A complete remake of the old NES favorite Bionic Commando title is coming to PSN this May. This remake has a major graphics overhaul plus co-op and an assortment of other enhancements.

Here is a gameplay clip. You can see, the gameplay is still the same, and it’s a very traditional 2D platformer, but all the graphics have been 3D modeled.

The price is set at $10, which sounds like a great value.

I downloaded this late last night, but didn’t have time to really mess with it. But these are the new features. Glad to see they improved the browser, I’ll have to test that out. The first BD-Live movies (The 6th Day and Walk Hard) will hit stores April 8th.

* BD-Live functionality

* The ability to copy PS3 Music and Photo playlists to a PSP system. We introduced the ability to create Music and Photo playlists on the PS3 in firmware update v2.0. Now you can easily export your playlists to your PSP.

* You can now play DivX and WMV format files that are over 2 GB. In addition, you can now display subtitles when viewing DivX files.

* Resume Play - begin playing a DVD or BD disc from the point where you previously stopped it, even if you eject the disc and insert a different movie or game.

* Use your PSP as a remote control to play back your music files on your PS3 without turning on your TV.

* The Internet browser now displays some web pages faster. In addition [Save Target] has been added as an option under file. This option lets you save a file that is linked to a web page to your PS3 hard drive or storage media.

Firmware v2.20 bringing BD-Live to PS3

A little more than last week. But if there is nothing for you this week, next week has 13 titles! If your not sure how to adjust your HDTV, be sure to check out Digital Video Essentials.

Bonnie and Clyde - Warner Bros.
Digital Video Essentials - DVD International
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Opus Arte
Naked Beneath the Water - Phoenix Entertainment
Steep - Sony Pictures

Blu-ray.com

I haven’t been able to confirm, but rumor is that GameStop has just started accepting pre-orders for Metal Gear Solid 4: Limited Edition.

For $84.99, you get the game plus:

- Making-Of Blu-ray
- 4 chapters of the graphic novel
- Metal Gear Import Soundtrack CD

I suspect this is legit. I got the image from Konami’s website, which looks like it matches the reported limited edition contents.

So are the extras worth the $25 price premium? You need to pre-order (either standard edition or limited edition) to get into the Metal Gear Solid Online Preview in late April.

N’Gai Croal writes that most developers seem to prefer the Xbox over the PS3, not only as a development platform, but also for their personal gaming. Even beyond the tech people, the business side of the industry seems to generally favor Microsoft as well.

He’s got a good point.

Microsoft has been very successful at winning mindshare and cultivating brand fanaticism. This also isn’t just related to the Xbox and their game development software, but all of their branded technologies, whether it’s database software or office software.

Of course this isn’t universal. Many people are equally fanatical about a variety of other technologies, one of which is, of course, the PS3.

But in the game industry, at least in North America and the U.K., Microsoft has a strong mindshare advantage over Sony.

On the other hand, PS3 still managed to outsell the 360 for the entire year of 2007, and has been picking up huge momentum so far into 2008.

What does Sony need to do to regain an equal footing among developer and industry insider favor?

Japan gets Echochrome today. I hope the rest of us, get it soon. Europe finally gets PAIN today and all the DLC that has come out for it. Also we have 2 demos to try out today and plenty of trailers to watch. Looks like EA is still charging for stuff you can unlock yourself in the game.

Games/Demos:

- Condemned 2: Bloodshot Single Player Demo
- SEGA Superstars Tennis Demo

DLC:

Rock Band
- “Blinded by Fear” - At the Gates ($1.99)
- “D.O.A.” - The Haunted ($1.99)
- “Thrasher” - Evile ($1.99)
- Earache Thrashpack 01 ($5.49)

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08
- Doral Golf Resort - Blue Monster Course ($4.99)
- Maxed out Player ($2.49)
- Turnberry Golf Resort (free)

Trailers:

- MotorStorm 2 Teaser Video
- Eye of Judgment “Set 2″ Trailer
- Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Japan Intro Movie
- Ape Quest PS3 spec trailer
- Turning Point Trailer
- Soul Calibur Character Reveal Trailer
- Condemned 2: Bloodshot Launch Trailer
- Gattaca Special Edition Blu-Ray Disc Trailer
- Sleuth Blu-Ray Disc Trailer

Games/Demos:

-PAIN full game (£4.99)

DLC:

- PAIN “Muffy” add-on (£0.69)
- PAIN “Cookie” add-on (£0.69)
- PAIN “Hung-Lo” add-on (£0.69)
- PAIN “Santa” add-on (£0.69)
- PAIN “Scurv Dogg” add-on (£0.69)
- PAIN “Ginger” add-on (£0.69)
- PAIN “Fun with Explosives” add-on (free)
- Stranglehold map pack (£9.99)

Trailers:

MotorStorm 2 trailer (free)

Games/Demos:
-Addie no Okurimono: To Moze from Addie (PS1) - ¥600
-Gakkou o Tsukurou!! (PS1) - ¥600
-Kawa no Nushi Tsuri: Hikyou o Motomete (PS1) - ¥600
-Spyro the Dragon (PS1) - ¥600
-Echochrome - ¥1800

Trailers:
-Oblivion - “Face Making Movie Vol. 2″
-Professional Baseball Spirits 5
-Soulcalibur IV - “Promo Movie Darth Vader”
-Valkyria of the Battlefield: Gallian Chronicles - “Character Introduction Vol. 2: Largo”

* Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee (also downloadable via PS3) ($10.99)
Game Demos (free)

* Flat Out: Head On Demo (also downloadable via PS3)
Game Videos (free)

* Patapon GAP QA trailer
* Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Japan Intro Movie
* Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee behind the scenes #1
* Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee behind the scenes #2
* Ape Quest trailer
PSP Wallpaper (free)

* Ape Quest wallpaper (x3)
* Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee wallpaper
PSP Themes (free)

* Ape Quest theme

NeoGAF

I’ve complained about Activision before. About the lack of headset or extra maps for Call of Duty 3. About the lack of any migration options for playing Guitar Hero PS2 games on the PS3. About the blockage Activision put on Harmonix’ patch to allow PS3 GH3 guitars to work with Rock Band. About their CoD4 beta for the 360, demo for the PC, and nothing for the PS3. Activision really seems to have it in for us PlayStation gamers.

What’s the latest?

That the upcoming map pack for CoD4 on the PS3 will be available only three weeks AFTER it’s available for the 360.

Gaaaaaa! Activision! Stop screwing us over!

Man I hope this rumour proves to be false.

Call of Duty 4 Map Pack Dated and Priced; Details on COD4: GOY Edition

Well this doesn’t happen to often. We get details of a firmware update before it arrives, lol. But this is how it should be every time. Usually it’s released late one night and the gaming forums try to figure out the changes all night.

Check out the list below for all the details. It should arrive in the next few days according to Sony.

*BD-Live functionality

* The ability to copy PS3 Music and Photo playlists to a PSP system. We introduced the ability to create Music and Photo playlists on the PS3 in firmware update v2.0. Now you can easily export your playlists to your PSP.

* You can now play DivX and WMV format files that are over 2 GB.

* Resume Play - begin playing a DVD or BD disc from the point where you previously stopped it, even if you eject the disc and insert a different movie or game.

* Use your PSP as a remote control to play back your music files on your PS3 without turning on your TV.

* The Internet browser now displays some web pages faster. In addition [Save Target] has been added as an option under file. This option lets you save a file that is linked to a web page to your PS3 hard drive or storage media.

Firmware v2.20 bringing BD-Live to PS3

In case you forgot what BD-Live is, here is a reminder.

Press Release After the Jump Read the rest of this entry »

This came out for the PS3 in Japan a little over a month ago and is scheduled to arrive in the U.S in August:

The graphics look underwhelming for a PS3 title, but I’ve heard this is a very good turn-based strategy game. The PS3 has a definite lack of strategy titles (excluding PS2 BC games), so I’m definitely looking forward to this.

These video downloads are so huge that I haven’t downloaded it in any format yet. But this game is really cool and I hope to have one downloaded soon.

Gamersyde actually has a ton of viewing/downloading options. So even though this is a big file, one of them should fit the bill.

Wipeout HD: Video Preview

IGN has a video review of the 360 version of Rainbow Six Vegas 2 available here:

The general consensus is that this is a good game, but it’s getting long in the tooth. It uses the same music as the first game, and graphics haven’t really been updated. Co-op gameplay still feels like it’s tacked on, though integration is better.

IGN says that this is a solid game, which will be enjoyable more for first time players, rather than those who might already have picked up the first game.

Not sure if this is bogus or not, but it’s interesting:

Ratchet DLC? PixelJunk Monsters DLC? That’a a nice lineup if true.

Fragcast Post on Leak

Thanks Chris for sending this in. IGN has seven new videos for four new CoD4 maps. I don’t know why there are four - I’ve always heard that the upcoming map pack for the PS3 (and 360) will only have three maps. But I personally don’t care much for the Training Level map, hopefully it’s just being tossed in with the other three. Anyway, the videos are pretty cool. Check them out. Here’s one:

Call of Duty 4 Map Pack Hands-On

Here’s the first review I’ve seen of the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. By Eurogamer! Of course a European website is going to have the first review, because they’re getting the game before we are!

All in all they like the game a lot. But I don’t know why they compare the number of cars in GT4 to the number of cars in GT5P. GT5P is the Prologue! But anyway, I digress. They enjoyed the splendid 1080p visuals, and said that splitscreen mode didn’t seem to affect performance at all!

They had a couple quibbles about the game too. Mostly about the severely limited online play. I hope that these things will be fixed in the final version of the game, not due out until next year sometime. Follow the link below for the full review.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Review

This week we only have two movies. What would you do if you where the last human on earth because of a virus that wiped out or mutated everyone else and was against you? Study this film in case this ever happens. Then we have the flip side. A family friendly movie, which is about a princess thrown into the real world. It’s a spoof on all the Princess / Happily Ever After Disney movies.

Overall a slow week. But almost 40 blu-ray movies are currently slated for April according to Blu-ray’s website.

Enchanted - Disney / Buena Vista
I Am Legend - Warner Bros.

Blu-ray.com