As much as I hate breaking it to you, a PSN Maintenance has been scheduled to take place tomorrow, Thursday 2nd of February, starting at 6:00 a.m. PST (2:00 p.m. GMT) until 11:00 pm. PST (7:00 a.m. GMT) on Friday February 3rd. During the 18 hours downtime the usual services (Store, Account management, registration) are inaccessible.

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PSN Downtime Tomorrow

Here’s more chances for you to win the Marbians for the PSN! Just be on of the first four to answer the following question correctly and you’ll instantly win a copy of the game! (I’ll PM you a code here on the site.) In what year does The Marbians take place? The following 3 members got points for anwering correctly. dragon290513 Insomniac_24_7 Paul You can also win by watching our quick news everyday this week for more chances at instant wins; visiting our chat room for random code giveaways; and by following us on Facebook , Twitter , and Google+ , and watching for special giveaway posts/tweets to pop up. Follow the details in those posts/tweets, and you could be playing The Marbians for free!

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[Giveaway] More Instant Chances to Win The Marbians for the PSN

February is going to show some love to plus members. I must admit this is one month that will break your heart if you are not a plus member. Here is the rundown of what to expect. The simpsons arcade game in hd with 4 player online is a big one! PS3 Full Games: Far Cry 2 – 2/14 (V-Day Special One Week Offer) PSN Games: The Simpsons Arcade Game – 2/7 Sega Genesis Bundle – 2/21 Altered Beast – 2/21 Comix Zone – 2/21 Golden Axe – 2/21 Sonic 1 – 2/21 Sonic 2 – 2/21 Streets of Rage 2 – 2/21 Battle Fantasia – 2/14 Fatal Inertia – 2/14 Hamsterball – 2/14 Inferno Pool – 2/7 Mahjong Tales: Ancient Wisdom – 2/14 Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle Cars – 2/14 minis: Hungry Giraffe – 2/7 Gold Medalist – 2/7 PS one Classics: Final Fantasy V – 2/7 Full Game Trials: Grand Theft Auto IV – 2/14 Deus Ex: Human Revolution – 2/21 Tom Clancy’S H.A.W.X 2 -2/21 Battlefield: Bad Company 2 -2/28 Early Access Demo: The House Of The Dead III Exclusive Playstation Plus Demo – 2/7 Media: Qore Episode 44 – February – 2/7 Avatars and Themes: The House of the Dead 3 Dynamic Theme Start The Party 2 Dynamic Theme – 2/21 The House Of The Dead III – Agent G Avatar The House Of The Dead III – Lisa Avatar The House Of The Dead III – Z1 Avatar PSN Discounts Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition (Bundle) – 2/14 (PS+ Price: $23.99) The House of the Dead III – 30% off Crazy Taxi & SEGA Rally Arcade – Drive Me Crazy Bundle – 20% off – 2/21 (PS+ Price $9.59) Sonic Rivals 1 – 25% off – 2/21 (PS+ Price $5.99) Sonic Rivals 2 – 25% off – 2/21 (PS+ Price $5.99) Sar – Search and Rescue Mini – 20% off – 2/21 (PS+ Price $TBD) Hamilton’s Great Adventure – 50% off Sale Price – 2/21 (PS+ Price $2.50) The biggest surprise for me was a trailer for the upcoming House of the dead 3. This is a great time to get a Playstation Plus subscription, or to renew your current one, thanks to all the great content you’ll be getting. Don’t forget to download Far Cry 2 on the February 14 store update as it’s a timed bonus game! Source: Sony

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February Plus Members Love inbound

A surprise trip to the tropics turns into a working vacation when Sam & Max sign up to stop a massive volcano eruption. Will their special blend of bewildering wit and renegade justice be enough to win over the gods? (Not to mention the locals?) After already playing Sam and Max Save The World (Season One) on Wii, Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space (Season 2 on PC) and Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse (Season 3) on PS3, I find myself asking… myself: how fun is the Season Two release on PS3? Let’s find out, one episode at a time! Our adventure continues as we witness a weird looking red triangle outside our office, trying to catch Sybil (for some reason or the other). How can the freelance police help this time without screwing things up even more in the first place? Well, after learning that the triangle is in fact THE Bermuda Triangle , our dynamic duo jumps into the Bermuda Triangle to do a little freelance policing of their own to try and solve this conundrum (what could possibly go wrong?). After making their way through the dimensional twists, turns and squirrels, Sam and Max find themselves on a new adventure that has taken them to… Easter Island (change of scenery FTW)! What, you don’t know what Easter Island is? Ok, let’s start by making it VERY CLEAR that Easter Island has no bunnies nor any hidden eggs. Still with me? Good. Easter Island is indeed an island, and it likes to refer to the southeastern Pacific Ocean as “home”. The Island is famous for all the moai statues that populate the island (well over 800 of them), statues created a long, long time ago. It is because of these heads and their general appearance that Episode 2 of Season 2 is called “Moai Better Blues.” And that concludes our lesson. It seems that lots of stuff AND people have found their way to Easter Island. For example, Jimmy Hoffa? He visited the Bermuda Triangle and liked it so much that he stayed there until his last day on earth. True story. Your mission this time around is a rather easy one: Save the island, save the world. Or not. You just need to stop the volcano god before he sends the lava to redecorate the place. We’ll worry about the world in another adventure (perhaps in Season 3?). In order to accomplish that, we must prove that Max is totally the high priest and NOT that impostor of a fish ghost that floats inside the water tank. You’ll eventually run into some Monkey/Seahorse hybrids with tentacles… who also seem to be Jamaican (Nice combo!). Why do they live in this island, and what are they all about? It’s quite simple really.They live here because they have to. Oh, and they worship feet. No, no. You read that right. Feet. As in, several foot that have congregated in a single place in order to form a group of feet. Or is it Foots? I can never remember! Sam and Max: Moai Better Blues is a great point and click game that all fans of the genre will enjoy. It improves over Episode 1 (Ice Station Santa), and it sets up things nicely for Episode 3 to crank up the crazy to 11… or to whatever number that is higher than 10 that can actually measure the level of insanity at which Max functions. Review Pros Cons Improves upon Episode 1 Feels more streamlined and tight Some audio hiccups The driving trophy..with a vengeance Rating 87% Published by Telltale Games Cost – $19.99 (Full Season) Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 2 hours Love me some Sam and Max. Own all 3 seasons, the Anniversary DVD Boxset AND the limited edition Hardcover signed by Steve Purcell. This review is based on a copy of Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space provided by Telltale Games.

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[Review] Sam and Max Season 2: Episode 2

The last week of the month is here and we finally start to get more than one retail releases as publishers realize that we actually like to purchase games all year long (and not only during the holiday rush). The three retail releases bring something for everyone, as we’re getting Final Fantasy XIII-2, sequel that is supposed to “fix” everything that was wrong with FF XIII (which, if you ask me, was nothing at all), Soul Calibur V (fighting games are back in style!) and NeverDead (a game that is so weird, that I’ll just point you to the trailer so you can see what it’s all about ). On PSN, the only new release is Puddle. Other than that, we get some formerly retail only games that are now part of the digital service. Full gallery after the jump: PS3 Retail Releases You Can Buy Final Fantasy XIII-2 Right Here! Or maybe you want the Awesome Collector’s Edition! You Can Buy Soul Calibur V Right Here! Or maybe you want the Shiny Collector’s Edition! You Can Buy NeverDead Right Here! PSN Releases You Can Buy Mini Ninjas Right Here! You Can Buy Madden 2012 Right Here! You Can Buy Kane and Lynch: Dead Men! You Can Buy Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days Right Here! PSP Releases

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Releases for the Week (January 30th-February 5th)

The three main characters in Trine 2 are icons in the gaming industry. They represent to us, gamers, the mysterious dungeons, the prized weapon at the end of a painful quest, and above all, the classic old school RPG that we all adore. However, Trine 2 is NOT an RPG. It’s best described as a side-scrolling action adventure/puzzler/platformer/ … OK, so Trine 2 might not have a definitive nature, or a remarkable story, but I’ll tell you what it does have: lots of charm, sharp controls, and some of the most beautiful visuals I’ve seen. Surprisingly, that combination works! The Story Regardless of the weak story, storytelling in Trine 2 is surprisingly satisfying! Trine 2 tells the story of 3 companions’ adventure through an ordinary tale to save a princess. The iconic trio (Amadeus the wizard, Zoya the thief, and Pontius the knight), return to the magical forests to fight goblins and solve more puzzles, while discovering their path and unveiling the secrets of the Trine 2 universe. You will uncover more of the story through poems found in some of the treasure chests distributed evenly through-out the game. While I found the poems a bet helpful to storytelling, I was a bit disappointed after spending a good amount of time reaching my first chest. You see, the chests in the first Trine were more rewarding, as you can acquire some cool items (armors, weapons …etc) to aid you in your battles. While the story is fairly simple, it has nothing new to offer in general and I found it was merely put for the purpose of transitioning between levels. The Main Characters Despite his ongoing research for finally learning the Fireball spell, the Wizard’s talent is for conjuring peculiar boxes, and occasionally even planks. He can also levitate small inanimate objects. Amadeus is married to a lady by the name of Margaret. They have three children, all of whom know the Fireball spell. . . . The Knight is an eager champion of the kingdom, the protector of the common man with a great sense of justice. Armed with his sword, his shield and the powerful Storm Hammer, he’s a formidable fighter. Pontius’s great weakness is food. This shows around his waist. . . . . The Thief makes her way up to rooftops and over walls with her trusty grappling hook. Zoya is not so concerned about family or duty, but she is content to be a hero of the Trine, for she loves adventure. Zoya’s love for treasure, however, often leads her astray. . . . . The Gameplay Oh look! … a dragon!? While Trine 2 lacks in the story department, it still packs some of the most beautiful visuals and outstanding game mechanics ever created for a platformer. Each of the main characters has a set of unique abilities and you can switch between characters easily during the game by simply pressing the R1 , or R2 buttons on your Dualshock 3 controller. The wizard is the most important character when it comes down to solving puzzles especially if you are running solo. He can create boxes and planks (can be upgraded up to 4 boxes on screen), move certain objects around (including goblins), which was indeed useful and um .. fun, giving the fact that the wizard was proven completely useless during combat in the first game. The knight is the most useful character during combat, as you can use either your sword and shield or hammer to fight enemies, bash certain walls, and deflect incoming projectiles. As for the thief , well .. I found myself using the thief 50% of the time due to her unique ability of grappling onto wooden surfaces, which was proven useful both in combat and in solving puzzles. The thief can also strike with her icy bow (which can be upgraded to fire arrows), simply by using the right analog stick. Each of the characters have their own life meter. If a character runs out of life, he will die and you will be forced to switch to one of the other main characters. Life meters will refill instantly once a checkpoint is reached. Throughout your journey, you will also find magical vials. If you collect 50 of these, you will receive a skill point, which can be used to purchase a single upgrade for one of your characters, keeping in mind that some of the upgrades will require more than 1 skill point. The skill tree in Trine 2 Despite the small improvements made to combat, fighting scenes are barely challenging. The game keeps throwing enemies at you with the intention of slowing your puzzle solving process, which makes it feel a bit forceful, rather boring, and relatively unnecessary. Enemy AI should have been managed differently, with regards to quality over quantity. Although, I have to point out that I’ve enjoyed some of the combat scenery simply based on the smooth responsiveness of the controls. Trine 2 also offers a unique prospective on the way you approach puzzles, as you are given the complete freedom to use all the tools you have to reach treasure chests, get to higher ground, and/or move to the next stage. Each of the three main characters will offer a different approach. Sometimes you will find yourself using a combination of all three. I’ve also found that some areas are inaccessible without the help of a partner, which will force you to either get online, or call in a friend for help. This makes the whole cooperative experience worth checking and adds a bit of a replay value to the campaign. New Features Aside from the upgraded graphics engine, the most distinguished new feature in Trine 2 is the new online cooperative support. You can play with up to 2 other players both locally and/or online. I was able to test this new feature with 3 players online in a quick match. How this works is fairly simple: a player can host a game, keeping in mind that the skill tree (unlockable perks) is based on the hosting player’s progress and only the host can allocate skill points, you assume the role of one of the three main character and if you die, your friends can revive you at the next checkpoint. Having more than one friend helps A LOT in terms of solving some of the inaccessible puzzles in the singleplayer mode and defeating gigantic bosses. I found it rather entertaining to brainstorm some puzzle solving ideas with people I met online. The game will force you to communicate with your partners rather than just running around and killing stuff. As much as I’ve liked the idea of online co-op, I’ve also found it unequally satisfying, merely for the fact that only the host’s characters will gain experience, rather than you all achieve equal progress. Final Thoughts Regardless of the limited story, Trine 2 undeniable charm, soothing soundtrack and outstanding visual design will make for an unforgettable experience through the mind of developer Frozenbyte. The added feature of online co-op brings something extra to the table and defy the way you approach puzzles and fight enemies. If you are looking for a simple entertaining and casual co-op adventure, Trine 2 will deliver. Review Pros Cons Outstanding visual design Online cooperative support Smooth ControlsCharming appeal Limited story Unequally rewarding multiplayer experience Small replay value Rating 89% Trine 2 is developed by Frozenbyte and published by Atlus Price on PSN is $14.99 This review is based on a copy of the PS3 version of Trine 2 provided by Oly (thanks mate). Also, a demo is currently available on the PlayStation Network, so make sure you check that out.

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[Review] Trine 2

R.A.W. – Realms of Ancient War, the explosive 2 player co-op Hack’n’Slash developed by Wizarbox, today immerses us in its heroic-fantasy universe through a minute of video sequences! This video presents us a bit more the rich universe of R.A.W., in which you will take control of a powerful warrior, a dark sorcerer or a stealthy rogue, before throwing yourself in a big, action-rich quest! The first few sequences of the video, more contemplative, let us appreciate the diversity and richness of the game’s levels and environments. These sequences quickly turn into pure action, while the 3 heroes of the game face swarms of creatures and huge bosses. All the power they have been granted, their powerful spells and devastating abilities will certainly not be too much for them to complete their grand quest! R.A.W. – Realms of Ancient War will release on the PSN sometime early this year. Hit the jump for more info. About R.A.W. – Realms of Ancient War R.A.W. – Realms of Ancient War is an explosive Hack’n’Slash for PlayStation® Network, Xbox LIVE® and PC developed by Wizarbox for PlayStation® Network, Xbox LIVE® Arcade and PC, taking you on a continent ravaged by a war that raged ten years earlier. The four Kingdoms of Men, Elves and Dwarves lay in ruins, preyed on by raiders and looters. In this chaos, a new, unknown threat is looming… To discover its true nature, the kingdoms sent detachments to investigate, a dangerous mission from which no one returned. But what about you? You, who were in the wrong place at the wrong time… Take control of a powerful Warrior, a dark Sorcerer or a Rogue master of stealth, and plunge into a grand quest full of action! The world of R.A.W. leads you, alone or in 2-player co-op, through many levels as rich as varied in every corner of the continent. Along your quest, the experience gained through the violent battles you will fight and the weapons and magic items you will loot on the lifeless bodies of your opponents will allow you to develop the power of your chosen character. You will learn new powers and spells ever more devastating, some of which, when mastered, will allow you to inflict tremendous damage and eradicate several dozens of enemies at once… as they will often rally in hordes to fight you! All the power you will be granted will not be too much to exterminate your outnumbering enemies. Thanks to your gift of incarnation, you will even be able to take direct control of the body of your most powerful foes, seeding discord and destruction right at the heart of enemy armies! Invite a friend to join your adventure in an exciting co-op mode, where coordination and teamwork are essential ingredients of victory!

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R.A.W. – Realms of Ancient War Teaser Trailer

SNK PLAYMORE USA just announced that they will be participating in the massive January sale on the PSN US Store. Starting January 17 and ending January 24, 2012, SNK PLAYMORE will be reducing the price on lots of NEOGEO Station classic arcade titles(PS3™ Versions) by 50%! Here is a complete list of all SNK PLAYMORE NEOGEO Station titles included in the January PSN Store sale promotion: ALPHA MISSION II ART OF FIGHTING BASEBALL STARS PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL STARS 2 FATAL FURY LEAGUE BOWLING MAGICIAN LORD METAL SLUG METAL SLUG 2 SAMURAI SHODOWN THE KING OF FIGHTERS’94 THE KING OF FIGHTER’95 THE KING OF FIGHTERS’96 SHOCK TROOPERS SUPER SIDEKICKS WORLD HEROES You can pick your favorites at the promo price of $4.49 each OR you could buy the NEOGEO STATION PS3 Bundle Pack with 10 Neo Geo games for only $39.99 for even bigger savings!

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SNK PLAYMORE Joins The Savings Fun-Fun!

Sorry about another delay with this. I should just sit down sometime and schedule these to automatically post on Saturday mornings haha. Anyway, since the last one was so hard for so many, I will make this one simple: Upon taking over PS3Blog.net, when did Tosh begin allowing members of the community to sign up to post news and other articles? Hint: answer format would be: January 17 2012 This should be easy to answer, so I suggest doing this as quickly as possible to secure your points!

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Free Points Saturday for January 14th

He’s the most ancient and powerful opponent they’ve ever faced, a hairy, bloated, pagan God – Santa Claus! With Christmas presents on the attack and carols of gunshots drowning out the bells, Sam & Max must storm the North Pole to bring down a less-than-jolly foe. Can the Freelance Police make sense of this Christmas conundrum in time to save the world’s children from a holiday tainted by tears, turmoil, and Torture-Me-Elmer? After already playing Sam and Max Save The World (Season One) on Wii, Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space (Season 2 on PC) and Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse (Season 3) on PS3, I find myself asking… myself: how fun is the Season Two release on PS3? Let’s find out, one episode at a time! Things are off to a good start. Right outside of the Freelance Police office, the Maimtron 9000 is breaking all hell loose (figuratively speaking, as hell doesn’t play a part until much later). He’ll try to tear everything apart but never loose style points thanks to the awesome, awesome lyrics he presents to us. Gotta love the Maimtron 9000. Now, let’s take a small break to remind you about how you’re supposed to control the dynamic duo: You move with the analog stick. Use the X button you must to interact. L1 and R1 to cycle between items or spots you can interact with for some examination tactics. Square is for inventory, don’t you forget! Now that you know, let’s join in the fun. Let’s waltz in the air. Let’s possum for life. After you’ve defeated the Maimtron 9000, you find out that Santa has gone crazy! He has sheltered himself at his office and just keeps shooting at anyone that comes near him. If this keeps on, there won’t be a Christmas this year! Sam and Max MUST save Christmas at all cost… will they suceed? That’s all the story details I can give you without making this a spoiler extravaganza. What I CAN tell you about are the two minigames you’ll run into in Episode 1: There’s a boxing minigame at one point and Telltale Games pays tribute to a Nintendo franchise (ok, it pays tribute to Punch- Out!, a game about boxing) by referencing said franchise with a small egg (can you spot it?). It’s not an easter egg because easter isn’t here yet. The other minigame involves driving… and if you’re a trophy hunter you’ll absolutely HATE this mini game. The regular challenge you need to pass to carry on with the story is easy enough, but the requirements for the trophy are crazy. You’re supposed to hit random objects that randomly show up from the random netherworld. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, the problem is that the random objects… are too random. They don’t show up as much as we’d like, and you can spend one or two hours driving withou ever finding the whole set. Hope you have a lot of patience! Sam and Max Episode 1: Space Station Santa is a fun ride into the stars with our favorite Freelance Police pals. You’ll ride a rocket to the moon. You’ll smile, you’ll cry. You’ll… what? Its actually ICE Station Santa? Ah, yeah, that makes more sense. Didn’t see any rockets or stars in this episode so I was wondering why it was a bit crazier than usual. Anyway, game is fun-fun. Buy the whole season right now! Review Pros Cons Season 2 is finally available on PSN The revolution will be televised! Some frame rate issues here and there. The driving trophy.. Rating 83% Published by Telltale Games Cost – $19.99 (Full Season) Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 3 hours Love me some Sam and Max. Own all 3 seasons, the Anniversary DVD Boxset AND the limited edition Hardcover signed by Steve Purcell. This review is based on a copy of Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space provided by Telltale Games.

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[Review] Sam and Max Season 2: Episode 1