Playstation 3

Sony Announces PlayStation 3 Firmware 3.41

When PlayStation 3 firmware 3.40 was released last month, Sony introduced a new 5 star rating system that users could use to rate any download on the PlayStation Store. Now, with firmware 3.41, which has gone live to all PlayStation 3 users, Sony has added a “You May Like” Section, which details various PlayStation Store items that other PS3 users have purchased based on what you may be currently browsing on the store front, as Eric Lempel, VP, Network Operations Americas notes on the official PlayStation Blog.

“This section lists additional items based on the purchases of other PlayStation Network members who have purchased the item you’re currently looking at.”

Sly Collection retailing at $39.99

Sly Cooper fans rejoice! The Sly Collection will bring Sly’s exploits onto the PS3, via a HD remastering of the 3 iterations that first appeared on the PS2, in much the same way as the God of War: Collection released earlier in the year, and the Sly Collection will be available for $39.99.

The three Sly titles in case you didn’t know are Sly Cooper and the Thievious Raccoonus, Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves, and will be transferred to lovely HD, but as well as this Sanzura Games will add 3D support for all three games, also there will be some Playstation Move support for mini-games in the titles.

And of course PSN trophy support will be enabled for the three games, with platinum’s for each, like with the God of War: Collection.

More on the Sly Collection will be shown at Comic-Con from the Playstation booth, and of course in the coming weeks and months leading up to its release.

Alpha Protocol Review

In a crowded marketplace, it is essential to separate yourself from the pack to garner any type of fiscal reward or recognition. Alpha Protocol leaps onto the genre-splicing bandwagon and dresses itself in a shiny new spy theme that not enough games experiment with. Having received several accolades in the past as a promising new IP, many have wondered about the menacing delays and secrecy surrounding the final days of the game’s development. Apparently nothing has changed between its preview build and retail release, and that is not necessarily a good thing.

PS3 Users Reporting in on HuluPlus

Hulu Plus, the new subscription service from Hulu.com, has been available to invited PS3 users since July 16, and the reviews are rolling in. It seems that the invitations did not go out all at once, though, so more are to come. Users generally report that Hulu Plus runs beautifully on the PS3. Everything loads quickly, the menu is easy to navigate, and transitions are smooth. JackieChiles007 has been kind enough to share his experience on YouTube. As seen in the video, the menu scrolls quickly and smoothly. The video he/she selects, an installment of Great Museums, plays without a glitch.

Technical drawbacks include the lack of comparative clarity on HD TVs, and the inconvenience of searching via an onscreen keyboard. (USB keyboards are incompatible.) Another complaint—this one in common with Hulu on PC—sound volume on the commercials is louder than the shows.

PlayStation Keeping it Simple at the Con

Ready… set… con! Right on cue, at 6pm PST, the doors to the convention hall opened and the crowds charged in, ready to immerse themselves in games, comics, television, movies, collectibles, and general sensory overload. Even preview night, open to those holding four-day passes, now feels just as packed as the rest of the festivities. 

The Playstation booth was a haven of relative calm–like a save point–moderately crowded, with just a select handful of games being demoed. There was actually room to get in and play a game or watch others play with minimal smashed toes and b.o. levels. 

Dragon Age 2 at Comic-Con 2010

This writer first discovered Dragon Age: Origins by stumbling upon a preview demonstration at the Hilton hotel just outside Comic-Con last year. While Dragon Age 2 was announced recently, little about the game has been revealed, so the eight-foot dragon statue outside the Hilton during the 2010 Con was cause for excitement. 

Bioware was back, showcasing two much anticipated sequels, Dragon Age 2 and Dead Space 2. The atmosphere was filled with as much glitz and anticipation as at any other Comic-Con event. Lines stretched out the double doors of the preview rooms, and participants happily signed agreements not to take photos or record anything once inside. This year’s set-up was a bit more formal than last year’s. In 2009, players would wander in, go to stations and play at their own pace. A Bioware representative was on hand at each console to explain what a Grey Warden was, and give game play tips. This year, players were brought into the curtained-off as a group of 20 or so. Lead Developer Mike Laidlaw introduced Dragon Age 2, gave some background on the title, and then demoed it. 

Kane and Lynch 2 Preview

The demo allows for roughly ten minutes of the single player campaign through the eyes of Lynch and a sample of the new multiplayer mode “Fragile Alliance.” The campaign opens with Kane and Lynch rolling over a Chinese restaurant counter dodging a barrage of machine gun fire. Bullets spray overhead as Lynch finds his bearings and stands up. It is difficult to tell the difference between in-game cinematic cut-scenes and actual gameplay. The entire game is rendered with a highly stylized lens that looks as if someone is following these guys with an old cell phone camera complete with hazy distortion and periodic discoloration. There is a huge difference between playing a game that looks like a movie versus watching a movie with game elements. Dog Days strikes a remarkable balance between the two with the camera effect which is surprisingly engaging. The shaky camera can be disabled, but this feature gives Dog Days its own unique feel and cutting it out reduces the game’s identity significantly. It feels like you are playing a cut-scene, but in a good way; that cinematic flair continues to maintain itself during the rest of the gameplay.