It’s no secret that the PS3 has had a lack of major titles since it’s release, so much so that most of the Sony fans have spent their time in the forums complaining about the lack of games on the Playstation Store, therefore it is with great relief that all of them welcome Sony’s first big hitter to the stores shelves, and the game we are talking about is none other than Heavenly Sword.

Much has been made of the lengths that Sony and Ninja Theory have gone to create a visually stunning game and from the first time you see Heavenly Sword in action you are not disappointed, the level of detail is simply amazing and the cut scenes, well they will take your breath away, but no matter how good a game looks, it’s how it plays that concerns us and most other gamers, so does it live up to it’s beauty?

For those of you out there who don’t know what Heavenly Sword is about let us explain, basically you play as Nariko (and to a lesser extent as her sidekick, Kai) who takes up the Heavenly Sword in a desperate fight for survival after the invading King destroys the warriors who guard it, the sword curses anyone who holds it, so before she meets her fate, Nariko goes on one last mission of revenge against the King.

The battle begins with you trying to defend your city from the invading hordes, you are aided in this respect by the much publicised combat system which has many different forms, Nariko has three different stances which in turn each have their own set of moves, the three stances are accessed by using either the L1 (ranged stance) or R1 buttons (power stance) or by pressing nothing (default stance) and when combined with the Square and Triangle buttons these will enable you to access the majority of your moves, the combat system works fairly well, although as pressing triangle also acts as a counter move which usually kills in one hit, you will probably end up using this in most battles, the only downfall to the combat is a lack of block button, this instead is done when Nariko is not attacking.

Unfortunately when fighting the hordes nothing much changes because most of them feel the same, enemy types are quite limited with only a few variants throughout the game, however there is some light at the end of the tunnel in the form of boss battles, their moves all have an element of the classic system of pattern fighting, where the boss will rinse and repeat with his moves until either you are dead or you have figured out when the best time to hit him is. The boss battles are certainly the most challenging aspect of the game (as they should be) and offer a nice change from cutting through enemy after enemy on your way to the King.

One of the most fun aspects of the game is when you get to control Kai, this happens quite a few times throughout the game and sees you take control of quite a few different weapons, for example near the start of the game the king asks her to stay guard and stop the enemy from reach the gate, this is done by aiming your bow at the enemy and letting you arrows do the talking, the most fun aspect of this is when you hold down the Square button as this allows you to guide your arrow straight into the enemy by using the Sixaxis to steer it, this really is done very well, especially the camera which has you following the arrow from behind.

Aside from the fighting, Heavenly Sword also incorporates a few puzzle sequences by having you trying to do things like trigger doors using a combination of buttons and the Sixaxis controls, this can actually be quite entertaining and makes a welcome break from the other aspects of the game.

One of the other things you will notice when playing the games is that when fighting you unlock things, these can range from new combos to goodies like character art, the more points you receive when fighting during each stage, the more you will unlock.

Heavenly Sword is a truly stunning looking game, in fact it is probably one of the best looking games you will ever have seen, combine this with the brilliant voice acting and you have a game which presentation wise cannot be faulted, however the battles would become slightly tedious for some people, but saying that if you want a game to show your PS3 off to your friends, then this the one.

Rating: 9.4/10

The Playstation 3 version of Dirt has now arrived and thankfully this means that racing fans who like their cars off road at last have something to be happy about, especially since this game looks absolutely stunning, but there is the age old question of how does it play, well as ever we will try to answer this question.

Rally racing has always been a hectic affair and Dirt captures this feeling perfectly, during most of the game you will find yourself power sliding around narrow corners while gripping onto your controller so tight that you cut off the circulation in your hands, but that’s just down to how realistic the game feels as you lose yourself in trying to be the best.

The main bulk of the game is played in the single player career mode, this offers a pyramid of racing challenges, in which you start at the bottom and make your way to the top, as you complete races you will unlock new ones which in turn will enable you to make money to buy new cars. There are six different rally events in the career mode so as to keep things fresh and challenging, these are Rally, Crossover, Rallycross, Rally Raid, Corr and Hill Climb, having a variety of races such as these certainly keeps things interesting on your way to the top of the pyramid.

If like some people (me) it takes you a while to get to grips with racing games, then you will be pleased to know that Dirt offers five different difficulty levels which should give everyone the type of challenge they are looking for, these range from Rookie all the way up to Pro, the good thing about this is that whatever level you choose, you opponents will always be of the same standard, so if you choose Rookie because you always crash every time you try to turn around a corner, then don’t worry because you won’t be the only one in the race doing this.

One of the most fun aspects of the game is the car damage and if you aren’t the perfect driver then chances are a tree or two will get in your way and let you experience this. There are nine parts of your car which can be damaged in Dirt and each of these effect how you car handles, if you partially damage these you are usually able to continue the race albeit with limitations, however wreck them completely and the race will be over.

Codemasters have also taken time during development to think about the purists amongst you by including the option to tweak the cars, there is plenty you can do here to improve performance as the game allows you to alter the Wheels, Suspensions Springs, Suspension Damping, Transmission, Brakes, Differentials, Downforce and Anti Roll Bar settings, so this should keep the more serious racers from blaming the car when they smack into a tree at high speeds.

As briefly mentioned at the start of this review, the graphics in Dirt are stunning, from the 3D menus to the stunning environments you can’t fail to be impressed, you are also able to interact with most of the backgrounds, by smashing into trees or fences, the cars are also perfectly modeled and will have you looking twice to see if it really is a computer game that you are playing.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the game is the online multiplayer games, although up to 100 players can race against each other at the same time, you don’t actually see anyone, only their times, therefore you are really only racing against the clock rather than an opponent, or that’s what it feels like anyway. You are also only limited to two modes of play in the multiplayer modes, these are Rally Race or Hill Climb, perhaps it would have been better to include some of the head to head modes to make things feel a bit more competitive but maybe that’s me just being picky.

Overall Colin McRae: Dirt on the Playstation 3 is a very good racing game indeed, it looks superb, the cars handle well and it feels great to play, Dirt also offers something for both beginners and hardcore racers alike and as things stand this is definitely the best racer on the PS3 at the moment. Highly recommend, enough said.

Rating: 9.1/10

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. today announced that it would release DUALSHOCK 3 Wireless Controller, a new controller for PLAYSTATION 3 incorporating a rumble feature, in Japan in November as a separately sold accessory. It inherits the basic design and functionality of the popular PlayStation controller, while keeping the high-precision, high response motion sensitive six-axis sensing system. Introduction to North American and European markets is expected in spring 2008.

The added rumble feature, combined with the highly realistic motion sensitive six-axis sensing system, takes gamers deeper into the world of interactivity, delivering a more intuitive, realistic and immersive game play experience. The new controller will also benefit PS3 content creators, by giving them the ability to further expand their creative imagination. PS3 titles that are already in the market may become compatible with the rumble feature through software update.

With DUALSHOCK 3 and the attractive lineup of PS3 titles incorporating the rumble feature, SCEI will introduce more new ways of enjoyment that can only be found on PS3, and will further redefine the world of entertainment.

LIST OF PLAYSTATION 3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK 3 IN JAPAN

As of September 20th, 2007

(in alphabetical order of company name)

Title Name Developer/Publisher

Vampire Rain -Altered Species AQ INTERACTIVE Inc.

BIOHAZARD 5 CAPCOM CO.,LTD.

Devil May Cry 4 CAPCOM CO.,LTD.

Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER Inc.

Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K.

FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K.

BUMPY TROT2 IREM SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INC.

Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI Co., Ltd.

Fatal Inertia KOEI Co., Ltd.

GI JOCKEY 4 2007 KOEI Co., Ltd.

METAL GEAR ONLINE Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

IMABIKISOU SEGA CORPORATION

Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment

Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment

Resistance: Fall of Men (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment

Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

LIST OF PLAYSTATION 3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK 3 IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE *2

As of September 20th, 2007

(in alphabetical order of company name)

Title Name Developer/Publisher

The Darkness 2K Games

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Activision

Soldier of Fortune Activision

BIOHAZARD 5 CAPCOM

Devil May Cry 4 CAPCOM

N-Cube Creat Studios

Warbit Creat Studios

Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER

Turok Disney Interactive

Highlander Eidos

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Eidos

Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS

FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS

Legendary: The Box Gamecock

To End All Wars Ghostlight

RAGE id Software

WarDevil – Unleash the Beast Within Ignition Entertainment

Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI

Fatal Inertia KOEI

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami

Blacksite: Area 51 Midway

TNA Wrestling Midway

Unreal Tournament 3 Midway

Wheelman Midway

Cops (codename, title name TBD) Pyro

Planet One (codename, title name TBD) Pyro

Heroes over Europe Red Mile Entertainment

Condemned 2 SEGA

Iron Man SEGA

The Club SEGA

The Crucible SEGA

The Incredible Hulk SEGA

Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment

Elefunk Sony Computer Entertainment

Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

High Velocity Bowling Sony Computer Entertainment

MLB 08: The Show Sony Computer Entertainment

MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

NBA 08 (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

PAIN Sony Computer Entertainment

Rat Race Sony Computer Entertainment

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment

Resistance: Fall of Man (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Snakeball Sony Computer Entertainment

SOCOM: Confrontation Sony Computer Entertainment

Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment

Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

WipEout HD Sony Computer Entertainment

GirpShift Sony Online Entertainment

NBA 2K8 Take Two Sports

Destroy All Humans 3 THQ

Stuntman Ignition THQ

Assassin’s Creed UbiSoft

BEOWULF UbiSoft

HAZE UbiSoft

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (*1) UbiSoft

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (*1) UbiSoft

Prototype Vivendi Games

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Vivendi Games

*1? Users will be able to enjoy the rumble feature through software update.

*2?Actual titles to be released may vary among countries and regions.

Konami today confirmed that October 26th is the release date for its eagerly awaited PES 2008 title. The 26th will see the launch of the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PlayStation 2, and mobile versions of the game, with the PSP and Nintendo DS skus to follow in November.

Already regarded as one of the most anticipated titles of the year, PES 2008 is a landmark in football. Built around a proprietary adaptive AI system entitled Teamvision, the game monitors the movement and passing of the player, and learns to counter them. By constantly analysing matches against the player, Teamvision picks up on particular patterns to each user’s play, and will adapt its strategies accordingly. This results in more open, fluid matches, the perfectly suit the realism the Pro Evolution Soccer series is renowned for.

PES 2008 also marks the series’ first release for Playstation 3. Alongside the Xbox 360 and PC-DVD versions, the next generation PES 2008 boasts a remarkable level of detail, with stunning physical recreations of players married to bespoke animations that mirror their idiosyncracies, individual running styles and playing styles. Players also boast facial animation, while the added definition offered by the new formats is shown in the rippling of player kits during the course of a match.

All versions of PES 2008 will also benefit from the series’ intuitive and realistic control system. As with previous releases, the ball is treated as a separate entity, with the timing of shots entirely down to the player. The movement of the ball, the proximity of the player and their varying abilities are just three factors that are considered when a shot is made, while the new AI ensures that defenders work to close down space and block efforts on goal. Similarly, distribution of passes works along the same lines, with players using the space available to them to switch the ball. Close control has also been enhanced with more control when dribbling the ball, and a number of subtle moves added to bypass defenders and move the ball into space.

Working in conjunction with the Teamvision system, every aspect of PES 2008’s on-field play has been reworked and fine-tuned to create the balanced and strategic play of a high-level match. Set-pieces have been improved, with users now capable of nominating taller players to come up for free kicks or corners, while full control is given over the number of players and the position of the defensive wall. A wider range of set piece options are also available to make use of specific talents within the team, and an extensive list of options is also present, from hugely detailed ‘Edit’ modes through to online play.

Such is the clamour for PES 2008, that Konami is anticipating its biggest sales in the series, with several million copies being shipped to European territories to meet demand. “We are extremely confident that PES 2008 will be welcomed as the greatest football game of all time,” commented Kunio Neo, President for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “Demand is massive for what is easily the best Pro Evolution Soccer title to date, and we anticipate record sales as we bring the series to Playstation 3 for the first time, and unleash stunning versions for all leading formats.”

European fans should be pleased with this weeks store update as three playable demo’s , all from Electronic Arts, make an appearance, first up is the highly anticipated FIFA 08 demo (which was rumoured not to make it today) and following this is another demo in the form of NBA Live 08, last but not least is a demo from the recently released Harry Potter and The Order of the Pheonix. 

Also on the store are two new vehicles for Motorstorm and a add on for Ninja Gaiden which includes 5 new survival modes.

Here is the full list:

• FIFA 08 Demo
• Weapons Master (Ninja Gaiden)
• NBA Live 08 Demo
• Loco Roco Cocoreccho Trailer
• Harry Potter  
• Motorstorm Vehicle Pack
• Ninja Gaiden - Weapons Master Add on
• Heavenly Sword anime pt.5 & making of pt. 4

A pretty decent update, but what do you think and what will you be downloading?

SEGA today confirmed that SEGA Rally will include, among others, the Mitsubishi Concept-X, the recently revealed McRae Enduro, the RUF Rt 12 and a uniquely customised HUMMER H3. SEGA Rally will be released across Europe on the PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC on September 28th 2007.

Mitsubishi Concept-X
With a nose end inspired by a jet fighter this is the concept vehicle for the next-generation of the Lancer Evolution Series, this fantastic car makes its video game debut in SEGA Rally. The production version of the Concept-X will have a 2.0 litre turbo-charged engine, a twin-clutch transmission, a further-developed all-wheel-drive system and a lightweight all-aluminium bodywork. The words Lancer Evolution have become synonymous with the sport of rallying since the car first launched in 1992 and the Concept-X has paved the way for the release of the forthcoming Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X in early 2008.

McRae Enduro
The brainchild of rally champion Alister McRae, the McRae Enduro is a new rally car concept that combines outstanding driving dynamics and modern turbo-diesel power with the extra traction that comes with a sophisticated suspension set-up and four-wheel-drive. The rugged McRae Enduro has been designed to compete in the most extreme off-road events including the FIA Cross-Country rallies, Baja-type events and the gruelling Dakar Rally. Having first met with the SEGA Racing Studio early in development of SEGA Rally the relationship was made stronger when SEGA Racing Studio’s Lead Car Artist, Keith Burden, became involved in the design process of the McRae Enduro, offering his skills and advice on the look and shape of the McRae Enduro. The McRae Enduro also makes its video game debut in SEGA Rally.

RUF Rt 12
RUF Automobile GmbH is the producer of high-performance vehicles, specialising in the manufacturing and enhancement of existing sports cars to RUF performance specifications. The RUF Rt 12, available to purchase with either a four or rear-wheel drive train has advanced aerodynamics and handling characteristics. It is one of the fastest and most desirable SEGA Rally cars boasting a top speed of over 200mph.

HUMMER H3 SUV (Customised)*
You wont find this beast of a car in any other game because it’s been modified, with approval by GM, by Lead Car Artist at the SEGA Racing Studio, Keith Burden. HUMMER is one of the very few manufacturers to allow such extensive customisation for a game and Keith has pulled out the stops to produce a real monster for SEGA Rally. Beginning as a standard HUMMER H3 SUV, Keith removed the rear doors and dropped the ride height, brought the wheel arch up a touch and tweaked it further to allow more space for wheel clearance. Keith then added Rally-Raid influenced wheels and tyres. The H3 is currently the most popular HUMMER model, with its compact design making it especially desirable within the American market.

Details for Clive Barker’s Jericho Steelbook Special Editions for Xbox 360 and PS3 have finally been announced today.

The shiny steelbook packed edition will contain a gorgeous artbook, laden with concept artwork [from the mind of Clive Barker] that shows how the characters, the squad, the environments and the freakishly scary monsters started out.

Players can then venture out into the world itself to see how they were beautifully realised into high-detail in-game models.

The Special Editions will only be available in certain countries as follows:

for the PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 in the UK
for the Xbox 360 in the US
for the PLAYSTATION 3 in Spain
for the PLAYSTATION 3 in Benelux

Let us know what you think.

The Playstation 3 Store has been updated today with the following content:

- Motorstorm Pass VIP Coyote Revenge - £3.99
- GT 5 trailer - Free
- Heavenly Sword Trailer - Free
- Lair Trailer - Free
- The Invasion Trailer - Free

So there is no sign of the Stranglehold or Fifa demos that where rumoured on the internet or Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix which was originally due to hit the store the day after it’s release on Xbox Live.

At least Motorstorm fans will be happy with the downloadable content which offers a new wreckation option in the menu, accessing this gives you the all new Time Attack and Revenge Weekend events (which includes a new track and a few new vehicles, one of which is a State Prison Bus).

Tony Hawks games have always been the king of skateboarding, however this could soon change with EA’s Skate, which is due to hit stores on the 12th October. 

Skate offers an all new  innovative control system that takes advantage of the dual analog sticks, the power of the next gen hardware, and the ability to sculpt tricks that define your own style, skate delivers an authentic boarding mecca like no other videogame.

Individual style combined with physics-driven animations promise that no two tricks will ever be the same. And there’s plenty of room to pull off those tricks—San Vanelona challenges you to explore, find, and own the best spots. You can even capture footage to create and show off your style with friends across the world—because without footage, it’s fiction.

Below is a trailer which has been sent to us from EA, so that you can see for yourself how good this game looks. Enjoy and make sure you let us know what you think.

Sony’s dragon based game Lair has become the first PS3 Blu-Ray game to allow full gameplay on the PSP via Remote Connection.

Remote Connection is a feature built into the PSP and PS3 that allows you to access your PS3 via the handheld - but it hasn’t previously allowed you to play PS3 games remotely, only access to your stored music and video.

Although there is a drop in visual quality, playing games via remote play means you can potentially play your PS3 games anywhere in the world using by connecting your PSP to the internet, this really begins to show the potential that remote play offers and hopefully more games will follow.

Here is a video of Lair on the PSP in action.