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ThreeSpeech recently previewed  Siren: Blood Curse, the new survival horror game being released as episodic content for the PS3.  The size of these episodes will average around 600 MB each, and with 12 episodes planned for release, this will average out to 7.2 GB taking up space on your PS3. The good news though, is that you can delete an older episode after playing it to make way for a new one or just to save space on your hard drive. Later on, if you like, you can re-download the deleted episode.

To find out more about Siren: Blood Curse, which is set for release this summer for both North America and Europe you can check out our previous posts on the game which contain plenty of screenshots and a trailer - and while you are at it, checkout ThreeSpeech’s preview of the game by hitting the link below.

Via: ThreeSpeech

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Thanks to a link provided by VG247, we now have a list of developers confirmed for E3 2008 along with what titles they will be showing off at the event. While the list is still updated regularly, as of this post, this is what you can expect should you be attending.

Akella
Postal III (PC, X360)

Bethesda Softworks
Fallout 3 (PC, PS3, X360)

Capcom
Bionic Commando (PC, PS3, X360)
Bionic Commando Rearmed (PC, PS3, X360)
Capcom Project #1 [untitled] (other)
Capcom Project #2 [untitled] (other)
Dark Void (PC, PS3, X360)
MotoGP 08 (other)
Neopets Puzzle Adventure (PC, Wii)
Plunder (PC, PS3, X360)
Resident Evil 5 (PS3, X360)
Spyborgs (Wii)
Street Fighter IV (PC, PS3, X360)
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3, X360)

For the full list, hit the jump.

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SCEA has posted a list of games that will be featured during E3 this year, and the majority of the titles either come as no surprise or could be included in the WTF category if there happens to be one. The WTF titles happen to be have the word Buzz! proceeding “Master Quiz” and “Quiz TV”.

Come on Sony. You can do better than this:

• Killzone 2 (PS3)
• LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
• MotorStorm: Pacific Rift (PS3)
• PixelJunk Eden (PS3)
• Resistance 2 (PS3)
• SIREN: Blood Curse Episode #1 [PSN] (PS3)
• SOCOM: Confrontation (PS3)
• Buzz! Master Quiz
• Buzz! Quiz TV

Are these two additional titles really all that “buzz” worthy to be shown off at E3?

Thanks: VG247

Sony has just released a new batch of screenshots for their upcoming Siren: Blood Curse. You know a survival horror games is going to be creepy when even still shots of it are disturbing. The one posted above is probably the only one that doesn’t involve blood coming out of someone’s face. It’s looking like the PS3 graphics are being put to good use here to create a truly foreboding atmosphere.

You can check out the rest of the screens for Siren: Blood Curse here.

Found out something interesting today. Siren:Blood Curse is going to be released episodically via PSN.

From what I gather, the Japanese version will come packed via a Blu-ray disc and divided into a series of twelve episodes available from the PlayStation Store, each containing parallel scenarios for multiple playable characters (seven characters in total). The game will be hitting Europe this summer, but at this time a US release date has not been forthcoming. Hopefully, we will learn more about it when Gaming Today invades E3 next month.

In the meantime, PlayStation.blog had an interesting Q&A session with the game’s creator Keiichiro Toyama, where he discussed his reasons behind releasing it episodically instead of in a more traditional format and he also went into great detail on what to expect from the game. Will it be more action oriented or more intent on scaring your pants off? Here is a small excerpt filling you in on just some of these details.

When asked about his unorthodox approach to how Sire: Blood Curse will be released, Toyama stated:

“We were able to present the game more like a dramatic TV show in a way that hasn’t been done before. I also hope the episodic structure will give players the sense that they are participating in an event.The approach we took in the previous games was to present events much like a documentary presenting a piece of a bigger truth. The new episodic nature required more structure, and also helped to step up the overall quality of the final product.

The unorthodox approach to storytelling was motivated by trying to present a story in a way that only games could do. Replaying the same event while seeing it unfold in different ways is something I feel is an inherent characteristic of video games, so I wanted to take that unique element and weave it directly into the story itself. In Siren: Blood Curse, “Sight Jacking” has been redesigned to be split-screen, allowing the player to see through multiple points of view at the same time. Now, players are free to move while “Sight Jacking”, giving the game a much more active tempo than it had before.”

Toyama also made an interesting point about how survival-horror games have evolved over the years, and what his motivation was to get Blood Curse back to what survival-horror is all about:

“A lot of survival horror titles in recent years have been focusing mostly on just the action element, while Siren: Blood Curse puts a lot of its effort into scaring the player and presenting a rich story. I think Siren: Blood Curse can serve as an example of the diverse range that games are capable of expressing. A good horror title has to make the player feel like they are directly involved in the terrifying events taking place, and that requires realism. I think you’ll understand just how much realism can enhance horror when you see Siren: Blood Curse.”

To read the rest of the interview, hit the link below.

Via: PlayStation.Blog

More from the world of downloadable UMD games this week on the PlayStation Store for PC, as The Con has been released for the fairly pricey amount of $20. The game was originally released in 2005 to critical responses that were all over the board; 1UP and EGM’s scores were in the C and D range, so be wary before you drop 20 bones on this game. (Especially when there are cheaper, albeit slightly less convenient ways of getting the game.)

As for the freebie scene, there are two demos of Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 which, like The Con, you can alternatively download through PS3 and transfer to your PSP.

Hit the break to see what else is new on the Store.

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This week’s update is a fairly tame one, although I believe some new ground is being broken with the release of a game’s soundtrack on the PlayStation Store. $2.99 will net you the original soundtrack to PixelJunk Monsters, which includes 24 tracks in total. That’s not a bad deal for $3, but if you want music you can actually do something with, there are nine new Rock Band tracks for $2 each, or you can find two songs — “We Care a Lot” by Epic and “All the Small Things” by Blink 182 — at the discounted price of $0.99 each.

There’s also the usual assortment of trailers and themes. Get all the details after the break. Read the full article

(Robin Hunicke) 

Gamasutra has an amazing homage to twenty very talented and creative women in the gaming industry who range from creative consultants to producers, level designers to directors, and many other positions that without which - games would never be made.While the list is not all encompassing, meaning that it is indeed short, to take into consideration every female doing an important and influential job in this industry would take eons to complete - especially with new positions and women coming into the fold on a daily basis. Gaming has long been seen as a boys club of sorts, and all my feminist ideals aside, this is a wonderful way to let the world know that women do in fact play a very significant role in the industry without burning bras or marching in the streets shouting.

Here is a list of the 20 women featured in the article. Bios and projects they have worked on are also included within the piece, which you can view after you hit the link below.

• Lucy Bradshaw - Executive Producer, Electronic Arts
• Brenda Brathwaite - Chair, Interactive Design and Game Development, Savannah College of Art and Design
• Linda Currie - Producer, Creat Studios
• Alyssa Finley - Executive Producer, 2K Marin
• Laura Fryer - Executive Producer, Microsoft Games Studios
• Robin Hunicke - Lead Game Designer, Electronic Arts (and fellow redhead woo hoo!)
• Perrin Kaplan - Former Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Affairs, Nintendo of America
• Heather Kelley - Visiting Assistant Professor of Art, Carnegie Mellon University
• Brenda Laurel - Chair, Graduate Program in Design, California College of the Arts
• Nicole Lazzaro - Founder and President, XEODesign, Inc
• Jane McGonigal - Researcher, The Institute for the Future
• Jennifer MacLean - Vice President of Business Development, 38 Studios
• Laralyn McWilliams - Lead Designer, Sony Online Entertainment
• Susan O’Connor - Game Writer, Susan O’Connor Writing Studios
• Patricia Pizer - Senior Designer, Disney Interactive Studios
• Sheri Graner Ray - Game Design Consultant, Sirenia Consulting
• Kathy Schoback - Vice President of Global Events, Think Services
• Kim Swift - Level Designer, Valve
• Jessica Tams - Managing Director, Casual Games Association
• Kathy Vrabeck - President, Casual Entertainment Label, Electronic Arts

Thanks for a wonderful list Gamasutra, and also, thanks for not “ranking” them in order of importance - they are all equally important.

Via: Gamasutra

It looks like Sony has just released the first English-language trailer for the upcoming Siren: Blood Curse. This one is only slightly different from the Japanese trailer, but at least we can kind of figure out more of what’s going on. It seems the story will involve an American film crew going into an old, abandoned Japanese village. From there, they embark upon a light-hearted adventure through forests and ancient buildings while trying to keep in time with the constant chanting coming from the happy villagers by waggling the Sixaxis. Unless I’m missing something, that is.

Siren: New Translation will furthermore be known as Siren: Blood Curse. This was confirmed through the official list of content to hit the PSN which was issued this morning.

This survival horror game exclusive to the PS3 takes place in a landlocked and extremely traditional Japanese village where everything is serene and everyone co-exists in peace. Then all of a sudden, the mountains turned into an infinite sea of red water and which emits a strange call which causes the inhabitants to immerse themselves in it. What comes out is one scary looking former human being.

With a much better sounding name, it is only fitting that Sony would release some new screens for the game as well, and I have posted as many as my poor hands would let me. Enjoy.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Developer: Team Ninja
Publisher: Tecmo
Price: $34.99
Platform: Nintendo DS
Category: Action, Adventure
ESRB: “T” for Teen
Release Date: March 25, 2008

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is the first title in the series to appear on the Nintendo DS, and if you think about it, the warning bells should go off in your head. Compound these warning bells with the screeching siren that is the plotline taking place between the game for the original Xbox and the sequel on the 360; most gamers would be pretty wary of playing Team Ninja’s latest foray into one of the most lauded gaming series ever.

I can happily report to you that any feelings of trepidation you may feel when contemplating giving Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword a try is completely unfounded. As a matter of fact, this game made me happy that I actually own a DS – prior to that it has sat on my bookshelf since Phantom Hourglass collecting dust. So, when I received this blessing in the mail, I excitedly recharged the battery and commenced to play.

While fans of the series may notice some of the same characters and locations in Dragon Sword, it merely gives you a since of familiarity instead of receptiveness. The storyline is very interesting as it tells the tale of a time when Dragons and Humans coexisted in harmony until the Dark Dragon decided to take over the world. The dragons that sided with the humans forged a sword from their fangs and bestowed what became known as the Dragon Sword upon them. While the name of the sword may seem a bit unoriginal, it does not matter – they could have called it the “pointy thing made of teeth” and it would still have the same effect because that awesome sword slew the Dark Dragon and restored peace to the land.
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The Japanese site Game Watch has 37 images for the upcoming survival horror game Siren: New Translation. The game has an American television crew and traipsing around a Japanese village full of zombies and if the trailer was not creepy enough to delightfully scare you a bit - these images should do the trick.

Since there are so many screens, I only posted a few for you here, but you can view all of them by clicking through the link below. Enjoy them (I know I did!).

For more information on Siren: New Translation, check out our previous posts and check back often for more updates.

Thanks: Game Watch

Imagine living in a landlocked and extremely traditional Japanese village where everything is serene and everyone co-exists in peace. Then all of a sudden, the mountains turned into an infinite sea of red water and you hear a strange call to immerse yourself in it, as you take a dip, you realize that you are transforming into something that you’d only heard about in myths. Then everything just goes horrifyingly blank. That my friends, is Siren: New Translation.

Sony announced this week that Siren: New Translation for the PS3 would be coming soon to Japan. August 3rd to be exact, and it is supposedly a remake of the original, 90% complete, with a demo becoming available on April 24th. No word on North American releases or which consoles will be graced with the game, but more details are sure to surface pretty soon I am sure, because there is already a trailer for it.

Mysterious new game details popped up on the Japanese PlayStation.com site showing a countdown on a red-colored puddle, panicked voices and static in the background. The page is really creepy and is one of the best teaser sites I have seen in a while and it had the gaming community speculating that it is for the new Siren game.

Kudos for smart gamers getting it right because a Famitsu scan confirmed that this is indeed a teaser for Siren. The newest title is called Siren New Translation, is a remake of the original, 90% complete, and will be released in Japan on July 24 with a demo becoming available on April 24th. No word on North American releases or which consoles will be graced with the game, but more details are sure to surface soon so stay tuned.

So far, the countdown shows another 37 hours to go until the site goes live, so keep checking back.

Thanks: Videogaming247

[Note: This article was originally posted on my personal blog. Due to the popularity of it, I decided to share my story with the readers of Gaming Today. Enjoy!]

It was a pretty weird day here in Northern Jersey. There was tons of wind, but it wasn’t as cold as it normally is, at least during the day. But of course, the sun set and the wind remained, leaving it cold. Really cold.

I preordered Super Smash Bros. Brawl months in advance. Probably almost half a year or so. Saying I was excited about the upcoming release would be an immense understatement. Super Smash Bros. was a game I have always loved playing simply for the fact that you have no idea how the rounds are going to go in the game. One minute you could be beating the snot out of your opponent, and the next, he’s got a bomb or a hammer. Once either of those hits you, you’re pretty much done for.

I arrived at the local GameStop around 9:10 PM since they informed the people in the tournament that the latest we could be there was 9:30. I of course decided that I really had nothing else to do that night, so I might as well throw my hat into the tournament. The way I saw it, I was playing Smash Bros. earlier than the people online. I’d be getting a tiny crumb of that sweet sweet Smash Bros. goodness.

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I really hate rumors, because they’re just so hard to verify sometimes. A rumor stating that Sony has over 20 secret PS3 projects in development at least deserves a little attention. A source known to Team ICO claims that Sony’s internal studios have some secret projects in store for us. Supposedly, there are over 20 projects that have not been revealed to the public yet. According to their source, some of the companies involved included Project Siren and Team Saru.

There’s really no way for me to verify this rumor at this time, but it’s certainly interesting. Sony already has a great list of exclusive titles coming out in 2008, so any extra secret plans couldn’t hurt. I have felt a slight disturbance in the force lately, so this could definitely have something to do with that. Check out the via link for more information on the discussion.

As a side note, I still firmly believe that Sony and Square-Enix will be working on a Final Fantasy VII remake, if they aren’t already secretly working on one.

Via Team ICO Gamers

All right World of Warcraft players, your wait is over. Blizzard has released the 2.3 patch for WoW, and it’s loaded with changes.

Not only does it introduce a brand new 10-man raid instance named Zul’Aman (it’s over in the Ghostlands), it loads in a ton of changes to classes as well. This patch also brings with it the start of WoW’s PvP Arena Season 3, which is reportedly scheduled to begin on November 20.

As usual, this patch is available in a ton of region specific flavors. You can grab the US version from the links below. The remainder of the regional patches will be released during the regularly scheduled maintenance periods for those regions. Check out FileFront’s version 2.3 patch page for other regional versions as they become available.

You can check out the patch notes for this release after the break, just prepare for some serious reading.

US Version

US Full Version
US Incremental Version

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Ahh, the 80s arcade scene. There is nothing like it. The electronic symphony of Blips, Bleeps, and Woowoos serenading us from afar like the sirens’ call. The strobing 8-bit assault of electron ordinance bombarding our optical receptors. The clankity clank of change machines grinding someone’s hard earned paper into shiny golden metal octagonal tokens of delight. The thick layer of smog sourced from half-dozen burning cigarettes permeating the air.

Ok, well maybe that last detail isn’t so fondly remembered. Arcades certainly deserve to be more than just a footnote in history. There’s a bit of sadness garnered as we say goodbye to such a relic of the entertainment industry. I certainly owe a large chunk of my childhood to the 80’s arcade scene.

So it gives me great pleasure to bring news that classic arcade Space Ace is coming to our homes, in High Definition no less. Digital Leisure, the remastering gurus responsible for bringing Dragon’s Lair, Dragon’s Lair 2: Time Warp, and Space Ace to DVD (and more recently Dragon’s Lair HD to PC DVD-ROM, HD-DVD, and Blu-Ray), have just announced Space Ace HD for PC DVD-ROM.

Space Ace, of course, was a direct follow-up to Dragon’s Lair success some 23+ years ago. As the name implies, Space Ace was, in short, Dragon’s Lair retooled with a Sci-Fi story. By all regards, it was exactly the same clockwork button mashing and joystick pushing game as its predecessor. Replace Dirk the Daring with Dexter/Ace, Princess Daphne with Kimberly, and Singe the Dragon with Commander Borf, and you have basically the same game in a Sci-Fi setting. Muscle bound hero, good looking girlfriend, a balding yet powerful bad guy wanting to destroy the earth with an oversized laser beam…. sound familiar? It should. It’s the same formula the Flash Gordon movie of the same era used.

Where Space Ace sets itself apart from your typical swashbuckling Sci-Fi romp is the use of legendary Don Bluth’s animation talents (Secret of Nimh, Titan A.E., etc.) Ask anyone who lived in that era; it was Don Bluth’s animation that made the game. Well, let’s just say the animation made it more than just a game. Back in the day, you didn’t care about the actual gameplay of Dragon’s Lair or Space Ace, you just wanted to watch the story unfold. It was an ingenious tactic to get you to fork over lots of quarters - more quarters than the cost of an actual theater ticket.

With today’s technology, we can now pay the money upfront and enjoy the experience all within the comforts of our home. And being digitally remastered in HiDef with 5.1 surround certainly brings an opportunity that just wasn’t there 20+ years ago.

You can pre-order Space Ace HD for PC DVD-ROM via the Digital Leisure website for $49.95. Digital Leisure also provides download links to a Space Ace trailer in HD and non-HD flavors.

Also, don’t forget to check out William’s review of Dragon’s Lair on HD-DVD.

Images from the game and press release after the break.

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E3 is now in full swing, but this year promises to be but a faint memory of years past. Gone are the souls struggling through the masses from one enormous display to another. Vanished are the hordes of drunken game journalists, riding a buzz from the latest eye-popping demo. But above all else, there is one sight that pains me the most to see absent from this year’s event. I speak of course of the booth babes.

Like ‘em or not, they were an integral part of past conventions. They brought a spark of color and zest to a mostly — let’s face it — drab and dorky community. Their skin-tight outfits and large…smiles lured thousands of wayward males to their displays along with their siren songs of “Game Demos” and “Free Swag.” True, attractive female reps may still be present at the event, but it’s just not the same without the famously revealing clothing.

For their contributions to E3’s of yesteryear (and because there really wasn’t much news to report at the time), I threw together this super-cheesy video tribute. And because it seemed appropriate, I set it to Journey’s classic anthem, “I’ll Be Alright Without You.” Yes, I did spend the better part of the day looking for random pictures of booth babes; and yes, my job rules.

Booth babes, we salute you.

Booth_Babe_Tribute.mov

Its a big day for World of Warcraft players as Blizzard finally releases the 2.1 update to the game. Here is the link to the full downloadable patch and the incremental patch (2.0.12 to 2.1 US). There are a huge number of enhancements and fixes included in this release but here are the main points players may want to know:

The Black Temple: The Temple of Karabor was the center of draenei worship until its priests were slaughtered by demonically corrupted orcs. In the massacre’s aftermath the warlocks of the Shadow Council seized the structure and gave it a new name: the Black Temple.

When the Alliance invaded Draenor after the Second War, the orc shaman Ner’zhul hastily opened several dimensional portals in order to escape. The resulting magical backlash ripped the world apart. Drawn by these portals, the pit lord Magtheridon arrived in what had come to be known as Outland and took the temple as his seat of power.

His dominion over Outland remained unchallenged until the arrival of Illidan the Betrayer. The pit lord proved no match for the wielder of the Twin Blades of Azzinoth. Today Illidan occupies the temple, awaiting any and all who would challenge his rule.

Druid Epic Flight Form Introduced: The Druid Epic flight form will be available through a series of quests, similar to the Warlock and Paladin Epic mount quests before it. This quest series will also open up a new boss in Sethekk Halls, and ultimately lead to the epic flight form.

Ethereum Prison: Players in good standing with the Consortium will be tasked to deal with the most recent activities of the nefarious Ethereum. With new quests, items, and content for the solo and small-group level 70 player, the Ethereum Prison will be the proving grounds for many aspiring to greatness.

Skettis: The Skyguard, Sha’tari warriors specializing in their command of the skies above Shattrath, have taken the offensive directly to the Arakkoa capital city, Skettis. Perched high in the mountains of Terrokar, and only accessible with use of a flying mount, Skettis holds new and exciting content for the solo or small-group level 70 player. All new quests, 5-person bosses, rare and epic items, and a new type of flying mount await those willing to lend their sword or stave to the battle.

Nether Drake: The Netherwing faction and quest line continues and the long awaited Nether Drake becomes available. The Nether Drake is a special 280% speed epic flying mount that is obtainable through solo and small-group play. The quest to obtain one will be difficult, but the reward will surely show your dedication to the Netherwing cause as you soar through the skies of Outland on your very own ethereal drake.

Ogri’la: The ogre plateau of enlightenment opens to those who prove their worth in Blade’s Edge Mountains. Level 70 players will be able to help the ogres of Ogri’la battle invading forces and engage in new and exciting quests, such as a repeatable and ever popular bombing-run, this time using your own flying mount but with a dangerous twist! Featuring tons of new quests, the Ogri’la faction, 5-person bosses, and rare and epic items, Ogri’la is a place we’re hoping all will aspire to enter.

The Ruins of Lordaeron Arena: For those combatants engaging in the Steamwheedle Cartel’s gladiatorial combat, an arena nestled within the Ruins of Lordaeron has been added to the mix of venues. Players taking part in either rated battles or skirmishes may now find themselves battling for glory within the new arena.

The complete patch notes are available after the jump.

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