GameSpasm

Sony's Japan Studio followed up last week's mysterious 'Panopticon' trailer with a second offering today, revealing the project a a Vita multiplayer action game called Freedom Wars. The trailer also revealed it's coming to Japan sometime next year.

The new trailer is an embellishment of the first one, providing more context. Panopticon seems to be the region Freedom Wars takes place in, a totalitarian dystopia in the future. The world is devastated by dwindling resources and zero population growth - maybe because hundreds of millions are dying in war.

The YouTube blurb denotes Freedom Wars as a "multiplayer action" game. A collection of screens on the game's website show what looks like skirmishes taking place across regions in Japan. One screen is a Yahoo Maps snapshot of the Shibuya region in Tokyo, but with icons superimposed on it indicating particular in-game locations.

Freedom Wars remains shrouded in mystery - although at least we now know it's a Vita game. The website indicates more info will be spilled later this month.

'Panopticon' is Freedom Wars, a Vita multiplayer action game due in 2014 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: freedom-wars, japan-studio, panopticon, Playstation, playstation-vita, vita

The once-delayed PlayStation Vita version of Insomniac's hybrid tower defense-action game Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault will launch next week as a downloadable PlayStation Network title in North America and Europe.

Full Frontal Assault was originally released as a retail and downloadable PlayStation 3 title back in November, boasting cross-play features with a Vita edition that was subsequently hit with a series of delays. Buyers of the retail version of Full Frontal Assault - and its renamed European counterpart Ratchet & Clank: QForce - will be able to download the Vita edition for free starting May 21 in North America and May 22 in Europe by accessing the game's "Disc Benefits" option.

Those who purchased Full Frontal Assault's retail edition will also receive an additional bonus after redeeming the PS Vita version when it launches next week. Ratchet Deadlocked HD, an Idol Minds-developed PlayStation 3 port of the fourth PS2 entry in the Ratchet & Clank series, will be available as a free download for Full Frontal Assault buyers when it launches in the PlayStation Store.

A release date for Deadlocked HD (also known as Ratchet: Gladiator in Europe) has not been announced.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault launches for PS Vita next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: cross-play, idol minds, Insomniac Games, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, ratchet-and-clank, ratchet-and-clank-full-frontal-assault, Ratchet-Deadlocked, vita

The once-delayed PlayStation Vita version of Insomniac's hybrid tower defense-action game Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault will launch next week as a downloadable PlayStation Network title in North America and Europe.

Full Frontal Assault was originally released as a retail and downloadable PlayStation 3 title back in November, boasting cross-play features with a Vita edition that was subsequently hit with a series of delays. Buyers of the retail version of Full Frontal Assault - and its renamed European counterpart Ratchet & Clank: QForce - will be able to download the Vita edition for free starting May 21 in North America and May 22 in Europe by accessing the game's "Disc Benefits" option.

Those who purchased Full Frontal Assault's retail edition will also receive an additional bonus after redeeming the PS Vita version when it launches next week. Ratchet Deadlocked HD, an Idol Minds-developed PlayStation 3 port of the fourth PS2 entry in the Ratchet & Clank series, will be available as a free download for Full Frontal Assault buyers when it launches in the PlayStation Store.

A release date for Deadlocked HD (also known as Ratchet: Gladiator in Europe) has not been announced.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault launches for PS Vita next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: cross-play, idol minds, Insomniac Games, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, ratchet-and-clank, ratchet-and-clank-full-frontal-assault, Ratchet-Deadlocked, vita

Killzone: Mercenary, the upcoming PS Vita installment in Sony's shooter series from Guerrilla Cambridge, has had its release bumped up a week. Previously pegged for a September 17 launch in North America, Killzone: Mercenary is now due on September 10.

In addition to moving up the date, Sony has revealed some pre-order incentives for Killzone: Mercenary over on the PlayStation Blog. The first perk is a 48-hour double XP boost, which spans all in-game contracts, bonuses and payouts. Joining that is additional in-game cash at the outset and a pre-order exclusive machine gun, the M224-A1.

Killzone: Mercenary deployment moved up to September 10, pre-order goods revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: Guerrilla-Cambridge, killzone-mercenary, Playstation, playstation-vita, release-date, scea, vita

Killzone: Mercenary, the upcoming PS Vita installment in Sony's shooter series from Guerrilla Cambridge, has had its release bumped up a week. Previously pegged for a September 17 launch in North America, Killzone: Mercenary is now due on September 10.

In addition to moving up the date, Sony has revealed some pre-order incentives for Killzone: Mercenary over on the PlayStation Blog. The first perk is a 48-hour double XP boost, which spans all in-game contracts, bonuses and payouts. Joining that is additional in-game cash at the outset and a pre-order exclusive machine gun, the M224-A1.

Killzone: Mercenary deployment moved up to September 10, pre-order goods revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: Guerrilla-Cambridge, killzone-mercenary, Playstation, playstation-vita, release-date, scea, vita

The former Sony Liverpool devs at Sawfly Studios are bringing Men's Room Mayhem to Vita next week, via PSN. It should arrive on May 21 in North America, although as always with news revealed by the PlayStation Blogcast, dates can be subject to change.

If you're curious about the curiously named game, Phil Gaskell from publisher Ripstone describes it as "Flight Control meets Carry on at Your Convenience." - No, it's not the flight paths of... that stuff, but about getting patrons to where they need to go.

"In Men's Room Mayhem you're hired as the janitor of your very own chaotic men's room," said Gaskell on the PlayStation Blog. "You're responsible for directing patrons, keeping everywhere sparkling clean and steering patrons away from trouble! You need to get your customers safely to the urinals and cubicles in time - otherwise there'll be a few nasty accidents for you to clean up!"

The Blogcast also outed a wee (ahem) bit of other content in next week's PS Store update. A "smattering of DLC" is coming to Aliens: Colonial Marines, although the podcast wasn't any more specific than that. A digital PS3 version of Mugen Souls is also due.

Men's Room Mayhem hits PSN next week, Aliens: Colonial Marines DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: aliens-colonial-marines, mens-room-mayhem, mugen-souls, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, psn, release-date, ripstone-publishing, sawfly-studios, vita

Roll7, a development studio located in London, is working on a 2D pixelated infini-skater for the PS Vita called OlliOlli. Due in November, OlliOlli combines infinite runner style of play with the trick-heavy chains made famous in the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series.

OlliOlli is built on a trick system of over 100 moves, with customizable characters and daily challenges on top of the usual leaderboards. You can see an early build of OlliOlli running in the video above, posted to YouTube by developer Roll7.

OlliOlli will be exclusive to the PlayStation Vita, thanks to funding for the project that was provided by Sony. OlliOlli will be playable at Sony's E3 booth, so we'll be sure to get our hands on it next month between June 11-13 when the 19th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo kicks off at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

OlliOlli, 2D infini-skater, kickflips to PS Vita in November originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: olliolli, Playstation, playstation-vita, roll7, vita

Foosball 2012 and One Epic Game developer Grip Games announced the upcoming PlayStation Network release of Atomic Ninjas, a multiplayer action game for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita.

Atomic Ninjas is a competitive 2.5D platformer in which up to four players compete in trap-filled arenas to be the last ninja standing. The twist is that players aren't able to harm each other directly; instead, you'll need to make clever use of environmental hazards, hiding spots, and item pick-ups in order to lead competing players to their doom. The game offers seven arenas and multiple gameplay modes, including a selection of team-based competitions.

Creator Grip Games describes Atomic Ninjas as the theoretical love child of Fat Princess and Crash Commando -- a worrisome mental image, for sure, but potentially a worthwhile gameplay mix. Atomic Ninjas is set to launch this summer.

Atomic Ninjas brings multiplayer mayhem to PS3, Vita this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: atomic-ninjas, grip-games, multiplayer, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, psn, vita

British publisher/developer System 3 has announced an enhanced remake of its blue-blob-based action platformer Putty Squad, available sometime this summer on Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 3, Vita, 3DS and Windows 8.

The original Putty Squad was initially released on Super NES back in 1994, as a sequel to 1992's Putty for the Amiga. A demo was also released for Amiga and DOS systems, but the full game never dropped for either of those platforms. This new version, beyond offering obvious graphical improvements, will also include free downloadable levels and "location-based services used for extra content."

Continue reading Putty Squad bounces onto pretty much everything this summer

Putty Squad bounces onto pretty much everything this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: 3ds, microsoft, Nintendo, PC, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, system-3, vita, wii-u, Xbox

British publisher/developer System 3 has announced an enhanced remake of its blue-blob-based action platformer Putty Squad, available sometime this summer on Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 3, Vita, 3DS and Windows 8.

The original Putty Squad was initially released on Super NES back in 1994, as a sequel to 1992's Putty for the Amiga. A demo was also released for Amiga and DOS systems, but the full game never dropped for either of those platforms. This new version, beyond offering obvious graphical improvements, will also include free downloadable levels and "location-based services used for extra content."

Continue reading Putty Squad bounces onto pretty much everything this summer

Putty Squad bounces onto pretty much everything this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments Tags: 3ds, microsoft, Nintendo, PC, Playstation, playstation-vita, PS3, putty-squad, system-3, vita, wii-u, Xbox