PlayStation LifeStyle » DLC

L.A. Noire on PS3 Gets Its Own Special Case

Corey Schwanz — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:41:41 +0000

With other retailer exclusive content available for pre-ordering Team Bondi and Rockstar’s crime drama L.A. Noire, it certainly is interesting to find that the PlayStation 3 version of the game doesn’t have to share.

Just with the last Rockstar published title, Red Dead Redemption, those struggling to decide which console version of L.A. Noire to get should have no more trouble. On Rockstar Games’ official blog, a user posted this picture from a commercial break and posted it in the company’s comment section.

“The Consul’s Car Traffic Case” is the name, but Rockstar is still playing this one close to the chest. While they acknowledged the post as legitimate, they still replied with as little information as possible. Merely “Look for more details on that coming soon.”

Look for those details here at PlayStation LifeStyle as we get closer and closer to the game’s release date!

[Via]

Giveaway: Black Ops First Strike DLC Codes

Anthony Severino — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 02:42:35 +0000

It’s GDC, the coverage is flowing, the parties are bumping, and overall, we’re in one hell of a good mood. We’re feeling especially generous (maybe it’s all the free drinks talking) and we’re putting together a little giveaway for you, our loyal fans. We’ve got 5 DLC codes to giveaway for Call of Duty: Black Ops First Strike DLC for the PS3 — here’s how to win…

To win one of 5 of our Call of Duty: Black Ops First Strike DLC codes. All you have to do is follow @PSLifeStyle on Twitter, and RT the following tweet:

#BlackOps First Strike DLC for #PS3 out now. Follow @PSLifeStyle and retweet to win one of 5 codes – http://bit.ly/ec6Hn0

US residents only. Must be 18 years or older to win. One winner will be selected randomly each day until the codes run out.

Start tweeting now!

Gearbox Says “There’s More” for Borderlands

Ray Conley — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:53:14 +0000

It’s no secret that Gearbox wasn’t short of being thrilled about the overwhelming success of its treasure hunting shooter, Borderlands. The title, which now boasts a total for four awesome DLC packs, may seem more pampering if the speculations are correct.

In a recent interview with Now Gamer, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford stated that the Borderlands franchise isn’t over yet, and that there was more that they “need to do.”

We were really excited to do more and the customers were really excited about more: We love what we’ve done with Borderlands and we know that there’s more that we need to do and that the customers are looking forward to. We know we’re not done with the franchise and we’ll be letting you know what we’re doing before too long.

However, it’s still not clear if Pitchford was giving nods towards the heavily rumored Borderworlds or if the original title will indeed receive a fifth DLC. After playing through the four DLC packs that have already been released, I’m really hoping that those new ideas cranking around at Gearbox will be applied to a much more improved sequel. Besides, I’m in dire need of fresh loot.

[Via]

BioWare Gravitates More Free Content Toward Mass Effect 2 PS3 Adopters

Jonathan Leack — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:31:51 +0000

It was almost a year ago that Mass Effect 2 drop-shipped onto what felt like every platform but the PlayStation 3. After months of rumors, petitions, and more, BioWare is finally releasing what appears to be the definitive version of its award-winning sci-fi RPG with an improved engine, free DLC, and now even free pre-order content.

As if all of the free DLC included in the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 wasn’t enough, BioWare has declared that those who acquire the PS3 version early will have free access to some sweet content.

Until February 23rd, 2011, Mass Effect 2 players on Playstation 3 can download the Terminus Armor and M-490 Blackstorm Projector Weapon free of charge from the PSN Store. After Feb 23rd, the Terminus Gear will be available as paid DLC. Order your copy of ME2 on PS3 today!

Both the Terminus Armor and M-490 Blackstorm are high-quality equipment that interest even the veteran-level player. On one hand you have the Terminus Assault Armor which increases shields, ammunition, and sprint speed On the other hand, the Blackstorm is a weapon that shoots ammo with powerful gravitational effects. Combined, both are great fun and give players a competitive edge.

Previously, both of these items were exclusive to PC and Xbox 360 adopters who pre-ordered the game via GameStop or Play. If you end up purchasing Mass Effect 2 later in the year after this offer expires, both items will be available on the PlayStation Store for a small cost.

ModNation DLC-mania

Tyler Minarik — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:45:46 +0000

Continuing with the support of their play, create, share themed karting game, United Front Games has announced today that they will be releasing a slew of content throughout the coming months.

The content will include more pieces for customizing tracks, karts, parts, and costumes of some our favorite PlayStation characters. On December 21st the first piece of this action will release on PSN and will include a career extension as well as a Far East theme for track creation. Following that in January are Jak & Daxter costumes and karts, as well as Helghast karts and costumes in February. No details on pricing have been given at this time.

Gearbox CEO: More Borderlands DLC?

Ray Conley — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:06:34 +0000

Gearbox’s Borderlands has celebrated a great year of entertaining its fans in the chaotic world of Pandora. With four expansion packs already unleashed, the title boasts around 3 million copies sold worldwide. And that success begs the question: should there be more DLC to continue the adventure?

Randy Pitchford, CEO and Co-Founder for Gearbox pitched that question to his Twitter followers earlier this month, probably toying with the idea (and with our minds) about another DLC pack for Borderlands.

So, “should it be?” Or should they focus on the heavily rumored Borderworlds? As much as new DLC sounds appealing, many would have a whole new title sooner. The joyrides across Pandora were amazing, but it’s definitely time to start searching for loot elsewhere.

[Via]

Borderlands Level Up Patch is Now Live

Ray Conley — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:54:13 +0000

If you’re like me, you may have held off on playing Borderland‘s latest DLC – Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution – since the patch to unlock the next level tiers hasn’t been released yet. Thankfully, that wait is over, and we can begin to make scrap metal.

Creative director of Gearbox Software Mikey Neumann shared some great news yesterday for many who were waiting for the level cap patch to be released for Borderlands. Neumann has confirmed on his Twitter account that the level patch is live.

This patch will allow the level cap to be raised from 61 to 69 across all Borderland players, regardless of purchasing an expansion pack. The update will also allow enemies to be scaled according to your experience level and of course will let uncover higher weapons to deal with them. Some bugs and glitches were also fixed on the Claptrap DLC, awarding players the appropriate trophies for the expansion.

Free PS3-Exclusive DLC Coming to Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

Corey Schwanz — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:36:22 +0000

Ubisoft has just announced a new single-player DLC expansion for Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood when it launches in just two short weeks. And your wallets won’t even feel any lighter.

Boot up the PlayStation Network Store and get ready to pay the price for Brotherhood‘s new PS3-exclusive downloadable content: free. The new expansion, dubbed The Copernicus Conspiracy, will bring Ezio into the scandal around Nicolaus Copernicus’ revolutionary theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun, not vice versa. As the Church has been noted to scorn at scientific achievement, Ezio will have brand new courier, assassination and protection missions to fight against the Templar regime.

The Copernicus Conspiracy will be available on launch day, so you can download the story-based DLC as soon as you pick up the game, and if it’s anything like the second game in the series, you should probably plan on picking it up anyway.

[Source]

PSN Review – Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Ray Conley — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:00:24 +0000

With the Halloween nearly in full swing, what better way for Rockstar to celebrate it by treating their fans with some spooky DLC. Undead Nightmare is here and it is looking to put a spin on one of Rockstar’s most popular titles, Red Dead Redemption. Can the undead treat its wild-western fans to a bone-chilling tale, or does this zombie infestation pack trick them by eating their cash (and brains) for a quick snack?

Undead Nightmare is, without a doubt, Rockstar’s finest DLC for Red Dead Redemption. With this fifth addition to the list of DLC, Undead Nightmare does an exceptional job at taking the serious tone of the original game and flips it into a crazy, fun-filled ride. With an all new story, new weapons, and new modes for multiplayer, you can easily find yourself getting caught up in the seasonal sport of zombie hunting.

In the single player campaign, you’ll be greeted with a brand new storyline that will thrust you back into the saddle as John Marston. All the original characters from Redemption are back, but they’ll be acting out in a much different story that has nothing to do with the original campaign. This tale is quite over-the-top, and purposefully so, and that really helps this tale deliver a unique and thrilling experience in a zombie ridden land.

Our story begins with the hero, Mr. John Marston, who is riding home to his ranch in West Elizabeth on a dark and stormy night. Once home, he is greeted with his warm and loving family of wife and son. However, John just can’t seem to get over this hankering feeling that something “ain’t” right. Their uncle hasn’t come home yet, but the family retires for the night, promising to look for him in the morning – and then the nightmare begins.

Overall, you’ll recognize that the presentation of this dark world is superb. The animations and voice acting are top-notch, thus proving that Rockstar allowed no slack to be had with this production. The landscape in this expansion has been redone to allow a creepy atmosphere. Cloudy skies and fog are very prevalent in the spooky environment, backed by the moan and screams of unseen . The soundtrack also does an outstanding job of setting the tone as it boasts new tunes while borrowing a few tracks from the original depending on the situation.

In Undead Nightmare, a few things have changed from the original game, which help make the game feel somewhat fresh, and challenging given your current dire situation. First of all, mostly everyone is a zombie, and in a zombie infested land nothing is safe. As a result, the whole land is now a dog-eat-dog world, where everyone is only looking out for their own survival. Your good old campsite feature has been removed – way too dangerous to camp in the wild with the hungry undead roaming about. Ammo cannot be purchased, so get ready to dig into the rotting flesh of the killed to loot them for ammo.

In fact, ammo is intentionally sparse in this game, making it main motive for hunting and for survival. There is no Honor system either – you do what you can to survive, even if it means putting down a few friendlies to stockpile on your ammo count. There’s no shame in surviving, you’re going to need all you can get.

The there are a few variants among the horde that you’ll encounter. You’ll see your typical stumbling zombies who will bust into a sprint to catch their next meal. There are some creepy ones that crawl on all fours and scurry much quicker than the first. You’ll also have to deal with some that project green glowing vomit. No matter what form of zombie you trip over, the surest method of ending their hunger is with a single bullet to the noggin – a method that has yet to fail when dealing with the undead. Placing rounds into their appendages is just wasting ammo, so you’re better off just using a torch if they get too close for firearms.

If you are in need of a safe haven, you’ll have to pack some heat to start cleansing the towns. Every city has been overtaken by the undead; the few survivors that are left will need your help to take out the trash. Once you’ve purged the infestation, you’ll get the opportunity to locate a safe house and save your current progress. However if a city is left alone too long, you’ll get notifications if starts to come under attack again. Cleansing the cities will be essential if you’re the type who likes to fast travel, as you’ll only be able to make the quick jumps to the cities that you’ve cleaned up.

However, don’t be so eager to take short-cuts by puddle jumping from city to city. Many excitements lie in wait in the undead wilderness. Just like in Redemption, you’ll encounter random events, albeit with a zombie flare. You’ll rescue a people who are about to become zombie lunch, and even come across unique campsites setup with morbid humor. The lively animals are now undead creatures, but their aggression is still the same as it was from the original. Many new challenges are also available to complete in your Journal, so spending time in the open wild can help you master your rankings. Doing so will help gain you more ammo and stat bonuses to help you cope with the zombie horde.

Mythological creatures have also spawned into the world into the nightmarish Red Dead, and you’ll get to hunt them down. Be sure to keep a keen eye for the four unique apocalyptic horses as well. These awesomely rendered horses can be captured and tamed to become your trusty steed, providing some elemental bonuses when you trample zombies under the hoof, such as putting them to flame or having their heads burst with a quick ride-by.

Granted, some of the thrill was slightly marred by a few uncanny quirks. When trying to retrieve items from the dead, you may dance around the body trying to find that sweet spot for the “Search body” prompt to display. Many times, I would be standing on top of a body marked with that much needed ammo, only to constantly reposition myself while kicking the corpse around before finding the search option. In a world where the dead don’t wait, this can be very frustrating. Hunting for that mythical creature isn’t as hard as it sounds nor is it really that challenging either. Once when you get the quest to look for those unique animals, a quick look at the map will tell you exactly where their general area is, which kind of removes any “hunting” element from the search.

One of my favorite aspects of Undead Nightmare is the multiplayer. You’ll get two new modes in this one: Undead Overrun and Land Grab. In Undead Overrun, you and up to four other players will have to fend off infinite waves of zombies at various cemetery locations, with each wave increasing in size. You’ll randomly encounter moments where you’ll be given bonuses, such as extra ammo, fire-bursting phosphorus rounds, or holy water. Weapons will also spawn at different intervals, but the first player to the crate gets to keep it. Teamwork is essential if you intend to survive more than just a couple of rounds, so make sure to revive your buddy when you see them about to become a zombie snack. If a certain wave of the undead cannot be finished in a certain amount of time, the round turns into a sudden death match, where death will be imminent up to the last man standing. Overall, the chaos that ensues from this mode is downright fun and hectic.

Land Grab is a king-of-the-hill type gameplay which is initiated on the public Free Roam map. In this game mode, no zombies are involved, but it’s still a nice addition to the online feature. Land Grab can only be initiated by anyone with the Undead Nightmare pack, but anyone on the Free Roam server is free to join in the gunfight for territory.

Undead Nightmare is definitely bursting at the seams with the scope of content in its single player production and fun multiplayer additions. In fact, I believe that this is Rockstar’s best DLC to date for Red Dead. This newest addition is easily a must buy for anyone with a copy of Red Dead Redemption. There is tons of fun to be had if you’re just “dying” to purge the world of evil or if you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck.

PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score

+ Top-notch production values.

+ Great restructuring of gameplay and lots of mission variety.

+ Multiplayer additions are fun and engaging.

Ninja Theory: Enslaved Audio Fix For PS3 On The Way

Ray Conley — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:30:39 +0000

Shortly after the release of Ninja Theory’s Enslaved, reports of audio issues began to surface over the game’s ability to provide 5.1 surround sound as advertised. The sound glitch was only isolated to PlayStation 3 owners. Thankfully, it looks like the problem will be resolved shortly.

Community manager, Dominic Matthews, announced on the Ninja Theory public forums that a patch to fix the audio glitch is indeed on the way.

Thanks for your patience on this. I can confirm that we are working on a title update for the PS3 version that will add support for 5.1 Dolby Digital over optical cables. Our aim is to release this at the same time as the DLC, the release date of which has not yet been confirmed.

Anyone who is also noticing that their copy of Enslaved is only outputting stereo sound, might want to check to see if you are using an optical connection. We’ll bring you more details once we get a solid release date of the DLC and the patch.

In spite of this sound glitch, Enslaved managed to receive a positive critical reception, bringing some fresh ideas to the world of gaming. For more information, check out our review of Enslaved.

Capcom KOs Super Street Figher IV Console DLC

Ray Conley — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:03:01 +0000

Awhile back, we reported that Yoshinori Ono had plans to release an arcade version of Super Street Fighter IV (SSFIV) as DLC for both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. But now, it looks like Ono-san’s plans may have taken a blow just below the belt by Capcom.

Recently on Twitter, Producer Ono said that he is struggling with the upper echelon of Capcom to see the SSFIV arcade DLC take its place in the online market.

“I couldn’t [get] approval from [upper level staff], but I’ll continue [the] proposal! I got approval from my boss, Keiji Inafune, but I can’t [get] it from [upper level staff].”

It’s great to know that Ono-san hasn’t tossed in the towel yet on this match. Perhaps we will see this addition hit the PSN market, just not any time soon.

[Source]

Borderlands Joins Greatest Hits Lineup

Ray Conley — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:52:41 +0000

2K Game’s apocalyptic shooter, Borderlands, has joined the ranks of the Greatest Hits lineup for the PS3. Since one of the key pieces of this title revolves around the idea of hoarding treasure, thrill seekers can now uncover this gem for a mere $30.

Borderlands made a pretty big splash in the FPS and RPG genres, providing a somewhat fresh take on combining the game types. One of the best experiences of the game lay within the 4 player co-operative modes, which allowed seamless drop-in, drop-out gameplay as you explored the dangerous, yet treasure-laden world of Pandora..

If you’d like to fully round out your experience of Borderlands, you can also wait a few more weeks till October 12 to snag the Game of the Year Edition ($60), which will come packed with four of the latest downloadable content. The last of the four DLC, Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution, will be out on September 28th, and can be obtained via the PlayStation Store for those of you needing the last piece to complete your collection.

For more information, check out our full review of Borderlands.

[Source]

DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue Packs Free DLC For First Week Buyers

Ray Conley — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:42:34 +0000

Those you finding yourself eager to continue DeathSpank’s slap-stick adventure will be graciously rewarded from the devs at Hothead Games. When this adventure hits the PSN, you’ll have only one week to make or break this offer. In this case, haste does not make waste!

If you’re hankering for more RPG craziness, Hothead has opened a deal to speed along your decision making. Anyone purchasing DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue within one week from its release date will receive FREE DLC content.

The Snowy Mountain Dungeon – a terrifying, ice-covered dungeon frozen in the North Pole where evil enemies of ice, flesh and terror dwell
A new playable co-op character, Sidekick Tankko – Half-man, half-spider and all awesome, Sidekick Tankko is a deadly warrior who spews mighty clouds of poison and entraps enemies with his inescapable web attacks.

DeathSpank’s second adventure claims to be bigger, better and boomier than his first quest. And this time around, he will get use guns! Thongs of Virtue will come packed with the puzzles and bosses (and dare I say humor?) that made the first one memorable.

Travel on over to the PSN and pick up DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue, and be sure to horde this offer before it’s too late!

[Source]

Free Borderlands Level Cap Extension, Claptrap DLC Dated

Ray Conley — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:35:41 +0000

Gearbox had plenty of good news to bring to the fore-front of the Penny Arcade Expo panel today. Borderland’s next anticipated DLC has officially been dated and they also want to “raise” the roof to all of their customers as well.

Gearbox’s president Randy Pitchford announced at a PAX panel today that treasure adventurers of Pandora will be getting their next Borderlands’ DLC, Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution on September 28th, and a free extension to the level cap: from 61 to 69. Although, no date has been set yet for the level cap extension.

The last level cap extension came with Borderland’s latest downloadable package “The Secret Armory of General Knoxx.” While that last DLC allowed players to advance 11 additional ranks (from 50-61), Pitchford mentioned Borderland’s current structure would require gamers to buy the previous expansion to receive the next raise in level XP. Following that old model didn’t seem fair. As a result, Pitchford said that he wanted all players to enjoy the level cap for free, without the burden of making extra purchases.

We can all expect to receive this XP buff as a patch update around the release date of their next Borderlands Claptrap expansion.

[Source/Via]

BioShock 2 Surprises with New Single-Player DLC

Corey Schwanz — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:59:18 +0000

The less-than-stunning, but still good sequel BioShock 2 has gotten DLC support at odd times since its release in February. A mix of multi-player maps, single-player missions, and even a new game mode, the downloadable content has had as many mixed reviews as the main game itself. 2K Games just announced some more content today, probably the last, and it’ll be coming in just a few days.

With the Protector Trials pack coming out at the beginning of this month, Minerva’s Den will be rounding out August for your BioShock 2 needs. The new content will actually be narrative focused, running parallel to the main story. This means that clearing the main campaign is not needed to access this new part of the game. Introducing three new areas, new weapons, six Little Sisters, and a new tonic for those who also have the Protector Trials.

This new DLC will put the player in the place of Sigma, another Alpha-series Big Daddy, working directly with Dr. Brigid Tennenbaum. Working to take down a new antagonist, Reed Wahl, Sigma will have to take down Rapture’s supercomputer protected by new types of Big Daddies. The new chapter of the game will also be focused a lot more on exploration, making it a lot less linear than the original game itself.

Minerva’s Den will be releasing this Tuesday, August 31st for $9.99.

[Source]