Welcome back! Has it already been a week? Man time just seems to fly by when you’re enjoying all the games that have been coming out lately! It’s another light crew this week, just FooBear and I holding down the fort! We do a good job of course, always with the chit chat, the pitter patter, the ramblings of mad men, but you love it! So sit down, or stand up, and listen in on the two of us discussing the week in PlayStation news. Also a shout out to the PS3 as it will be turning 5 this week! Enter the secret word(s) mentioned in the PS3BlogCast to earn 75 points. The first 10 people to enter it correctly get double points! As always, we want to remind you that the PS3BlogCast is listed on iTunes! So please subscribe and rate/review us there. You can also leave a voicemail for us by calling PS3-888-BLOG or if you want to contact us via email for us you can do so here . We have a dedicated forum for the PS3BlogCast so you can leave your questions and feedback there as well. Here’s a list of some things (or everything) we discussed: PSN 14 hour Maintenance 11/17/11 New Releases Uncharted 3 sells 3.8 million on first day Sly Cooper trilogy coming to PSN Uncharted 3 map DLC inbound EA Bans Battlefield players for exploit boosting Kevin Butler Hall of Play videos Donate to PS3Blog.net! Assassin’s Creed Revelations

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PS3BlogCast Episode 26

Akimi Village was a very interesting experience for me. While I was downloading it I thought this would be lame and boring, but after a couple hours I was pleasantly surprised and even played it to 100% completion and obtained all trophies which I rarely do for PSN titles. This is a village creator game, themed around a floating island inhabited by a crazy raccoon and Akimis (very short blue guys), the art style and setting is very Japanese and made me interpret this game as a virtual sand garden, where you have to keep things tidy. This is a very relaxing game and a good getaway from all the tension of Dark Souls and the blood and gore from Dead Island (the games I have been playing lately). This is an unpretentious adventure, with zero challenge and it compels you to take your time and enjoy it. There are no limitations in terms of difficulty, you’re given a quest to revitalize this little island and you can do it for as long as you like. Despite it being fairly easy and simple, some smart thinking should come into play if you want to make a fully functional home for you little blue friends. Like any strategy game you must collect resources to build stuff, the difference though is that those basic components must be transformed into many other different ones through the use of different buildings. Creating a viable non-stop gathering and production of all materials really made me slightly addicted to this game, definitely the main incentive if you’re a perfectionist like me. Those materials are then used to create different structures that combined will make dozens of different buildings. The pacing is completely up to the player, but having a smoothly ran village will certainly speed things up, otherwise you’ll probably waste a lot of time gathering stuff and that would be boring. There is no need to create multiple buildings of the same kind if you place them all well enough, which is kind of cool and shows an interesting level of balance to the game. The game is no graphical wonder, but runs smoothly at 1080p and looks better than the average PSN game. Most things about it are built with the Japanese culture in mind, so you can expect to see a lot of Sakura trees, dragons, gates and things of the sort. This certainly made the game feel ever more “zen” to me and fit the overall concept of it perfectly. The colors are very bright with high contrast, as most games focused on a younger audience are, but also has some interesting darker tones and models on “gloomy” areas (places where you can’t build). Most things will glow and sparkle when active or going through some sort of transformation, those effects are also decently done and work well for the theme and purpose of the game, never feeling overdone or getting in the way of everything else. The soundtrack is very peaceful, though it got repetitive after a couple hours, but since I didn’t play it for longer sessions than that it wouldn’t annoy me when I got back to it. There are few sound effects, and those also get repetitive after a while, but since they’re not continuous possibly it isn’t as bad. Playing with the music on is certainly the way to go though, in case you’re one of those people that like to turn off all sounds and choose your own tunes the immersion and therefore the relaxation will be certainly a lot less effective. In terms of gameplay Akimi Village functions are very simple, you walk and interact, basically using two buttons, however it’s very easy to access and navigate the menus with blueprints for the buildings as well, which is nice, since it’s a rather important part of the game. The interface for creating new structures and interactions with the environment are also extremely effective and very helpful, making the game a lot more enjoyable than if you had to guess where things go. My only complaint is the same that afflicts most PSN titles I’ve played: camera angles. I seriously don’t understand why a game that allows you to rotate and zoom does not offer the option to actually change it, instead you’re forced to actively hold the camera on the desired position. I also believe the overall ease of navigation through the island is hindered by it, and I’d certainly would like to have seen a top view with more distance. It isn’t a major problem, you’ll get used to it, but it would have been a great feature. As I have mentioned earlier, the game is fairly addictive and encouraged me to go all the way and get 100% completion and trophies (the gold trophy is “missable”, so watch out!), it took me approximately 7 hours to do so, but unfortunately there’s very little replay value to it if you’ve gotten everything on the first go. You can keep playing after you finish the main “story” if you so desire, but again, this will only interest those who haven’t really put too much effort into it, and chances are if you haven’t you won’t want to do it anyway. Akimi Village is certainly a fun game and worth purchasing if you’re looking to relax from a stressful day at work. It’s a nice little break for anyone that doesn’t need realistic graphics or blood to entertain yourself. While playing, I had a strange feeling that if EdEN had created a video game, this would be it, don’t ask me why though. As a long time fan of Harvest Moon, I have always loved tidying things up and this reminded me of that, which was nice. Some mechanics will appeal to those who like real time strategy games and others might enjoy the weird sense of humor. This is a unusual game, where the player sets all the rules and challenges and utterly decides how much fun can be had with it, so if you’re up for it, this shall definitely be much appreciated. Review Pros Cons Very relaxing Interesting mechanics Fairly addictive Low replayability No challenge Rating 80%

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[Review] Akimi Village

Insomniac Games have announced an upcoming huge patch for the PlayStation 3 exclusive, Resistance 3 . The upcoming patch 1.05 will introduce some tweaks, fixes and two free new multiplayer maps: Creek and Granary. Here are the highlights of the patch: – Several performance updates to fix network lag – Improved team balancing – All equipment and abilities are now purchasable at level 60 – Leaper Corpse will now spawn fewer leapers – Improved the Move’s aim mechanic For more details on the upcoming patch, visit this link .

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Resistance 3 Upcoming Patch 1.05

November is already here and a new month brings a new list of content for all Playstation Plus Subscribers! As a friendly reminder, those of you that have been thinking about getting a subscription to this wonderful system can take advantage of a VERY GOOD promo that starts today and runs for only one week. Read all about it! What you’ll see after the break is NOt all of the content for november since, as always, dates and content are subject to change, most of the discounts on games and DLC are announced each week once the PSN store goes live AND Sony could give us a little extra for Thanksgiving! Free PSN Games and DLC: Hydrophobia: Prophecy (11/1) Free PSone Classics: Crash Bandicoot (11/1) Crash Bandicoot 2 (11/1) Crash Bandicoot3: Warped (11/1) CTR: Crash Team Racing (11/1) Free Minis: Rumble Trucks (11/1) Where is my Heart (11/8) Doodle Fit (11/15) Full Game Trials: MORTAL KOMBAT VS DC UNIVERSE DIGITAL (11/1) MONOPOLY STREETS (11/8) Hasbro Family Game Night 3 Full Game Trial (11/15) Exclusive Discounts: Jurassic Park: The Game – Full Series (Episodes 1-4) – 20% off – (11/15) Free Themes: Robots Dynamic Theme (11/1) Free Avatars Green Hat Penguin Avatar (11/15) Raccoon Avatar (11/15) Red Ornament Avatar (11/15) Snow Monster Avatar (11/15) Turkey Leg Avatar (11/15) Media: Qore Episode 42 – November Early Access

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PS+ Subscribers: Here’s Part of your November Content!

Halloween is here… and so is the new releases for the week! What does the first week of november have in store for us? For most of you I could just mention that Uncharted 3 is finally hitting retail, call it a day and get this over with, but there are a LOT of games that you should also consider as well! This week brings us the second wave of PS2 Classics (I got GrimGrimoire, Odin Sphere and Maximo. Did you buy any of them?) which at least means the first round was a success and gives us hope for more and more games to join this new part of the PSN store. I did own a PS2 but there are a LOT of games I never got to try and would love to get a chance to do so. Full list of games after the break! PS3 RETAIL RELEASES You Can Buy Uncharted 3 Right Here! Or, Get the Collector’s Edition! Or Maybe You’re Looking for a New PS3 System AND Uncharted 3? You Can Buy Sonic Generations Right Here! You Can Buy Lord of the Rings: War in the North Right Here! You Can Buy NCIS Right Here! You Can Buy Air Conflicts: Secret Wars Right Here! PSN RELEASES minis PS2 CLASSICS PSOne IMPORTS RELEASES

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Releases for the Week (October 31st-November 6th)

We’ve already gotten ports of Dead Space Extraction and House of the Dead: Overkill… so now it’s time to bring two more on rails shooters to PS3! CAPCOM has just announced that ports of both Resident Evil Chronicles games will be given HD ports with Move support (well… duh!) for release at an unspecified date. I already own ALL of the games mentioned in this post but for those of you that have yet to try any of these fine, fine games… what do you think about all the Wii to PS3 ports lately?

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Resident Evil Chronicles Wii games to given HD ports

“Boolat Games is happy to announce that our game 4 Elements HD will be sold with 50% off exclusively for PlayStation®Plus subscribers starting October 25 th until November 8th at the US PlayStation®Store. The price for 4 Elements HD now is $5.00 (original price $9.99).” Check out our review of 4 Elements right here. The all-new 4 Elements HD for PlayStation®3 is specially designed to experience the mix of classic, addictive Match-3 gameplay in Full HD resolution combined with innovative twists, explosive bonuses, spectacular visual effects and intuitive controls makes 4 Elements HD a joy for players of all ages. The player has an option to use the PlayStation®Move controller that is fully supported by 4 Elements HD.

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4 Elements HD is 50% off for US PlayStation Plus Subscribers

Rockstar Games is finally ready to reveal to the world the next Grand Theft Auto installment. Earlier today the company released a teaser for Grand Theft Auto V along with the date ( 11.2.11) when the first trailer for the game will go live. We’ve just over a week to attempt to predict which city Grand Theft Auto will take us to next or who the new protagonist will be in the game so let the speculation begin!

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Rockstar Set To Reveal Grand Theft Auto V Next Week

Apparently, early copies of Battlefield 3 have made it to selected consumers. A quick search on Youtube will result in a few unboxing videos of DICE’s upcoming shooter scheduled for shipping on October 25th . The unboxing videos are not the star of the show, As a black leaflet packaged with the retail game reveals, what seems to be, Danger Close Games (Medal of Honor Developer) next project. It would only make sense, as Medal of Honor developer Danger Close Games was hiring developers for an upcoming unannounced AAA FPS back in January and it fits perfectly with EA’s plans to release their major sequel shooters on a yearly basis. The black leaflet shows the entails of Medal of Honor and the well known (Tier 1 like) logo with a website address that will direct you to the current Medal of Honor website. It has been confirmed that Battlefield 3 will include early access to the multiplayer portion of Mass Effect 3 demo scheduled for early 2012 , but giving the fact that the Tier 1 editions and the Limited Editions of Medal of Honor (released in 2010) provided us with early access to Battlefield 3 beta, I would say that Battlefield 3 Limited Edition will probably return the favor in 2012. Now the question that many are asking is: Are we ready for a second Medal of Honor? Personally, I found the single player campaign of Medal of Honor satisfying and emotional, but I was very disappointed with the multiplayer experience, as it didn’t deliver DICE’s epic signature multiplayer extravaganza that is Bad Company 2. Many of whom purchased the game would know that Danger Close Games developed the MOH campaign, while DICE worked on the Multiplayer. I am not quite sure if DICE will be working on the MOH2 multiplayer (I am calling it MOH2 hypothetically), since there are rumors of a potential Mirror’s Edge sequel, or even better Bad Company 3, but I hope that Danger Close Games will take the time to develop a better multiplayer experience after the release of FrostByte 2 engine. If I had to choose between a new Medal of Honor game or a brand new Bad Company game, I would have to choose Bad Company for sure. What would you choose?

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New Medal of Honor Teased

Sakinah has already mentioned the great news about select PS2 titles being released on the PSN for all to enjoy and now we have more information on the Full Program itself. A LOT of PSN exclusive games have been secured for the month of October (remember Sony mentioned that they were working to get more content on the PSN Store?) and there is definitely something to be made available for every type of gamer out there. More on Oly’s homework list after the jump. . October 4: * Eufloria – An addictive ambient game of space exploration and conquest, plant growth and bio-mechanical evolution. Explore a beautifully realized universe rendered in a style that is unique and compelling. Conquer asteroids in deep space and use their resources to literally grow and nurture semi-organic plants and creatures to do your bidding. * Rochard – A fun and original space adventure game that features a resourceful hero, ominous villains, rugged machinery, big explosions, even bigger stunts and sharp one-liners. The game tests players’ coordination and wits as they use gravity to their advantage, changing it at will to solve environmental puzzles and advance through each level. October 11: * Sideway: New York – Help defeat Spray, a sinister tagger who wants to dominate both Sideway and the real world in this unique sidescroller that offers you the chance to leave your mark on the city. October 13: * Sodium Collection – A more than $35 value available for $9.99, this PlayStation Home value pack includes the SodiumOne Pilot’s Jacket, which unlocks the full 50-level tank combat Salt Shooter game, and weapon upgrades for your SodiumOne tank. Also included is a variety of upgrades for Sodium 2: Project Velocity, a high-speed, free-to-play, futuristic multiplayer racing game exclusive to PlayStation Home, and the wildly-popular Blaster’s Paradise personal space, which hosts a tabletop version of Salt Shooter. Buy from the PlayStation Store and play in PlayStation Home. October 18: * Okabu – An action-puzzler, where players will guide Kumulo, Nimbe and four cloud-flying heroes as they battle to save their people and their world from the industrialized threat of the Doza. Dive into a hyper-tactile toybox world filled with a huge number of puzzles, playthings, adorable creatures and devious machines spread across an epic co-op campaign. * RocketBirds: Hardboiled Chicken – Annihilate an evil penguin regime in this cinematic platform adventure game offering full solo and co-op campaigns with stereoscopic 3D support. Destroy enemies with a slew of weapons and illuminate the secrets to his past while uncovering the real enemies of Albatropolis. October 25: * inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood – Vampires swarm New Marais, and revered superhero Cole MacGrath has been bitten. To save his soul and city, he has just one night to find and kill the head vampire. Featuring hours of new gameplay, themed environment settings and new characters/enemies, Festival of Blood explores the darker side of the inFAMOUS universe. * PixelJunk Sidescroller – Q-Games goes old-school with a completely retro side-scrolling shooter that reinvents the genre from the ground up while maintaining that nostalgic feeling. Dodge flurries of alien bullets and strategically upgrade weapons while battling through sweeping stages full of hazardous fluid and endless shooting mayhem. And HOW exactly are we supposed to be able to buy them all and STILL have money for food, rent, cthulhu, gas, clothes and other forms of entertainment? Well, Sony has been kind enough as to think of all us PS+ subscribers and has made it so ANY of the games listed above can be bought at a 20% discount during its first week of release! AND iF we spend $60 on the PSN Store during October we’ll get a $10 credit during November to buy even MORE games, DLC, Avatars, Themes, TV Episodes or Movies! What are you buying in October and how fast can you get a PS+ subscription?

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More Details on the “Only on PSN” Program