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]

Mafia II Breakdown from PlayStation: Official Magazine of May 2008

The latest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine contains an extensive preview of the upcoming Mafia II. As always, when a hot story is shown, a NeoGAF member will break it down for us. Lets take a look.

• The game will feature 3 families.
• Cops only call reinforcements if you committed a large enough crime.
• In total, there are about 2 hours of cutscenes.
• The game will contain references to the original game along with easter eggs.
• The game has 3 acts.
• All of the 2.5 square mile city available for travel at the start.
• You can use taxi's to get around the city.
• Cars get damaged, dirty, and even explode if shot in the gas tank.
• You can customize cars with your own license plates.
• There are 2 types of context sensitive environment interactions: Standard and Violent.
• You can buy food from vendors such as hotdogs.
• While buying stuff you cannot be attacked.
• NPC's will smoke, read newspapers, wait for buses, look through trash cans, etc.
• In several points in the story, you can make choices that affect the game.
• The game will feature multiple endings.
• Police will go after other criminals instead of just you
• You can buy houses where you can store your gear
• You can take missions for and against competing families.
• There will be many interactive objects such as chairs, bottles, sinks, etc.
• The map will have waypoints including sidequests.
• Checkpoints have improved from the original game.
• There will be no on screen interface.
• You can go to gyms to learn new hand to hand combo moves.
• Shooting through doors will possibly be added.

The game is sounding promising. I will have to pick up this issue soon as I'm a sucker for Italian games. I even re-purchased Godfather: The Don's Edition when I already had the original on the PlayStation 2. Damn Italian blood.

[Playstation: The Official Magazine May 08]

Susan Panico: Home to be Public Very Soon

The newest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine features an article from Susan Panico, the Senior Director of the PlayStation Network. At the end of the article, she s tates that, regarding Home, "Plus, the application is free to download, so the consumer has everything to gain in a robust, 3D community. We'll be opening up the Home Beta to the public very soon and hope to see you there". There you have it, it's coming soon. Possibly with the new store redesign?

[Playstation offical magazine....talks about home (UPDATED PICS)]

Motorstorm 2 to Feature Monster Trucks, Loads of Water

Looks like that BBC reporter wasn't lying. In the latest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, they show a short preview of Motorstorm 2. The sequel is going out of the desert and into the ocean. They say that the trailer for Motorstorm 2 should have been shown by the time we read this. Since it's not officially on stands, thats Wednesday. They do state however the trailer is all CG, but gives you an idea of what to expect.

The editors of the magazine claim they've seen some of the stuff Evolution's been working on and it's amazing. They tell us that the game will feature an upped online mode, monster trucks, along with bikes, ATVs, and big rigs. They say expect this title to have downloadable content as well. They say they expect it to be released this Christmas.

[Motorstorm 2 to have monster trucks, plus more water]

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Information from PTOM April 2008

The latest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine (April 2008) has a cover feature for LucasArts' upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Here is a breakdown of the information we get from the new issue.

• Controls
• Force Jump - X
  
• Force Push - O
• Lightsaber - Square
• Force Grip - R2
• Game uses 3 physics engines (Euphoria engine, Havok engine, and DMM engine).
• Timed button presses do more damage than button mashing.
• Takes place between Episode 3 and 4.
• Huge plot twists for the entire series.
• Camera follows enemy bodies when spectacular moves are done.
• Force powers take more force the stronger they are but are usable with any amount for desperate attacks.
• You can grab flying TIE fighters and toss them into stormtroopers.
• Blocking lasers is automatic, but pressing L2 increases chance of blocking and reflecting.
• After completing missions you get points to upgrade powers and unlock new combos and skills.
• Force talents are separate and are used to upgrade health, energy, deflection chance, and lightsaber damage.
• Exploration is encouraged by finding holocrons. Sith holocrons, grant powerups, and Jedi holocrons unlock new costumes, lightsaber hilts, and crystals.
• Enemies can grab onto things like railings to stop your force grip.

[Playstation: The Official Magazine April 08]

PlayStation Magazine: Fallout 3 Interview with Bethesda's Emil Pagiarulo

The latest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine had an interview with Bethesda Softwork's Emil Pagiarulo, who is working with the team on the upcoming Fallout 3.

Emil was asked to describe Fallout, she goes to say that "Fallout as a franchise, is all about finding your way in an open-ended, post-apocalyptic world. There's good, there's evil, and there's everything in between. So for the player, it's all about doing what you want, how you want. There's always a greater good, a sense of nobility and selfless purpose that you can champion... if you want. If you wander through the rubble and be a complete ass, well, you can do that, too!"

There will be some funny gags and dialogs in the game. Fear not for a late PLAYSTATION 3 release as well, Emil says bringing Oblivion on the console gave them great experience with the system, and that releasing the game on the same day for every platform means they bring more people into the Bethesda world.

Read the full interview at the link below.

[Via GameFAQs Boards]

PlayStation: Official Magazine's Top 10 of 2008

The latest PlayStation: The Official Magazine has a top ten list for the upcoming games of 2008. Is it good? It certainly does list the games most of us are excited for, including Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, and Killzone 2. The list below.

10. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
9. Grand Theft Auto IV
8. Ghostbusters
7. The Agency
6. Dead Space
5. FallOut 3
4. Gran Turismo 5
3. Killzone 2
2. Little Big Planet
1. Metal Gear Solid 4

Although, I do suggest games like The Agency be replaced with something like Naruto: PS3 Project. The Agency seems great, but probably not an AAA title.

[Via Killzone Unit]

PlayStation: The Official Magazine Announced for US

Future US and Sony announced today that Future US would be publishing a new magazine called PlayStation: The Official Magazine. The new publication will have an initial circulation of 300,000 copies and will launch with a Holiday 2007 edition on sale in late November.

The magazine will be published on a frequency of 13 issues per year. The coverage in the magazine will be official news, previews and reviews for PlayStation enthusiasts and users. Rob Smith, former Editor-in-Chief of PlayStation Magazine will be the Editor-in-Chief for PlayStation: The Official Magazine.

Future US publishes some very popular special interest magazines in America including Maximum PC, Mac|Life, Guitar World, Nintendo Power and more. The new magazine will cover the PSP, PS3 and future PlayStation platforms.

[Via I4U]