PS3 Fanboy

Yes, it's a $148 deal. amazon.com has the Rock Band Special Edition (with guitar, drums and microphone) for $148 -- that's $22 cheaper than elsewhere. And with free shipping, you won't have to lug this beast of a package around.

The drum kit is also available by itself, for $69. That's $11 off the regular price.

Oh, and if you don't like music, there's the racing game DiRT for $30.

[Via CAG]

This week's release list can only be described as ... heavenly. We've been waiting for a long time for this. Heavenly Sword is finally available to the masses this week and we can't wait to get our hands on it. Here's the full release list:

US Games

• Heavenly Sword
• DiRT
  
• NHL 08
• NHL 2K8

European Games

• Heavenly Sword
• DiRT

Asian Games

• Megazone 23: Aoi Garland
• Megazone 23: Aoi Garland Limited Edition
  

Check it out. Two potentially great games being released simultaneously throughout America and Europe. This is what we really love to see. As for Megazone 23: Aoi Garland, we've never heard of it. If you're intrigued and want to try it out then go right ahead, your PS3 will play games from any region. Release dates are constantly subject to change, so always keep that in mind.

John Yan recently took the time to tour the booths at E3 and came away with his impressions for a few games, but one bit near the end caught our attention above all else. He saw the PS3 version of Colin McRae's DiRT and claimed it looked more refined than the 360 and PC counterparts. We're not worried about the graphics and all that, though. There was something else that piqued our interest.

There was a rumble option in the game's options screen. John asked the folks showcasing the game if the rumble feature would exist in the final product for the PS3 and they answered yes. DiRT is prepared to take advantage of the new rumble feature coming to the Sixaxis controller in a matter of months. Isn't that exciting? The controller isn't out yet, but game developers are already prepared to offer the feature in their games. It's great news for all of us, especially those who really need to feel some vibrations in their hands. You know who you are!

[Thanks, John!]

PlayStation 3 owners currently have to deal with some headaches when it comes to third party multiplatform titles. Games like Rainbow 6 and GRAW 2 come months and months after the 360/PC versions and games like The Darkness that arrive on time frequently are missing a couple of the graphical flourishes found on the other versions. It's frustrating though not entirely unexpected considering the complexity of the PS3 and it's shorter time on the market. Fortunately, as developers get more accustomed to developing for the PlayStation 3 they're getting better and better at making the PS3 version of multiplatform games.

Codemaster's DiRT is a good example, while it is arriving a couple months after the PC/360 version it's not a huge delay and it appears that the time isn't being spent simply bringing the PS3 version up to the quality of the 360 version. No, according to a Gamespot interview, the time is being spent making the PS3 one better than the other versions. The developer espouses at length about how much better the PS3 version will be, saying that it "looks fantastic compared to the 360." He further explains that the framerate is better, that there is full support for all the PS2 steering wheels, and that they now have full uncompressed 7.1 surround sound -- something 'the 360 didn't allow us to do.'

Great news all around for PS3 owners frustrated about the delay of the highly anticipated racer. While it's always nice getting a game as soon as possible, getting a better game by waiting a couple months is a pretty solid trade-off. DiRT will be out this fall (around September) and according to the developer we'll also be getting a demo before then, so keep an eye on the PS Store for more gorgeous offroad racing.

[Via N4G]

Though the PlayStation 3 is constantly maligned as being overly difficult to program for, it seems that more and more developers are coming out in support of it. Recently, Gamepro had a hands-on with Sega's Rally Revo and found out that the off-road racer was developed on the PS3 first -- and then ported over to other systems. This is in contrast to what Microsoft has recently said, but inline with Sega's previous efforts.

What this means for PS3 owners is that our version of Rally Revo will actually arrive on-time and with solid performance, something a bit of a rarity recently. According to GamePro, "the PS3 version had no visible "jaggies"...and believe us, we looked for them."

Between this, the just-released MotorStorm add-ons, and the upcoming DiRT, it seems like a good year to be an off-road enthusiast on the PS3. Which mud-flinger are you most excited for? You sticking with the classic MotorStorm madness or upgrading to some sexy DiRT and/or Rally Revo?

Those of you who enjoy your beat-em-ups will no doubt be pleased with the recent European PSN update. As well as a couple of trailers for upcoming PS3 games, Sony gave us Mortal Kombat 2. The full release list is as follows.

• Mortal Kombat 2 (£1.99)
• Colin McRae: DiRT trailer (free)
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma trailer (free)

Isn't it is nice to finally get some playable content with a name that doesn't start with "Go!"? MK2 is a worthwhile purchase, especially considering the low price. We reviewed it in May (back when the Americans got it), giving it a score of nothing-to-write-home-about out of ten. Things can only get better for the PSN though, with upcoming releases of Calling All Cars and Super Stardust HD. Will removing the spines of our friends over the internet keep us occupied until then? We hope so.

If you love rolling around in the mud like us, then you'll love watching cars doing similarly exciting things! We've got three exciting gameplay videos of Colin Mc Rae's DiRT and let us just say: it looks darn-tootin' good. We're not sure why, in the video above, the game goes from what seems to be actual gameplay to the whole cinematic "you finished the race!" angle, though we assume the user is just testing out all the different camera angle options like in the third video we've got posted. The narrator/guy telling you to watch out for whatever's ahead is sort of annoying, too. Optional, we hope. Anyway, the other two videos will be stuck under our continued link -- check them out, too.

Yes, yes, the screenshots you are seeing are indeed from the PC version of the upcoming off-road title Colin McRae: DiRT, but that does not change the fact they're probably the same on the PS3 and the 360. What else can we say? It seems like a fun, rally car racing dirty adventure through the badlands of Nowheresville.

Games with cars are fun, but... how many of these will we see this year? We're not hating on any particular racing/driving game, but they seem to clog up new consoles like nobody's business! Maybe it's just the PS3, and that's fine, but it makes us bring up the inevitable comparison: where does your racing game loyalty lie? Are you a driving sim person, a la Gran Turismo, or are you a crazy off-road maniac and enjoy your life with a splash of mud like in MotorStorm? Street racing may be your bag, too, with all those Need for Speed titles out there. What's your poison?

Even though this is clearly an FMV sequence, this Colin McRae fellow (apparently a big deal outside of the US) really wants his game to "wow" us. Take a look at the video and be moderately impressed. Interestingly, my several-year-old laptop can't handle watching the HD version, but it's the recommended way to watch anything "next-gen". The game is due out for the PS3, 360, and PC -- so the "wow" factor can be shared among all of us, agreed?

A simultaneous multi-platform smack in the face is coming for 2007 when DIRT: Colin McRae Off-Road is released. This game will feature a variety of locations to spin those wheels, not to mention multiple different objectives. Ever hear of Pike's Peak International? Don't worry. But all 12.4 miles and 150+ turns have been accurately replicated for our amateur driving pleasure.

Don't want to peel out in a standard rally car? Go to the desert and drive some interesting looking trucks and 4x4s. Or climb steep hills in massive vehicles. Don't want to play alone? Online multiplayer support has been confirmed, which is nice. Don't really care about the game? That's okay -- check out the other screens at IGN.com. For still being in development and not using actual gameplay footage, (just referencing the 3D models and locations -- imagine it like putting separate pieces of the game together for an action shot... if that's not what it means, please clarify for us) those are nice images for car lovers and gamers alike.