Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: PSP
PlayStation Network outages have seriously bad timing
The PlayStation Network is down, and some people are really pissed off. Namely, all the people who purchased Mortal Kombat, Portal 2, and SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs and expected to be able to actually play those games online. While the PlayStation Blog says they’re investigating the outage, it also says it might take a full day or two before they fix the problem. Could this be Anonymous striking again, considering us to be collateral damage, taking advantage of crushing online capabilities during a peak time? I sure hope not, because I know that whether or not those kids are ever unmasked, they’re going to Internet hell. It’s a special hell for people who troll on 4chan, prevent people from playing video games (Microsoft timed exclusivity deal writers are on this list), and the people who convinced me Damnation was a good game before it shipped.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged ApocalyPS3 2011
Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy Review: Quality (Fan) Service
Square Enix Monster-Artist-turned-Character-Designer-turned-Game-Director Tetsuya Nomura has had his hands full, pioneering established series while creating new ones along the way. Since working as a key member of the main Final Fantasy team, he’s gone on to birth the successful Kingdom Hearts series, directed the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, delivered The World Ends With You on the DS, and is currently at the helm of the highly-anticipated PS3 exclusive, Final Fantasy Versus XIII. With a workload that would make most developers have a nervous breakdown, he’s somehow managed to create another Final Fantasy spin-off with the Dissidia series. Dissidia 012 [Duodecim] Final Fantasy aims to amp up the fighting game foundations of the first game while providing even better fan-service with all the Final Fantasy protagonists and antagonists you love. Duodecim is a strong title from Square Enix, but it’s not as substantive as some of their other portable titles. (more…)
Posted in PSP, Reviews, Top Story
Tagged Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy
Sony calls it quits with the PSP Go
As Scott Pilgrim and yours truly are probably the only two individuals on Earth who actually own a PSP Go, Sony has officially cancelled production and shipment of the all-digital handheld. Sony’s online stores have stopped listing the device since a few days ago and an alleged Sony employee confirmed the cancellation. Only the currently shipped units will be available.
This news couldn’t have come at a more ironic time, as Square Enix has finally begun releasing their PSP titles digitally on the PlayStation Store.
Despite its poor sales performance and lack of parity with the UMD-using PSPs, I have to say the PSP Go was a great machine. Smaller and lighter than an iPhone, with the broad media functionality of a PlayStation product, the Go is the ideal MP3 player, video player, and game console in one. Probably the most portable gaming handheld ever, it’s also a lot more comfortable for folks with big hands like myself. R.I.P., PSP Go; hopefully the NGP will get something like you.
[Source: Andriasang]
Arcana Heart 3, Red Johnson’s Chronicles, Puzzle Agent, Sonic 2 added to PSN
Sony has added another bevy of downloadable PS3 games and PSone Classics to the PlayStation Store. Whether your pleasure is a crimesolving adventure (Red Johnson’s Chronicles: Episode 1), a puzzling puzzle game (Puzzle Agent), an all-female fighter (Arcana Heart 3) or one of the greatest games of all-time (Sonic the Hedgehog 2), this week’s PSN update has something for you.
Hit the jump for a full rundown of all of this week’s releases and visit the PlayStation.Blog for a complete listing of all the new add-ons and discounted titles. (more…)
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged Arcana Heart 3, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
The 3rd Birthday Review: There Isn’t Even Any Cake
The Parasite Eve franchise got another addition to it with The 3rd Birthday for the PlayStation Portable. This third-person shooter reunites players with fan-favorite Aya Brea, whose tough demeanor has been replaced with scant clothing and helplessness. Changed is the title, and gone are the meatier parts of Parasite Eve‘s RPG elements, replaced instead with tactical action elements that feel jammed in like a square peg in a round hole. Repetitious gameplay and a convoluted plot, not to mention a complete deviation from the spirit of the series, make this birthday a forgettable one. (more…)
Posted in PSP, Reviews, Top Story
Tagged The 3rd Birthday
New Releases: Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4, More
It’s finally here. All month long we’ve been building up to one of the biggest release weeks ever and it’s finally here.
Starting things off is Valve’s full-priced sequel to Portal, Portal 2. Coming to the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, the game will include co-op play for the first time and a greatly expanded single-player campaign.
Next up is a franchise that needs no introduction, Mortal Kombat is back. The reboot takes the series back to the birth of the MK saga and gives PS3 and Xbox 360 owners their latest 2D fighter fix. And speaking of long-running franchises, Sony and developer Zipper Interactive are finally bring SOCOM to the PS3 for real with SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs.
Believe it or not, these three are just the beginning.
Sega is bringing High Voltage’s first person shooter Conduit 2 to the Wii. Square Enix is continuing to plug their huge franchises on the PSP with Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection. And Ubisoft is rewinding the clock to bring Prince of Persia Trilogy to the PS3 in stunning high definition.
Your wallet weeps. Check out the full list of the rest of this week’s new releases after the break. (more…)
Posted in DS, News, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
Tagged Mortal Kombat, Portal 2, SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs
Pokemon Black/White dominate sales chart
The NPD Group has revealed the list of bestselling games for March and the latest Pokemon game, Pokemon Black/White, has caught the top of the chart.
Pokemon White Version came out on top with Pokemon Black Version just behind it in the number two slot. According to Nintendo, both games combined to sell nearly 2.5 million copies (over 1.3 million for White and another 1.1 million for Black).
New releases were well represented among last months bestsellers with Homefront (#3) and Dragon Age II (#4) both taking up residence in the top five. The bottom half of the top ten was also almost completely made up of new releases including Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (#6), Crysis 2 (#7), MLB 11: The Show (#9) and Fight Night Champion (#10).
Hit the jump for a complete look at the NPD Group’s top ten for March. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, DS, News, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
Tagged Call of Duty: Black Ops, Crysis 2, Dragon Age II, Fight Night Champion, Homefront, Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, MLB 11: The Show, NBA 2K11, NPD, Pokemon Black/White
Final Fantasy V out on European PSN
We caught word a little more than a week ago that Final Fantasy V was being brought to the PSN with some additional cutscenes. It seems the European PlayStation Store has updated, bringing FFV to the PSOne Classics section.
First Vagrant Story, now this? Someone at SCE Europe must have a good connection at Square Enix. Maybe Sir Howard Stringer is a big fan of Ex-Death… Oh well, hopefully it just means we can expect it next week. If not, our PSPs can be occupied with Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, coming out next Tuesday.
Posted in News, PS3, PSP
Tagged Final Fantasy V