PlayStation Store Update: Greeks, Greed & Grandia [North America]

Hurry, get yourself to your PlayStation 3 and download the God of War III demo before everyone else starts putting a hurtin’ on the PlayStation Network. Actually, there’s a lot of new stuff on the PlayStation Store this week. The North American version of the store has the new PSone Classic Grandia, plus that Darksiders demo you were promised and plenty of PSP games, demos and other downloadable gems that will probably be occupying hard drive space later tonight. Don’t forget about the Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Drake’s Fortune multiplayer content, which may be confusingly titled for some. Oh man, and the Borderlands Secret Armory of General Knoxx expansion is out too? Eesh! You better get some background downloading queued up. Here’s the full list. Games & Demos for PlayStation 3 Greed Corp. ($9.99) PSone Classics: Grandia ($9.99) God of War III Demo Darksiders Demo Digger HD Demo Games & Demos for PSP echoshift ($14.99) GTI Club Supermini Festa! ($29.99) PSP minis: Retro Cave Flyer ($4.99) PSP minis: The Terminator ($6.99) PSP minis: Age of Zombies ($4.99) The Eye of Judgment Legends Demo Expansions & Add-ons Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Drake’s Fortune MP Map Pack ($3.99) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Drake’s Fortune MP Skin Pack ($2.99) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Drake’s Fortune MP Pack (bundle) ($5.99) LittleBigPlanet White Knight Chronicles Costume Pack ($5.99) LittleBigPlanet White Knight Chronicles Black Knight Costume ($1.99) LittleBigPlanet White Knight Chronicles Dragon Knight Costume ($1.99) LittleBigPlanet White Knight Chronicles Leonard Costume ($1.99) LittleBigPlanet White Knight Chronicles White Knight Costume ($1.99) Borderlands Secret Armory of General Knoxx ($9.99) Dante’s Inferno Animated Film Dante Costume ($1.99) FIFA 10 Ultimate Team (English, Spanish, French) ($4.99 each) Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising Overwatch Pack ($4.99) Valkyria Chronicles Challenge of the Edy ($4.99) Guitar Hero 5 tracks “Can You Take Me” by Third Eye Blind ($1.99) “Losing a Whole Year” by Third Eye Blind ($1.99) “Never Let You Go” by Third Eye Blind ($1.99) Third Eye Blind Track Pack ($5.49) “Can You Take Me”, “Losing A Whole Year”, and “Never Let You Go” by Third Eye Blind Rock Band tracks “Distracted” by KSM ($1.99) “Walking on the Moon” by The Police ($1.99) “Heartkiller” by HIM ($1.99) “Ode to Solitude” by HIM ($1.99) “Wings of a Butterfly” by HIM ($1.99) “Just For Tonight” by One Night Only ($1.99) “The Dope Show” by Marilyn Manson ($1.99) HIM Pack 1 ($5.49) – “Heartkiller,” “Ode to Solitude,” and “Wings of a Butterfly” by HIM. Game Videos The Tester Episode 2 “Communication Breakdown” (free) PlayStation 3 TV Commercial – “Grandma” MLB 10: The Show Reveal Trailer SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 Launch Trailer MAG “Dear PlayStation” Spot MAG: How To – Leadership Overview MAG: How To – OIC MAG: How To – Platoon Leader MAG: How To – Squad Leader Yakuza 3 Dev Diary 1 Dragon Age: Origins Awakening Trailer War Machine Trailer Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing All-Star Moves Trailer Themes & Wallpapers MLB 10: The Show Themes (Diamondbacks, Orioles, Red Sox, Rockies, Dodgers, Yankees, Padres, Giants, Rays, and Blue Jays) (free) MAG SVER Dynamic Theme ($2.99) MAG Raven Dynamic Theme ($2.99) MAG Valor Dynamic Theme ($2.99) Abstracted Theme ($1.49) Irish Flags Theme ($1.99) Wallpaper (free) Madden NFL 11 Contest Wallpapers (x3) (Drew Brees, Jared Allen and Reggie Wayne)

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PlayStation Store Update: Greeks, Greed & Grandia [North America]

Today on the Spot – Borderlands DLC, Fragile Dreams, C&C 4

Today On The Spot we bring you awesome demos of The Borderlands DLC – The Secret Armory of General Knoxx and Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon as well as some Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight action!

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Today on the Spot – Borderlands DLC, Fragile Dreams, C&C 4

Today on the Spot – Borderlands DLC, Fragile Dreams, C&C 4

Today On The Spot we bring you awesome demos of The Borderlands DLC – The Secret Armory of General Knoxx and Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon as well as some Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight action!

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Today on the Spot – Borderlands DLC, Fragile Dreams, C&C 4

Today on the Spot – Borderlands DLC, Fragile Dreams, C&C4

On Today On The Spot, we bring you awesome demos of The Borderlands downloadable content–The Secret Armory of General Knoxx and Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, as well as some Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight action!

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Today on the Spot – Borderlands DLC, Fragile Dreams, C&C4

2K’s NBA Team Steals Key Player Back from EA [2K Sports]

Mike Wang (pictured), hired away from 2K Sports by EA Sports to help turn around the sagging NBA Live franchise, is back with the NBA 2K team after just one year working on Live. Wang, the lead gameplay designer for Live, was a highly touted hire for EA Sports and was the promotional face of that game leading up to its release. His return to Visual Concepts is shocking news not only because of his short stay at EA Vancouver, but also because this rivalry had become rather chirpy late last year . “When I heard there was an opportunity that Mike might be interested in coming back, I sat in my office behind a closed door for a good long while thinking about what to do next,” said Greg Thomas, the senior vice president of sports development at 2K. “He was a key member of our team, and now he was going and building a competitive product. I started talking to our team about it, not at all sure how they’d react.” Thomas said Wang was welcomed back enthusiastically. “Every one of them were open, they took the angle of ‘Mike’s a talented guy, we can always use talented guys, let’s bring him back to the team,’” Thomas said. “It really is a double win for us.” What provoked Wang to leave? “Talking about Live 11, and what [EA Sports] wants to do with the game, it was clear we wanted different things creatively,” he said. “I left on pretty good terms. They were happy I stuck it out as long as I did.” NBA Live, at best a mediocre game since the advent of the Xbox 360, narrowed the quality gap with NBA 2K in this year’s edition. Sales figures did not follow however; NBA Live 10 actually sold less this year than NBA Live 09. NBA 2K10 , meanwhile, recently eclipsed the 2 million mark in copies sold. “People at EA Sports are not happy with those sales figures,” Thomas said. “They’re looking to go in a different direction, probably strongly in a different direction.” On its official blog, EA Sports posted a brief statement from NBA Live lead producer Sean O’Brien about Wang’s departure. “I wanted to take this opportunity to personally thank Mike for his contributions during the 18 months that he was working on NBA Live,” O’Brien wrote. “His vision and leadership within gameplay on NBA LIVE 10 was part of the reason why that game was critically reviewed as having taken a tremendous leap in quality and at least as good as any other basketball game on the market.” That leap in quality clearly irked 2K. As it battled problems with NBA 2K10’s online multiplayer and readied patches amidst community grumblings, EA Sports was actually getting praise for its first big update. That led to oblique insinuations, by 2K, that the Live team had been working on this patch prerelease knowing the retail code was inferior. EA Sports sniped back with screenshots and testimonials from gamers selling off their NBA 2K10 in favor of Live. Going forward, it’s clear 2K Sports thinks it’s stopped Live’s comeback at one-and-done. Wang’s stature within the basketball sim world made him a celebrity hire for EA Sports Vancouver, and he was frequently used in the media campaign spotlighting the game’s development. Back at 2K, Wang is a member of a team – albeit an important one. Wang said there are no restrictions or agreements made on his return employment with 2K. “It wasn’t a scouting mission,” he said of his 18-month tenure at EA Sports. “The guys over here, they are already building great stuff, they’re not looking to Live for things to put in 2K11.” Rob Jones, a producer, said the return of his colleague has delivered a surge in confidence. “Every year we always shoot for the moon,” he said. “Bringing Mike in really bolsters our focus and confidence. We know his talent.” Thomas likewise sees the morale boost delivered by Wang’s return. “There’s more of a swagger, more of a confidence now that Mike is back on the team,” he said. “[I see] more of the overall strength in the team, and I see it in them talking about all the great stuff they’re doing in 2K11.” Mike Wang picture captured from Gamespot video.

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2K’s NBA Team Steals Key Player Back from EA [2K Sports]

Kotaku Off Topic: Mr. T vs. a Door [How Is This News?]

How many takes did Mr. T need to deliver his lines after that door-busting shot? The dude is 57 and you clearly see the pain on his face. It’s like he’s in the onset of a myocardial infarction. Another YouTube sensation – Ernie Anastos of WNYW-TV in New York, best known for the “Keep f***ing that chicken” on-air gaffe , gets a very nice profile in the New York Times . It takes a tough paper to move the needle from smarm to charm on a local news anchor. One of those stories that’s anticlimactic after the headline – although I guess it wasn’t for this guy (barrump-bump). White supremacist booked for standing on a rooftop and masturbating within plain view of of a nearby freeway. His arrest required the evacuation of a building. Sue me, it’s another Times link but this one is too good to pass up. California has moved to protect for preservation barf bags, piss bags and other space garbage left behind on the moon, on the grounds it is historically significant stuff made in that state. I came across this a couple weeks back and, apropos of nothing, I’ll put it here: It’s ABC Sports’ baseball theme from 1988 to 1989 , before CBS made off with the broadcast rights. I know Roundball Rock by John Tesh (North Carolina State alumnus!) gets a lot of love, but this is still the best sports theme I’ve ever heard. Yes, I know about the UEFA Champions League theme in Europe. De gustibus non est disputandum.

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Kotaku Off Topic: Mr. T vs. a Door [How Is This News?]

Bayonetta Is Not Too Sexy, But Maybe Too Serious [Feature]

From the first released trailer to the ending credits, my Bayonetta experience was a roller coaster of emotions. I laughed, I scratched my head, and I threw up in my mouth a little bit. The first glimpses of Bayonetta gave the impression that the game would be an immature sex-fest for the average young male gamer to play while locked in his room. For a while, I couldn’t visit a gaming website without seeing Bayonetta’s face, butt, or both, and practically developed migraines from my constant eye-rolling at every mention of the one-handed “Very Easy” mode. It was the epitome of lazy marketing: Using blatant T&A to sell a game. Since I’ve learned not to judge a game by its trailer (which should be the new expression), I gave the busty witch a chance. The result both pleasantly surprised me and triggered more migraines. Bayonetta, a character I initially despised for being such an in-your-face depiction of hypersexualization, proved to me that her sexuality works in context . A ridiculous action game deserves a ridiculous hero, and the long-legged, sass-talking Bayonetta certainly delivers. When surrounded by magical guillotines, ten-foot-long chainsaws, and weapons that double as stripper poles, the caricature that is Bayonetta fits in perfectly. A popular topic of discussion is whether Bayonetta’s flagrant sexuality is demeaning or appealing to female gamers. Well, I must admit that the idea of “The bigger the move, the fewer the clothes” is a truly stupid excuse to get a character naked. Plus, come on, the camera didn’t need to zoom that close to her nude… ahem, pelvic area. But even the things I dislike about Bayonetta don’t offend me in the least as a female gamer. Not only did Bayonetta grow on me, she appeals to me. The way she works her curvaceous, ba-donka-donk butt actually makes me feel better about my own booty, plus she rides motorcycles, clearly sharing my obsession for two-wheeled speed. Bayonetta’s elegance with her elongated limbs is also to die for. From tearing apart enemies (to what I assume is upbeat Japanese elevator music) to her développé of the leg when pulling levers, everything she does is graceful. As a dancer, I can”t get enough of it. That being said, my approval of Bayonetta in context doesn’t mean the game is without flaws that take away from how hilarious the character could be . While it’s easy to wrap up Bayonetta’s body, power moves, weapons, and dialogue into a neat little package of nonsense, there’s one major weakness that detracts from this cohesion: the storyline. The game’s gaping plot holes and poor storytelling are what truly make it worthy of the term “mind-numbingly absurd.” Bayonetta seems to be another case of a game not entirely knowing what it wants to be. Is it a tongue-in-cheek comedy with a horrible, confusing storyline? Or is it complex, intelligent fiction with a preposterous heroine? The plot ends up taking itself a bit too seriously, and this hinders what could be hilarious satire. When you allow your main character to be flattened Looney Tunes-style by a falling object, you’ve just obliterated any hope of being taken seriously. Take the “machine gun leg” in Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror . It was hysterical because the story surrounding it was completely over-the-top; nothing needed to be explained. But Bayonetta’s cast spends a painfully long time trying to explain the mystical prophecy of the “Left Eye,” and it still never quite makes sense. With such a weighty storyline, Bayonetta at least needed more character development. She has solely two dimensions: magical ability and forced sexuality. It’s disheartening that, in a world where video games are considered art, we’re still getting shafted with shallow characters that would be rejected in any other medium. But if “shallow” is truly the game’s intent, then Bayonetta’s sex appeal is no more outrageous than Marcus Fenix’s beefiness. Surprisingly, most males I’ve discussed the game with don’t find Bayonetta arousing, but do agree that the game is gorgeous and fun as hell. Using sex to sell games is nothing new, and thankfully, Bayonetta offers something more than just “hot chick with guns.” Overall, I respect the boldness of Bayonetta’s character, but wish the creators had pushed the envelope of comic relief even further. …And seriously, I hope Frank Sinatra’s undead zombie eats the brains of whoever is responsible for that “Fly Me to the Moon” remake. Sheesh. Lisa Foiles is best known as the former star of Nickelodeon’s award-winning comedy show, All That. She currently works as a graphic designer and writes for her game site, Save Point . For more info, visit Lisa’s official website .

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Bayonetta Is Not Too Sexy, But Maybe Too Serious [Feature]

Bayonetta Is Not Too Sexy, But Maybe Too Serious [Feature]

From the first released trailer to the ending credits, my Bayonetta experience was a roller coaster of emotions. I laughed, I scratched my head, and I threw up in my mouth a little bit. The first glimpses of Bayonetta gave the impression that the game would be an immature sex-fest for the average young male gamer to play while locked in his room. For a while, I couldn’t visit a gaming website without seeing Bayonetta’s face, butt, or both, and practically developed migraines from my constant eye-rolling at every mention of the one-handed “Very Easy” mode. It was the epitome of lazy marketing: Using blatant T&A to sell a game. Since I’ve learned not to judge a game by its trailer (which should be the new expression), I gave the busty witch a chance. The result both pleasantly surprised me and triggered more migraines. Bayonetta, a character I initially despised for being such an in-your-face depiction of hypersexualization, proved to me that her sexuality works in context . A ridiculous action game deserves a ridiculous hero, and the long-legged, sass-talking Bayonetta certainly delivers. When surrounded by magical guillotines, ten-foot-long chainsaws, and weapons that double as stripper poles, the caricature that is Bayonetta fits in perfectly. A popular topic of discussion is whether Bayonetta’s flagrant sexuality is demeaning or appealing to female gamers. Well, I must admit that the idea of “The bigger the move, the fewer the clothes” is a truly stupid excuse to get a character naked. Plus, come on, the camera didn’t need to zoom that close to her nude… ahem, pelvic area. But even the things I dislike about Bayonetta don’t offend me in the least as a female gamer. Not only did Bayonetta grow on me, she appeals to me. The way she works her curvaceous, ba-donka-donk butt actually makes me feel better about my own booty, plus she rides motorcycles, clearly sharing my obsession for two-wheeled speed. Bayonetta’s elegance with her elongated limbs is also to die for. From tearing apart enemies (to what I assume is upbeat Japanese elevator music) to her développé of the leg when pulling levers, everything she does is graceful. As a dancer, I can”t get enough of it. That being said, my approval of Bayonetta in context doesn’t mean the game is without flaws that take away from how hilarious the character could be . While it’s easy to wrap up Bayonetta’s body, power moves, weapons, and dialogue into a neat little package of nonsense, there’s one major weakness that detracts from this cohesion: the storyline. The game’s gaping plot holes and poor storytelling are what truly make it worthy of the term “mind-numbingly absurd.” Bayonetta seems to be another case of a game not entirely knowing what it wants to be. Is it a tongue-in-cheek comedy with a horrible, confusing storyline? Or is it complex, intelligent fiction with a preposterous heroine? The plot ends up taking itself a bit too seriously, and this hinders what could be hilarious satire. When you allow your main character to be flattened Looney Tunes-style by a falling object, you’ve just obliterated any hope of being taken seriously. Take the “machine gun leg” in Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror . It was hysterical because the story surrounding it was completely over-the-top; nothing needed to be explained. But Bayonetta’s cast spends a painfully long time trying to explain the mystical prophecy of the “Left Eye,” and it still never quite makes sense. With such a weighty storyline, Bayonetta at least needed more character development. She has solely two dimensions: magical ability and forced sexuality. It’s disheartening that, in a world where video games are considered art, we’re still getting shafted with shallow characters that would be rejected in any other medium. But if “shallow” is truly the game’s intent, then Bayonetta’s sex appeal is no more outrageous than Marcus Fenix’s beefiness. Surprisingly, most males I’ve discussed the game with don’t find Bayonetta arousing, but do agree that the game is gorgeous and fun as hell. Using sex to sell games is nothing new, and thankfully, Bayonetta offers something more than just “hot chick with guns.” Overall, I respect the boldness of Bayonetta’s character, but wish the creators had pushed the envelope of comic relief even further. …And seriously, I hope Frank Sinatra’s undead zombie eats the brains of whoever is responsible for that “Fly Me to the Moon” remake. Sheesh. Lisa Foiles is best known as the former star of Nickelodeon’s award-winning comedy show, All That. She currently works as a graphic designer and writes for her game site, Save Point . For more info, visit Lisa’s official website .

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Bayonetta Is Not Too Sexy, But Maybe Too Serious [Feature]

Why Can’t This Ever Happen At The Airports I Use? [Clips]

This is quite possibly the only Army of Two: The 40th Day teaser that’s made me laugh. Probably because I’ve spent six hours in airports so far this holiday and have another four ahead of me to go home. I don’t even care that it’s a United Kingdom teaser instead of a North American one. You’ll find that airports — from their appearances and smells to their interminable waits and wailing babies — are pretty much a universal concept. By the time we colonize the moon, I’m sincerely hoping we’ve solved the wailing babies problem. Merry Christmas to those of you ahead of the United States’ timezones. Happy day-before-Christmas to the rest of you!

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Why Can’t This Ever Happen At The Airports I Use? [Clips]

Burnout Paradise On The Moon? [Criterion Games]

A post on Burnout developer Criterion Games ‘ website reveals plans for downloadable content that never made it to fruition, including boats, helicopters, time travel, and yes – Burnout on the moon. Burnout Paradise was originally envisioned as a series of islands all connected to Paradise City through bridges (or potentially boats!), but something changed after the game was released that shifted Criterion’s focus on DLC. Criterion figured Stunt Run and Ranked Racing would be the online modes everyone would be playing, but instead, players flocked to the Free Burn Challenges, so the developers shifted gears accordingly, scrapping the idea of multiple islands filled with different game types, including one marked up like an F1 course. Drat. The other scrapped plans are even more interesting. They envisioned boats racing from island to island, planes and helicopters flying overhead, and cars versus motorcycles ala Road Rash. They considered a network of underground racing areas, and time portals that would temporarily warp you to the Old West. But by far the most out-of-this-world idea was Burnout on the moon. Again, completely true. Someone on the team said that ‘players want the moon on a stick when it comes to DLC’ We thought that was funny and thought we’d do it. The actual surface of the real Moon was modeled and it was drive-able. Lunar Challenges would have been totally unexpected – as would have been zero gravity Takedowns and Challenges. The idea was that we would have built a rocket pad on Big Surf. If you reached a certain Rank, or completed a number of specific challenges, you could drive there, press a button and the rocket would launch. Destination – Moon! (Now that would have beaten downloadable car liveries any day!) Agreed! Check out the link below for more on Criterion’s overly ambitious DLC plans, and imagine what might have been. “Take A Look At What You Could Have Won…” [Criterion Games via inc gamers ]

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Burnout Paradise On The Moon? [Criterion Games]

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