That's more like it. Have you noticed that we haven't been moaning about European PSN releases for a little while? That's because SCEE has clearly stepped up their game. Big releases are nigh-on simultaneous and demos and add-ons are rarely late, either. Being a European is pretty good this week, with three demos, two song packs for Rock Band and some decent videos and themes. Here's the full release list:
Playable content
Fracture demo
SoulCalibur IV demo
NBA Live 09 demo
Add-on content
Rock Band DLC (listed after the break)
Rock Band Song Export Key (£2.49/€3.49)
Having said that, the Rock Band DLC is lagging slightly, but we're going to give them the benefit of the doubt for a few weeks, until they get everything synced up properly. The most confusing thing about this update is the Rock Band Son Export Key. Why would Europe need that now, if Rock Band 2 is nowhere in sight? Unless EA is going to surprise the region with a sooner-than-expected (ie, within the next 6 months) release? Who knows. What it does mean is that the song export patch (which includes GHIII controller compatability) should be available soon. Right?
Posted Aug 27th 2008 3:00PM by Majed Athab Filed under: News
If you've been meaning to pick up Soulcalibur IV -- which was released about a month ago -- but have yet to, then perhaps you've been waiting for that demo that was promised. If you find yourself in with that crowd, perhaps getting some playtime with the newly released demo off the Japanese PS Store will tickle your fancy.
The demo, which is completely in English, weighs-in at about 879MB. It'll allow players to fight a few rounds as either Cassandra (pictured getting whacked in the head) or Nightmare (not pictured). For those of you who want to check out the weapon-clashing blades of SC IV, log into your Japanese accounts and download it. For those of you who don't have a Japanese account and are not in a rush, there's a pretty big chance of seeing the demo on your local PS Store update tomorrow.
After seeing Snake, Raiden and Kratos in Soul Calibur IV's Character Creation mode, we knew it was inevitable other fan favorites would soon arrive as well. As you can see above, two very famous plumbers were painstakingly recreated for your viewing pleasure. This site managed to collect even more craziness, with everyone ranging from Dante of Devil May Cry, The Bride of Kill Bill, Nappa & General Taoof Dragon Ball, Golbez of Final Fantasy IV, Cammy of Street Fighter and last but certainly not least, Gundam. Admittedly, we are a little scared by that last one. See who else you can recognize here.
A lot of you thought the other day's post for Snake and Raiden in Soulcalibur IV was newsworthy, so we're going to bring you another one of these character creation posts. This time, it's that Greek dude with a temper problem -- Kratos. We know a lot of you got excited over the rumor, and after it got shot down, your excitement died with it.
So, we propose that if you really want the gruff voiced warrior battling it out with the guys and (well-endowed) ladies of Namco's Soulcalibur IV, then make him yourself. We've posted instruction on how to make him (and some more pics, too) after the break.
The character creation tools of Soulcalibur IV look to be rather robust. Kotaku's CB has created facsimiles of our favorite Metal Gear Solid characters, Snake and Raiden, using the in-game system. While not 100% spot-on, these renders do add a distinct Metal Gear flair to the classic fighter. Seeing these two fighting on the Death Star with Soulcalibur weapons ... well, that's the kind of stuff fanfics are made of.
Posted Jul 28th 2008 5:30PM by Andrew Yoon Filed under: News
Over the weekend, a video of Darth Vader and Yoda fighting each other in Soulcalibur IV was leaked onto the internet (and then it was subsequently pulled). Currently, Darth Vader lives only on the PS3 version, while Yoda lives only on the Xbox 360 version. Could Namco Bandai be planning DLC which unlocks the famed Star Wars characters in both versions? It would make a lot of sense, wouldn't it?
According to the Korean PlayStation site, Yoda will be available for download from the PSN. That sounds like DLC to us. While Namco Bandai hasn't confirmed anything yet, we wouldn't be surprised if Yoda (and who knows what other characters) ended up appearing in Soulcalibur IV.
So, it's finally here. The definitive weapons-based fighter is back and we've been lucky enough to get an early taste of all the steel-clashing action. We've been practicing our combat skills over the weekend and have sunk a good amount of time into the PS3 version. So, want to know what our first few hours were like? Want to know answers to those questions burning in the back of your mind, like: Is the install worth it? What's up with rumble? If you're planning to pick up Soulcalibur IV tomorrow, you'll want to read on.
Soulcalibur IV gets its worldwide release this week. If you're not into weapon based fighting games with a Star Wars twist, there's very little else that might interest you. By "very little" we do, of course, mean "nothing." If you live in Europe, however, you might be interested in knowing that a bunch of Platinum titles are being released this week. All of these five games are well worth their new £20 price, despite the yucky yellow packaging. Here's the full release list:
Protip: Play.com have cut £2 off their Platinum price for the full range. £18 for Uncharted or Ratchet & Clank? You'd be mad not to. Release dates are constantly subject to change, so check with your local retailer if you're concerned.
Those of you who were on the fence about the Soulcalibur Limited Edition Fighting Stick 3 by Hori last month might want to reconsider the peripheral again: the price has been reduced $8 to $41.99. Not too bad for a newly released product.
We are aware there are some higher-end fighting sticks around, but at this price range, this particular one is unbeatable. With Soulcalibur IV arriving in stores a week from today, order one now and you might just have it ready when you bring the game home.
If you were so looking forward to a Soulcalibur IV demo out before the game's release on July 29, then get ready for disappointment. Namco reps at E3 have stated that a demo of the game won't be available until after release. As to when that demo would be available, the only response received was that it would appear some time "down the road." Last time we checked, Soulcalibur IV was a 'first day purchase' kind of game; by then, who needs a demo?
In related news, a press release sent out earlier today cordially announced that Soulcalibur IV had gone gold. There's only 12 days left Soulcalibur fans -- only 12 more days.
Despite appearing in the Soulcalibur IV UbiDays 2008 Transcendence trailer, Algol didn't become official until today. Heralded as the "strongest character ever in SC series" by character designer Hideo Yoshie, Algol possesses the Soul Calibur on his left hand and the Soul Edge on his right. He can also fly in the air and has ten kinds of weapons built into his body. Algol's armor is of a bird motif and originated in an ancient kingdom lost to the sands of time. While the above picture shows Algol when he was still human, his hair color change signifies his transformation into something more.
Posted Jul 11th 2008 10:15AM by Nick Doerr Filed under: News
According to online retailer amazon.com (data collected by PunchJump), Namco Bandai's upcoming fighter, Soulcalibur IV has been far more popular on PS3 than on the Xbox 360. Pre-orders for the fighter have been impressive on Sony's console. The PS3 versions of the game have amassed 72% of sales (52% premium, 20% regular edition) compared to the 360 versions' combined 28%.
Such impressive numbers show that a third-party title can perform just as well, if not better, on PS3 than on Xbox 360. What can account for such an impressive showing by PlayStation fans? Could it be the series regulars from the PS2, the superior D-Pad, or the dark allure of Darth Vader over Yoda?
Posted Jul 9th 2008 2:00PM by Alan Tsang Filed under: News
Despite earlier reports of a mandatory hard drive install of more gargantuan proportions, a scan of the back cover of the Japanese version of Soulcalibur IV shows much more reasonable requirements. The mandatory install itself will be 2,850MB or 2.85GB while a save file will start at 2048KB or 2MB. Obviously, the more characters you create, the more space it is going to take up on your hard drive. Does this seem more reasonable to you guys? Do you still mind sacrificing some HD space for faster load times? Or still hoping developers eliminate them altogether?
There are 38 new screenshots of the PS3 version of Soulcalibur IV over at Dengeki Online, showcasing all the modes in the game. Under the banner of single player we have Story, Soulless Tower, Arcade and Training modes. Under VS Mode, you will have the choice of Standard or Special mode, depending on whether you want customized characters thrown into the mix. Extras are also highlighted, with Character Creation mode and Museum, which appears to give the player access to relationship charts, bios and pictures. There's even some old-fashioned manga funnies at the end. All are only a click away right here.
The anime invasion of Soulcalibur IV is relentless. It never ceases to end; with now having the fifth character revealed, how many more does Namco plan on adding? The latest anime-inspired, original combatant to join the roster is Kamikirimusi. She's some sort of half-demon and is a creation from Hirokazu Hisayuki whose previous works have included The Visions of Escaflowne and Tekken: The Movie.
As we've mentioned in previous posts, all the new anime cameo characters are female. None are male. Perhaps, that's a good thing as it balances out the very male-centric Star Wars cameo cast (Vader and his apprentice for the PS3 version). With Soulcalibur IV's release only three weeks away, it's a wonder what other stuff Namco will hit us with next.
Despite earlier reports of a mandatory hard drive install of more gargantuan proportions, a scan of the back cover of the Japanese version of Soulcalibur IV shows much more reasonable requirements. The mandatory install itself will be 2,850MB or 2.85GB while a save file will start at 2048KB or 2MB. Obviously, the more characters you create, the more space it is going to take up on your hard drive. Does this seem more reasonable to you guys? Do you still mind sacrificing some HD space for faster load times? Or still hoping developers eliminate them altogether?
_thumbnail.jpg "Red Baron Arcade")
