Hands-on with Core Blaster & PSN code giveaway

Let’s jump right in, shall we?  Core Blaster is a recently released minis game for both the PSP and PS3.  To celebrate the recent launch of the game, the developers have given me 10 PSN codes to give away to my readers.

Core Blaster can best be described as Zuma-meets-PixelJunk Monsters.  On each level there are incoming waves of radioactive cores that you’ve got to stop reaching the other side, and they travel on rails.  Along these rails you’ve to purchase and build ‘core blasters’.  Cores come in multiple colours, and core blasters can only shoot cores of the same colour.

Later levels see single colour-only rails, and fast rails which speed up the cores.  The trick is that you’ve to carefully manage the location, amount, and type of blasters to ensure that as few cores as possible elude destruction.  Each blaster can only attack one core at once, so you’ve got to choose tactics wisely!

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Sony, what’s with the excessive PSN downtime?

Sometimes, you just fill up with so much frustration that you can’t make any sense.  I’ve had to calm myself down whilst writing about PSN downtime or else this post would have just been full of !@?&# and other such symbols censoring a rather exuberant use of the English language.

It’s not so much annoyance at the fact that the PlayStation Network has so much down time (or as Sony likes to call it, ‘maintenance’), it’s the fact that for Europe, it is performed at the worst possible time for our timezone.

Here’s PlayStation.Blog.Europe’s latest announcement:

PlayStation Network is offline for scheduled maintenance from 16:05 on Thursday 18 November 2010 until 01:00 on Friday 19 November 2010, GMT.

As many people have noted in the comments, this update again falls at peak gaming for Europe.  If Sony wants to tinker with the PlayStation Network 365 days a year, I don’t really care, but please, why can’t it be done either in the middle of the day or in the early hours of the morning?

I’ve had enough, have you?

Voucher codes for PSN game

Hello everyone, as I mentioned previously, I had hoped to get some codes for a PSN game.  I’m delighted to announce that I’ve got 6 voucher codes to give away for a new puzzle game called Switchball.

The voucher codes are as below:

QHMQ-FGBN-E4BD
5T9P-52BQ-BK6K
ETBE-H8BA-PTH4
NQJ6-P2B8-G35C
M9FQ-FNBB-G6C5
P86B-3TBR-QT32

Once they’re gone, they’re gone!  Update: They’re all gone!  Once you’ve used a code, could you kindly reply to this post?  That’s all I ask.

Instructions on how to redeem the promotion code:

1) Sign in to your PlayStation®Network account.
2) Visit PlayStation®Store via your PlayStation®3 system, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system, PSP™go system or Media Go for PSP™ on your PC.
3) Select the [Redeem Codes] icon from the [Store Top].
4) Enter your 12 character promotion code and select [Continue].
5) Promotion codes are case sensitive and must be entered exactly as displayed.
6) Follow the on-screen instructions to redeem the promotion code.

GRID: Reloaded and DLC announced

GRID: Reloaded and DLC announced– New Prestige pack in addition to the 8-Ball  pack DLC to be bundled with the platinum-selling game.  Hits the PSN in the PAL region on March 11.  For me though, if there’s no Trophies, then no deal.  That’s how you’d get more people playing such a great, under-rated title.

PlayStation Network expands to other devices

This should be interesting.  At CES 2010 Sony announced that the PlayStation Network is going to be available on other devices such as BRAVIA TVs, Sony Vaios etc.  This will give consumers an alternative to the Apple TV/iTunes synergy, but it leaves me feeling lukewarm.  Maybe more details would peak my interest?

Details Of Premium PSN Subscriptions Leaked

Details Of Premium PSN Subscriptions Leaked– TheSixthAxis asks ‘would you pay?’  Seen as it is just a survey, they’d need to have a clearer structure for the final product to even tempt me, as each option seems to have features that every other option doesn’t have!  Even so, I’d probably go for a package with more bonus content features as opposed to greater multiplayer features.  Would these packages tempt you?

Uncharted universe expands with Eye of Indra

You all (should) know by now that I love the Uncharted series.  So when a new four-part motion comic series called Uncharted: Eye of Indra hit the PlayStation Store, I was all over it.  What’s strange is that apart from a couple of mentions, Eye of Indra has been relatively under-promoted.  Maybe Naughty Dog is just testing the water at this stage?

For Uncharted fans Eye of Indra is a must buy.  The motion comic series is a prequel (note: yes, its canon) to Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune containing some enlightening back story for Nathan Drake, a plot twist, and at least one person you’re not going to expect.  Apparently this particular series is just the first of many, which is a decision I applaud.  This means that Uncharted fans can quench their thirst with an Uncharted game every couple of years with extra multiplayer DLC and motion comics to flesh out the Uncharted universe in-between games.

I got the Uncharted: Eye of Indra Multiplayer Skin Pack which includes all four parts of the motion comic and two Uncharted 2 multiplayer skins, although you can get the episodes separately if you really want to. The skins pack contains Rika for the heroes and Pinkerton for the villains.  Go check it out!

I’m not usually one for speculating, but what the heck.  Time to move on to a bit of speculation: maybe all the motion comics will simply fill in the gaps between each Uncharted game?  That leads me to guess that another series could fill in the pieces between Drake’s Fortune and Among Thieves, with another series set after Among Thieves, rather like a sandwich.  A very tasty sandwich.

I’ve dismissed the possibility of Naughty Dog taking the Uncharted series into the ahem, mostly ‘uncharted’ waters of episodic gaming.  Sure, GTA IV’s episodes seem to have worked out all right, Criterion went purely down the DLC route, but Half-Life 2’s episodes are taking a long time to deliver.  I think the DLC/episodic content for Fallout 3 is probably the best example of this sort of idea done right.  However for Uncharted’s linear gameplay, in my personal opinion it isn’t worth Naughty Dog’s time and money to go down this particular route.  Their current setup seems to be working out well so far.

Have you bought any DLC?  If so, was it worth it?

PlayStation Network gets video

It’s here!  It’s finally here!  Video will be available to purchase/rent on the PlayStation Store tomorrow (19th), or as SCEE like to call it: the video delivery service.  I accidentally came across the information just now when reading a SCEE press release on one of my old email accounts.  In the future, I can see myself using this service a lot.  Neat.