The Orange Box: Weaker on the PLAYSTATION 3

In the latest 1UPYours Podcast, they talk about The Orange Box for the PLAYSTATION 3.

"You can't walk in the store and buy The Orange Box for PS3 [it's not out]." a 1UP podcaster told. Thats when another came in. "We got the review builds for the PS3 version, and it doesn't work as well [as the 360]".

They state how Midway are starting to lead on PLAYSTATION 3 to make console games equal, but EA leads on the Xbox 360 because "thats where the money is at".

They go on to talk about PLAYSTATION 3 firmware updates and the amount of time it takes (normally it takes me around 5 minutes) saying it takes about 11 minutes for the update to work. They also complained that 2.00 should have been 1.95, which I agree with.

The whole The Orange Box situation comes as no surprise to me, when Valve handed it over to EA and Gabe Newell started bashing the console, it was only a matter of time before we received news like this.

[Via 1UPYours]

First DUALSHOCK 3 Mod: Blue Led Lights

Member 0033445421 of the Official US PLAYSTATION Boards was one of the lucky ones to get his DUALSHOCK 3 from Japan. Right away, he got to work on modding the new remote.

Now, he presents the blue led lighted DUALSHOCK 3. You can watch a video of it here, and he is currently trying to figure out how to make the PLAYSTATION Button glow blue as well.

[Via Official US PLAYSTATION Boards]

PLAYSTATION 3 Firmware 2.01 Available Now

PLAYSTATION 3 firmware 2.01 has gone live now, you can only download through your console's online connection at the moment. No change list was provided with the new firmware, but when I have it full installed, I will list any changes that I see.

For now, log-into the network and give the new firmware a download.

Update: We were able to get the download link for the new 2.01 update for computers, right here.

Update #2: Eric Lempel posted the official change list on the blog:

• Stability during playing some PLAYSTATION 3 format software has been improved.

• Stability of System Software including Internet Browser and Information Board has been improved.

• Stability of the upscaler for PlayStation 2 format software has been improved. (Playability of PlayStation 2 depends on model)

• [Remote Start] feature is changed to avoid unintended power on.

Like they stated, only a minor update for fixes.

[Via PS.Blog]

Naughty Dog Regrets Showing Uncharted So Early

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was first shown at E3 2005 about a year and a few months before the PLAYSTATION 3 was released.Co-President of Naughty Dog, Evan Wells, talked to 1UP about the title, stating they regretted showing the title so early.

"Something else that I would say might change is something you guys pointed out in your 1UP Yours show -- the fact that we showed the game so early. In fact, we knew at the time that it wasn't, you know, solid -- in particular the A.I. and the gunplay," said Wells. "And we put it out there hoping we'd get the benefit of the doubt that we still had seven months of production left and then of course, we got the feedback...and it was good feedback, and in some ways it was a great focus test for where we were headed."

It seems that they are already hinting at an Uncharted sequel for their next project? Maybe we should have some Jak & Daxter action first though.

[Via 1UP]

Console Gift Guide Line-Up

Ho-ho-ho! That time of year is near, the one whos been watching you closely wants to know what you want this holiday. So why not take a look at these Holiday Gift Guides for the PLAYSTATION consoles and decide yourself? Theres Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, & God of War, plenty of games for a wonderful holiday indoors. So take a look at the guides, and pick a game, and maybe you'll wake up with a special present marked your name.




And hey, if the PLAYSTATION consoles aren't the only systems you own, give a hint to someone about these titles, and maybe they will throw you a bone.








And if you've yet had a console to play, maybe this Christmas will be your lucky day.

PSM3 Reviews: Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4, & More

The latest issue of PSM3, a UK based PLAYSTATION 3 magazine, comes jam packed with some great new reviews. Take a look at those below.

Assassin's Creed 81%.
Overall: All the basic mechanics are there, but kinks in the design keep Creed from greatness.

Call of Duty 4 94%.
Overall: A triumph of set-piece design, special effects and impeccable FPS action. Mindblowing.

Need for Speed ProStreet 79%.
Overall: A touch repetitive, but a confident, high speed, return to form for Need For Speed.

LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga 80%
Overall: Terrific games but TCS is pointless if you've played them before. But if you haven't, get it.

Beowulf 41%
Overall: An avoidably bad game with shoddy design and a lame, thankless combat system.

The Simpsons Game 70%
Overall: Flimsy platformingand lame combat, but so funny its hard to care. Fans will go nuts.

Kane and Lynch: Dead Men 58%
Overall: Bland characters, action-by-numbers. Easily the most disappointing game of 2007.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock 90%
Overall: Nothing much new - except for the most dazzling playlist to grace the series yet. Great.

[Via GT Forums]

White Engine Development Not Stalling Final Fantasy XIII

In a report today, it was shown that Final Fantasy XIII from Square Enix may be having a delay due to troubles with the engine thats powering, that being the White Engine. FF-XIII.Net says otherwise though:

"In the report on the fiscal meeting by impress.co.jp they speak of recent earnings from, and sales of, recent Square Enix games and only mention the white engine momentarily in the report. There is no further word on Final Fantasy XIII or development of the engine outside stating that development is NOT stagnant. This obviously means development of the white engine is still ongoing and going smoothly. It is likely of no worry that the engine is still being worked on as improvements to most game engines are continuous up to their games' completion."

Looks like things will be running fine then.

[Via FF-XIII.net]

SEGA Beleives PLAYSTATION 3 Will Surpass Xbox 360

In a new interview with SEGA's Noah Musler, he talks about the PLAYSTATION 3. He says the console still needs "a little bit of time to grow. But all of our projections... I think that most analysts would agree that PS3 is going to catch up to the 360, if not surpass it, as more and more big titles come out".

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune may be the start of these big titles, as it's the only one so far to get mostly positive reviews instead of mixed reviews such as LAIR and Heavenly Sword.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Alone In The Dark 5 Shows Central Park's Secrets

Based off this video, we should be calling our beloved Central Park, Central Dark instead. In Alone In The Dark 5, Central Park is hiding a terrifying secret, including over 100 bodies buried down under.

Fallout 3 Features 12 Different Endings

In a recent interview with Pete Hines, VP of Public Relations and Marketing for Bethesda Softworks, he told CVG:

"There will be somewhere between 9 to 12 different endings to Fallout 3 based on what you’ve done in the game,”

Unlike Bethesda’s last huge game of the year RPG, Oblivion, your decisions in Fallout 3’s post-apocalyptic wasteland will close off some options while opening others.

“So it’s something that is inherently a diverging path. It may be some of the same things but doing them in very different ways, and ultimately that will define your gameplay experience,” continued Hines.

It's all about choice I guess, seems to be a great thing they are doing.

[Via Games Radar]

LEGO Starwars TV Spot

LEGO Star Wars can now be played on your next-generation console with LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Enjoy this commercial, and then go pick up episodes I-VI.

MegaTV Adds a Cool New XMB Icon

Now that MegaTV was released officially in Korea, let's see what it is all about.

MegaTV requires system software 2.00, when installed, it generates a new TV icon on the XMB, under the icon, there is another that says MegaTV.

MegaTV is also a subscription service, which means you probably have to pay in order to view all the IPTVness. In order to get a subscription, yuo could buy the MegaTV PLAYSTATION 3 pacakge which comes with 36 months. People with HDTVs also get HDMI cables for free with the console.

Thats really all we can get from a rough translation.

[Via Ruliweb]

Uncharted: Drake's Dance Moves

A member of YouTube and fellow PLAYSTATION 3 owner, 28030MOR, put together this funny Uncharted: Drake's Fortune music video. The game itself is now in stores if you want to pick it up. The video is quite entertaining, give it a watch.

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Dated In Japan

Sony has announced on their Japan Blu-Ray site that Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete will be releasing in Japan on November 30, 2007.

If your fluent in Japanese, go ahead and get your PlayAsia orders ready.

[Via Sony JP]

SingStar Hits Europe TVs

First off, this is a pretty long and annoying commercial, especially if you don't like the kind of music SingStar has to offer. Although, the features of the title are pretty nice and displayed well in this advertisement. Take a watch.

Square-Enix: White Engine Progress Slow

A little bit earlier this year, Final Fantasy XIII was actually given a release date of Q4 2007, but then, along with many others, it was delayed into 2008 with games such as Grand Theft Auto IV, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, and Devil May Cry 4.

The only thing we've seen of Final Fantasy XIII since then were screenshots of a new trailer from the Tokyo Game Show 2007. And lately, some rumors of a 2009 release for the title have been surfacing.

Today, we learn that Square Enix's White Engine development is having trouble. That is the engine running the game. According to Siliconera, the publisher said their Engine was "moving at a sluggish pace" during the fiscal meeting.

If this White Engine doesn't get moving along soon, then we might really see a 2009 delay. I don't think anybody wants that.

[Via PSXtreme]

Xbox President Says the PLAYSTATION Network Is Weak

Robbie Bach, the president of Xbox, addressed the PLAYSTATION Network today as weak, saying that Xbox Live has no competition at the moment.

"It's fair to say that Xbox Live is clearly head and shoulders above anything anyone else has tried to do. We don't have competition," said Bach, speaking to the LA Times.

Like I said in my article earlier, that is true.

"Sony has done some things online, but nothing that can be called a service. We have a big advantage and we're going to keep pressing that advantage," he added.

I wouldn't go as far to not call it a service, they offer demos and videos and online play and such, but nothing that keeps players on the Network, such as daily updates, communities, at least one arcade game a week and such.

Currently, Live offers arcade games, demos, TV shows, game videos, and movie downloads, and is soon offering Xbox Originals. Will the PLAYSTATION Network get it's act together?

[Via GamesIndustry]

Sony Launches PS3 MegaTV In South Korea

Tomorrow, Sony Computer Entertainment Korea and KT announces the launch of the MegaTV IPTV service for the PLAYSTATION 3.

The MegaTV video on demand service for the Sony Playstation 3 will launch tomorrow in Korea.
Content of the PS3 IPTV service includes drama series, animated features, movies and sports.

The MegaTV support came for Korean PS3 users via the firmware 2.0 update already and is supposed to activate on tomorrow on November 20th.

Currently, nothing is known about a launch in other regions.

[Via I4U]

Night Note: Weekends Are Slow

To: onAXIS Readers
From: onAXIS Administator
Subject: Weeeekendssssss

There is something about weekends that bring the site down, because weekends are always light on news. We're waiting for that big thing to happen the days we have off and then it's nothing. We only had some 12 articles Sunday, and 7 Saturday, it's really a shame.

Anyway, besides that, work for the new site has been going well, but I'm just having trouble doing what I want to do with one of the sidebars, so if anybody here is an expert at CSS and HTML and possibly Wordpress and want to help, shoot me an e-mail.

Anyway, let's take a look at today's/yesterday's hot news.

Important Articles for November 19, 2007
PLAYSTATION Network: The Final Stand
PS3 Releases for November 19, 2007 Week

Hot Stories for November 19, 2007
Lost Planet Dated
10 Free Blu-Rays with PS3 at Wal-Mart
Rockman Turns 20, Still Looks Young
IGN Launches PLAYSTATION Network Central
MGS Remake for PSP?

Lost Planet for PLAYSTATION 3 Dated

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for the PLAYSTATION 3 has been dated. Gameplayer has received word from Capcom that the title will be hitting store shelves in February 2008.

The PLAYSTATION 3 version of this title will include extra features, all the features of the PC and Xbox 360 downloadables, and 16 multiplayer maps right out of the box.

[Via Gameplayer]