Geeking It Out!

God of War PSP ships tomorrow!

2008-03-06T10:05:00.003+08:00

Easily the most anticipated game on the PSP, Play-Asia will be shipping out their orders tomorrow so make sure you get your own copy.

I believe this will sell like hot cakes so expect it to be on waiting period after the first day. So grab your copy by clicking on the picture or click here.

Remember, certain countries have free shipping but I am sure you don't want to wait.

Retro Gaming Special: Space Invaders Extreme

2008-02-25T14:17:00.003+08:00

This is the first in what I hope will be a continuing series of Retro Gaming. Kids these days don't know some of the cool stuff we played so with re-releases of titles such as Space Invaders, I hope they will be able to finally experience what we have before.

2008 is the 30th anniversary of the iconic Space Invaders and Taito is releasing a remake of this classic, Space Invaders Extreme. It is incorporated with new elements to attract the younger generation while satisfying the older generation's appetite for classic games.

The game is available on Play-Asia for US$29.90. Don't miss out on owning a piece of retro action by purchasing it here.

Blu-ray Releases on Amazon.com - Week of Feb 25th, 2008

2008-02-25T13:42:00.003+08:00

It is quite a good week for Blu-ray fans as you get 30 Days of Night and Terminator 3 in the same week. However, since I am Chinese, I have to recommend the only Chinese title in the list - Initial D.

This is a live adaptation of the anime and it stars Jay Chou as Takumi, a reserved son of former racing champion turned tofu maker. If you like watching racing cars especially "illegal" street racing with high amount of drifting, then Initial D is the perfect fit.

It is not the anime (which is better) but it is quite a good movie. So, Initial D is this week's recommended title!

Full list of titles released this week are:

30 Days of Night
Justice League: The New Frontier Special Edition
To Kill A King
Initial D
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same

As usual, you can buy this week's title by clicking the link below:

FIFA goes to the streets!

2008-02-21T13:08:00.003+08:00

Flicks, jumping over people, putting the ball through the legs of your opponent, jumping on the wall and doing a sommersault. Those are the things you cannot do in FIFA08, the other soccer game by EA Sports.

So, knowing that players like to do fancy tricks, FIFA Street 3 is exactly the game that you may want to play. Or do you really?

FIFA Street 3 is as the title suggest, soccer on the street. It is a 3-on-3 (excluding the goalie) match played in various locations that resembles a mini football pitch. Except that that these locations can be on the rooftop, beside the sea and many other interesting places where EA can design a pitch.

It is fast, it is all about pulling off fancy tricks and it is basically just that. That is the problem with FIFA Street 3. The lack of depth in the game is surprisingly disturbing even for a soccer fan like me.

Graphically, I love FIFA Street 3. The new art direction means the players will feel right at home in Valve's Team Fotress 2. The colours are bright, the characters are brilliantly done and everything feels good in the graphics department.

For me, it is quite a visual treat. The audio department get its fair share in treatment with pumping music playing in the background adding to the whole street affair. The only problem is that the gameplay does not match up to either of these departments.

Tricks are performed by dragging or tapping the right analog stick and after a while, it seems like you've seen them all. FIFA Street 3 has the "gamebreaker" element where tricks feel up a gauge and when it is full, you get a "gamebreaker" mode by pressing R1. This way, shots that are on target is a guaranteed goal.

The AI is left wanting most of the time with some frustrating moments between you and your AI-controlled goalie. One wonders why he has to keep passing the ball to the opponent. It is worse for the AI-controlled team. Their keeper actually passed the ball back to my player 5 times in a row while I was in "gamebreaker" mode. Needless to say, I won that match comfortably.

The game unlock teams and venues and different challenges and after a while, it feels like you are just repeating the same trick over and over again. I've never felt so bored playing a soccer match that is only 5 minutes in length.

The Good

Fantastic visuals, love the new look and feel
Tricks galore - it is fun for the first half hour probably

The Bad

Gameplay is surprisingly weak
Lack of depth means you will be bored with this title within the day

Verdict: Rent this if you really want to give it ago. Otherwise, you are better off playing FIFA08 and trying to pull off tricks there.

As usual, if you are still interested in getting it, you can get it here. Remember, there are free shipping for certain countries so save some money while you can.

Virtua Fighter 5 goes for cheap!

2008-02-21T13:00:00.002+08:00

Virtua Fighter 5 (JPN) is on a special weekly promotion on Play-Asia. It is now only going for US$18.90!

That is a hefty price cut of US$41 and there is even free shipping for certain countries. The game is region free and English is included as an option so no worries about not understanding the game.

Get it here now!

Rock Band Drum Set Released!

2008-02-18T17:01:00.002+08:00

The best thing about Rock Band is the drum set. If you want to play guitars, Guitar Hero 3 is better. If you want to sing, SingStar is better. Therefore, Rock Band is great because of the drum set.

Oh, and also for the fact that you can play with a bunch of friends and experience what being a band is all about. Of course, you can't have your friends over all the time and some of us like playing alone.

But it makes no sense to buy the whole set. What can you do? Just buy the drums! Play-Asia is selling just the drum set for US$129.90. If you don't want to buy the whole thing, then experience Rock Band with just the drum set by buying it here.

Blu-ray Releases on Amazon.com - Week of Feb 18th, 2008

2008-02-18T11:08:00.003+08:00

This week's releases on Amazon.com is a bit weak for me. No titles that I can recognise except for Run Lola Run and even that, it is a movie not for everyone.

Run Lola Run is a movie about two lovers who have only minutes to change the course of their lives. Manni, Lola's boyfriend loses a small fortune belonging to a mobster boss and if she doesn't return the money within 20 minutes, something will happen to Manni.

Of course, a girl running in Berlin is not going to set the screen on fire but as she runs, the movie shows how she changes the lives of the people she meets or touch. So, sounds pretty interesting enough.

Without further delay, the list for this week:

Michael Clayton
In the Valley of Elah
Run Lola Run
Live at Montreux 2003
Hymns for Peace: Live at Montreux 2004
They All Came Down to Montreux

You can purchase this week's recommended title, Run Lola Run below:

It is time to gear up for Street Fighter 4

2008-02-17T14:31:00.002+08:00

I am sure by now that you have heard that Street Fighter 4 is coming out and since this is everyone's favorite fighting game, it is definitely time to gear up for its impending release.

The DS3 is probably not going to withstand the button mashing abuse nor is it going to be good enough to do the quick fluid combos you need to win the game. What do you need?

The Hori Fighting Stick 3 of course!

So, make sure you are ready for SF4 when it is out. Click here to buy it now.

More 20th Anniversary MGS Goodies!

2008-02-15T14:29:00.004+08:00

With this year being the 20th Anniversary of the Metal Gear series and also the soon-to-be-released Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot on the PS3, there are lots of toys being planned this year.

One of them is this series of 5 Ultra Detail Figures licensed by Konami and produced by Medicom. The above is the Ultra Detail Figure - Metal Gear Solid 20th Anniversary: Snake (MGS 4 Mask Version).

Priced at US$29.90, it is very attractive indeed as it looks stunning.

In the line-up, you will also find Ultra Detail Figure - Metal Gear Solid 20th Anniversary: Raiden (MGS2 version). This is also priced at US$29.90.

Both figures stand at about 170mm and it will be released later this month. You can also be sure that it will be sold out pretty quickly. In fact, the more popular versions of Solid Snake are already getting difficult to find.

Before these two versions are snapped up, better preorder your figures now. Head on to Play-Asia to get it now.
The above picture showcases all the figures that are in the series. These definitely belong in your cabinet if you are an MGS fan.

Master Chief statue goes on discount!

2008-02-14T18:45:00.003+08:00

If you are looking for a last minute gift for your game loving boyfriend or girlfriend, then this is a good time to take a look at the Halo 3 - Master Chief ArtFX non-scale prepainted statue.

This is re-run after it was initially sold out and it is now offered at a discounted price of US$89.90. That is a saving of US$10!

However, it will reach rather late for Valentine's Day though but as they say, patience is virtue. So, grab it by clicking here

Play-Asia Year of the Rat Sale!

2008-02-14T18:11:00.004+08:00

So, by now you would have heard that Play-Asia, the top Asian site in games and toys is having their Year of the Rat Lucky Sale. By buying products listed as part of the sale, you stand a chance to win some fantastic prizes such as a Sony PlayStation 3 40Gb with 3 games of your choice. More info can be found here.

So, without needing to trawl through the whole list, here are the list of recommended games for all the Sony platforms:

Sony PlayStation 3

Time Crisis 4 (JPN) at US$79.90 (save US$40) - The only way you can get the black Guncon3
Warhawk (Asia) at US$29.90 (save US$30) - The best multiplayer game on the PS3 and it comes with PSN 50 HKD ticket
Virtua Fighter 5 (JPN) at US$29.90 (save US$30) - Easily the best fighting game on this platform until Street Fighter 4 hits the streets

Sony PlayStation 2

EdgeFX Controller at US$14.90 (save US$15) - Play FPS as you play it on the PC. It has a detachable left hand controller (for the analog and D-pad) and the right hand controller is an optical mouse

Sony PSP

Metal Gear Portable Ops Plus at US$18.90 (save US$6) - The standalone addition to last year's award winning stealth action game on the PSP. This adds more to the solid multiplayer experience on Metal Gear Portable Ops
Silent Hill: Origins (English language edition) at US$24.90 (save US$15) - The popular survival horror series in its portable debut. Find out how it all started

So, these are all the recommended stuff. Hope you have a fun time shopping this sale.

Real Action Heroes - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Solid Snake

2008-02-13T17:54:00.002+08:00

With Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots the first Metal Gear series to appear on the PS3, you can bet there will be tons of collectibles that you can get your hands on.

One of it will be this Real Action Heroes - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots version of Solid Snake. Scheduled to be released in May,2008, this figure stands roughly about 12 inches tall and it is quite detailed as well. With this being the 20th anniversary of Metal Gear Solid series, the quality of these toys is going to be pretty much guaranteed.

I think it is going to be sold out the moment it hit the stores, so might as well pre-order your very own now. Priced at US$179, it is a must have for any Metal Gear Solid fans.

Interested? Click here to get one.

Geeking It Out Away to Kuching!

2008-02-13T15:10:00.003+08:00

There will probably be no updates for the rest of the week as I will be going away to Kuching, Sarawak.

Hope you guys have a good weekend ahead and hopefully the PSN updates for this week will be worth it.

Amazon Buy 2 Get 3rd Free for Blu-rays

2008-02-13T10:34:00.001+08:00

Amazon.com is having a promotion where you can buy two titles and get a third for free. This is a good time to stock up on your Blu-ray collection.

This is no BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free) but it is the next big thing. To access the list, click here. Click on the tabs above to view all the titles on offer.

Phoenix Wright it is not - An Impression of Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law (PSP)

2008-02-12T11:46:00.000+08:00

After the success of Phoenix Wright on the NDSL platform, it seems PSP wanted its very own as well. And there is no weirder lawyer than superhero-turn-lawyer, Harvey Birdman.

I have waited for quite some time for the game to be available and I dusted off my PSP for its first UMD game after a very, very long time.
The game is funny. There is no doubt about it. The humour, the no-logic-approach, the cameos and the obvious parody of all things superhero makes for a good cartoon.

That's right, a good cartoon but not a good game. I can't even call this a game. It is more like 5 episodes of Harvey Birdman with interactive bits thrown in.

The power of the PSP means the game is smooth flowing, the animated sequences is way better than Phoenix Wright, and it really feels like watching Harvey Birdman on the small screen. Too bad the gameplay doesn't live up to its expectations.

The logic can be weird at times and the game is so easy, you won't even need your brain for this one. It is probably looking at a different crowd as compared to the highly challenging Phoenix Wright series.

So, with a short game, and pretty lousy mechanics, you are paying for 5 episodes of Harvey Birdman with the added interactive features. If you are a fan of the series, then it is probably worth having it in your collection.

I found the game funny, and I chuckled a few times, but I wished that they invested more time in making the gameplay up to par as well.

The Good

Funny
Smooth animation scenes - its like watching Harvey Birdman on the PSP

The Bad

Too short
Too easy
It is not even a game!

Verdict: So, if you are in the mood of splashing cash on some interactive Harvey Birdman episodes, then get this. Else, you can give this title a miss.

As usual, if you are interested to get this (even after reading this post), you can purchase it from here

Notes: Images taken from IGN

Blu-ray Releases on Amazon.com - Week of Feb 19th, 2008

2008-02-11T11:28:00.000+08:00

So, after taking a break for Chinese New Year, this week's releases for Blu-ray looks pretty solid. A lot of big names indeed. The biggest title is probably Ben Affleck's directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, starring his own brother, Casey Affleck.

Not to be outdone by the Affleck brothers, We Own the Night, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg as brothers also enters the list. Big name stars like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Anne Hathaway and Jeff Bridges all have their names in the list.

The full list for this week:

Gone Baby Gone
We Own the Night
No Reservations
Becoming Jane
The Amateurs
Girls Gone Wild: Baby Bash Live and Uncensored

As usual, you can grab your featured title for this week by clicking on the link below:

1,2,3 and 4... It is all the same - An impression of DMC4

2008-02-04T15:35:00.000+08:00

So, Devil May Cry 4 finally hits the shelves and eager gamers went out to secure their copy. Much has been said about the game and PS3 fans were even angry at one point that it is no longer an exclusive.

I got my copy on the release date and proceeded to see what the hype is all about. Having played all three previous instalments, I had an idea what I was about to go through. Except I did not expect it to be the same.

You play Nero at the start, a young, arrogant guy with an arm that is too powerful for his own good. The arm also makes the game easier as I could jump and just grab whatever is down there and start slamming people around. Of course, I don't care about the style rating so that is probably a big problem with how I approach the game.

Halfway through, you get to play Dante. Fans cheer and joy is everywhere until you realise you need to play the same levels and fight the same bosses as you did with Nero. All I can say is WTF FOR?!

And I just can't understand why can't they be more creative with the character creation. Red trench coat, white hair, the arrogant attitude, it all seems a bit old and replayed.

Granted, I love the graphics. The lighting is good and the overall feel of the game is pretty but not exactly the best looking game on the PS3 platform. Probably the fact that it is non-exclusive has something to do with it.

The fight with stage bosses always seems epic. They are huge! And it is nice to knock them around with the array of moves you have at your disposal. If you are perfectionist, then this game is probably for you.

It is quite punishing to dish out loads of damage only for them to give you a D for style. They do make it sound good though, D for Deadly but deadly isn't nearly enough for fans of the series. So, if you are looking for game where you can replay the game until you get the best ranking for every stage, then Devil May Cry 4 is there for you.

The game's difficulty level can be a bit daunting but nothing a little practice won't overcome. It certainly isn't as frustrating as Ninja Gaiden and if you just want to view the storyline, then play on Human. It is relatively easier.

The Good

Nice graphics
Good story
You get to kill things with style

The Bad

What's new? Everything is same old, same old
I would have prefered a lead character that actually doesn't look like a younger clone
Playing Dante is nice but repeating the levels? Meh.

Verdict: If you are a fan of the Devil May Cry series, then by all means, you need to get this. If you are just out looking for action game, then try to get a pre-owned copy or rent this. I am certainly glad I only rented this.

Click here if you are interested in purchasing Devil May Cry 4.

Note: Images taken from IGN

40% off Planet Earth Blu-ray

2008-02-04T10:56:00.001+08:00

US$25 million to bring you the most beautiful images of Planet Earth. That is what you get with BBC's high-def production of what can be considered one of the finest documentary ever produced.

It is also a showcase set to show the difference between HD and non-HD. Astound your friends and families with this. While you are doing that, why not get a 40% discount as well?

Not sure how long this discount will last but you better click fast:

Blu-ray Releases for Week Feb 5th

2008-02-03T13:28:00.001+08:00

As usual, this is the time to look forward to new Blu-ray releases that is coming up on the week ahead. There are quite a few notable mention this time around but The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is probably the title to look out for.

Starring Brad Pitt, this movie has gotten pretty positive reviews. The full list for Week of February 5th releases are:

Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Across the Universe
Celine Dion: Live in Las Vegas - A New Day
The Brave One
Crimson Tide
Wall Street
The Jane Austen Book Club
Over America
Over California
Me, Myself and Irene

So, have fun and Happy Chinese New Year to my Chinese readers.

Spider-man Trilogy on Blu-ray gets a price cut!

2008-02-02T13:57:00.000+08:00

If you need to see Tobey Maguire gets all emo on high definition, then good news! The Spider-man Trilogy on Blu-ray just got massive discount of 47%!

So, instead of paying US$92.95, you only need to pay US$48.95 now. Interested? Then just click the picture below to purchase your very own set:

PSN Updates February 1,2008

2008-02-01T13:07:00.001+08:00

It is that time of the day where we find out what is new with the PSN Store. As usual, we begin with the US account and we see another demo being offered. Conflict Ops is a coop game so it should be interesting to see where this go, especially as it seems so similar to Army of Two.

Demos

Conflict: Denied Ops demo (free)

DLC

Rock Band - Smashing Pumpkins’ “Siva” ($1.99)
Rock Band - Rush’s “Working Man” ($1.99)
Rock Band -Coheed & Cambria’s “Ten Speed (Of God’s Blood and Burial)” ($1.99)
Folklore add-on bundle 3 ($5.99)
Folklore add-on 5 ($3.99)
Folklore add-on 6 ($3.99)

Trailers and Videos

Go! Sports Skydiving trailer (free)
Battlefield: Bad Company “Haggard’s Blog” video (free)
2 PixelJunk Monsters wallpapers (free)
Prince Caspian movie trailer (free)
Prom Night movie trailer (free)
Across The Universe Blu-Ray trailer (free)
Daddy Day Camp Blu-Ray trailer (free)

For the UK people, DMC4 demo finally reaches their store officially, and they got themselves another demo in MX vs ATV Untamed. Not to mention a whole lot of PS1 games, and I wonder if Theme Hospital is worth buying.

Demos

Devil May Cry 4 demo (free)
MX Vs ATV Untamed demo (free)

Trailers and Videos

PixelJunk Monsters trailer (free)

PSN and PS1 Games

Theme Hospital PS1 game (£3.49)
Fade to Black PS1 game (£3.49)
Motorhead PS1 game (£3.49)

That is all for this week, have fun with various demos being offered. Back to playing DMC4 for me.

DMC4 is here!

2008-01-31T17:49:00.000+08:00

Devil May Cry 4 is in my hands and I didn't even need to fork out any cash for it. Well, other than the monthly fee I pay blackmangogames. The beauty of being able to rent games in Malaysia is finally a dream come true!

For more info on blackmangogames, do visit them here.

ps: If you sign up with them, let him know you heard of his service from geekingitout :)

Devil May Cry 4 Asian version ships early on Play-Asia

2008-01-30T21:00:00.000+08:00

Those who pre-ordered Devil May Cry 4 Asian version will be receiving a pleasant surprise from Play-Asia as they shipped out the game instead of the listed date, February 2nd.

For those who wants to try their luck in getting a copy earlier than expected, you can buy it here. Hopefully, they will ship it out for you as well.

Lost Season 3 59% off on Amazon.com

2008-01-30T11:00:00.000+08:00

For the next five hours, you have the chance to get yourself Lost Season 3 on HD for a whopping 59% discount on Amazon.

Normally priced at US$96.99, it is now only US$39.99 which means you can save yourself US$57 bucks!

It is a limited-time offer so I hope you read this before it ends. You can get your copy by clicking the link below:

Racing around in paradise...

2008-01-29T20:29:00.000+08:00

Burnout Paradise is a game that is both a hit and a miss. It is awesome, I give it that. In fact, it is the only racing game that I currently enjoy. Maybe its because I don't need to worry about crashing my car as crashing it is half the fun.

As good as it is, it just feels like they could have done certain things better. A few minor things but it certainly contribute to a different gaming experience if implemented.

First up, the graphics for Burnout Paradise is fantastic. The game looks good and there is no lag when you are racing at top speed to different parts of Paradise City. This is why we splash so much money on a next gen machine.

Burnout Paradise took a different route, making it GTA style which means it is sandbox. It is open, you go where you want to go, race where you want to race or you can just drive around all day doing nothing but crashing the car or discovering shortcuts and jumps and billboards and a whole lof of things.

Some people like it, some people don't. Maybe because the map really sucks. Half the time I have no idea where I am going. And this is bad when it comes to racing because one wrong turn and I end up on the other side of town.

But I have no problem with the open concept. I find it fantastic. I don't need to spend hours unlocking tracks just so I can race on the track. Now, the whole city is open to me. I am my own man and that sense of freedom is pretty nice.

You might be wondering how the heck do you do challenges then? Simple, go to a traffic junction and press R2+L2 and off you go! This is a very good way of doing it except they should have included a Restart Challenge button. Once you lose, you have to make your way back to the initial traffic junction.

And for idiots like me who can't even read the map, remembering where I was is a big problem. I end up just doing something else. A Restart button would have been nice to have.

The other big plus is the almost seamless online play. Press the D-pad and invite your friends in. That is simplicity. It might be a big leap for those on the 360, but for the PS3 that is lacking an in-game XMB, this certainly made it easier for me to race with friends.

What is my favourite moment in Burnout Paradise? Taking down people or just crashing my own car. Crashing my own car is more fun though, the crash is simply breathtakingly fantastic!

The Good

Fantastic graphics
Open world, while not appealing to some, is heaven sent for me
Speed, more speed and crashes, more CRASHES!
Seamless online play

The Bad

Map is a bit lacking
Restart Challenge button would have been nice

Verdict: This is simply the best arcade racing game for the PS3. It is not Gran Turismo but it brings a whole lot of fun to the genre. And it has never looked so good before. Buy it.

You can get it at Play-Asia for US$49.90 for the Asian version. Click here to buy.

Blu-ray Releases on Amazon.com - Week of Jan 28th, 2008

2008-01-29T11:06:00.000+08:00

So, what is up for the Blu-ray scene this week? Nothing really groundbreaking except maybe for The Invasion starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Mysterious virus infects people and Nicole Kidman has to stop it.

Other titles are:

Monty Python's Life of Brian - Two-Disc Collector's Edition
King of California
Damages: The Complete First Season
Daddy Day Camp

Next week promises to be slightly better. If you are interested in any of these titles, head on over to Amazon.com

Relive your Metal Gear experience with The Essential Collection

2008-01-29T10:01:00.000+08:00

With Metal Gear Solid 4 scheduled to be released this year on the PS3, many gamers will be looking at replaying the old games just to re-sync themselves with the quite confusing Metal Gear storyline.

What better way to do it than to purchase Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection which is a collection of the first three games. 3 games for a value price? This is practically a must for Metal Gear fans.

Oh, and if you are new to the series, this will keep you busy until MGS4 finally arrives. It will be released in March and I am pretty sure it will fly off the shelves.

Pre-order your copy here today.

God of War goes for cheap on Play-Asia

2008-01-28T16:58:00.000+08:00

For a limited period of time, God of War is available on a bargain price of US$14.90. This is compatible with Japan and Asian PS2 machines so it will work on the Japanese and Asian PS3 as well.

Limited to one copy per customer, better grab yours quick before it runs out. Click here to grab your copy now!

Oh, you can also utilise the free shipping option to Malaysia.

PSN Updates January 25

2008-01-25T17:56:00.000+08:00

So, what is in store for the PSN stores in US this week? The good news is that there are demos worth downloading once again with Devil May Cry 4 and The Club appearing on the store.

There are more Rock Band DLC and this time, Oasis makes its appearance.

Demos

Devil May Cry 4 demo (free)
The Club demo (free)

PSN and PS1 Games

PixelJunk Monsters PSN game ($7.99)
Jet Moto 2 PS1 game ($5.99)

DLC

Folklore “Create A Creature winner” add-on (free)
Stranglehold map-pack add-on ($14.99)
Stranglehold: Collector’s Edition map-pack add-on ($14.99)
Need For Speed ProStreet “Premium Car Bundle 1″ add-on pack ($5.99)
Need For Speed ProStreet “Premium Car Bundle 2″ add-on pack ($5.99)
Tony Hawk’s Proving Grounds “Stevie Williams Skater Profile” video (free)
Rock Band - Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back In Anger” ($1.99)
Rock Band - Oasis’ “Live Forever” ($1.99)
Rock Band - Oasis’ “Wonderwall” ($1.99)

For the UK store, you can't compare it to the US store. Devil May Cry 4 demo is slated for a later release means European PS3 users need to wait a little longer. The alternative is to just register a US account and download the demos from there.

PSN and PS1 Games

PixelJunk Monsters full game (£3.49)
Judge Dredd PS1 game (£3.49)

Trailer

CIV Revolution trailer (free)

Themes and Wallpapers

Call of Duty 4 PS3 theme (free)
5 Call of Duty 4 wallpapers (free)

The ears enjoy while the wallet bleeds...

2008-01-25T14:51:00.000+08:00

So, I finally got down and set up the Tritton Audio Extreme 360 (AX360) to use with the PS3. The headphones is definitely made for the XBOX 360 as you need to do a couple of things before it actually has full capabilities for the PS3. More on that later.

The headphone is huge. Well, not that big but definitely big. The pads are comfy around the ear but if you are gaming with these on a hot day, sweat is going to be a nuisance. Just make sure you either have air condition on or a full blast fan.

The AX360 is a 5.1 headphones which means you are going to hear things whether they are coming from your left, right, back or front. So how does it do it? Simple. A sound card helps to generate all these within two pieces of speakers stuck to your ears.

The AX360 soundcard has two jacks for the headsets, so one card can actually support two headsets. It also has coaxial input as well as optical input. With the PS3, I opted for the optical input. Dolby Digital only though so don't ask for DTS or PCM.

Tritton also bundled a whole array of cables but they are mostly cheap cables that does not work very well. The optical cable bundled was quite bad and I had to splash extra money just to get one that works decently.

What's wrong with the bundled cable? It is too noisy, the connection is loose and it is so thin, you definitely know it won't work for such an expensive gadget.

The mic is pretty decent but again, for the PS3, you need to purchase an additional USB soundcard for it to work. It only comes with a cable to connect to the 360 controller. For the PS3, you need to output the sound from the AX360 soundcard. And since, there is no way to cucuk the input (it doesn't have USB) into the PS3, you need a USB soundcard which will channel the sound to the PS3 via USB.

The investment is not over yet as I unpacked the stuff from Tritton. A power adapter for the soundcard means I need a stepdown adapter before I can use this headset. Another bummer.

So, after getting all these things done, do I still think the AX360 was worth it? You bet it is. It is especially useful when you are living with someone else, and playing your game on surround sound on full volume means disgruntled housemates or family members.

The headset, once calibrated properly, helps you experience the game fully. I tried the headset on Call of Duty 4 and it was fantastic. I know where enemies were firing from just by listening to the bullet sounds wheezing past my head.

It is not easy to find a good pair of headsets for the consoles but this is definitely one that is worth the trouble I went through to get my hands on it and to get it to work. I highly recommend it if you don't mind the initial trouble in setting it up.

Price of AX360: US$112
Price of stepdown: RM90
Price of optical cable: RM69
5.1 surround sound without disturbing others: Priceless.

The Good

Fantastic 5.1 surround sound
Comfortable headset even if it gets slightly warm
No more disgruntled family members in the morning

The Bad

Amount of set up needed
Pricy
Bundled optical cable a disappointment

Verdict: If you are looking for a gaming headset with surround sound, the AX360 is a very, very good choice. Just have to put more effort into getting it to work.

Yikes! More things that I need to blog about...

2008-01-24T17:51:00.000+08:00

Just when I thought I will have a bit more time to catch up on posting my impression on several games, along came Burnout Paradise to throw that schedule off.

So, with this game in hand, I now have to post impression (which you care about, right?) on:

Priority
1. The Audio Extreme 360 headphones
2. Time Crisis 4
3. Burnout Paradise

Not so important
4. Clive Barker's Jericho
5. Lego Star Wars
6. Ratchet and Clank
7. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

Next week, I will be picking up Timeshift for a test run and finally give Resistance the time it deserves.

Audio Extreme 360 is in Malaysia!

2008-01-18T14:18:00.000+08:00

Well, not exactly officially sold in Malaysia but I finally got my set all the way from Amazon thanks to Vpost.

The bummer is that I can't test the set out as I am missing the rather important stepdown for the power. So, watch this space for review on the product pretty soon enough!

PSN Updates January 18

2008-01-18T12:07:00.000+08:00

This week, the PSN updates are rather good. Turok and FIFA Street 3 makes it to the demo list and more songs for people who owns Rockband. This all makes appearance for the US store.

Demos
FIFA Street 3 demo
Turok demo

Games
Blast Factor Bundle ($12.99)
Mesmerize: Trace ($1.99)
Tori-Emaki ($1.99)

Add-ons
MotorStorm Double Track Pack - Eagles Nest, Diamondback Speedway ($2.99)

Rock Band DLC
Sweet - “Action” (Cover, $1.99)
Blink 182 - “All the Small Things” ($1.99)
The Monkees - “Last Train to Clarksville” (Cover, $1.99)

Trailers
PixelJunk Monsters trailer
Borderlands Debut trailer
Dynasty Warriors 6 trailer
Lost Planet trailer
Syphon Filter: Combat Ops trailer

For the UK store, not much to shout about except they do get the FIFA Street 3 demo as well. But there is no Turok demo as they are only expected to get it sometime in February.

Demos
NBA 08 demo (free)
FIFA Street 3 demo (free)

Add-ons
Guitar Hero III DLC
“Warner track pack” (£3.99)
Die Fantastischen Vier’s “Ernten Was Wir Saen” (£1.49)
Extremoduro’s “So Payaso” (£1.49)
Trust’s “Antisocial” (£1.49)

Folklore DLC
Folklore “Visions of the Tower” add-on pack (£1.49)

Trailers
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue trailer (free)
Borderlands “debut” trailer (free)
Brothers in Arms trailer (free)
Cloverfield movie trailer (free)

Image Source: Play-Beyond.NET

Our new home!

2008-01-18T11:29:00.000+08:00

After experimenting with blogmas, there were some issues that have forced me to move back to Blogspot.

It was fun on blogmas on the good days, as it showed just how powerful a free-version of Wordpress can be. Much better than the version Wordpress offers. But then, there were some hiccups that I couldn't take any longer:

Blog deleted and although restoration was fast, it was less than satisfactory.
The update is pretty slow, editing sidebar might take some time before the change is reflected on the site.
Pop-up window to promote blogmas? Sorry but that doesn't cut it.
Recently, I can't edit the widgets meaning my shoutmix can't be posted. It is quite irritating

So, with all the faults above, I was forced to move back to a home I am more familiar with, Blogspot.

So, do drop a comment or two when you are here. And for those needing to update their links again, I am sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Death to HD-DVD?

2008-01-18T11:26:00.000+08:00

So Warner decides to go Blu-ray exclusive giving Blu-ray fanboys plenty to shout about to their rivals, the HD-DVD camp. Many have said that with this move, the format war for hidef movies is about to end. This piece of news was actually all over the Internet over the weekend but I am posting it now only after thinking about it and wondering if I should really be happy.

I own a PS3, so it should be an obvious choice for me to be happy that the format I own is winning. But then again, with no competition, who is to ensure that the BDA will continue to look after the consumers?

I am still in two minds as to what I should feel about this announcement but I certainly hope it does not spell the end of cheap Blu-rays on Amazon or the hope of having a dedicated player that is affordable. Monopoly is never good so I hope HD-DVD can continue to fight the good fight. Even if it means I have to lose out a few movies to the HD-DVD camp.

edit: In another update, popular porn producer Digital Playground also announced their move to the Bluray camp. Toshiba however, revealed their plans to market HD-DVD and declared that HD-DVD is the consumer's choice.

Too many games, too little cash? Try Blackmango

2008-01-18T11:24:00.001+08:00

When the PS3 was launched, everyone was complaining about the lack of games. Now, as developers are slowly getting used to work this machine, more and more games are being released for the PS3. Of course, as gamers, we now complain we don’t have enough money to buy them all!

For gamers in other countries, rental stores are everywhere and they can try games for a very cheap fee. Too bad Malaysians can’t enjoy the same thing. Or can they? Well, the truth is, now we can. Blackmango Games is the first Malaysian store to offer a rental scheme for PS3 games.

So, if you are tight on cash, then give them a try. At least you can stay updated with the latest while saving your wallet from a big, gaping hole.

Visit them at http://blackmangogames.googlepages.com/

US PSN Update January 3rd

2008-01-18T11:23:00.000+08:00

Nothing much this time around except if you own Rockband or Guitar Hero 3. All American Rejects on Rockband, in-te-res-tinnggg…

Add-on Game Content

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
For all song credits please visit www.redoctane.com

Die Fantastischen Vier “Ernten Was Wir Säen” - Single Track ($2.49)
“Ernten Was Wir Säen” as performed by Ernten Was Wir Säen.
File size: 27.7 MB
Trust “Antisocial” - Single Track ($2.49)
“Antisocial” as performed by Trust
File size: 17.8 MB
Extremoduro “So Payaso” - Single Track ($2.49)
“So Payaso” as performed by Extremoduro.
File size: 27.6MB
Warner/Reprise Track Pack ($6.25)
“No More Sorrow” as performed by Linkin Park , “Sleeping Giant” as performed by Mastodon, “Pretty Handsome Awkward” as performed by The Used.
File size: 45.1 MB

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. Please note: you need to actually own Rock Band in order to play these tracks:

“Attack” – 30 Seconds to Mars ($0.99)
“The Kill” – 30 Seconds to Mars ($0.99)
“Dirty Little Secret” - All-American Rejects ($0.99)
“Move Along” - All-American Rejects ($0.99)
“Song With a Mission” – The Sounds ($0.99)
“Limelight” – Rush ($1.99)
“Hard to Handle” – The Black Crowes ($1.99)
“Gimme Three Steps” – Lynyrd Skynyrd ($1.99)

File sizes: 19.3 MB – 37.8 MB

Need for Speed ProStreet
Unlock vehicles for immediate use. These cars can be achieved without purchase by progressing through Career.

Shelby GT500 ($1.99)
File size: 100 KB
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ($2.49)
File size: 100 KB
Lancer Evolution ($2.49)
File size: 100 KB
BMW M3 E92 ($2.49)
File size: 100 KB
Ford GT ($2.49)
File size: 100 KB
Chevrolet Camaro Concept ($2.49)
File size: 100 KB
Dodge Viper SRT10 ($2.99)
File size: 100 KB

Demos

NFL Tour ‘09 Network Demo
You are the star of the NFL’s traveling road show in NFL Tour! This is a hard-hitting, pulse-pounding game of 7-on-7 football. NFL Tour is football the way you always wanted to play it.
File size: 990 MB

Game Videos

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Japanese Launch Trailer (free)
The real driving simulator returns with the highly anticipated precursor to Gran Turismo 5, featuring 50 cars from world wide auto makers including Ferrari, Ford, and Audi. With an all-new interior dash view, online racing mode, and more, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue unveils revolutionary advancements that blur the distinction between simulation and reality. Download the official Japanese trailer from the December 13 launch of the game in Japan.
File size: 83 MB (1080)

Is this for real?

2008-01-18T11:20:00.001+08:00

Unreal Tournament 3 was meant to be the game that is set to rock the multiplayer FPS world for PS3. True enough, it did. It even got so many people hyped up about the game and the mods that will accompany it in the future. Even gaming websites were raving about it, so why did I feel like I got ripped off my hard-earned cash after buying this game?

First up, people were talking about the graphics. It was supposed to be “unreal”, pardon the pun. But after watching the opening cutscene, all that came to my mind was Epic Games could have and should have done better. The explosions looked terrible and the characters looked like they came out from Gears of War and decided to change costume.

I guess when the game is played at such fast pace, you don’t expect people to really pay attention to the graphics overall. If PS3 fans said Halo3 sucked and was nothing groundbreaking, then it is even worse with Unreal Tournament 3. Adding salt to the wound is the lack of storyline. The campaign mode is laughable and they even came up with a sorry excuse on why you can respawn on the spot to rejoin the fight should you die. Come on, Epic! You gave us Gears of War, you should be doing something better than this for the game that propelled you to fame.

So, we have a game with practically no single-player mode and so the multiplayer should really bring it to greatness. Too bad the burden was too heavy for it this time. UT3 feels like the older games and if you are a fan, you will probably be loving it.

If you are looking for something new, then the game tries to give it to you but ultimately fails to do so. I usually agree with gaming websites when it comes to reviews but this time around, I just can’t believe how this game scored so high.

The Good

Well, the graphics is a step-up. It is next-gen after all but could have been better
Fast, brutal, this is Unreal Tournament as you know it

The Bad

Lack of storyline
Nothing new - same old, same old

The Verdict: Buy this only if you are a fan. If you are looking for satisfying multiplayer experience, you are best to go with Call of Duty 4. At least, that game has a good campaign mode if Internet fails you.

Screenshots obtained from IGN.com

Falls short on being heavenly...

2008-01-18T11:15:00.000+08:00

Heavenly Sword is a game that was supposed to bring the PS3 into prominence. It did, not entirely in the best of ways at times. The game delivered stunning graphics, an engaging gameplay, a great story, good voice acting but when it clocked in around 6 hours of gameplay, everyone was less than happy.

Without a doubt, the game is every bit enjoyable, which is why everyone is grumbling why it is so short. The storyline is epic enough. You play the role of Nariko, the heroine that is hated by many as she is seen as a curse. She is like the female version of Spider-Man, every bit as emo and misunderstood by many.

The story unfold at a good pace but one wonders why they cannot expand on it. News that Heavenly Sword might be a trilogy has given hope to fans of the game.

As I said before, the graphics is absolutely stunning. The environment that you find yourself in can be breathtaking. You feel like you are part of a movie, a grand scale action movie. Although Uncharted has recently taken the PS3 graphics to a different level, one will always remember Heavenly Sword as a game that showcased what the PS3 is capable of.

The fighting in the game is smooth and it is pretty enjoyable taking Nariko through the paces. Slice and dice with different combos and you can use the Heavenly Sword in different stances depending if you prefer ranged attacks or heavier attacks.

Not only that, Heavenly Sword learned from God of War and throw in a few key moments where you need to press buttons as they are prompted on screen. This is done just right to break the sometimes monotonous button mashing fighting scenes.

Of course, playing as Nariko means that you will probably be most of the time dispatching enemies without problem. So, it is refreshing when the game toss you the role of Kai. Kai’s missions are mostly sniping and picking off enemies from far with her crossbow. She can’t do close combat so you will be running around a lot trying to get to a safe distance to be at her best element.

The sixaxis controller comes into play here as you steer her arrows using the motion control. The first few times will probably leave you frustrated but once you get used to it, it is pretty fun.

The Good

Great story
Good voice acting
Stunning graphics
Fast-paced action

The Bad

Should be longer, 6 hours to complete the game is a waste of such good production values

Verdict: Even though critics have slammed Heavenly Sword as being too short, there is no argument that Heavenly Sword is one of the best games for the PS3. Let’s hope there is indeed a sequel for this game. I haven’t had enough of Nariko.

My recommendation is get it; whether you borrow it from your friend, buy it 2nd hand or splash out the cash for a brand new unit, you must PLAY this game.

ps: I sold this game after I finished it, and then I purchased it again. That shows what I think about the game. It must be in my PS3 library. No doubt about it.

Haze delayed until August 2008?

2008-01-18T11:14:00.000+08:00

I love coop games which was why I loved Halo3 on the XBOX 360. It was fun playing with four friends over quite an amazing campaign.

Unreal Tournament 3 has coop mode as well but unfortunately the campaign mode is so bad one wonders why they even included a campaign mode. Therefore, all that is left is Haze.

And Haze is getting delayed. Not until March as initially feared, but worse, it is August 2008. Unless Ubisoft made an error on their site, it is going to be a very, very long wait for this game.

edit: In a later update, all the European and US sites have been updated with a March release date.

Reviews galore coming up! Delayed due to work :(

2008-01-18T11:05:00.000+08:00

It has been a hectic and busy time for me so no opportunity to update anything over here. One thing for sure, Rock Band is already in my hands so I will be reviewing it pretty soon.

But the review will be summarised in one word: AWESOME!

I also need to work around getting the Uncharted as well as Ratchet and Clank. Not to mention I have Lego Star Wars and Unreal Tournament 3 waiting for me. It is going to be a busy December indeed.

Truly Next Gen?

2008-01-18T10:57:00.001+08:00

With the delay of Metal Gear Solid 4 and Haze, the performance of the PS3 this year is relying on two exclusives, Uncharted and Ratchet & Clank as well as a few multi-platform games such as Call of Duty 4, Unreal Tournament 3 and of course, Assassin’s Creed.

This game has been hailed as one of the greatest next gen game so it was only natural that expectations were high. How did it play out? Well, let’s just say it is a good game but it didn’t live up to the high standards that everyone set upon it.

I don’t want to spoil the plot but basically you are re-living your ancestors’ memories as an assassin. For what reasons? You will have to find out for yourself.

As expected from the makers of Prince of Persia, expect to jump a lot, run a lot and basically all sort of stunts. Of course, this happens often after you assassinated someone. Or if you really suck at stealth. The game requires you to gather intel before an assignment and you can do so quietly or create all sort of ruckus. The game doesn’t really reward you for stealth so it doesn’t really matter anyway.

You can also slip past guards by hiding inside a group of scholars. How they fail to recognise you baffles me. I mean, isn’t the sword and red belt a dead giveaway? So, as you can see, the game certainly has its flaws but I will talk about all that later.

Don’t get me wrong, the game is still fun although a bit repetitive and I am enjoying it so far. My favourite moments in the game is climbing Eagle Eye spots and look at the city from above. It is quite impressive and goes to show how great the game is graphically.

The cities are massive and sprawled out everywhere so expect to do a little travellling.

You can either go on foot or ride a horse and this is something that is good and bad by itself. Those are the gameplay moments. In a nutshell, you have action, platform, stealth and basically a sandbox type of game. You can do anything, anytime you want.

My review will be in point form and I will highlight the positives and negatives.

Positives

Graphically impressive
Immersive storyline
Jumping around and scaling buildings feel natural
Sticking people with the pointy end is satisfying
Combat is good (although many say it sucks - they must have been playing a different game)

Negatives

The game crashed and froze at certain parts (this has since been fixed) but you would have thought such bugs shouldn’t exist in the first place
No reward for stealth. You can basically just hack and slash your way through
Too much talking. After each assassination, you will feel like you want to fall asleep through the dialogue
Altair (main char) has bad, almost terrible voice acting
Riding on a horse is tedious if you want to escape guards’ attention.
Repetitive elements. You do almost the same thing everytime.

Final verdict: If you want a good looking game and love jumping around, then buy it. If you do not like doing the same things over and over again, then you might want to avoid this title or just borrow it from a friend.

However, I do recommend getting this game 2nd hand rather than brand new if you can.

Killzone 2 gets pie in the face...

2008-01-18T10:55:00.000+08:00

First, it was the pre-rendered trailer which Sony tried to pass off as gameplay video. The whole thing blew up in their face but gamers soon forgot about it when they saw actual gameplay video. Killzone 2 looks set to rock the PS3 world.

Obviously, good publicity is something Sony doesn’t like. Now, the developer, Guerilla Games, admits that they “slightly” touched up the screenshots. From the above, a blind man can see the difference. Slightly doesn’t quite cut it.

I don’t understand why companies have to go through all of this. The game itself was already looking good to begin with. As much as it is their fault, I blame the gamers as well. Games that are rated 7-8 these days are considered crap.

True, it forces developers to push themselves to create better games, but cut them some slack before all we see are pre-rendered trailers and Photoshopped screenshots.

Bringing Cards to Life!

2008-01-18T10:48:00.000+08:00

The Eye of Judgment is the game that got the local PS3 community excited about the EyeToy by Sony. Why is everyone so excited about the game? Basically, if you have played trading card games and wished that the cards could come alive, this is the game for you.

Eye of Judgment is developed by Wizards of the Coast which means they are backed by the experience of one of the most successful TCG ever, Magic: The Gathering. If you are thinking it is the same as M:TG, then you are wrong, the game plays more like a cross-breed between chess and a M:TG.

So what is in the box? It is quite impressive once you lay it out. You have the camera stand, the playmat, the EyeToy, the game disc, a starter deck and a bonus booster pack.

This is basically everything you need to play the game. As you can see from the play mat, you have nine squares and the game is won when you conquer five of those spaces.

You conquer spaces by summoning creatures using the mana generated every turn. Sounds confusing? Don’t worry, it is simple once you get the hang of it after 2-3 games.

The game is bundled with a tutorial videos but I found it a chore to sit through them. When the video begins by teaching you how to shake your opponent’s hands, you know you are in for a long night.

The camera is pretty responsive and can usually scan and identify the cards without any problem. However, there has been cases where dimly lighted rooms and glare can cause a problem when playing the game.

I tried using card sleeves but that caused another set of problems when the camera sometimes refuse to recognise a card because there is glare on the plastic sleeves.

Aligning the camera is also tricky at times. I got it to work easily at home but when I put it over at Toybox, the camera needed to be placed at an angle before it is aligned properly with the mat. Weird.

At about RM320-350, you get the EyeToy of course and this is nifty little device. It has good resolution, capture pretty good pictures and the applications planned by Sony seems to be really interesting. Of course, at launch, the most impressive remains to be Eye of Judgment. You can download EyeCreate from the PlayStation Network but it is a fun software for 5 minutes at best.

The animation is pretty good and the card interacts in a certain way when you do some hand movement. Other than that, you are looking at cool looking sprites which goes into a Final Fantasy-like battle scene when they do battle. It is a cool for the first few games but after that, you will just tend to turn off that option to speed up games.

The game play will be familiar to you if you have played TCGs before. You summon creatures, creatures do battle, there is damage and the victor is decided.

The game will probably last a while. Wizards will be releasing new expansion and this current expansion, Biolith Rebellion is already keeping players busy. They have booster packs and theme decks to buy. Current theme decks are Water Barrage, Fire Crusader, Wood Swarm, Earth Emperor and Biolith Scourge.

My final verdict: If you like card games, dreamt about seeing cards come alive, then you need to get this.

Tools of the trade

2008-01-18T10:45:00.000+08:00

What does readers want when they read a gaming blog? Pictures of course. But where am I going to get screenshots? Digital Foundry seems to high end for me, so I decided to go conventional. Camera takes TV.

Introducing, my trustworthy Nikon D40!

Don’t worry, I did not steal this picture as zio is my other pen name. So, with a tripod and the D40, I should attempt to capture moving stuff on the TV screen. Hopefully it works.

If not, I’ll just take screens from IGN and credit them with it. That works as well.

Here we go again!

2008-01-18T10:44:00.000+08:00

Looks like I will be starting another gaming/ entertainment blog. Wonder how long this one will last?