Pro:
+ Controls really well. I was expecting some awkward superpower controls or something, but getting around the city was really quick and easy.
+ There are some collectibles around that may take you a bit of time to get.
+ The achievements in the game are really easy to get. Taking about five days tops to get.

Cons:

- Pop-in is pretty noticeable, especially when you’re grinding the rails around the city and having textures pop-in. Not game breaking, but like Mass Effect on the Xbox 360 it’s noticeable.
- Horrible respawn locations for when you die. I could be on another island and die somewhere on that island have all the medic/re-spawn locations unlocked on that island… but, the game decides to spawn me back on another island clear across from where I was. What the hell?
- The plot is almost entirely terrible. When it ends (Terminator 2 style) it could only be saved if they had given Cole some cool sunglasses before… (spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers)
- There is no in-game statistics menu. To find how many shards/stunts you have done you most likely have to view the save on your XMB. Which is pretty damn stupid, Sucker Punch. Every other sandbox game has an in-game stats menu option. Why is Sucker Punch doing things differently?
- And viewing the stats is a hassle considering you have to do the one they list on the pause menu before you can find out what any of the other 21 stunts are.

Buy/Rent/Don’t play: Rentable at best. Playable but frustrating at worse.

Rent it since the game can be beaten in about 1-2 days of heavy play. There is minimal replay value in playing through the story again and when the game ends all you’re left with is a sandbox mode for finding collectibles.

Game Paused.

Playstation Home Today has the information and screen shot grabs from the latest Pulse. This space is FREE and time-exclusive to the next couple of weeks (when it launches) and then it’s GONE forever. Be sure to grab it if you’re into Playstation Home.

And grab Siren: Blood Curse if you want a survival horror game in the style of Silent Hill. The whole 9 gig game is being sold at $29.99 ($30, $10 less than it’s normal price) or the episodes are being sold at $9.99 ($10, across three episode bundles). These prices are only good for two weeks (starting yesterday) so get it while you can?

New PSP Named And Coming This Fall: News from 1UP.com.

In it’s defense, it has Escape from Butcher Bay which is fucking awesome.

For those of you that never played the PC version/XBOX IS HUEG LOLOLOLOLOLOL haters should buy the X-box 360 version (it looks cleaner/crisper which proves Starbreeze can’t port for the PS3 well) ASAP if only for Escape being bundled in.

PS3 version isn’t bad if you only have a PS3, BTW. Just pales in graphics a little to the X-box 360 version.

I totally recommend this game(s), though. They’re actually quite good for movie-based games.

Noteable:

Music Player
The endless humming noise in creator mode getting you down? Waiting around in your Pod for friends to join? Now you can browse your Playstation music collection and play some funky tunes to inspire you or keep you amused. Access the Music Player options from the settings menu.

Profile settings
We’ve added some settings to help clear through the clutter – if you hit the Start button, and go to settings, you’ll see a new Profile Settings menu, where you can choose whether or not to automatically collect community objects and photos.

The bold should cut down CONSIDERABLY on “profile full” errors if people use it and only collect GOOD community objects that they want. The photo mode isn’t needed, but with the amount of “photo booth”ing in levels, it’s a WELCOME option that I’m turning on. No, I don’t want a badly placed photo to automatically be added in my pop-it, thank you.
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BTW: Monkey King is out today. It’s a free costume, go pick it up if you want it.

In non-LBP news: Sega is previewing Val Chron DLC that is out TODAY.

So yeah. Pretty good update for PSN this week.

Valkyria Chronicles? Yeah, that awesome game I told you to go buy or you’re dead to me? Someone is saying the same thing if only nicer.

Damn you, Playstation Lifestyle! Quit stealing the spotlight that should be getting me paid by Mr. Timedoctor! ARGH!

(For those of you that don’t get this: I’m being tongue-in-cheek because I know no one on the intertubes reads my writing.

Also to make this post worthwhile: LittleBigPlanet DLC previews on the Playstation.Blog:

Worthwhile in my opinion:

Egypt ($2.99USD)
Monkey King (Free!)
Level Creation Upgrade Kit (Free)

Oh, and the 1.12 patch, but everyone gets that for free and automatically.

Biohazard 5/Resident Evil 5′s “Versus” downloadable content came out today. You can’t spell ignorant without IGN is a little hard on it:

Versus includes two modes, Slayers and Survivors, with free-for-all and 2-on-2 team options. Both game types are modified versions of Mercenaries Mode, already included on the retail disc. Neither seems particularly well thought out and both use the same maps and scoring system as in Mercs Mode.

Slayers has players trying to earn as many points in Mercenaries Mode with three others vying for points as well. You rack up points, smash time bonuses to extend the playtime for everyone, and discover combo bonuses, just like in Mercenaries, but there is a twist. And that twist is the other players. Your opponents can shoot you. Damage costs you points and death costs you even more. Fortunately, you can do the same to them. Survivors Mode also has zombie enemies, but you score bonus points for shooting the other players.

and:

Despite its problems, Versus Mode could have been a lot better if Capcom put any creative thought behind its design. For example, if I’m in the lead in Slayers, it would be beneficial for me to prevent other players from smashing a time bonus. After all, if time runs out soon, I win. But the scoring is still geared towards Mercenaries Mode. It’s not just that I want to be in the lead, but I still am trying to reach the same scoring milestones as in the single-player version. It’s just that I have some other players getting in my way. Doing something, anything, to make this more than just Mercenaries with four people would have helped. Adding rounds like a more traditional multiplayer game or altering the entire scoring system or adjusting how the time bonuses work or changing the levels or balancing the characters–anything at all would have been a plus. But Versus is little more than an overpriced add-on.

While, I do agree that it’s Mercenaries with Friend Fire set to ON mode that doesn’t make it a bad thing. Team Slayer can be a fun little romp when it equates to “Two Teams playing Mercenaries” and people aren’t stepping on each others toes (AKA: shooting each other). Survivor is also neat in theory, but it’ll probably get old after a while.

My quick review: It has achievements and unlike most other DLC it isn’t the standard $10 price. Could it have been on the disc? Yes. Could it have been free? Yes. Should you buy it? That’s really up to you. I, as an achievement whore, bought it despite feeling dirty and knowing it was a half-baked mode. But, over all… it can be fun when it clicks. But I think Mercenaries could be the workhorse DLC engine for Capcom (not that I condone this).

Add in previous series main characters (with some new unique attacks), add in levels. Add in some weapons. Add in customization options. Versus proves four player Mercenaries is possible, so patching that in (FREE) would make that mode really more fun than it already is.

Give us the Samurai Edge/new weapons in story mode. Give us new levels, flesh out Jill/Josh’s side-story. There are many many possiblities for new DLC that is better thought out if Capcom would think things through.

I’d caution that if you don’t really want the achievements and aren’t keen on the Versus mode, that you DO NOT BUY it and tell Capcom to shove it and think of better DLC. But it’s your cash, and I can’t stop you.

While I’m writing: Playstation.Blog has information on Wipeout HD’s 1.30 patch coming tomorrow. It adds in emblems for online races, some other stuff and notably the ability to join races in progress (but you can not actually join until the race in progress is over. You can watch the other players racing).

It’s a little late (in like… six months late) but it’s better late than never. The main problem with Wipeout HD (other than it’s balls hard difficulty), is that the online is dead unless you want to play against players that will stomp your ass dry before you even “GO!”

HIGHWAY ROBBERY!

My quick review of the game: Pick the game up, or I will punch you in the crotch. No, seriously: It’s a GOOD SEGA game in a couple of years that isn’t a port! BIZARRE! I KNOW!

Try the demo [On the PSN store -ed]. If you don’t like the genre (SRPG/with less Strat and more third person shooting), no harm done. If you don’t buy it though and you like SRPG’s you’re dead to me. Minus the anime cliches and stuff the gameplay is ROCK SOLID and the graphics are very different than most games out there (while still retaining the anime feel).

This reminds me: The Anime for the game has just came out in Japan. Subtitle efforts may be underway for those that can’t wait for it?

Anyway, go buy it!

Short and sweet version: Fatal Labyrinth is a rougelike for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive that was available in Japan on Sega’s modem add-on service, and available in America/Europe as a cart.

Fatal Labyrinth is a part of the “Sonic Ultimate Genesis/Mega Drive Collection” for the Playstation 3 and X-box 360.

It features an easy in theory achievement/trophy of getting to the fifth floor. In practice: Unless you abuse the SHIT out of save-states (that weren’t available in the Genesis version), this is damn hard to do.

You want eating? You have it, automatically when you pick up food. Eat too much? You die. Eat too little? You don’t regen health fast enough, so you’ll die.

Gold? Bitch, you have gold! But it has no purpose other than paying for your funeral. (Yes, you heard me right) Sega even mentions this little factoid in their “Museum” section for the game in the Sonic Ultimate Genesis Collection.

It’s a basic “rougelike” in terms of games now a days. But it isn’t going to kick your ass with it’s wealth of options like Nethack. It does it in terms of making getting up it’s 30 levels hard.

Worth a try for everyone. Funny how someone that does mostly platforming games came together with someone that does RPG/Rougelike-s like this and executed it (for a 1991 game) well.