PS3 Fanboy

There's a lot to like about Supervillian's expansion to the PSN "classic," fl0w. The expansion pack, which costs under $3, adds one new creature, the ability to play as different creatures in multiplayer, and a nifty new screenshot capture mode. Fans of the original fl0w will find these additions to be worth a purchase, as it has reinvigorated our love of this surreal and unique title.

After the initial install, you'll see a brand new background appear for the game in the XMB. The soft blue that covers the XMB waves is much appreciated: it gives the game that much more character, even before the game actually launches. Once you get to the character select screen, you'll see a brand new addition -- it's our favorite creature yet, in fact.

The new creature has some of the most "gameplay" of all the creatures in the game so far. It can retract its circular body in, and then spin rapidly out. Anything it hits will be stunned for a few seconds, leaving it vulnerable for consumption. The brief amount of time one has after the attack makes this one of the most timing-focused creatures in the game. It's beautiful, it's fast and deadly -- we love it.

The new campaign is great, but our favorite addition is the ability to have multiple creatures in multiplayer. It really adds a whole new dynamic to the experience. In this mode, you'll see each of the creature's strengths and weaknesses, as you compete for food in unique ways. Taking screenshots during this mode will make the framerate stutter, but you can behold some of the game's most beautiful visuals during these sessions. Fans of fl0w owe it to themselves to check out this expansion.

In addition to a massive Store update, SCEA has temporarily reduced the price of three PSN downloadable titles. Now available for $4.99:

• Everyday Shooter, Jon Mak's synesthesia masterpiece is our pick. If you only have enough money for one download, make it this one.
• Calling All Cars, David Jaffe's gift to the PS3 world, is another great choice ... only if you have four controllers and three other friends. As a multiplayer game, it's madness, but single player gamers need not apply.
• fl0w, the is-it-art-or-game creation by thatgamecompany is an interesting experience that's for those with far more daring tastes in games. It might not have enough gameplay to keep you coming back.
• PixelJunk Racers is a collection of mini racing games. Often misunderstood, these are supposed to harken back to the era of 2D racing games ... something we've long gone from.

These prices are valid until November 29th.
[Via CAG]

With 110,000 downloads and counting, fl0w has managed to be the top selling PlayStation Store game so far. thatgamecompany wanted to create a new kind of game that broke through traditional conventions: considering its success so far, it appears that the experiment is working.

Jenova Chen and the rest of the team don't plan on being content on the incredible success of their downloadable title. The team revealed at GDC that they are working on a new title, one which is guaranteed not to be a sequel to fl0w. Considering the support they've received from Sony, it wouldn't be surprising to see their next title land on the PS3 yet again: maybe they'd like to do a Cell-remake of Cloud?

Jenova Chen, Kellee Santiago and the rest of the thatgamecompany team discussed their latest motion-controlled PS3 title fl0w. The game certainly would have been an incredible addition to the Wii library, considering its use of motion controls, relatively subdued graphics, and non-gamer-friendly gameplay. Santiago revealed that fl0w was pitched to two companies: Nintendo and Sony.

Well, Sony won. Sony's aggressive approach to supporting new developers was what gave PS3 the edge. "They [Nintendo] weren't right for us at the time. Sony kind of came to us with the process of incubation ... They helped us get our studio started."

Sony has proven at GDC that they care about developers through the announcement of Edge and extending their Network offerings to independent developers. This kind of approach has allowed Sony to earn the respect of valuable talent. For example, LittleBigPlanet comes from the developer of Rag Doll Kung-Fu, who was originally interested in making titles for Nintendo. Sony's attractive development options will continue to make the system gain new, interesting and truly innovative, exclusive software for the platform.

See also:
Joystiq interview: Jenova Chen