Rock Band Commercials Hit the Air

If you've put your games down and been watching the television lately, you may have seen these new Rock Band commercials that are actually quite funny from MTV Games. Enjoy.

Uncharted Scores 9,9,9, and 9 In Famitsu's Latest Scores

Now here is something for Naughty Dog to be proud of, their latest release, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune has scored four straight 9's in the latest issue of Famitsu, one of the most popular Japanese gaming magazines. That came along with some other reviews as well, lets take a look.

PLAYSTATION 3
- Uncharted: Drake's Fortune 9, 9, 9, 9
- Pirates of the Caribbean 6, 5, 7, 7
- Conan 7, 7, 7, 7

PSP
- Grand Theft Auto Vice City 8, 8, 9, 8
- Chronicle of Dungeon Maker 2 9, 8, 9, 8
- Silent Hill Zero 7, 8, 8, 7
- Minna no Golf 2 10, 10, 8, 9
- Yuusha no Kuse ni 10, 8, 8, 10

PS2
- Shoukan Shoujo 6, 6, 6, 6
- Grand Theft Auto Vice City 8, 7, 9, 9
- Pirates of the Caribbean 7, 6, 8, 7
- Disney Princess 7, 6, 6, 6

Xbox 360
- Conan 7, 7, 7, 7
- Viva Pinata: Let's Party 8, 7, 7, 6
- Lost Odyssey 9, 9, 9, 9

Nintendo Wii
- Disney Princess 7, 6, 6, 6
- Doraemon Wii 6, 7, 6, 5
- Tamagotchi 8, 7, 7, 7
- Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 8, 6, 7, 7
- No More Heroes 9, 8, 8, 9

Nintendo DS
- Tales of Innocence 9, 9, 9, 8
- Docomodake DS 6, 7, 7, 6
- My Sims 7, 7, 6, 8
- Juushinden 7, 6, 8, 7
- Power Pro Pocket 10 8, 8, 8, 9
- Nepleague 7, 6, 5, 6
- Arkanoid DS 8, 8, 8, 7
- Winning Eleven DS Goal Goal 7, 7, 7, 7
- K-1 World GP 6, 6, 6, 6
- Gintama 8, 6, 6, 6

A little off topic here, I don't know about you, but I'm really looking forward to Wii's No More Heroes.

[Via NeoGAF]

Ghostbusters: New Gameplay Footage from GBProps

GBProps, a new Ghosbusters game preparation site, has this exclusive video which they put together showing as much gameplay video as currently possible as of now. Enjoy the ghostbusting.

[Via GBProps]

New Disgaea 3 Japanese Scans

Ruliweb has obtained some new Japanese magazine scans of Disgaea 3, the upcoming PLAYSTATION 3 exclusive developed by Nippon Ichi Software. Enjoy the scans, shown below.

Disgaea 3 will be the first game in the series to be released on the PLAYSTATION 3 console. It is currently planned for a Japanese release in 2008 with a United States (unannounced) release to follow (hopefully).

[Via Ruliweb]

Rumor: New Leisure Suit Larry Game In Production

The newest rumor today reports that Sierra Entertainment is working on another Leisure Suit Larry game.

This rumor came to be when comedian Artie Lange mentioned on the air that he just finished recording some dialogue for a new Leisure Suit Larry game. He will be playing a character named "Big Al", don't think of South Park, stay with me.

No word on the game's details and consoles, but if anything, it will most likely come to the PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

[Via Wired]

Sony Introducing New PSP Battery Packs

Sony is going to offer some extended life for your PLAYSTATION Portable if your getting tired of it dying so often.

The new PSP Extended Life Battery Kit includes a 2200 mAh battery pack that can double the battery life of the new PSP model (PSP 2000). Because the extended-life battery is slightly thicker than the one that comes with the new PSP, they’ve included two custom covers in “Piano Black” and “Ice Silver.”

The new battery pack will release at retailers in mid-December for a retail price of $44.99.

[Via PS.Blog]

Midnight Club: Los Angeles: Four New Screenshots

Rockstar Games has just released four new screenshots of their upcoming street racer Midnight Club: Los Angeles.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is supposed to be the second game using the GrandTheft Auto IV engine. The images look great, and if you look to the left, it looks like Niko's driving.

[Via GamerSyde]

First Screenshots of Golden Axe: Beast Rider

Games Radar has unveiled the first screenshots of Golden Axe: Beast Rider, the new installment of the Golden Axe series for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 next-gen consoles developed by SEGA's acquired game developer Secret Level.

[View: Golden Axe Screenshots]

Uncharted Map Reveals Location of the Sequel?

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is going to have a sequel, it was already said, and if you didn't know, you could tell by the ending.

A recent piece of art work sent out by Sony came complete with a document entitled ‘Lost and Found Treasures’. This document detailed the 10 greatest treasure hordes in the world and it got Games Radar thinking.

If Sony has gone to the trouble of researching these treasures and including the document within information about Uncharted, could one of these locations potentially be the setting for the next game?

See the three possible locations Games Radar thinks the next Uncharted could have in the link below.

[Via Games Radar]

PAIN Coming This Painful Thursday

Jason Coker, the Associate Producer of PAIN, updated us today with the release date of the title. It's coming this Thursday November 29, 2007 alongside High Velocity Bowling. Jason finishes his post with the quotes he's heard on his game, and how he had a blast making it. Want to face him up? Bring the kool-aid, he will bring the PAIN.

[Via PS.Blog]

Be a Chosen Baller in NBA Ballers 3

You could of been a phenomenon playing NBA Ballers: The Phenom, but that doesn't mean your the Chosen One, does it? Be a legend in NBA Ballers: The Chosen One coming Spring 2008.

AOL Giving Away PLAYSTATION 3 With 2-Year Subscription

In need of internet service? Want a PLAYSTATION 3? Then we have a post for you.

America Online is doing a crazy good and unbelievable deal. America Online is giving away a 40GB PLAYSTATION 3 console with a copy of Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and a wireless SIXAXIS controller to customers who sign a two-year contract for AOL Broadband Wireless Plus.

The 24-month contract also requires you to sign up for AOL Talk call plan and runs £19.99 a month, but after that the PLAYSTATION 3 is yours to keep forever. Not a bad deal, huh?

[Sign-Up for AOL]

MTV Talks Rock Band: Going to the Thousands

Kotaku's Brian Crecente recently got in touch with Paul DeGooyer, MTV's senior vice president of home entertainment, to talk about the recently released Rock Band.

They talk about several points of the game, and upcoming song releases, hoping to make it to the thousands. Read below.

On Metallica

MTV and Harmonix have plans to release new music weekly for the game, eventually pushing the game's library into the thousands. And DeGooyer says that musicians, both established and up-and-coming, are lining up to get their music into the game. Some artists may even forgo the traditional route of MTV or radio and premiere new songs directly on Rock Band.

"There are a couple of things we've committed to, one of them with Metallica for example," he said. "They've reserved the right to give us their first single from their new album for the game."

In other cases, musicians might release music to the game to tie in with a new record or tour, he said.

On Grateful Dead

Musicians have been fans of Harmonix's games almost since their original Guitar Hero hit stores. With MTV backing them, musicians are getting more hands-on time with the game earlier in the process.

The Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart, drummer and quite an audiophile, even had his hand in some of the design work. "We presented the game to the Grateful Dead, and Mickey Hart, the drummer, had some suggestions about the audio and about what could be implemented and we used some of that," DeGooyer said.

DeGooyer said he helped show off the game to musicians at Abbey Road Studios, setting up Rock Band in famed Studio Three where Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon was tracked.

"Everyone who was working in the studio, from engineers to musicians, stopped by to try it out," he said.

On Rock Band TV

While Rock Band has MTV's full support, the television network is being very careful not to overdo it. Specifically, they are holding off on any Rock Band-themed television shows, for now. "The risk is that a show would be put together that's not very good, " DeGooyer said. "We need the right concept, one that looks at how gamers engage with the game. There really isn't this impetus to put the wrong show up. The game speaks for itself."

I don't know about you, but not having a Rock Band TV show seems like the best bet, that would be taking it too far.

[Via Kotaku]

Media Molecule Wants You to Work on LittleBigPlanet, Now Hiring

Media Molecule, creators of upcoming game, LittleBigPlanet is now hiring game developers! You know what that means, right?

If your a Network Engineer, a Gameplay Programmer, or a Senior Artist, you'll be able to work on the upcoming LittleBigPlanet!

Ready to give one of the happiest looking jobs a shot? Get hired at the link below.

[Get Hired: Media Molecule]

Sony Reports: We're Listening

Jeff Rubeinstein recently hit us with an update on the PlayStation.Blog about the comments of the users. He explains that SCEA decided someone needs to keep an eye on the commenting full time, so he stepped in.

He has been lurking the blog for over a month reading the comments, and now he introduces himself. He is a fan of old gaming series such as Resident Evil and Twisted Metal. He goes on to explain his job:

"Among other things, it’s my job to help connect those who create software, hardware, and peripherals for PlayStation systems, and those of you who play them. And I can’t do it without you, the faithful and passionate readers.

So keep those comments coming – we’re reading them! Also, please feel free to utilize the Contact Us section (on the right side of the blog) if what you wanna say is off-topic. We read that too, even if we don’t necessarily have enough hours in the day to write back to each of you.

In the near future, we plan on coming to you more and more, finding out what you want to know and what you’d like to see here on PlayStation.Blog."

Good to see someone will be able to respond to us when we comment with our questions. Hooray for Jeff.

[Via PS.Blog]

Konami Details the Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Patch

Yesterday afternoon, Konami Digital Entertainment released game updates to help fix issues with the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 versions of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

Today, Konami specified the update. The download addresses the online lag and the slowdown that affects the game in both online and offline modes.

The PLAYSTATION 3 update also fixes problems associated with downloading the game to the console’s hard drive.

Although, according to some users yesterday, the update was not so successful.

[Via Konami Europe]

Cory Barlog Talks With Ryan Payton About PSP Gaming

Cory Barlog, the famous game director of Sony Computer Entertainment's God of War II joins Kojima Production's Ryan Payton to discuss PSP gaming, game balance, and the return of rumble.

Listen to their conversation at the link below.

[Listen To: Cory & Ryan]

Redtribe Developer Happy with PLAYSTATION 3

Redtribe is one of the biggest developers in Australia behind games like Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal. Chris Mosely, Chief Executive Office at Redtribe, offered his thoughts on next-gen development.

"Redtribe was one of the very first in Australia to develop for next-gen and we initially spent two years developing our engine," said Mosely. "The move for us was very smooth, as our engine is constantly developed and refined on pc and then is ported across. Our engineering teams have been working on the PS3 for a year with very few issues."

He stated the absence of Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal on the PLAYSTATION 3 is simply because of it's user install base.

"PS3 is still gaining ground at over 5 million, as it's selling into the market, so it seemed wise all round to go for those 3 platforms (Xbox 360, PS2 and Wii) - and so, reach the biggest audience."

Maybe the next Redtribe title will make it's way to the system as well.

[Via VG]

Golden Axe: First Details

The first details on SEGA and Secret Level's Golden Axe: Beast Rider have been obtained.

First off, you now play as one Amazonian hero, the scantily clad Tyris Flare, instead of the original game's trio of fantasy stereotypes. Gillus the dwarf and Ax Battler are still in the game, says PSM3, but only as supporting cast.

Secondly, and probably the biggest change of the lot, is instead of straight-forward bruising Golden Axe: Beast Rider's focus shifts over to free-roaming environments and - surprise, surprise - the various beasties you can ride and battle on. There are five in total, ranging from the light and nippy to hulking, slow dragon-ites with scales the size of toilet seats.

The traditional hack and slash combat is still there and if you're tired of fumbling around on a dragon you can hop on foot and perform combos whenever you like - plus Tyrus has a range of spells at her disposal.

The open environments are looking rather nice, but as always it's going to come down to how decent Golden Axe's combat system is when it finally comes out next year.

[Via CVG]