The first images of Phantasy Star 2 Online for the Vita have emerged even though the game is said to only be 10% complete at this time. Both the PC version and the Vita version will share the same online servers. PSO2 is scheduled to be released on the Vita in early 2013 while the PC version will release sometime in 2012. There has been no info on monthly fees at this time but I would assume it will have one. The screens do look good for not having aliasing and only being 10% complete however.

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First Images of Phantasy Star Online 2 for the Playstation Vita

Journey is a beautiful game. Not in the sense of graphic design, which is astonishing by the way, but also for how unique the concept is. Journey takes the standard applied rules of every game you’ve ever played and throws it outside the window. My advice to you is to buy Journey and experience it for yourself, as there are many things words can’t describe. Journey is one of them. During my second play-through, my wife asked me why, why am I always heading for that big mountain in the horizon? I simply didn’t have an answer. I just knew this is where I should be heading. I knew that the beacon of light shivering in the horizon is my destination. It wasn’t a task I acquired by an NPC, nor a mission I unlocked on my travels, It was just my instincts, the inner objective and the curiosity that lives inside and motivates all of us. So I walked the golden sands with strangers aiming for the big mountain and the beacon of light, looking for answers . No objectives, no missions, not a single sense of what you should be doing, but I’ve always knew what had to be done. In Journey, you will walk in the shoes of a mysterious red cloaked character. Both you and the character will be looking for answers. Why am I here? What is my purpose? What do I have to do? Well, the answers will represent themselves in a unique package only the mind of ThatgameCompany can create. You will eventually find some answers by the end of your journey. Of course, you will also have more questions, but this time, you will have a sense of satisfaction and disappointment, all combined with an emotional tendency. The controls in Journey are as simple as they can get. The game also benefits from the sixaxis motion of the Dual Shock 3 controller. Something we have already experienced in Flower. You will dive straight into the game, with no complications of any sort. I think that’s what the developer always intended. I was part of the game, sliding down the endless sand, floating with the mysterious creatures and meditating with strangers by the fascinating landscape Journey presented. I haven’t encountered a single bug during my two runs in Journey . The developer dedicated all their resources to make this experience incredibly satisfying in every aspect imaginable, and I think they did a fantastic job at that. The multiplayer in Journey is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. Personally, I wouldn’t call it a multiplayer, as it is something quite entirely different from anything I have played before. Allow me to explain. In Journey, you will encounter many strangers. There will be no names, no voice chat, nothing to unveil the identity of the other character. You both share the same look and sense of curiosity. You can communicate by graceful tunes your characters can make, mostly for the purpose of unveiling your locations, especially in dark times. Journey is short, disappointingly short. It is also different, unforgettable, hauntingly beautiful and food for your soul. Do yourself a favor and buy Journey when it comes out on the 13th, or get it now if you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber. Review Pros Cons Unique Outstanding visual design Serene soothing soundtrack Replay value Short Rating 92% Price on PSN is $14.99 Disclaimer This review is based on a PS3 edition of Journey developed by Thatgamecompany and published by SCEA.

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[PSN Review] Journey

It’s no big news, as this was confirmed months ago to us by Hideo Kojima himself during our interview at the VGA’s . Today, Konami officially released screen shots of the upcoming PlayStation Vita version of the acclaimed series. How many times do we have to play the same game over and over again? Is the Japanese game industry in the can? I noticed that Japan has just been recycling titles and has not come up with anything new. What’s your opinion?

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Metal Gear Solid HD Collection PlayStation Vita Version Officially Announced

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! This episode changes things around a bit, and you can immediately tell that by the way the intro is handled. There is an underused group that should have been given the spotlight many, many years ago. For some reasons, developers have not been returning their calls, and now they must work where work is given to them. Their presence in this game will surely expose them to a bigger audience, so don’t be surprised if they start popping up in other games as well. Who are we referring to? Why, to Zombies! There seems to be a new Zombie infestation going on, and Sam and Max must find the source of this problem so they can nip the bud, count the cards and close the hub. But wait, there’s more! As an added plot-twist to it all, Abe (good old Abe Lincoln giant head) and Sybil have separated after the events from Episode 2, as it seems that Sybil doesn’t take lightly to some very obvious flirting on Abe’s side towards that sexy Moai head we all lust over. How does Sybil take them lemons and make lemonade? She holds an open call for suitors! Very formal like and all. With forms. There is also a new driving section this time around. The engine has been rebuilt from the ground-up to provide you with the most exciting virtual driving experience you could ever imagine. Now with more colors and a Paperboy inspiration! Blast those zombies by using a new flying weapon that has been specially designed to fly in a straight line, hoping to hit them hard enough to end their non-existence! Your adventure will eventually take you to Sttutgarr, home of the Zombie Factory. Not really what you think. The place is run by Jurgen. Kinky vampire. Emo vampire. Prick of a vampire. Vampire. Sam and Max must stop Jurgen before it is too late to stop him, and they must use everything they have at hand to do so. How far are our dynamic duo willing to go to achieve this? How about Sam and Max on a rap duet? Yes, that is a bit odd… even for them. Night of the Raving Dead improves over the first two episodes of Season 2, and leaves us wanting more, more, more. Jurgen is an interesting character that will hopefully be brought back in later episodes, since he fits right in with all the other crazy/magical/illogical/kosher characters we’ve come to love and deeply care for after so many adventures together. Review Pros Cons More fast paced than Episodes 1 and 2 New Locations to visit A bit shorter than the other episodes Rating 90% Published by Telltale Games Cost – $19.99 (Full Season) Zombie attack! Droves of undead are converging in the streets. Now Sam & Max must confront their leader – a Eurotrash vampire with a style all his own. Are the Freelance Police cool enough to outsmart this emo before his flesh-eating army usurps the western world? Disclaimer Total amount of time played: 1.5 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 3

Sony confirmed in a press release, as well as in emails to PSN users, that this Tuesday, February 7th, the PSN name will be no more. The PSN will be changing into the SEN (Sony Entertainment Network). The email assures us that this is “a change in name only.” Your username and password will remain the same, and anything you purchased for your PSN account will now belong to your SEN account. The email notes a software update will coincide with the name change, however, “this change will not be applied to the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system at this time,” probably because the new features will not be available on the PSP. Privacy Policy and Terms of Service will also be updated with this change, and, of coures, “you will be asked to agree to ‘them’ if you wish to continue using your Sony Entertainment Network account.” So what do you think? Sad day for us long time PSN fans, or a step in the right direction for Home Entertainment? If you haven’t read it yet, you can read the entire email after the jump. On February 7, 2012, Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (“SNEI”) will update its Terms of Service and User Agreement and its Privacy Policy. As a part of this update, your “PlayStation®Network account” will be renamed a “Sony Entertainment Network account” The first time you sign in to your Sony Entertainment Network account on or after February 7, 2012, you will be asked to agree to the new Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy with SNEI if you wish to continue using your Sony Entertainment Network account. Please review all changes to the Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy carefully before indicating your agreement. In particular, these are some of the additions and changes we have to these agreements: New terms for parents of minor, subaccount holders regarding the limitations of chat parental controls. Your reacceptance of the Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy affirms your consent to the sharing of your child’s data that may occur if your child utilizes certain communication functionalities on PlayStation devices such as PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita systems. New terms that explain the location-based services offered through the PlayStation Vita system. For parents of minor, subaccount holders your reacceptance of the Terms of Service and User Agreement and Privacy Policy affirms your consent to your subaccount holder’s user of these services on the PlayStation Vita system. A description of our “What’s New” section, which provides topical information about our services and advertisements. Information about pre-ordering content. The name of your “PlayStation Network account” is changing to a “Sony Entertainment Network account.” You may click here to review the changes to the Terms of Service and User Agreement and you may click here to review the changes to the Privacy Policy. The rebranding of PlayStation Network accounts to Sony Entertainment Network accounts is a change in name only. Your username or password will not change, nor are we asking you to change them. On Sony Computer Entertainment’s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita systems, this rebranding will occur in connection with software updates for these devices. (Note, this change will not be applied to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system at this time.) This transition is based on Sony’s goal to enhance its unique digital entertainment offering. As a series of these activities Sony started last September, PlayStation Network will be aligned with “Sony Entertainment Network.” This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account. The Sony Entertainment Network account also enables use of Sony’s compelling non-game services such as Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited and PlayMemories Online (currently called Personal Space) across a variety of network-connected devices. If you do not agree with the new Terms of Service and User Agreement or Privacy Policy, you may decline to accept them, and you will no longer be able to access your account. If you wish to close your account or request a refund of your wallet balance, or have any questions, please contact Customer Service by clicking here. For more information, please click here. Thank you very much for being a customer!

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PSN is changing to the SEN this Tuesday

So, the past couple weeks have been rather hectic. As many of you know, the site was having server load issues, but we’ve managed to recently complete a server move, and the site seems much more stable now. However, the first question comes from a week of really bad back issues (yeah, this bout of sciatica is rather persistent), but due to Tosh dealing with the server, he was unable to get to Free Points Saturday during that week. Anyway, this is a duo week, so there are two questions. Both of which I have after the jump. Good luck with those! 150 points, 10 chances each! I’ll make at least one of them easy. This more recent series, at the time of the first title’s launch, held the Guinness World Record for having the greatest variety of vehicle types for its genre. What was the name of this series? This should be super easy. If you can’t get this one, there is no hope for humanity. The following 1 members got points for anwering correctly. Kane112 I will try to come up with something a little more creative next time! Good luck! EDIT: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the second question is now in a separate post.

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FPS: For the Past Two Weeks

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 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

First off be sure to check out our reviews for Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter & Carnivores: Ice Age if you haven’t already. This time we will have 5 winners for this giveaway! Winners will receive codes for both games! This is for US codes only! If you want UK codes see this post . See how to win after the break. If you want to win Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter. Then press the +1 button above and then go to our PS3Blog.net Google+ page and look for the secret word which you can use below. The first 3 to put in the correct word will win! If you didn’t win using this method you can still enter to win via our giveaway system. We have 2 available to win this way. Entry ticket this time is only 75 points. Details are below. Please like & follow Beatshapers on Facebook & Twitter. It’s because of them we are having this giveaway! So show them some love. Follow @Beatshapers [Worth up to 5 Entries] Purchase Lottery Ticket for 75 Points for a entry into the lottery. Here are all the possible ways to earn points . [Worth 1 Entry] Like the giveaway post on the lottery page (not the actual post itself) via Facebook. Then post a comment to your facebook wall from the lottery page. [EARN 20 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Follow @ps3blogdotnet on Twitter. Then there will be a tweet button. You just have to click that & tweet the exact text in the pop-up . Then a notification will pop up saying your entry was successful. [EARN 20 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Use the Google +1 button on the lottery page (not the actual post itself), then share on your Google+ profile to complete your entry. [EARN 20 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] First, be a fan of our our Facebook page . On the left sidebar, there is a [Giveaway] link. Go there and at the bottom there is a “Enter Contest” button you can click for your Facebook PS3Blog.net Fan Page entry. Note: Make sure you’re logged into PS3Blog.net before you click the button. [EARN 5 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel . We will post a bulletin. Follow the link & it will count as your YouTube entry. Note: Make sure you’re logged into PS3Blog.net before you click the link. [EARN 5 Points] [Bonus 4 Entries] After you have purchased at least one lottery ticket you are eligible for video entries. Make a video saying why you want to win. It can be funny, unique, strange, etc. Have fun with it. Include PS3Blog.net and the name of the item being given away in your video & in the title of the video. Then use the button above to submit your video for review. Also leave a comment below with a link to your YouTube video. [EARN 20 Points] Here are the most recent YouTube video entries for all lotteries on PS3Blog.net with the most recent ones displayed first.

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[US Giveaway] Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter & Carnivores: Ice Age (minis)

First off be sure to check out our reviews for Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter & Carnivores: Ice Age if you haven’t already. This time we will have 5 winners for this giveaway! Winners will receive codes for both games! This is for UK codes only! If you want US codes see this post . See how to win after the break. If you want to win Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter. Then press the +1 button above and then go to our PS3Blog.net Google+ page and look for the secret word which you can use below. The first 3 to put in the correct word will win! If you didn’t win using this method you can still enter to win via our giveaway system. We have 2 available to win this way. Entry ticket this time is only 75 points. Details are below. Please like & follow Beatshapers on Facebook & Twitter. It’s because of them we are having this giveaway! So show them some love. Follow @Beatshapers [Worth up to 5 Entries] Purchase Lottery Ticket for 75 Points for a entry into the lottery. Here are all the possible ways to earn points . [Worth 1 Entry] Like the giveaway post on the lottery page (not the actual post itself) via Facebook. Then post a comment to your facebook wall from the lottery page. [EARN 20 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Follow @ps3blogdotnet on Twitter. Then there will be a tweet button. You just have to click that & tweet the exact text in the pop-up . Then a notification will pop up saying your entry was successful. [EARN 20 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Use the Google +1 button on the lottery page (not the actual post itself), then share on your Google+ profile to complete your entry. [EARN 20 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] First, be a fan of our our Facebook page . On the left sidebar, there is a [Giveaway] link. Go there and at the bottom there is a “Enter Contest” button you can click for your Facebook PS3Blog.net Fan Page entry. Note: Make sure you’re logged into PS3Blog.net before you click the button. [EARN 5 Points] [Worth 1 Entry] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel . We will post a bulletin. Follow the link & it will count as your YouTube entry. Note: Make sure you’re logged into PS3Blog.net before you click the link. [EARN 5 Points] [Bonus 4 Entries] After you have purchased at least one lottery ticket you are eligible for video entries. Make a video saying why you want to win. It can be funny, unique, strange, etc. Have fun with it. Include PS3Blog.net and the name of the item being given away in your video & in the title of the video. Then use the button above to submit your video for review. Also leave a comment below with a link to your YouTube video. [EARN 20 Points] Here are the most recent YouTube video entries for all lotteries on PS3Blog.net with the most recent ones displayed first.

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[UK Giveaway] Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter & Carnivores: Ice Age (minis)