Joystiq [PlayStation]

Whatever it is, Barlog says that it'll be "something that everyone's fairly familiar with." A God of War movie script then, maybe? We know a movie is in development and who better to write the script than someone who has worked so closely with the franchise? It's all speculation at this point, but we're certainly intrigued to find out more. Hopefully soon.

PSP-PS3 connectivity is back! Namco Bandai's upcoming Idol Master SP for PSP will reward players with new items to use in PlayStation Home. No other details have been revealed, but we're hoping this is just the beginning for PSP-Home connectivity.

Namco Bandai will be promoting the upcoming PSP release through the release of various Idol Master items in Home. The "Namco Bandai Carrot Lounge" will also be updated with Idol Master themes.

[Via PlayStation Lifestyle; IGN]

MLB The Show is quite possibly Sony's best first-party sports game. This year's edition includes the incremental improvements that's expected of sports games. However, 09 will also be the first game to feature the new Yankees and Mets stadiums. This new trailer will certainly excite baseball fans, with its dramatic cuts and music.

Codemasters has just revealed that Fuel -- an open-world, off-road racer that claims to make Burnout Paradise seem like a postage stamp in scale -- will begin cruising the countryside sometime this May.

To promote this momentous announcement, a freshly greased Fuel trailer has made its way online, showcasing some in-game footage. If the trailer's first thirty seconds are anything to go (anywhere) by, then Fuel's open world element just might be enough to differentiate it among the competition and demand our attention.

The upcoming PSP version of Persona is not quite a full remake, but it's not really a port either. The debut trailer revealed new anime cutscenes for the game, but that's not all that's changed.

Siliconera reports that the PSP version of Persona will also add a new rearranged soundtrack by Shoji Meguro. Persona 3's Yumi Kawamura will perform the vocal tracks in this new soundtrack. Dungeons from the Sebek Chapter and Snow Queen Chapter have been expanded, and gameplay has been tweaked throughout. There are multiple levels of difficulty, and battles will go by much faster than in the original game.

Extra save points have been added in addition to a "quick save" feature to make the experience more palatable for on-the-go play. Finally, the city map has been revised to make things easier.

The game that brought us SackBoy can now be yours for at least one less sack of change. Web retailer Buy.com is offering LittleBigPlanet at $44.95 -- that's a little more than $15 off the game's usual $59.99 price tag. There's no mention on the site of an end-date for the price cut (or even that this is any kind of special offer). Still, our advice: Get the game at this price while you can, since it's yet to be proven that Murphy's Law doesn't extend to the internet.

Fans have been starving for more Resident Evil 5 info. The upcoming PS3/Xbox 360 continuation of the popular survival horror series is but a month away, and we're here to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about the game.

When is it coming out?
Resident Evil 5 will be available in North America and Europe on March 13, 2009. Japan will get the game a week earlier, on March 5.

What are the controls like?
If you've played Resident Evil 4, the controls will be very familiar. You won't be able to move and aim at the same time. In order to shoot, players must stop and aim the gun. With the default controls, a knife can be used by holding down a left shoulder button. This weapon is used mostly for opening crates, but can also be used to damage enemies lightly. When enemies are stunned, players can run forward and do a melee attack.

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We're not exactly sure why SCEA is taking so long in bringing these PSP games over to America. A new fact sheet for the game revealed a "release date" of sorts for the upcoming sequel: Spring/Summer. The game, which has been available in Japan since late last year, more than doubles the amount of content to play with. New multiplayer modes add even more depth to the game.

SCEA has released brand new screenshots and the official box art (above). Considering how good the original Patapon was, we're sure the wait for the sequel will be worth it.

Hideo Kojima will sneak into the 2009 Game Developers Conference this year and get his keynote on, according to Gamasutra. It'll be the designer's first presentation at the event, with his debut titled "Solid Game Design: Making the 'Impossible' Possible."

GDC Event Director Meggan Scavio notes that the group has asked Kojima to keynote almost every year "for as long as [she] can remember." She's curious to see how the "revered and elusive" creator will inspire attendees. The presentation is scheduled for an hour, but given the designer's inability to edit, don't be surprised if it lasts 8 hours, with two 90-minute cutscenes and a couple of codec conversations included.

According to GamerDeals, Killzone 2 has topped GameFly's "Most Queued" list, making it the most popular title on the online rental service. This moment is marked also by the fact that this is the first time a PS3 title has held the top spot. The first-party, first-person shooter from Guerrilla Games has beaten out multiplatform games like Street Fighter IV and Resident Evil 5. For the full top ten list, be sure to have a look past the break.

Now, there's one last inkling left on our minds. Seeing as Killzone 2 is the most sought after rental, we wonder if that implies anything about interest in buying the game? It'll be interesting to see what goes down when the game releases worldwide later this month.

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Following in the footsteps of the Call of Dutys before it, World at War will be getting a brand new multiplayer map pack in March on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. For an undisclosed price, you'll be able to add "Nightfire" (source of the above image), "Station," "Knee Deep" and "Verrückt (Zombie Asylum)" to your list of playgrounds. See full descriptions of them all, after the break.

We reckon this is good news for WaW fans, but bad news for our planet's reserves of WWII locations that haven't yet been turned into video game levels, a resource that's running cataclysmically low. Where's Al Gore when you really need him?

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In fact, Dante's Inferno sounds very similar to God of War in many ways. Health and mana orbs are dropped when enemies die and are also found in chests, which are "opened by holding Circle." The game also features QTEs and combos utilizing the protagonist's light and heavy attacks. Apparently, it's the subject matter that sets Dante's Inferno apart from God of War. It is "altogether more unpleasant," where "twisted creatures burst from doorways, lava spews from inverted crosses and bottomless fiery pits yawn deep beneath your feet."

If God of War III doesn't make it out this year, Dante's Inferno may be just the thing to tide action fans over. If GoW III does make it out in '09, however ... well, we're not expecting Dante to beat Kratos at his own game, are we? Check out the latest issue of PSM3 for the full preview.

Think you're pretty slick picking up an overpriced promo disc from eBay, don't you? Well then, you won't feel so smooth after reading this. Guerrilla says those promotional copies of Killzone 2 lack a vital component of the game: its online features. For those who can't do the math, that's half a game for four times the price. That equals ... not such a good deal after all.

If you want to play the game early, it's you might want to download the free demo from the European PlayStation Store instead. Just saying.

[Via CVG]

The finalists for this year's Game Developers Choice Awards have been announced, with Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet adoring judges with nine nominations, including one for Game of the Year. Other titles up for the prestigious award include Fallout 3, Left 4 Dead, Grand Theft Auto IV and, of course, Fable 2. The Joystiq darling is also a shoe-in for snub of the year with Lionhead's opus going overlooked entirely in the Best Writing category. Seriously, what's the deal?

Braid, Far Cry 2, Spore, World of Goo, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Gears of War 2 are all up for multiple awards, with winners set to take the stage during next month's gala event as part of the 2009 Game Developers Conference. The show will be hosted by Grim Fandango and Brütal Legend's Tim Schafer, promising a tongue-in-cheek good time even if our personal faves leave empty handed.

A huge shadow has been cast over Sony's upcoming Infamous -- and it's called Prototype. It's strange that two very similar games are coming out so close to each other. Both games involve learning superpowers in a post-apocalyptic, open-world environment, but Prototype seemingly has more hype due to the over-the-top nature of its presentation.

In spite of their similarities, the two games play very differently. Whereas Prototype has an immediate hook, Infamous is a more meticulous affair, taking its time to draw the player into its world. Prototype is more of a beat-em-up, with easy lock-ons and quick melee combos. Infamous, on the other hand, plays a lot like a traditional third-person shooter, with the slow progression of a RPG. It may be a bit less flashy than its competitor, but it has the potential to be far more substantial and rewarding.

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