PixelJunk Monsters Encore Coming Thursday for $5.99

Matt Morton, Associate Producer for SCEA Santa Monica Studios updated us today about an interview with Dylan Cuthbert from Q-Games.

They've announced that PixelJunk Monsters Encore will be releasing this week during the update on May 8, 2008 for $5.99 as an expansion. They tell us the new expansion will include a secret landmass located between Tiki & Toki islands. Hit the link for the full interview with Dylan Cuthbert.

[PixelJunk Monsters Encore dated + interview part 2]

Next GameTrailersTV Features Ghostbusters Gameplay Reveal

The next episode of GameTrailers TV coming this Friday will contain the first gameplay of Ghostbusters: The Game along with some other exclusives as well. The clip above shows a bit of what we will be shown on Friday, and it actually does look really good. Take a look at the video and be amazed as Dough Boy attacks. Enjoy!

Quantum of Solace: 007 Official Website Opens

Activision has opened the official website for it's upcoming James Bond game. The new site doesn't show any screenshots, but gives us some of the locations in the game along with some concept artwork. Some of those locations include Miami, London, Austria, Venice, Lake Como, Siena, Montenegro, and Madagascar.

A quote at the top of the screen reads “From Casino Royale to Quantum of Solace …And Beyond.”

This could mean the developers are using the storyline from the Daniel Craig movies in the new game.

The only solid information we have now is the name, Quantum of Solace: 007, and the developers. Treyarch will be handling the game on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with Beenox doing PC, and Vicarious Visions doing Wii and handheld.

[Quantum of Solace: 007] [DarkZero]

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Coming to Europe November 2008, Same as US

Atari announced today that they will be distributing Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm in Europe releasing November 2008, same release as North America.

The game will feature full 3D combat, every inch of Hidden Leaf Village yours to explore, high definition graphics, and more. You will be able to perform powerful jutsu attacks, acrobatic evasive manoeuvrs and even run up walls and over water. Players will be able to customize their fighting style as well. Each available character in the game has the ability to transformer into powerful Awakening forms under certain gameplay conditions as well, offering new abilities to the 25 game characters.The game will also support head-to-head multiplayer for up to two players, no online sadly.

The game will consist of 100 unique missions, with valuable scrolls to collect along the way, as long as interactions with your favorite Naruto characters. View the press release below.

'NarutoTM: Ultimate Ninja® Storm' Coming To Europe Exclusive For PlayStation®3

Naruto's PLAYSTATION 3 Debut Revolutionizes Ninja Action with Full 3D Combat, Free-Roaming Exploration and Incredible Anime Graphics


LYON, FRANCE – 5 May 2008 – Atari today announced the forthcoming European release of NAMCO BANDAI Games’ Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Based on the popular Naruto animated television series currently on air across Europe, the game delivers ninja action on an unprecedented scale as players go head to head in full 3D combat, investigate every inch of the Hidden Leaf Village in open-world exploration and revel in high definition graphics that surpass traditional hand-drawn animation. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm is scheduled for European release in November 2008.

Evolving the head-to-head fighting action of the Ultimate Ninja series, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm lets players battle in full 3D across massive environments. Players will unleash powerful jutsu attacks, perform acrobatic evasive manoeuvres and even run up walls and over water as they pursue their opponent for ninja supremacy. Players can customize their character’s fighting style and recruit up to two support characters to put their own stamp on the action. Each character in the game is capable of transforming into powerful Awakening forms under certain gameplay conditions, offering new traits and abilities to the game’s impressive ninja roster of 25 popular characters from the animated series. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm supports head-to-head multiplayer fighting for up to two players.

Allowing players to further immerse themselves in the world of Naruto, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm introduces all-new free-roaming exploration across the Hidden Leaf Village and the Forest of Death. Players can search every inch of these iconic environments to take on 100 unique missions, collect valuable scrolls and interact with additional characters from the Naruto animated series. Injecting additional variety to the game’s head-to head combat, these missions include races, special deliveries and large-scale battles against massive opponents.

Taking advantage of an original next-generation graphics engine, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm boasts fluid animation, incredible visual detail and an advanced facial expression system to create high-definition graphics on the PLAYSTATION 3 that surpass traditional hand-drawn animation. Replicating the same environments, characters and effects as the hit animated series, this new technology allows gamers to become a part of the world of Naruto like never before.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm for PLAYSTATION 3 is published by NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe SAS, distributed in Europe by Atari, and scheduled for European release in November 2008.

KILLZONE 2: More PlayStation Day Gameplay

We have some more gameplay videos of KILLZONE 2 from the SCEE PlayStation Day 2008 in London that was held today. This video is recorded from some snoopers that we thank. View the videos at the link. Enjoy!

[KILLZONE 2 PS Day 08' Gameplay]

EA Reveals 'EA Sports Freestyle' Sub-Brand

Electronic Arts today revealed their new EA Sports sub-brand, EA Sports Freestyle. This new sub-brandn focuses on more casual sports that is easy to pick up and play for kids, parents, women, and men.

“The launch of EA SPORTS Freestyle is an exciting milestone in the evolution of the EA SPORTS brand,” said Peter Moore, president, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Freestyle will be a perfect complement to our core portfolio of games that our loyal fans are deeply passionate about, and will provide compelling opportunities for new audiences looking for a lighter gaming experience and an easier entry point into EA SPORTS.” View the press release below.

EA UNVEILS NEW 'EA SPORTS FREESTYLE' SUB-BRAND
EA SPORTS Freestyle to represent the lighter side of sports: No rules, just fun.

Guildford, UK – May 6, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) today launched EA SPORTS Freestyle™, a new sub-brand aimed at a growing, more casual sports gaming audience. EA SPORTS Freestyle games, while based in sports, will be playful, inclusive, casual, and easy to pick up and play for kids and parents, women and men, and casual and hardcore sports fans of all ages.

“The launch of EA SPORTS Freestyle is an exciting milestone in the evolution of the EA SPORTS brand,” said Peter Moore, president, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Freestyle will be a perfect complement to our core portfolio of games that our loyal fans are deeply passionate about, and will provide compelling opportunities for new audiences looking for a lighter gaming experience and an easier entry point into EA SPORTS.”

EA SPORTS Freestyle will be the home for innovative new intellectual properties from the EA SPORTS label, including three new games in development and slated for release in the next 12 months. The first title to launch under the new sub-brand will be FaceBreaker™, an arcade-style boxing title set for release in September 2008 and the first new console IP from EA SPORTS since 2002.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL Football, FIFA, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

Hirai: “GTA has always been associated with the PlayStation platform first and foremost”

Sony Computer Entertainment President Kaz Hirai said today at PlayStation Day 2008 in London that he beleives Grand Theft Auto is primarily a PlayStation franchise.

“I think Grand Theft Auto, the franchise, has always been associated with the PlayStation platform first and foremost, and so I think consumers are coming back again,” he said.

“They had previous versions of Grand Theft Auto on previous platforms, so it’s always good to come home to PlayStation 3 as well, I think.”

Regarding whether or not Microsoft wasted their green when paying Rockstar $50 million for exclusive downloadable content, he said that punters will vote on their feet, and did not answer.

“Well, it’s really up to the consumers to decide,” he said. “As I said before… it’s a franchise that’s associated with PlayStation for the longest time, and I think that based on the numbers I’m seeing right now, I think the consumers feel that way as well.”

[Hirai: “GTA has always been associated with the PlayStation platform first and foremost”]

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift: First Gameplay from PlayStation Day

At the link, you'll see a video containing the first gameplay footage of Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, coming straight out of PlayStation Day 2008 in London. The game's graphcis are sleek, and the video we are watching is only in pre-alpha. Enjoy!

[Motorstorm 2 First Gameplay]

Far Cry 2: New 3 Minute Making Of Video

GameTrailers has a new making-of video for Ubisoft Montreal's upcoming Far Cry 2 that discusses how the created the game. The video also showcases some new gameplay. Enjoy!

Barrack Obama Starring in Grand Hope

Attack of the Show's segment producer Luke Wahl snapped some shots of these Grand Theft Auto IV banners being replaced in the streets of Los Angeles. The replacement is the characters head, along with crossing out the words Theft Auto and replacing it with Hope, making it Grand Hope with Obama. This is what presidential elections do to people, but I'm voting for Obama anyway, so I don't mind.

[Nugget From The Net: 'GTH IV']

PlayStation Day 2008: Siren Blood Cursed Announced

At today's PlayStation Day in London, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced Siren Blood Curse for the PlayStation Network. The game will come in in twelve "TV-style, suspense-packed" downloadable episodes this summer. [Kotaku]

The next-gen horror-survival title is set in the Japanese village of Hanuda, where a TV crew from America arrive to research the legend of the ‘Vanished Village’ where human sacrifice is said to have taken place thirty years ago. Players discover the horrific curse that haunts Hanuda and battle to save the village’s survivors from the living dead – a spine-tingling struggle that involves using the unique Sight-Jack system to view events from the angle of your undead pursuers. In a gaming first, Siren Blood Curse will be released episodically, keeping gamers on the edge of their seats until the next download arrives in PSN.

PlayStation Day 2008 Keynote Breakdown

PlayStation Day 2008 came with a keynote with Kaz Hirai and David Reeves from Sony Computer Entertainment. They started the keynote opening wtih showcases of LittleBigPlanet, Go!Explore, PlayTV, Secret Agent Clank, echochrome and Buzz! Quiz TV. Then they went into showing SingStar, Elefunk, KILLZONE 2, Siren, Home, Hot Shots Golf, SOCOM, and Resistance 2.

Kaz Hirai stated that he realized the PlayStation Home delay announcement at TGS 2007 was disappointing, but Home will be open ONLY when it is ready.

David Reeves came on to talk about Buzz! Quiz TV speaking on wireless buzzers, user created quizes and downloadable quiz packs. All forms of user generated content.

Insomniac's Ted Price steps on stage speaking on Resistance 2. They are focusing on Community, Campaign, Cooperative, and Competitive, the four C's. They want to redesign Resistance.net more like Facebook including website matcmaking and such. They are going to have "battles within battles" for the game's online. 5 different squads with different objectives, dynamic objectives. Every squad must go against rival squad with same objectives. With 60 players there are always 5 or 6 players for whom you develop a "really intense hatred."

After Price left the stage, Evolution's Paul Hollywood took the stage saying that Motorstorm: Pacific Rift promises "brutal offroad racing" and ""Not just updated the graphics and added a "2" to the title." The game will have twice as many tracks as the original and include monster trucks as well as 4-player split-screen as well.

DICE's Sean Decker comes on stage to talk about Mirror's Edge, a game about a girl name Faith who is on the run. "We're going to put you in the shoes of Faith" he says. Expect to see this video on the PlayStation Network this week.

They also announced PlayTV will be releasing in September 2008 in Europe for 99 euros. Thats just about it, day is over. I'm happy but sad no mention of in-game XMB.

[Liveblog from PlayStation Day 2008]

EU PLAYSTATION Store Update: May 6, 2008

Europe is getting two updates this week due to PlayStation Day 2008 going on right now. It's first update just hit. Lets take a look at the heapful of good content.

PSone Classics
- Street Skater (£3.49)

Downloadable Games
- Blast Factor Advanced
(£4.99)
- High Velocity Bowling (£4.99)

Demos
- HAZE demo (free)
- Condemned 2: Bloodshot demo (free)

Add-Ons
- High Velocity Bowling Character Add-On Mike (£0.69)

Game Videos
- Buzz! Quiz TV PlayStation Day 2008 trailer (free)
- MotorStorm: Pacific Rift PlayStation Day 2008 trailer (free)
- PLAYSTATION Network PS Day Showcase (free)
- Secret Agent Clank PlayStation Day 2008 trailer (free)
- Siren: Blood Curse PlayStation Day 2008 trailer (free)

Enjoy!

KILLZONE 2 PlayStation Day 2008 Trailer, European Release Date

Here is the new KILLZONE 2 trailer from Sony's PlayStation Day 2008. Once again, as the previous trailers, we are nothing but amazed. Sony is really dishing them out today. Enjoy!

Unfortunately, however, we do get one bad thing from this and that is KILLZONE 2's pushed release date. It is now set to release in February 2009, as it's official release date. However, this delay is only for Europe.

Update: Removed too for some reason. Here is YouTube.

Resistance 2: First Gameplay Footage

Looks like GameTrailers TV won't be getting the exclusive this time. Straight from PlayStation Day 2008 comes the first gameplay footage of Resistance 2. It is stunning to watch so go ahead and enjoy!

Update: It seems to have been taken down (probably due to Insomniac), but we still have the download for you right here.

Mirror's Edge: PlayStation Day 2008 Trailer

Well, here is a game we never thought we'd see at PlayStation Day 2008. Here is the first trailer for Digital Illusions CE's upcoming Mirror's Edge and the trailer looks amazing. Those interested in the song featured in the trailer, download it here.

First Metal Gear Solid 4 Review Coming Friday May 16, 2008

On Friday, May 16, 2008, PlayStation: The Official Magazine will publish the first review for Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. We are expecting at least a 9 from another Kojima masterpiece.

[First Metal Gear Solid 4 Review coming next Friday]

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Glitches

The guy who made The Orange Box petition and videos has now come back with this as well. A video that is five minutes long showing us many glitches in Grand Theft Auto IV. Rockstar, you should take a look at this (*winks*). [Thanks Toni T!]

SCEE PlayStation Day Starts Today at 4pm BST

Today is finally the day. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe will be holding their PlayStation Day 2008 today starting at 4PM BST. From what we've heard, today's revelations will be quite significant, including a new trailer for Motorstorm 2 along with the first English trailer of Siren. Details below.

- 15.30 - Venue open
- 16:00 - Press conference
- 17:30 - Play time with games

Kaz Hirai and European boss David Reeves will be giving their own keynotes at the event, hopefully telling us more about Sony's 2008. Stick to onAXIS as we update you as the event starts.

[SCEE PlayStation Day kicks of at 4pm BST - all the news here]