Octopus with another of our brief summaries of the latest issue of the UK Official PlayStation Magazine, coming round every four weeks like a mildly interesting menstrual cycle.
The cover story this month is the review of Killzone 2, which recieved a wonderful 9. Say what you want about the honesty of an official platform magazine reviewing a key exclusive, but their review hyped me up possibly more that I already was - now I'm foaming even more at the mouth! Features in this issue of the mag include a rumour-mongering look at this year's secret games including Assassin's Creed 2, COD: MW2 and the new Team Ico game; a couple of new details on Uncharted 2 (Elena is back); an interview with Kaz Hirai; a peek at this year's upcoming awesome games; and the top ten games of 2008 according to a reader poll. The list is as follows: Dead Space, Bioshock, Resistance 2, Mirror's Edge, Burnout Paradise, COD: WaW, Fallout 3, GTAIV, LBP and good old MGS4 coming top.
The rumour machine (obviously the best feature) reads as follows: EA is to hold an auction that will be open to every player in the NFL for the chance to be Madden 2010's cover star (thought there was a supposed curse on that?); developers are already working on games for PSP2, which is tentatively scheduled for release in 2010 (heard this one elsewhere too, but why are MotorStorm and LBP not then PSP2 launch games?); Tetsuya Mizuguchi is looking to make a sequel to Rez, the rights for which are currently owned by Sega (yes please); Square Enix will unveil a 'different from Final Fantasy' MMO at E3 (wahey?); a PSP version of brilliant off-road racer Motorstorm is in the works and may be released before the end of 2009 (yep); despite the fact that FEAR 2 isn't even out yet, Monolith is already working on FEAR 3 (unsurprising, bad economy is leading developers and publishers into focusing more on sequels and established franchises); and Indiana Jones and Batman weren't the last film favourites to be tuned into blocks - Lego Harry Potter is on the way (I was pretty sure they denied this?).
Previews are of new racer Fuel (awesome), FEAR 2: Project Origin (not scary), Gostbusters (disappointing), and Supercar Challenge (super), and even Hydrophobia makes a tiny appearance, stuck to a March release date. Besides Killzone 2, reviews include Skate 2 (8), Patapon 2 (8), Savage Moon (7), LOTR Conquest (5), NPPL Champtionship Paintball 2009 (only 4), Madagascar 2 (3), Bolt (6), Way of the Samurai (6), History Civil War: Secret Missions (3), Age of Booty (6) and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm (5). There are also online reviews of PES09 (5), FIFA09 (9) and COD: WaW (8). Oh and next issue is going to have an exclusive Resi 5 review.
PlayStation Official Magazine UK Issue 28 (February 2009) should on shop shelves today, and already in subscribers hands, and has a menacing looking Helghast soldier on the front.
Showing posts with label magazine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magazine. Show all posts
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Unembargoed!
Well after we left you in the lurch with our previous post on the status of the PlayStation magazine (right about here), I figured it was only fair to fill you in with what the world of paper holds for us this month.
The reason for the embargo delaying the release of the magazine to subscribers (like us) was probably the Uncharted 2 feature as we guessed. And the exclusive shots and deets sail in at number one of the magazines 'Big 10'. The preview fills in a bit about the story of the sequel - Drake is following Marco Polo's secret mission to supposedly find the utopian Shangri-La and the Cintamani Stone that resides there (probably what we saw in that first teased vid). Gameplay-wise, the new game is all about adding more to the already essential Uncharted experience. Grenades do now not require SIXAXIS control to throw, replaced with a simple button press, moving cover can be found in riot shields and the like, and Drake can now swing on monkey bars and indulge himself in a bit of free running here and there. There's also more stealth in this game: on top of the free-running, Drake has a series of stealth takedowns in his arsenal. But the most important thing? Elena appears to have been switched out for new girl Chloe Frazer (who is Australian, sigh), but the developers were coy on the possible return of Elena and Sully at some point in the game, which should be out sometime towards the end of next year.
Also in the magazine there's a little review of the year, a chat with a gamer who beat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by building a custom gaming rig, a bit of a moan about the number of generic-looking PS3 characters, and a bit of a look behind the scenes at how a PSN game is made. Filed under rumours there are claims that IO is making the console versions of Dues Ex 3 as well as working on another three (?!) new games, LittleBigPlanet PSP is in development (told you) outside of Media Molecule and will be out next year, Smackdown vs Raw DLC will feature stupidly-named guys X, Y and Z (confirmed), EA is working on its own series of Rock Band-style games (wait, doesn't EA already publish Rock Band?), Sega has another licensed scifi shooter in development (lets just get Aliens out first), there will be a new 24 game, and, in nomination for vaguest rumour of the year award, "a renowned UK-based studio is working in a brand new, astonishing-looking urban crime game set for release in 2010". But if its Criterion (and it could be), that would be AWESOME.
In previews, there's new stuff on Overlord 2 (groan), SFIV (pretty), Dynasty Warriors 6 (this series is still going?), Killzone 2, HAWX (fugly), Bionic Commando (oh yes), UFC 2009 (more wrestling?), 50 Cent (yo), with an added brief mention of C&C Red Alert 3 brightening my day. Reviews include a 9 for The Game With An Acronym Longer Than Most Full Game Titles, a harsh 4 for Sonic, an 8 for Crash Commando, a 6 for the Prince of Persia Classic PSN game and new Spyro (noooooo!), a 7 for EndWar PSP (basically Clancy-themed Advance Wars), a 9 for SingStar Abba, a 7 for SingStar Volume 3, and a 5 for Disney's attempt Sing It, a happy-happy 8 for LocoRoco 2, 3 for Cabela's Shoot Animals in the Face 2009, 5 for the new Armoured Core, 6 for upcoming PSN zombie-em-up Burn Zombie Burn, *breathe* 5 for Novastrike, 3 for Spin Jam, 5 for NFS PSP, 5 for Crash 3: Warped, 3 for Theme Park, and 6 for the new Buzz on PSP. Jeezus. A month of mediocrity then.
Features include a retrospective of the Resident Evil series along with a new hands-on, but the main focus is Heavy Rain, the upcoming PS3 exclusive from the developers of the awesome Fahrenheit. There's a 12 page feature, that talks about the story, well, mentions it in passing - barely anything has been revealed so far, but there was discussion of the crime scene that makes up the game's opener, as well as lots of behind the scenes on the game's revolutionary mo-capping and intricate detail (plans are made, and then shipped off to outside studios who make up the millions of objects in the game - cars, trash cans etc in excruciating beautifulness - then it all goes back to the main developers to put together). There's also exclusive new shots!
But quit reading this brief overview, and head down to the shops yourself you lazy, cheap bastard; issue 27 (January 09) is available now and has the hairy face of a man from Heavy Rain on the front. Fly, my pretties, fly!
PS: In the 'how a PSN game is made' segment, PSN senior producer Phil Gaskell lets slip that he has been working on a new project with Stardust developers Housemarque. Yay!
The reason for the embargo delaying the release of the magazine to subscribers (like us) was probably the Uncharted 2 feature as we guessed. And the exclusive shots and deets sail in at number one of the magazines 'Big 10'. The preview fills in a bit about the story of the sequel - Drake is following Marco Polo's secret mission to supposedly find the utopian Shangri-La and the Cintamani Stone that resides there (probably what we saw in that first teased vid). Gameplay-wise, the new game is all about adding more to the already essential Uncharted experience. Grenades do now not require SIXAXIS control to throw, replaced with a simple button press, moving cover can be found in riot shields and the like, and Drake can now swing on monkey bars and indulge himself in a bit of free running here and there. There's also more stealth in this game: on top of the free-running, Drake has a series of stealth takedowns in his arsenal. But the most important thing? Elena appears to have been switched out for new girl Chloe Frazer (who is Australian, sigh), but the developers were coy on the possible return of Elena and Sully at some point in the game, which should be out sometime towards the end of next year.
Also in the magazine there's a little review of the year, a chat with a gamer who beat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by building a custom gaming rig, a bit of a moan about the number of generic-looking PS3 characters, and a bit of a look behind the scenes at how a PSN game is made. Filed under rumours there are claims that IO is making the console versions of Dues Ex 3 as well as working on another three (?!) new games, LittleBigPlanet PSP is in development (told you) outside of Media Molecule and will be out next year, Smackdown vs Raw DLC will feature stupidly-named guys X, Y and Z (confirmed), EA is working on its own series of Rock Band-style games (wait, doesn't EA already publish Rock Band?), Sega has another licensed scifi shooter in development (lets just get Aliens out first), there will be a new 24 game, and, in nomination for vaguest rumour of the year award, "a renowned UK-based studio is working in a brand new, astonishing-looking urban crime game set for release in 2010". But if its Criterion (and it could be), that would be AWESOME.
In previews, there's new stuff on Overlord 2 (groan), SFIV (pretty), Dynasty Warriors 6 (this series is still going?), Killzone 2, HAWX (fugly), Bionic Commando (oh yes), UFC 2009 (more wrestling?), 50 Cent (yo), with an added brief mention of C&C Red Alert 3 brightening my day. Reviews include a 9 for The Game With An Acronym Longer Than Most Full Game Titles, a harsh 4 for Sonic, an 8 for Crash Commando, a 6 for the Prince of Persia Classic PSN game and new Spyro (noooooo!), a 7 for EndWar PSP (basically Clancy-themed Advance Wars), a 9 for SingStar Abba, a 7 for SingStar Volume 3, and a 5 for Disney's attempt Sing It, a happy-happy 8 for LocoRoco 2, 3 for Cabela's Shoot Animals in the Face 2009, 5 for the new Armoured Core, 6 for upcoming PSN zombie-em-up Burn Zombie Burn, *breathe* 5 for Novastrike, 3 for Spin Jam, 5 for NFS PSP, 5 for Crash 3: Warped, 3 for Theme Park, and 6 for the new Buzz on PSP. Jeezus. A month of mediocrity then.
Features include a retrospective of the Resident Evil series along with a new hands-on, but the main focus is Heavy Rain, the upcoming PS3 exclusive from the developers of the awesome Fahrenheit. There's a 12 page feature, that talks about the story, well, mentions it in passing - barely anything has been revealed so far, but there was discussion of the crime scene that makes up the game's opener, as well as lots of behind the scenes on the game's revolutionary mo-capping and intricate detail (plans are made, and then shipped off to outside studios who make up the millions of objects in the game - cars, trash cans etc in excruciating beautifulness - then it all goes back to the main developers to put together). There's also exclusive new shots!
But quit reading this brief overview, and head down to the shops yourself you lazy, cheap bastard; issue 27 (January 09) is available now and has the hairy face of a man from Heavy Rain on the front. Fly, my pretties, fly!
PS: In the 'how a PSN game is made' segment, PSN senior producer Phil Gaskell lets slip that he has been working on a new project with Stardust developers Housemarque. Yay!
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Embargoed!
Normally, myself and Aquatic get our copies of the Official UK PlayStation magazine about a week ahead of retail release from our subscriptions. Today, I got an e-mail from the magazine team warning that I wouldn't get my copy until around the 23rd December (the actual release date for the next issue) due to some "greate exclusive content" that is in the mag. So, what is it? Uncharted 2? God of War? Heavy Rain is already confirmed for the issue, maybe it's something to do with that? Rest assured, as soon as we get hold of an issue, we shall report the contents unto the internets.
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Yeah, We Can Read
Well, I got my copy of the Official UK PlayStation Magazine through today, so let's have a flick through and see what's going down.
First of all, there's the world exclusive announcement, deets and screens of Dirt 2. Then plenty of info on Killzone 2, and interviews with Shuhei Yoshida, Alex Evans and Nolan North (the voice of Nathan Drake and the new Prince of Persia).
Rumours-wise, APB is supposedly coming to PS3, as is the oft-delayed Splinter Cell Conviction. EA is making a Dante's Inferno game (presumably the one Variety were talking about last month), and have laid-off staff working on Steven Spielberg's LMNO (that's fact, not rumour). Appaently work on MGS5 has begun with a new hero, Sony is readying a Wiimote of its own that uses the Eye in some way (that old rumour again) and it'll be three years until the next game from Bethesda's Fallout team.
Previews include White Knight Chronicles, Killzone 2, Demon's Souls, Red Faction (die!), Quantum Theory, Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2, Bayonetta and FEAR 2. There's also a feature on the upcoming PSN hits such as Crash Commando, The Punisher, Flower, Savage Moon etc.
In reviews, Prince of Persia gets an 8, NFS Undercover earns a surprisingly high 7, Fallout 3 a beautiful 9, Quantum of Solace 6, Manhunt 2 bullies the review editor into gettign another 8, as does Call of Duty World at War, MK vs DC and SOCOM both get 7s, Guitar Hero and Rock Band 2 both get 9s (so unhelpful) and Rock Revolution gets the shitty-game-of-the-month award with a 4. Alone in the Dark scrapes a 6, MotoGP a 7, Golden Axe also gets a 4, GTi Club+ a 6 and Shaun White bombs his way to a 5.
There are many many more, but go buy the magazine you lazy bastards. This issue (26) will be out next Tuesday for the normal £5.99 and has some epic Prince of Persia art on the front.
First of all, there's the world exclusive announcement, deets and screens of Dirt 2. Then plenty of info on Killzone 2, and interviews with Shuhei Yoshida, Alex Evans and Nolan North (the voice of Nathan Drake and the new Prince of Persia).
Rumours-wise, APB is supposedly coming to PS3, as is the oft-delayed Splinter Cell Conviction. EA is making a Dante's Inferno game (presumably the one Variety were talking about last month), and have laid-off staff working on Steven Spielberg's LMNO (that's fact, not rumour). Appaently work on MGS5 has begun with a new hero, Sony is readying a Wiimote of its own that uses the Eye in some way (that old rumour again) and it'll be three years until the next game from Bethesda's Fallout team.
Previews include White Knight Chronicles, Killzone 2, Demon's Souls, Red Faction (die!), Quantum Theory, Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2, Bayonetta and FEAR 2. There's also a feature on the upcoming PSN hits such as Crash Commando, The Punisher, Flower, Savage Moon etc.
In reviews, Prince of Persia gets an 8, NFS Undercover earns a surprisingly high 7, Fallout 3 a beautiful 9, Quantum of Solace 6, Manhunt 2 bullies the review editor into gettign another 8, as does Call of Duty World at War, MK vs DC and SOCOM both get 7s, Guitar Hero and Rock Band 2 both get 9s (so unhelpful) and Rock Revolution gets the shitty-game-of-the-month award with a 4. Alone in the Dark scrapes a 6, MotoGP a 7, Golden Axe also gets a 4, GTi Club+ a 6 and Shaun White bombs his way to a 5.
There are many many more, but go buy the magazine you lazy bastards. This issue (26) will be out next Tuesday for the normal £5.99 and has some epic Prince of Persia art on the front.
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