Commander Fury

As you may have seen from the photo story <a href=" ">posted earlier in the week</a>, I attended the Japanese launch of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a>. It wasn’t all gaming and bento boxes: I used the time to catch up with as many senior colleagues and game developers as I could. You can look forward to full interviews in the run up to February 22nd’s North American Vita launch day, but in the meantime, here are five things that I didn’t know about PS Vita before, but do now.<ol> <li>What’s included in the box</li> <li>PS Vita has designed by the same person as the original Walkman</li> More...

<blockquote><strong>Subscription Links:</strong> <ul><li>Subscribe via <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=483223024">iTunes</a></li> <li>Subscribe via <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheOfficialPlaystationBlogcast">RSS here</a></li> <li>Download the <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/playstation/05_Episode_005__Game_of_the_Year_Spectacular.mp3">MP3 here</a> </li></ul></blockquote> We're only 5 episodes into the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-blogcast/">Official PlayStation Blogcast</a>, and it's already time for a clip show! We wrap up 2011 with a double episode delivering exclusive first details of the last PSN new game releases for the year (that’s Tuesday, December 27th) as well as the first PlayStation Store Update of 2012 (Tuesday, January 3rd). Then we discuss the best PS3 and PSN games of 2011, as well as hear GotY picks of special guests from around the industry, such as Capcom's Seth Killian, IGN's Podcast Beyond team, Naughty Dog's co-presidents, Double Fine Productions, Max Scoville from Destructoid, Game Informer's Andy McNamara, plus N'Gai Croal compliments me on the blazer I wore at the VGAs (after talking about Portal 2). What's your favorite game of 2011? More...

As you all know, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a> launched in Japan this past weekend, and we’ve been excited to hear which games have been the most popular with our friends across the Pacific. But I’m sure all of you have been wanting to find out which titles will be released when <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/'>http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">PS Vita</a> launches in the U.S./Canada on Feb. 22. Today we announced the official <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ps-vita-2/">PS Vita</a> software launch lineup for the U.S. and Canada, and you’ll be pleased to know that PS Vita will have the biggest and best lineup we’ve ever launched across the history of <a href="http://us.playstation.com/">PlayStation</a> platforms. SCE Worldwide Studios, along with our publishing partners, have been working extremely hard to build games that provide you all with new ways to experience gaming on the go. There will be 25 games available on day 1, and in total more than 100 games currently in development. Pricing for all software will range from $9.99-$49.99 (MSRP) and will be available for purchase at retail locations as well as downloadable on the PlayStation Network. More...

Hello! Today I bring news that our Arcade-RPG <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/all-zombies-must-die/">All Zombies Must Die!</a> will be ambling onto the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-store/index.htm">PlayStation Store</a> December 27. <a href="http://www.allzombiesmustdie.com/">AZMD</a> is a twin-stick shooter taken to lofty new heights with a bevy of RPG features and four player co-op. As the zombie apocalypse arrives in the town of Deadhill it falls to four unlikely heroes to defend humanity and save the day. Jack, the gamer; Rachel, the girl; Brian, the geek and Luxo, the alien must undertake insane quests, craft crazy weapons and generally put down as many zombies as humanly possible. With comical references and a fourth-wall-breaking script to tie it all together, AZMD presents the zombie apocalypse in a whole new light. To coincide with the festive period, we also have a range of zombie companions arriving on <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-home/">PlayStation Home</a>. While it’s true that all zombies must die, and the undead are foul creatures that should be riddled with bullets without a moment’s hesitation, they do make rather charming pets. Jogger, SWAT and Crazy zombie companions – in addition to Luxo the alien - can be downloaded from PlayStation Home TODAY! More...

Recently Santa Monica Studios and LightBox Interactive launched the StarHawk Private Beta and after getting a code from GameSpot, I decided to try it out. My initial reaction can be summed up in one word, AMAZING. Over the last couple of weeks we have put up an UrgentFury.com Server/Lobby, yes I said lobby, in which some epic battles have been witnessed on several occasions. I have no clue how many hours I have logged so far, but three to four hours at a time, you will find me in an endless battle on StarHawk. In the beginning I was a total noob trying out the different buildings, driving the Razorback like a beast and flying the hawk like a two year old crashing dad’s car. Little by little I got the feel for the rifle that requires you to shoot in bursts if you want accuracy. Who would have ever thought that Spray and Pray would not work in a shooter, hehe. Next up, I mastered the sniper rifle with a laser from Weird Science. That thing is true to any laser, no matter how far away, you are going to get that red dot and “Boom HeadShot!†Now once you put a supply bunker down, you are now truly prepared to battle with a Rocket Launcher and a Shotty. These are essential if you want to make it more than a couple of minutes against the Hawk attacks and Razorback assaults. Get a couple of rockets into the Razorback and boom. And if the driver is crazy enough to jump ship then bust a few buckshots in them and down they will go. So let’s talk about the modes, Team Death Match and Capture the Flag… Initially the beta only launched with CTF which forced players to traverse the maps to capture the flag to win. In Acid Sea the flags are located on top of a structure and this became a wall building extravaganza. It did not take long to learn if placed correctly you only had to build three walls on each side encasing the ladders. But even that is not full proof, all you have to do is wisely park a Razorback next to a corner and jump over. The true trick to CTF is to do a quick grab as soon as the match launches, unless the team is well prepared you can run in and snag a flag with the Razorback within thirty seconds gaining the lead. Now in Space, the flag is sitting on the deck and if you build three or four walls you can trap the flag, just make sure you build the walls with the ladders facing out. If you do it this way, once the play gets the flag they are stuck unless they are in a hawk. The hawk is able to jump over the wall. Of course it does not take much to blow up a hawk when it is on the ground, so you better have a backup plan ready. Team Death Match is a well-known mode to all gamers alike and StarHawk is no different until you factor in that you have Hawks rivaled by Beam Turrets, Snipers in Towers behind a Force Field and players owning their area from a Supply Bunker. TDM can become chaotic very quickly with a little team work. I have seen a team immediately take hold of the center of both maps with a Spawn Beacon, Supply Bunker and Force Field. And unless you are downright crazy, you are lucky to ever recapture the center. But the true key is to take the left or right areas on both maps. This gives you access to rift barrels for easy fortification. Adding the Build and Battle element makes StarHawk an ever evolving game. You never know what you may be up against when you get to the enemy base. We can only commend the community support we are seeing from the gang over at Santa Monica Studios and LightBox Interactive. They are truely responsive to bugs, suggestions and complaints. Updates roll out quickly, even within hours as was the case just this week. Keep up the Great work fellas!!! Overall we give StarHawk’s private beta 5 Fists of Fury out of 5!!! The private beta has been extended through January 3rd so forget the family. Lock your doors and man up. Get that rift and build your foothold. StarHawk is going to be an Epic win for PlayStation in 2012, and you can bet that a Tournament or two will be announced by Urgent Fury. Watch for the UrgentFury.com server and jump in, we always set it to All Mic and Randomized Teams making for some great times, see you on the battle field. More...

<a href="http://www.ea.com/">EA</a>’s first foray onto the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PlayStation Vita</a> is a strong one, as the EA Sports team in Vancouver isn’t just miniaturizing the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/ps3/">PS3</a> experience into a portable size, but refining the controls to take advantage of the new hardware. In this hands-on video, producer Matt Prior demonstrates what he calls “the most controllable version of <a href="http://www.ea.com/soccer/">FIFA</a> ever.†As is quickly becoming standard practice when console franchises debut on the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">Vita</a>, these touchscreen controls are optional. Yet I think longtime video footballers will find themselves using at least some of these new tricks pretty quickly, as they feel right at home. More...

The Winter Holiday celebration continues this week in <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-home/">PlayStation Home</a>, with tons of awesome new content scheduled to arrive on your <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a> this Thursday, December 22nd. This week will see the release of some seriously spectacular personal spaces that are packed to the brim with goodies, as well as a massive overload of new items on the shelves in the PlayStation Home Mall (along with some sales you will not want to miss out on). From updates to the popular Winter Holiday Hullabaloo event to a multitude of new videos in the Community Theater (complete with special rewards), PlayStation Home is truly the place to be this Holiday season! Forget snow and ice, mittens, scarves, and frigid weather. Lockwood Publishing’s new Board Figment Dream Yacht will help you get away from the cold of winter. Spend your holidays like the Home elite, basking in the sun on the deck of your private yacht, or soothe your cares away in one of the two on-board hot tubs. It’s the perfect place to entertain guests, with several lounge areas and exquisite views of your own private tropical hideaway. More...

It’s the start of the New Year and time for <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-the-official-magazine/">PTOM’s</a> annual Hugest Games feature! With so many great games in the works, it was difficult to trim our list to a mere 14 titles. But it was even harder choosing the stars from that select company to grace our cover. In the end, we went with Ninja Gaiden 3’s Ryu Hayabusa, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/mass-effect-3/">Mass Effect 3’s</a> Commander Shepard, and DmC: <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/devil-may-cry/">Devil May Cry’s</a> Dante because they simply looked totally badass together. We’ve also got new info on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/hitman-absolution/">Hitman: Absolution</a>, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, and the recently announced Rainbow 6: Patriots. And with PS Vita’s launch on the horizon, check out our hands-on impressions for a number of launch titles. And just for fun, our “Around the World in 96 Games†feature offers lessons in geography and culture based on information culled from PlayStation games. It’s everything you need to know about the world that you couldn’t be bothered to learn in school because you were too busy playing games. More...

Warheads – The time has come to say "thank you and good night!" As of Tuesday, January 3rd, the lights will go down on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/18/starhawk-private-beta-begins-rolling-out-tuesday/">Starhawk Private Beta</a>. It's been a wild, wild ride and we want to thank ALL the participants that took time out of their schedule to help us test Starhawk. We've learned an enormous amount and have applied much of it already. We've still got a long way to go but the leg up this info has provided us is incredibly valuable. The Private Beta was our first step to try out the game in the wild and it's been simply awesome. And because of this success, we've decided to keep the Private Beta live through the holiday break. After all, what would ringing in 2012 be without a little <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/starhawk/">Starhawk</a> beatdown session?!! More...

The year is almost over, but the flow of great content on the PlayStation Store doesn’t let up. This week, we see the release of some great PSN Games, an amazing new series of Themes, and some expansive Add-Ons. This week, pick up Sonic CD and Trine 2. Sonic CD is the much anticipated re-release of one of the most sought after Sonic games. Critically acclaimed, but a rare gem due to its release on the SEGA CD system, this is one Sonic experience everyone should play. For a more co-op experience, download Trine 2. This sequel to the action platform puzzler comes with a new multiplayer mode allowing up to 3 players to take on the roles of wizard, thief and knight. Don’t miss it. We’re also proud to release a new series of Themes for your PS3 and PSP that will add an unprecedented visual overhaul to your XMB. “<a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/19/games-and-art-converge-as-the-studio-opens-in-the-americas/">The Studio</a>â€, created by bleeding edge visual gurus at <a href="http://www.studio-output.com/">Studio Output</a>, features the work of some of the world's leading graphic, street, fashion and digital artists. Choose from an ever-expanding selection of limited edition Dynamic and Static Themes by a growing list of artists and create your own personal digital art collection exclusively on PS3. More...

<iframe width="640" height="380" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KkD_7veymZE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> As 2011 draws to a close, join Christina Lee for a look back at some of the year's most memorable games. From Sackboy's return in <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/littlebigplanet-2/">LittleBigPlanet 2</a> to Nathan Drake's epic adventure in <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/">UNCHARTED 3: Drake's Deception</a>, this year was one of the biggest in recent memory. From the big shooters like <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/killzone-3/">Killzone 3</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/battlefield-3/">Battlefield 3</a> to surprises such as <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> exclusives <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/eufloria/">Eufloria</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/infamous-festival-of-blood/">inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood</a>, the year also included a dramatic redesign of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-home/">PlayStation Home</a> and a beautiful compilation of the beloved <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ico-and-shadow-of-colossus-collection/">Ico & Shadow of the Colossus</a> collection. We know this only scratches the surface and there's plenty of titles <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/pulse/">PULSE</a> didn't have time to mention, but we hope you enjoy a walk through another amazing year for our industry. And, remember you can watch the full edition of PULSE from the 'What's New' section on your XMB later today when the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> updates. More...

As you may have seen from the <a href=" ">photo gallery</a> I posted, I spent last week in Tokyo, Japan covering the first launch of <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> and finally getting to see this stunning new hardware in gamers’ hands. While I was there, I met up with <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/author/shyoshida/">Shuhei Yoshida</a>, Vice President of <a href="http://us.playstation.com/">Sony Computer Entertainment</a> and President of Worldwide Studios, to talk about what <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">PS Vita</a> is set to deliver in spades: great games. <blockquote> <strong>PlayStation.Blog:</strong> Many view the PlayStation Vita launch line-up as the best in our company’s history. How long have you been planning it for? <strong>Shuhei Yoshida, President, Worldwide Studios:</strong> Full development of PS Vita hardware started in Spring, 2008 when the semiconductor was complete. The great thing is that we [Worldwide Studios] were there right at the beginning to express our thoughts and reactions to the hardware that was being proposed. We were there at every stage and with every prototype, and we developed game builds to prove and, sometimes, disprove how each new feature was going to make for a great game system. </blockquote> More...

Back in June we introduced the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/06/27/introducing-new-psp-dual-packs-available-for-15-this-week/">PSP “Dual Packâ€</a> that offers a selection of <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psp/">PSP</a> Favorites. We’re happy to announce the availability of three new PSP Dual Packs featuring <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/motorstorm-arctic-edge/">MotorStorm: Arctic Edge</a> and Twisted Metal: Head-on; <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/patapon/">Patapon</a> and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/locoroco/">LocoRoco</a>; and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/hot-shots-golf/">Hot Shots Golf</a>: Open Tee and <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/hot-shots-tennis-get-a-grip/">Hot Shots Tennis</a>. These PSP Dual packs will be available at retailers nationwide in January as well as downloadable via the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/">PlayStation Network</a> for $14.99 (MSRP). At an affordable price of $129.99 (MSRP), PSP continues to offer consumers the ability to enjoy console quality gaming on the go. PSP Dual Packs are a great fit for those who want to play and access a wide variety of PSP classics. More...

There’s no sense mincing words: The next game from <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/socom-4/">SOCOM</a> creator <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/zipper/">Zipper Interactive</a> represents a fairly radical rethinking of the competitive shooter genre. The game doesn’t include a traditional single-player story <em>or</em> a conventional multiplayer battleground, instead focusing squarely on bite-sized, highly replayable scenarios that can be played alone or with a friend. In dropping the well-worn ways of the past, Unit 13 is positioning itself to be on the forefront of an entirely new way to think about multiplayer. The game will track and report your virtual exploits and broadcast them to friends both far (via PSN) and near (via...Near). To get a handle on this brazen new approach to shooter design, we asked Creative Director Seth Luisi to outline <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/unit-13/">Unit 13</a>’s feature set and functionality in a video tour. Afterwards, we looped in with SCEA Producer Ara Demirjian to get answers to our burning questions. If you have any burning questions of your own, be sure to leave them in the comments! More...

After much success in <a href="http://uk.playstation.com/thestudio/">Europe</a>, we are excited to launch PlayStation’s digital art platform – ‘The Studio’ – across the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil in the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/playstation-store/">PlayStation Store</a> tomorrow. Games and art converge on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a> with The Studio’s unique collection of dynamic and static themes, which give PSN users access to affordable and cool art in their homes and on the go. Thanks to our partner <a href="http://www.studio-output.com/">Studio Output</a>, PSN users across the Americas will be able to further personalize their experience on PSN with the finest offerings in everything from urban street art to illustrations that have been uniquely digitized into new static and dynamic downloadable themes from PSN. Studio Output brings their network of some of the world’s most coveted artists, illustrators, graphic and digital designers to the table, and starting today they are introducing a series of guest designers from the music and fashion worlds. Some of the new contributors include English rockers <a href="http://www.kasabian.co.uk/gb/home/">Kasabian</a>, who are about to release their fourth album ‘Velociraptor’, as well as no. 1 UK urban artist and producer <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LabrinthTV">Labrinth</a>. More...

Hey guys, @<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FilthieRich">FilthieRich</a> back at you with some all-new hotness premiering here on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/">PlayStation.Blog</a> before anywhere else. You know I like to hook it up, and hook it up I shall. We’re nearly two months away from the launch of the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> here in North America and Europe on February 22nd, 2012 – and as many of you know <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/namcobandai/">NAMCO BANDAI Games</a> will be bringing Acquire’s epic assassin tale of vengeance and betrayal to the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psvita/">PS Vita</a> on DAY ONE! If you aren’t familiar with Acquire’s work, they have a killer pedigree having worked on series’ like Tenchu and Way of the Samurai, so you can bet your lucky ninja stars that their next epic will be impaling the competition on day one. More...

How do you build a better warrior? Militaries have tried for centuries to answer that question, but you’ll be able to figure it out for yourself when <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dust-514/">DUST 514</a> launches next year. Infantry dropsuits are designed to protect and sustain the wearer in even the harshest environments. Different dropsuits offer specific bonuses to speed, mobility, defense and configurability. Like starships and planetary vehicles, dropsuits come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with a unique slot configuration and powergrid (PG) and CPU that inform the decisions you make when customizing your chosen dropsuit. The number and type of slots determine the modules (interchangeable hardware components that enhance or otherwise alter the functionality of the dropsuit), weapons, and equipment you can fit. The slot types available on dropsuits are as follows: <ul> <li>Light</li> <li>Heavy</li> <li>Sidearm</li> <li>High</li> <li>Low</li> <li>Equipment</li> <li>Grenade</li> </ul> More...

Excerpt from recent internal <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/san-diego-studios/">San Diego Studio</a> memo… ----------------------------------------- From: ModNation Racers Scientific Research Lab - Weapons Division (MNR: SRL-WD) Re: Fun Factor To: All Concerned cc: Biff, Gary bcc: Kevin Butler b(cool weapons + explosions) + w(great racing + track design) * y(MNR’s “Secret Sauceâ€) = !(freaking fun kart racing) Key: b = BOOM, w = WOW, y = YAHOO, ! = !!! (please note: this information IS NOT CONFIDENTIAL) ----------------------------------------- <strong> b1. Weapon Classes </strong> <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/modnation-racers-road-trip/">ModNation Racers: Road Trip</a> weapons add more excitement to our already great racing experience on the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> with all new weapons that give the racers more control both offensively and defensively. The seven weapon classes fall into these categories: More...

Hope you’re enjoying the most wonderful time of the year – the holiday gaming season! One of the chief perks of a massively multiplayer online game is that the developers have a lot of freedom to make changes to the world, including creating special events throughout the year. In <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/dc-universe-online/">DC Universe Online</a>, we’ve just begun our new holiday-themed event <em>Season’s Greedings</em>, which gives players fun new things to do set in a festive new look. As you make your way around Gotham City and Metropolis, you’ll see that both are decked out in celebration of the season. But that’s only the beginning! All players are able to take part in a fun Holiday event starring our newest DCUO character, Larfleeze, the leader of the Orange Lantern Corps. Orange Lanterns? Yes, the Orange Lanterns, much like the Sinestro Corps or the Red Lanterns, are rivals of the Green Lanterns and are powered by the orange light of avarice, aka “greed.†Being a greedy little guy, it makes sense that Larfleeze wants all of the holiday presents for himself. As the player, it’s up to you to track down the stolen presents, battle Larfleeze’s deadly orange light constructs, and report your success back to Hal Jordan (if you’re a hero) or Sinestro (if you’re a villain) to collect your just desserts. More...

L.A. Noire, NCAA Football 12, Just Cause 2, Brother's and Arms and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands join the extensive catalog of Blu-ray games which have gone digital on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/psn/">PSN</a>. Also, one of my favorite Sonic the Hedgehog games spin-dash off the Sega CD and onto the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PS3</a> this week. Freshly baked and ready for the holidays, Apples to Apples and Trine 2 are new to PSN. *And here's your friendly reminder to listen to episode 4 of the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/15/official-playstation-blogcast-episode-004-words-and-sorcery/">PlayStation.Blogcast</a>!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Enjoy this week's <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/the-drop/">The Drop</a>. More...

The PlayStation Vita is now available - in Japan. As we count down the 66 days until PS Vita lands ashore here in North America, we can at least read updated impressions of the hardware and the games that we've been previewing recently. For me, it's all about Gravity Rush, as well as the Vita version of the series I spent the most hours playing on PSP: Hot Shots Golf. In the list, keep an eye out for plenty of Vita tales, as well as updated tidbits on The Last of Us. Speaking of which: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlayStation?sk=app_115360931912624">grab a free PS3 Dynamic Theme</a>, won't you? <strong>The PS.Blog weekly reading list (Week of December 12, 2011)</strong> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.destructoid.com/little-deviants-is-cute-and-cuddly-fun-times-218013.phtml">Little Deviants is cute and cuddly fun times - Destructoid</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.destructoid.com/hands-on-with-zipper-s-unit-13-on-the-playstation-vita-217959.phtml">Hands-on with Zipper's Unit 13 on the PlayStation Vita - Destructoid</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/army-corps-of-hell-bolstering-vita-launch-lineup-on-february-22/">Army Corps of Hell bolstering Vita launch lineup on February 22 - Joystiq</a></li> <li><a href="http://kotaku.com/5868928/merry-christmas-demons-souls-just-got-a-smidge-easier">Merry Christmas: Demon's Souls Just Got a Smidge Easier - Kotaku</a></li> <li><a href="http://kotaku.com/5868772/hating-the-vgas-is-boring">Hating the VGAs Is Boring - Kotaku</a></li></ul> More...

With the holiday season nearly upon us, I’ve been scrambling to prepare catch up on games, work, and travel preparations. But while I'm away, you won’t go hungry: We’re stocking the larder for next week. During your holiday break be sure to check back regularly to see new blog posts from some of your favorite PlayStation developers. In other news this week: we released a new episode of the <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/15/official-playstation-blogcast-episode-004-words-and-sorcery/">Official PlayStation Blogcast</a>, Yakuza: Dead Souls demonstrated <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/16/final-fantasy-xiii-2-qa-a-time-traveling-sequel-to-surpass-the-original/">proper techniques for zombie slaying</a>, Final Fantasy XIII-2's director explained how he's aiming to <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/16/final-fantasy-xiii-2-qa-a-time-traveling-sequel-to-surpass-the-original/">"exceed FFXIII in every aspect,â€</a> Atlus confirmed <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/16/trine-2-so-a-knight-a-thief-and-a-wizard-walk-into-a-bar/">Trine 2’s PSN release date</a> (Tuesday!), UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss showed off its new <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/15/uncharted-golden-abyss-see-vita%E2%80%99s-intu-aim-feature/">Intui-Aim feature</a>, Free Realms gave us a first look at its Snow Days holiday content, Dirt Showdown showed off its <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/12/introducing-dirt-showdown-for-ps3/">first trailer</a>, EA Sports debuted a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/16/fifa-soccer-for-ps-vita-big-game-experience-on-the-go/">new video</a> for FIFA Soccer on PS Vita, and Zen Studios gave a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/12/13/marvel-pinball-vengeance-and-virtue-expansion-coming-to-psn-today/">full tour</a> of the Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue add-on pack. More...

This week, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/final-fantasy-xiii-2/">Final Fantasy XIII-2</a> for PS3 is hitting stores across Japan with critical praise, garnering perfect scores from respected gaming magazines <a href="http://www.famitsu.com/">Famitsu</a> and <a href="http://dps.dengeki.com/">Dengeki PlayStation</a>. Granted, the original <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/final-fantasy-xiii-ps3.html">FFXIII</a> is the best-selling PS3 title in Japan by a wide margin, but this direct sequel isn’t resting on the laurels of its predecessor. For starters, it will offer a dynamic narrative, addressing one of the main complaints about FFXIII – linearity. The new game also has a darker and more serious tone, in line with the conclusion of the previous game, putting the glitter and glam of FFX-2. When FFXIII-2 reaches US stores on January 31st, making it the fastest localization cycle among numbered episodes of the franchise – it will also deliver an improved combat system, an area full of mini games, branched dialogue trees with NPCs, and even multiple endings based on your time-traveling journey. To learn more about how Square Enix plans to “exceed Final Fantasy XIII in every aspect,†we reached out to Motomu Toriyama, who is reprising his role as director for Final Fantasy XIII-2. Read on for more details about Serah’s quest to find out what happened to her sister Lightning. More...

Sorry for the silly post title, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/">PlayStation.Blog</a> amigos; we’re easily carried away. One could even say we’re Trine 2 hard. Lollerskates, roflcopters, and other meme-related modes of transportation. Jeer-worthy humor aside, we’re very excited to share with you that Trine 2, sequel to one of the highest-rated <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/">PlayStation Network</a> games of all time, is coming to the <a href="http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-store/index.htm">PlayStation Store</a> next Tuesday, December 20th. But first: HAMMERTIME! “What is <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/trine-2-ps3.html">Trine 2</a>?†you ask, only to suddenly be filled with a powerful rush of guilt at your lack of Trine-related knowledge. “We’ll tell you,†we reply unnecessarily, clearly prepared to offer that information with or without your consent. More...

Coming this February, <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/ea-sports/">EA SPORTS</a> <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/tag/fifa-soccer/"><em>FIFA</em> Soccer</a> on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps-vita/">PS Vita</a> will be the first true next generation sports experience right in the palm of your hand. With console gameplay and HD graphics, <em>FIFA</em> Soccer delivers the largest feature set ever created by EA SPORTS for a handheld device. The same physics-based, data driven technology that powers <a href="http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/ea-sports-fifa-soccer-12-ps3.html"><em>FIFA</em></a> gameplay on <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/category/ps3/">PlayStation 3</a> drives <em>FIFA</em> Soccer on the Vita across eight different game modes, including authentic 11 versus 11, Be A Pro, Tournament Mode with over 50 real-world competitions, a full in-depth Career Mode, and head-to-head online. The game definitely looks and plays like the award-winning <em>FIFA</em> console game. More...