Sony has released a list of full PSP games and PlayStation minis on the PS Blog that are currently compatible with PlayStation Vita.

275 total PSP and minis titles will be available for purchase or download. Players who already downloaded compatible PSP titles can download those titles onto their Vita for free, although Sony does note that players trying to download compatible PSP titles should be aware of their console activations, which may pose unspecified limitations.

Sony reminded players that PSP games can be downloaded to Vita directly via Wi-Fi or through PS3 and onto Vita via a USB cable and the Content Manager.

To see the current list of PSP and minis titles compatible with Vita, click on the second page of this story. Players should keep an eye on the list on the PS Blog, as it will be updated. Sony says that more PSP games will be added to the list in the coming weeks.

Sony recently said that there would be no North American version of the UMD Passport Program, while SCEE hasn’t yet confirmed or denied Europe’s status for the program.

What do you think of the list of PSP games currently compatible with Vita? Let us know in the comments below!

Next Page >>

© nickmichetti for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us

While the consensus worldwide seems to be that the PlayStation Vita’s Western launch holds much greater potential than its Japanese one did, the system is also clawing its way up in Japan. While last week’s release of Tales of Innocence-R marked the highest a Vita game had ever charted with slot number three, ToI-R this week becomes the first to stay within Media Create‘s top 20 for more than one week. As you may recall, Hot Shots Golf and Uncharted debuted nicely, but were out by the next week.

Sony’s new handheld claims the fourth spot on the software sales charts, this time with GameArts and GunHo’s Ragnarok Odyssey. Sony did once again take the third spot, but with the elder of its two handhelds and its highly anticipated FotoKano: Picture Girlfriend.

1. (3DS) Resident Evil: Revelations
2. (PS3) Soul Calibur V
3. (PSP) PhotoKano: Picture Girlfriend
4. (PSV) Ragnarok Odyssey
5. (PS3) Armored Core V
6. (3DS) Mario Kart 7
7. (3DS) Monster Hunter 3G
8. (3DS) Super Mario 3D Land
9. (PS3) Gran Turismo 5 Spec II
10. (PS3) Dragon Age II
11. (3DS) Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure
12. (360) Monster Hunter Frontier Online: Forward .3 Premium Package
13. (3DS) Inazuma Eleven Go: Shine/Dark
14. (PSV) Tales of Innocence-R
15. (WII) Just Dance Wii
16. (360) Soul Calibur V
17. (PSP) Monster Hunter Portable 3
18. (WII) Wii Sports Resort w/ Remote Plus
19. (PS3) Final Fantasy XIII-2
20. (WII) Mario Kart Wii

The hardware sales, while once again not showing Vita punching suckers in the face, at least show some level of stability. While last week marked the first week since launch time in which the Vita outsold its elder portable, the PSP, this week’s repeat performance officially marks the first time it’s held off the PSP in back-to-back weeks. It’s gotta start sometime, right? This is a good sign for the future of Vita in the Far East.

3DS – 84,789
PS3 – 23,293
Vita – 17,141
PSP – 15,847
Wii – 8,814
360 – 1,382
PS2 – 481

Next week, data for two more desirable Vita games will be posted, as Sumioni and Gravity Daze will hit Japanese shelves.

© Knifefight for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners new content, add-ons, games and more. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday and Wednesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

** Note for other regions **

European PSN is updated on Wednesdays.

North American Update

PlayStation Plus Content

PSN Games

• Jak  3 ($14.99)
• Jak  and  Daxter:  The  Precursor  Legacy ($14.99)
• Jak II ($14.99)
• Shank  2 ($9.99)
• The  Simpsons Arcade  Game ($9.99) Free for PlayStation Plus Subscribers
• Gotham  City  Impostors ($14.99)

PS3 Full Games

• Jak and Daxter Collection ($39.99)
• Top  Spin  4 ($29.99)
• LEGO Pirates Of The Caribbean ($39.99)
• Catherine ($39.99)

Game Demos (Free)

• Jimmie Johnson’s Anything With An Engine Demo
• Cubixx HD Demo
• Gotham City Impostors Demo

Add-on Game Content

• UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception Add ons (x23) ($0.49 – $5.99 each)
• Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 - Weapon Expert Pack ($3.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning - Finesse Bonus Pack ($2.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning - Might Bonus Pack ($2.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning - Sorcery Bonus Pack ($2.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning House Of Valor (Online Pass Paid) ($9.99)
• The King Of Fighters XIII Unlock Gallery ($2.99)
• Final Fantasy XIII-­‐2 – Noel’s Outfit: Battle Attire ($2.99)
• Final Fantasy XIII-­‐2 - Opponent: Lightning & Amodar ($2.99)
• UFC Undisputed 3  -­‐ Ultimate Fights Rivals Pack (Free)
• UFC Undisputed 3  -­‐ Ultimate Fights: Submission Pack (Free)
• UFC Undisputed 3 Alistair Overeem ($0.99)
• UFC Undisputed 3 Season Pass ($16.99)
• Rocksmith – Black By Pearl Jam ($2.99)
• Rocksmith – Jeremy By Pearl Jam ($2.99)
• Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-­‐7 - 5 Spell Pack ($1.99)

Rock Band 3

• “Comedown” – Bush ($1.99)
• “Diachylon” – Chaotrope ($1.99)
• “Everything Zen” – Bush ($1.99)
• “Foundation” – Unkindness ($1.99)
• “Heavy Weather – The Storm ov The Undead” – Rainbowdragoneyes ($1.99)
• “Machinehead” – Bush ($1.99)
• “Real Wild Child” – Jerry Naylor ($1.99)
• “Slaves to Substance” – Suicide Silence ($1.99)
• Artist pack ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: Bush Pack 01. This pack includes “Comedown”, “Everything Zen” and “Machinehead”. By Bush.

Updates

• Blacklight: Tango Down (Price Change) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $14.99)
• Swarm (Price Change) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $14.99)
• Bloodrayne: Betrayal (Price Change) Sale (PS3) (now $9.99, original price $14.99)

Avatars

• Carnival Island Avatar Bundle 2 ($1.49)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning Avatars Bundle ($2.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur Avatars (x10) ($0.49)

Game Videos (free)

• Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational Game Video
• The Tester Season 3 Episode 1
• Starhawk Press Reactions Trailer
• Starhawk Public Beta Welcome Trailer
• ModNation Racers: Road Trip Features Video
• Journey Music Trailer
• Warlords: How To Play Trailer Part 1
• Warlords: How To Play Trailer Part 2
• Need For Speed: The Run Italian Pack Trailer
• SSX: This Is SSX Trailer
• SSX: It’S Tricky Trailer
• SSX: Survive It Trailer
• Binary Domain Bigger Than You Think Trailer
• Yakuza Dead Souls: Npc Trailer
• UFC Undisputed 3 Career Trailer
• UFC Undisputed 3 Contenders Pack Gameplay Trailer
• Rayman Origins Meet The New Crazy Trailer
• Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational Game Video
• ModNation Racers: Road Trip Features Video
• Wipeout 2048 Game Trailer

PS3 Themes

• Hitman Absolution - Crossed – Hand Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning Premium Theme ($2.99)
• Silent Hill 3 Premium Theme ($1.99)
• Silent Hill 2 Premium Theme ($1.99)
• Amazing Earth: Starry Night Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Abstract Color Swirls Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• In The Ring With Candice Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Theme (Free)

PS3 Wallpapers (free)

• Amy Wallpaper

PS2 Classics

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie ($9.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Videos

• The Tester Season 3 Episode 1

Next Page: European Update »

© Louis Edwards for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us

[Editor's Note: Heath Hindman is a writer with high proficiency in Japanese, though this guide is written for anyone and everyone with an interest in playing Japanese games]

First and most obvious tip: use your Internet-Fu!

What games already play in your language?
Research it. There are a great many games that are released in Japan that come loaded with English, be it in the menus, voice work, or subtitle options. Some games are far more accommodating than others, of course, but all you need to do is hit up a forum or Google search, and you can get the info you need. You’re gonna want to make sure your system can play import games. As mentioned, PS Vita, PSP, and PS3 will work with any region’s software, but others are a tossup. Look into that.

Online FAQs?
Search around a bit. After a game has been out for at least a couple of weeks, there might be helpful communities of people who’ve imported the game you’ve got your eyes on, discussing things and sharing solutions. An example of this is might be with a fighting game. Perhaps you import this because you don’t care about the story of Butt Kicker 2: I Like to Kick Butts and I Can Not Lie, but you can’t understand what the heck 音 means in those options. There just might be someone online that can tell you, hey, that means sound. You’re messing with your sound options there. Stuff like that. Occasionally there are even story translations for you JRPG fans out there, though these might take a long time to surface.

Spoken, Written, or Both?
In doing your homework, find out if the Japanese required for a game is audio or reading. If by chance you can do one but not the other (common among foreign learners of this language), hey, you might be good to go.

Chances of localization? When and at what price?
Naturally, importing might make less sense if a local version is coming out in your area in the very near future, especially if said local version will cost less. Importing Tales of Graces F doesn’t make a whole lot of sense right now, since it’s coming to North America in March, but fans of that same series might be interested in Tales of Innocence-R for Vita, which hasn’t yet been announced for NA.

Okay, now, if you’re alright with some very light memorization that will increase your ability to play Japanese,

Japanese is a dying language, a fact that the locals refuse to realize. Every day, more and more of their own words are dying in favor of English adaptations. Within Japanese, there’s a specialized alphabet (well, syllabary) used for emphasis and/or foreign words. The great thing about learning to read it is that it’s ridiculously easy. You learn the pronunciation of a katakana symbol and it never changes, unlike English in which all of the vowels have multiple pronunciations. Even several consonants They’re easy to look up online and learn with a few flashcards. Pronounce the vowels like you would in Spanish* and you’ll be off to a good start. This is so easy, there’s almost no reason not to do it. Here, ア= “a”, イ=”i”, テ=”te”, and ム=”mu.” Put them all together and you have アイテム, or “aitemu “. Say that out loud a couple of times. Sound familiar? That’s “item.” Your ability to read that will help you in virtually every JRPG, now. The best part is, you learned that in like 30 seconds

Once you get a handle for how the Japanese say things, it’ll become easier and easier to figure out what that stuff means. The value of katakana in gaming (and Japanese in general) is getting bigger every day, as the Japanese slowly abandon their own words in favor of words taken from English (and occasionally French or Portugese). Kudamono has become “Furu-tsu,” a “ringo” is somewhat commonly called an “apple,” and the Osaka Women’s Health Clinic is indeed called the “Uiminsu Herusu Kuriniku.”

From there, if you’re wanting to level-up even more…

Get a dictionary.
This should be obvious. Google Translate is so-so at best, when it comes to Japanese; I prefer Yahoo!’s Japanese-to-English translator, though physical is best. At this point, internet can’t compete with a good old fashioned paper dictionary or any variety of electronic Word Tanks.

Start learning some basic grammar and Hiragana.
After you get all your psuedo-English words down with katakana, move on to Hiragana. It will be useful to know how to read “Hai” (はい, for “yes”) and “Iie” (いいえ, meaning “no”) as soon as possible — I even just gave them to you in this guide! But even if you can’t understand the word, knowing the little bit that says “something-something masuka (~ますか)?” and being able to figure out that someone is asking if you want to do something, will be useful.

Actually DO it.
Dive in head first before you even check the water. If you wait until your Japanese is perfect to start playing games in Japanese, you’ll never actually do it. My first Japanese game was Napple Tale for the Dreamcast back in 2002, when all I knew were some basic phrases and Hiragana. I didn’t understand much of the dialogue, of course, but I was careful in choosing a game that I knew wouldn’t have an intense plot, so that didn’t matter. My reward was that I got to enjoy a delightful action RPG that never came out anywhere but Japan.

As you go along, you’ll gradually pick up more and more, especially if you are studying the language outside of gaming; using your hobby to bolster the studies makes both go a hell of a lot more smoothly. But if the thought of “study” makes you cringe, screw it, you don’t have to. You’ll still pick up more words and even several kanji (those craaaazy symbols) the more games you play. It only gets easier, trust me. Worst case scenario, you spent a few bucks on a Japanese game that didn’t work out, and for your troubles, you have a badass collectible on your shelf. Best case, it’s a stepping stone to you shoving your fist in the face of The Man trying to hold you down. I started by hardly understanding any of Napple Tale, but today, I can thankfully pick up Japanese games without hesitation. It’s empowering to not be intimidated by language barriers.

The Beast That Is Kanji
Kanji is the Japanese writing system that has 2,000 common-use symbols. Mastering it won’t be easy no matter what strategy you take, and that’s just what’s up. I do, however, recommend Slime Forest as a great way to introduce yourself to the system; it’s especially great for learning the meanings of the symbols, which will usually be of the most use to you, as you play video games.

Email me.
If you’re wanting to give it a try, but have some looming concerns, leave a comment below or shoot me an email (heath |at| playstationlifestyle |dot| net). Do you want to know how complex or difficult the Japanese is, in a certain game? I can’t play close to half of them myself, but I might be able to give you an estimate on that. Legend of Heroes, for example, is brutal, and I’d recommend you steer clear of it if you’re a novice. I saved you some time and maybe some money right there! Speaking of time, I tend to have no less than 38 different people asking for my time at once, so I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to answer every single email, but I will do my best.

*If you are a snotty elitist about to give me crap about recommending Spanish pronunciation to someone who is just beginning to learn Japanese, kindly keep in mind that I realize it’s not always exact, but you know what it is? Close e-fucking-nough, especially brand new and especially when you’re just in the privacy of your own home. It’s fine. Chill out.

© Knifefight for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us

The latest issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu has released and with it an updated look at the 30 Most Wanted games in the land of the rising sun. The list is extremely Sony heavy, with 19 of the 30 releasing on one of the three Sony platforms. The biggest honors go to Dragon’s Dogma on PS3, which took 2nd on the list, and Persona 4: The Golden on PS Vita, which ranked in at 4th. One of my favorite series, Suikoden, comes in 27th with Genso Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki on the PSP.

The full list is as follows, along with the number of votes for each game:

01. [Wii] Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Online (Square Enix) – 716 votes
02. [PS3] Dragon’s Dogma (Capcom) – 632 votes
03. [3DS] Monster Hunter 4 (Capcom) – 459 votes
04. [PSV] Persona 4: The Golden (Atlus) – 403 votes
05. [PS3] One Piece: Kaizoku Musou (Namco Bandai) – 400 votes
06. [3DS] Animal Crossing 3DS (Nintendo) – 310 votes
07. [3DS] New Love Plus (Konami) – 292 votes
08. [PSP] Shining Blade (Konami) – 284 votes
09. [PSP] Super Robot Taisen Z (Namco Bandai) – 256 votes
10. [3DS] Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Square Enix) – 212 votes
11. [PS3] Asura’s Wrath (Capcom) – 209 votes
12. [PS3] Final Fantasy Versus XIII (Square Enix) – 204 votes
13. [PS3] Binary Domain (Sega) – 200 votes
14. [PS3] 2nd Super Robot Wars OG (Namco Bandai) – 196 votes
15. [PS3] The Last Remnant (Square Enix) – 190 votes
16. [3DS] Fantasy Life (Level-5) – 186 votes
17. [3DS] Hatsune Miku & Future Stars: Project Mirai (Sega) – 154 votes
18. [PS3] Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Konami) – 166 votes
19. [PS3] The Last Guardian (SCEJ) – 159 votes
20. [3DS] Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry’s Wonderland 3D (Square Enix) – 156 votes
21. [PS3] The Witch and the Hundred Soldiers (NIS) – 151 votes
22. [3DS] Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy (Square Enix) – 133 votes
23. [PSP] God Eater 2 (Namco Bandai) – 126 votes
24. [PSP] Yakuza: Black Panther 2 (Sega) – 122 votes
25. [3DS] Fire Emblem: Kakusei (Nintendo) – 119 votes
26. [NDS] Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition (Tecmo Koei) – 115 votes
27. [PSP] Genso Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki (Konami) – 111 votes
28. [PS3] Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (Capcom) – 105 votes
29. [PS3] Persona 4: The Ultimate In Mayonaka Arena (Atlus) – 101 votes
30. [PSP] Nendoroid Generation (Namco Bandai) – 99 votes

Let us know in the comments if you are surprised by any of the games on the list and which ones you are most excited to see release in North America or Europe.

© Cameron Teague for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us

The 16-second clip below begins with Nagoshi making his declaration that “I want all men living in the now to play this game.”(In Japanese: このゲームを、生きる男達に、是非、遊んで欲しい。 Romanized: kono geemu-o, Ima-o ikiru otokotachi ni, zehi, asonde hoshii.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

The game clips you saw were of the story sequences, which play out differently in the PSP spinoff Yakuza games than their PS3 counterparts due to the gap in hardware power. It worked well in the previous game and looks to do so in this sequel. From my demo experience at the Tokyo Game Show, Black Panther 2 also addresses the wonky camera issues that occasionally made navigation bothersome. Add in the fact that it’s in Osaka instead of yet another trip through Tokyo and I’m certainly looking forward to this one’s March 22 release.

Like the game before it, however, this has not been announced for localization in North America.

© Knifefight for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Sony’s third financial quarter (October – December 2011) didn’t turn out as the company had hoped, with a whopping net loss of $2.03 billion – twice as bad as forcasts. The company’s total revenue for the quarter clocks in at $23.37 billion, a 17.4% decrease when compared to last year.

It is unfortunate to see Sony struggling so much, especially around the holiday season, but massive financial losses is something the company has grown accustomed to. In fact, this is Sony’s fourth year in a row of being in the hole. It is important to note that Sony has had several adversities to overcome this past year, including the terrible flooding that set the company back and ”unfavorable foreign exchange rates”.

On a positive note, the PlayStation 3 saw a 13% increase in software sales, with a total of 66.2 million units sold. The PS3 itself sold 6.5 million units, up 200,000 from the same period in 2011. While no data was given for the PlayStation Vita, sales for both the PS2 and PSP were down from last year – the PSP had sales of 2.4 million, a drop of 800,000 units, while the PS2 sold 900,000 units, a drop of 1.2 million units.

Fortunately it looks like some major changes are in store for Sony. There’s no doubt that Kaz Hirai, the newly appointed president and CEO of Sony Corp., has a lot of work ahead of him when he takes on his new responsibilities this April.

Hirai told a news conference:

I have a very strong sense of crisis about the environment surrounding us. We cannot be afraid to make painful choices for the future of Sony. Our rivals and the operating environment won’t wait for us.

The poor financial results mark Sony’s fourth straight year of losses.

© Alex for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us

The PlayStation Vita sold about 18,000 units last week, which is both bad and good. Obviously it’s not a whole lot, especially for a new system, but it is a 20% improvement over the week before. A big contributor to its success, no doubt, was the release of highly anticipated RPG Tales of Innocence-R. The game marks an important milestone for Vita as it takes the highest chart placement of any PSV to date. Hot Shots Golf sold more units in its debut (61,000 to ToI-R‘s 54,000), but when it did, it was in the seventh place position on the charts; Tales of Innocence-R‘s performance lands it in third place. The top 15 best-selling games were thus:

1. (PS3) Armored Core V
2. (3DS) Resident Evil: Revelations
3. (PSV) Tales of Innocence R
4. (3DS) Mario Kart 7
5. (3DS) Monster Hunter 3G
6. (360) Armored Core V
7. (3DS) Super Mario 3D Land
8. (PS3) The Idolmaster: Gravure For You! Vol. 4
9. (3DS) Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure
10. (3DS) Inazuma Eleven Go: Shine / Dark
11. (PSP) Mobile Suit Gundam: Mokuba no Kiseki
12. (WII) Just Dance Wii
13. (PS3) Warriors Orochi 3
14. (PSP) Monster Hunter Freedom 3
15. (PS3) Final Fantasy XIII-2

This is also the first time the Vita has outsold the PSP in a week, with the exception of its debut. With Ragnarok Odyssey and Gravity Rush on the horizon, things could indeed finally be looking up for the system’s standing in Japan.

3DS – 84,789
PS3 – 22,924
Vita – 18,942
PSP – 16,008
Wii – 10,396
DS – 1,918
360 – 1,235
PS2 – 713

With the success of the two Souls games and now Armored Core V‘s strong debut on two platforms, things are looking great for From Software. ACV will ship in North America on March 20th.

© Knifefight for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners new content, add-ons, games and more. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday and Wednesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

** Note for other regions **

European PSN is updated on Wednesdays.

North American Update

PlayStation Plus Content

PSN Games

• Puddle ($9.99)

PS3 Full Games

• Madden NFL 12 ($29.99)
• Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days ($19.99)
• Kane & Lynch: Dead Men ($14.99)
• Mini Ninjas ($19.99)

Game Demos (free)

• Twisted Metal Multiplayer Demo
• Syndicate Demo
• Puddle Demo

Add-on Game Content

• LittleBigPlanet Groundhog Day Costume (Free)
• Assorted PlayStation Home Packs x 15 ($2.99 – $4.99)
• Dead Island – Ryder White ($9.99)
• Need For Speed: The Run – Italian Pack ($6.99)
• The King Of Fighters XIII Unlock Icons ($2.99)
• Soulcalibur V Customization Equipment 1 ($1.99)
• Soulcalibur V Downloadable Music 1 -10 ($0.99 each)
• Soulcalibur V Downloadable Music Pack 1 ($2.99)
• Soulcalibur V Downloadable Music Pack 2 ($2.99)
• Scene It? Movie Night Sci-Fi Movies DLC ($9.99)

Rock Band 3

• “Fat Lip” – Sum 41 ($1.99)
• “Head Over Heels” – Tears for Fears ($1.99)
• “Still Waiting” – Sum 41 ($1.99)

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “Africa” – Quartered ($1.99)
• “Against the Wall” – Ill Niño ($1.99)
• “El Monstro” – Dance for the Dying ($0.99)
• “Hysteria” – Aiden ($1.99)
• “Turn Around” – Bumblefoot ($0.99)

Updates

• Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)

Avatars

• The Darkness II Avatars (x15) ($0.49 each)
• The Darkness II Avatar Bundles (x3) ($1.49 each)
• The King Of Fighters XIII Avatars (x9) ($0.49 each)
• Atelier Totori Avatars (x9) ($0.49 each)
• Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken Avatar Bundle 1 ($2.99)
• Assassin’s Creed Universe Avatars (x5) ($0.49 each)
• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Avatars (x9) ($0.49 each)
• Jak and Daxter Collection Dark Jak Avatar 2 ($0.49)
• Jak and Daxter Collection Jak and Daxter Avatar 3 ($0.49)
• PixelJunk Shooter (x6) ($0.49 each)
• Jak and Daxter Collection Jak and Daxter Avatar 2 ($0.49)
• Jak and Daxter Collection Dark Jak Avatar ($0.49)
• Jak and Daxter Collection Jak and Daxter Avatar ($0.49)
• Carnival Island Avatar Bundle 1 ($1.49)
• PlayStation B-boy Avatar (x3) ($0.49 each)

Game Videos (free)

• Pulse 1/31 Edition
• Reality Fighters Features Trailer
• Aliens: Colonial Marines Contact Trailer
• The House Of The Dead III Announcement Trailer
• UFC Undisputed 3 – Roster Video

PS3 Themes

• The Darkness II: Official Theme (free)
• Atlanta Hawks 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Charlotte Bobcats 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Cleveland Cavaliers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Denver Nuggets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Detroit Pistons 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Golden State Warriors 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Houston Rockets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Indiana Pacers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• LA Clippers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Memphis Grizzlies 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Milwaukee Bucks 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Minnesota Timberwolves 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• New Jersey Nets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• New Orleans Hornets 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Philadelphia 76ers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Portland Trailblazers 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Sacramento Kings 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Toronto Raptors 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Utah Jazz 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Washington Wizards 2012 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Digital Blasphemy: Hidden Forces ($2.99)
• Dynamic Temple Temptress ($2.99)
• Wendy Premium Theme 5 ($2.99)
• Vampire 5 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Dragon 3 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Technicolour Yawn by Tom Sewell Static Theme ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Downloadable Games

• Naruto Shippuden: UN Impact ($39.99)

Game Videos (free)

• Pulse 1/31 Edition

PSP Themes

• Redbox PSP Theme ($1.99)
• Death Dealer PSP theme ($1.99)
• Dragon 4 PSP theme ($1.99)
• Dragon 5 PSP theme ($1.99)

Next Page: European Update »

© Louis Edwards for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Sony’s LittleBigPlanet franchise has reached a landmark achievement, as the series has just reached a whopping 6 million user-generated games and levels over the PlayStation Network.

Neil McPhillips, Associate Producer of XDev Studio Europe shared the exciting news via Europe’s PlayStation Blog:

Something magical recently happened in the world of LittleBigPlanet – thanks to our awesome community, the LBP franchise now has more than 6 million user-generated games and levels created by fans and uploaded online to the PlayStation Network! As always, we’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone contributing, whether you’re creating, sharing, or just playing.

Fans of the franchise will soon be able to control Sackboy on 5 inches of OLED awesomeness when LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation Vita launches later this year. The series is showing no signs of slowing down and this new portable version of the game will only propel the franchise to new heights.

For more information on LittleBigPlanet and what to expect from the Vita version, keep it locked to PlayStation LifeStyle.

© Alex for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us

The first Resistance released alongside the PS3 with a bang, becoming the platform’s first game to pass a million sales, and gaining an instant fanbase. Five years on, and developer Insomniac Games have announced that they won’t be making any more games in the franchise. What went wrong?

The first we saw of Resistance was at E3 2005, where the game was debuted as “I-8″ (Insomniac’s eighth title) as a WWII-inspired alternate history FPS where aliens have overrun Europe. At GDC 2006, it was renamed Resistance: Fall of Man, with Insomniac CEO Ted Price speaking about the advantages of the PlayStation 3 and Blu-ray. When it released on November 11th 2006, the game benefited from the otherwise rather lackluster slew of launch titles, with only a couple of notable titles ushering in Sony’s most powerful console yet. A subsequent drought in high profile releases caused by several delays also helped push the well-reviewed Resistance to success, helping the game become the first PS3 game to sell a million, and eventually selling an estimated 4 million copies.

Two years and several map packs later, and Fall of Man still had a healthy online userbase, but fans wanted more, and Insomniac promised to deliver. On January 11th 2008, Sony revealed the ambitious Resistance 2, announcing that it would include incredibly large 60 player matches and an entirely separate eight player co-op campaign. But when the game releases in November a lot of fans were put off by how different the game was from the original game. While it was still a great game, many thought the online was just too different, the campaign didn’t quite match up and some felt the weapon balancing was off. Despite that, the strong brand name helped the game sell over 3 million copies.

Before the release of the next Insomniac Resistance, Sony Bend tried their hand at a PSP one. 2009′s Retribution was third person and suffered like all PSP games from the lack of a second analog stick. However, it was still seen as one of the handheld’s better titles and is thought to have sold between 800,000 to 900,000 copies – something that is actually quite successful for a PSP game.

After the feedback they received from 2, Insomniac took note of what people thought of the game, spending a whole extra year on Resistance 3, presumably meaning that the game had increased development costs. Again, the game was well received by critics, and this time by most of the fans that played it. Yet Resistance 3 only sold 180,000 copies in the US the month it launched, becoming the 7th best selling game – a significant drop-off compared to Resistance 2‘s 385,000 first month total. It’s now thought to have sold less than a million units.

But why was the game fail to match the success of it’s console predecessors? Resistance 3 was the first to include the controversial PSN Pass that charges $10 for used game purchasers to go online, and has been cited as some for the reason for the drop in success. But that’s a rather unlikely reason for such a huge drop in sales – the average consumer doesn’t know what the pass is, and the average gamer doesn’t care enough to boycott the game. Another reason was fan feedback to Resistance 2 – a lot of people were put off by the game and didn’t want to return to the franchise. But several games have returned from a weak predecessor with the right marketing, so let’s take a look at the game’s US marketing:

Unfortunately, as much as we love Kevin Butler, the focus of that advert isn’t Resistance 3, it’s the Move sharpshooter – which meant that Sony was trying to convince consumers to spend much more to get the full package, limiting the number of potential customers.

Timing was also a problem for the game, with R3 having released last September, alongside the more successful Dead Island and only one month before the much more heavily marketed and hyped shooter Battlefield 3. BF3 went on to be EA’s fastest selling game ever, and sold 8 million by the end of November. Christmas’ other FPS, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, became the fastest selling entertainment product to reach a billion dollars worth of sales. In short, the game went up against the fiercest FPS competition in history.

Call of Duty has also had a profound effect on the market, with millions of FPS fans becoming used to picking the annual series up every year to fill their FPS craving. Any other contenders had to spend huge amounts to convince gamers to also buy their game.

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One also released only one month later, meaning that fans of the developer who only bought a few games were forced to choose.

We asked Insomniac about their thoughts on the subject, but were told the company was not doing any interviews about the matter. Ted Price released a video discussing the fact that they have left the franchise, saying that they felt Resistance had “reached its logical conclusion in terms of the story [they] want to tell”. A fair response, but the fact the the third game had a new protagonist could suggest the developer – which has made eight Ratchet & Clank games – had plans to continue with Joseph Capelli. When we asked Insomniac about their future, James Stevenson, Marketing Lead for Insomniac Games replied:

We aren’t in a position to comment much more than what Ted did today, and to say we’re excited to be working on Overstrike and our Facebook game.

Luckily for Resistance fans, Nihilistic will be releasing Burning Skies for the Vita later this year. But with the franchise’s support clearly waning, its best days are behind it, and it’s unknown if we will see another game after the Vita release.

Were you a fan of the Resistance series. Share your best moments in the comments below.

© Sebastian Moss for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners new content, add-ons, games and more. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday and Wednesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

** Note for other regions **

European PSN is updated on Wednesdays.

North American Update

PlayStation Plus Content

PSN Games

• Scarygirl ($9.99)

PS3 Full Games

• Duke Nukem Forever ($19.99)
• Mortal Kombat ($49.99)

Game Demos (free)

• PixelJunk SideScroller Demo
• The Darkness II: Demo
• Scarygirl Demo
• UFC Undisputed 3 Demo

Beta

• Gotham City Imposters Beta

Add-on Game Content

• LittleBigPlanet 2 Muppets Premium Level Kit ($5.99)
• Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 – Animal Pack ($3.99)
• The King Of Fighters XIII Unlock Customize Colors ($2.99)
• Elevator Action Deluxe Additional Character 4 (PSN Exclusive) (FREE)
• Dynasty Warriors 7 Xtreme Legends – Wallpapers 1 – 4 ($2.99 each)
• Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Mediterranean Map Pack ($9.99)
• Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Mediterranean Map Pack Trial (DLC Trial) (FREE)
• Magic 2012 Foil Conversion Beknighted ($0.99)
• Magic 2012 Foil Conversion Trinity Of Elements ($0.99)
• Magic 2012 Full Deck Beknighted ($0.99)
• Magic 2012 Full Deck Trinity Of Elements ($0.99)

Rock Band 3

• “Lodi” – Creedence Clearwater Revival ($1.99)
• “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” – Creedence Clearwater Revival ($1.99)
• “Susie Q” – Creedence Clearwater Revival ($1.99)
• “Without Morals” – Nevermore ($1.99)
• “Last Chance” – Tetrafusion ($1.99)
• “Now or Never” – Stagehands ($0.99)
• “Strangers” – Free Spirit ($1.99)
• “Be Right Here” – Mind At Risk ($0.99)
• Creedence Clearwater Revival Pack 02 ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: Creedence Clearwater Revival Pack 02. This pack includes “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?,” “Lodi,” and “Susie Q” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Updates

• Revoltin’ Youth (Price Change) (minis) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
• Mad Blocker Alpha (Price Change) (minis) (now $2.99, original price $3.99)
• Ninjamurai (Price Change) (minis) (now $2.99, original price $1.99)
  

Qore

• Qore Episode 44: January, 2012

Game Videos (free)

• EA Sports FIFA PS Vita Soccer First Action Trailer
• Battlefield 3 99 Problems Trailer
• Battlefield 3 Sharqui Penninsula Trailer
• Wipeout 2048 Game Trailer
• Grand Slam Tennis 2 – Wimbledon Venue Trailer
• Hitman Absolution – ‘A Personal Contract’ Trailer
• Motionsports: Adrenaline Urban Jungle Add-On – Trailer
• Everybody Dance Launch Trailer

PS3 Themes

• Scarface Theme ($1.99)
• Gimp Galaxy Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Dazzle Eye Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Beyond Reality by SickSystems Theme ($1.99)
• Buddhas by Hydro Static Theme ($1.99)
• Cosmic Candy by Andrew McAttee Theme ($1.99)
• Explosion by Craig Redman Theme ($1.99)
• Hungry Eyes by Kristian Hammerstad Theme ($1.99)
• Jagobah Systems by Mr Jago Theme ($1.99)
• Le Theme by 123Klan Theme ($1.99)
• Plant-Station by Serial Cut Theme ($1.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Bundle

• Patapon and LocoRoco Dual Pack ($14.99)
• MotorStorm & Twisted Metal Dual Pack ($14.99)

PSP minis

• Bermuda Triangle ($2.99)
• Gold Medalist ($2.99)
• Stick Man Rescue ($3.99)

PSP Themes

• A World Of Shapes PSP Theme ($1.49)
• Happy Lovers Town PSP Theme ($1.49)
• Play PSP Theme ($1.49)
• Velvet Vs Mega PSP Theme ($1.49)

Next Page: European Update »

© Louis Edwards for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Gamers were understandably outraged to learn that Vita title ModNation Racers: Road Trip would have no online multiplayer, something that was exacerbated by the bizarre excuse given that made the lack of an important feature sound like a bold, evolutionary step. Now, SCE San Diego’s Director of Product Development, Erich Waas, has clarified why online wasn’t included, and has given some hope towards inclusion in the future.

Waas took to the PS Blog comments section to reply to the deluge of angry and confused comments that mainly focused on the baffling excuse, and how they wouldn’t buy the game without online multiplayer. Waas said (emphasis added):

I appreciate the feedback on the blog. It’s great to see people passionate about ModNation Racers: Road Trip. As a gamer, if I saw a game I was looking forward to playing didn’t have a feature I wanted, I’d be bummed too. I didn’t expect everyone to read the blog and agree with me or for the blog to smooth over strong feelings on the matter. My intent was to explain the position the development team took when designing the feat

ure set. A couple of you have mentioned that MNR PSP had online play and this is of course true. But part of the decision to not include MNR:RT at launch was that the percentage of MNR PSP gamers who played online. The percentage was in the single digits. I imagine if we said MNR PSP didn’t have online head-to-head prior to its launch, the reaction would be the same. But in the end, not many actually played online head-to-head. All this said, the development team is looking at online head-to-head in a patch. This wouldn’t be available day-1 of the PlayStation Vita launch but it is indeed something being researched as I type this.

Later saying:

We used a number of metrics to form our decision for our launch feature set. From an independent study to less traditional online game usage data from AT&T to small focus groups. I get that you don’t agree with this decision and I don’t expect to change your mind. I’m just providing some back story to show that we made decisions thoughtfully and didn’t throw darts at a wall. Head-to-head is something we’re very keen on patching for ModNation Racers: Road Trip–even more so thanks to feedback here. We’ll be sure to communicate more when the plans are more concrete.

But readers were still not satisfied by the the excuse that the PSP version had no online players, considering the Vita is far more online focused, causing Waas to reply (emphasis added):

I agree with the PlayStation Vita being the ultimate connected handheld device. Our choice for the launch was more about what features the team could implement within the development schedule and what online usage patterns we’d seen with our own MNR PSP title as well as other games to date. It’s not that we don’t think head-to-head is a good feature–we do! We felt that the asynchronous features would be used by a bigger portion of the game’s demographic. But again, we’re looking at what (and when) we can patch online head-to-head play in as another online offering.

Continuing:

Between the blog and my commenting on the blog, my messaging is probably a little fragmented. It’s not that we have an doubts about whether or not head-to-head online play is relevant. I know it is. It was a matter of prioritizing which online features tell the best story for the game and the new PlayStation Vita. We also try to look at how many gamers will utilized each feature we put into a game to see where it makes the most time to spend our development effort. As is normally the case, we have a laundry list of features we want to put into the game that far exceeds the budget or business case. So we have to prioritize features to create the best offering. Your points are valid and they were part of the discussion. But since the game is coming out next month, I think what you really want to hear is whether or not MNR:RT will be patched with online head-to-head play (with parties). We should have more info on this subject in the near future.

Sadly, it looks like to keep up with the development schedule – that is, to ensure it’s a launch title – one of the most important features for a racing game (especially a Play.Create.Share. title) has been left out.

Will you also refuse to buy the game until head-to-head online is guaranteed? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

© Sebastian Moss for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us

So far, the PlayStation Certified program hasn’t been that impressive, only offering a few PlayStation One titles with added touch controls. But the program looks to be taking the next logical step and adding more recent PSP games.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board has listed several PSP titles for “PlayStation Certified Devices”, including Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Daxter and flOw (presumably the PSP version, not the PS3 one) and a whole bunch of Pinball Heroes games based on popular SCE properties – Fat Princess, ModNation Racers, Motorstorm, Wipeout HD, High Velocity Bowling, Hot Shots Golf, PAIN and Uncharted.

If the PSP games will be available on all PlayStation Certified products, that will include Sony’s S and P tablets, the Xperia Play, the Xperia Arc and Acro in Japan and the upcoming Xperia S and Xperia ion.

© Sebastian Moss for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Originally a 2003 release for PlayStation 2 (which also never made the swim), the tactical RPG arrived on PSP last August with the title of Growlanser: Over Reloaded — not just overloaded, not just reloaded, Over Reloaded. That’s not a mistake. Thankfully, that odd subtitle won’t be crossing the ocean, as Atlus is sticking with the PS2 version of the name, Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time. Here’s the box art and first batch of screenshots:

Atlus USA has also just launched the official website. Check it at this link and keep up with PSLS for more news and media as the updates roll out.

© Knifefight for PlayStation LifeStyle, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us