offerings.

[Source: Edge Online]