[PS3 #224] Vooruitkijkend naar 2010.

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But just because the game isn't always that good, doesn't mean it's always that bad, either. Pandemic rarely wins in terms of the detailing but the city is a large playground filled with secrets, and the generous ranks of missions themselves rarely waste your time with unnecessary faffing, even if they are a bit dull in their conception.

On top of that, some of the game's visual tricks - windows and searchlights highlighted in rich yellow tints, Nazi armbands burning out of the screen in blood red - are quite eye-catching, even if the game struggles from a meteorological standpoint once you start liberating parts of the city and the transitions from film noir monochromes awash with rain to bucolic midday blue skies become a little jarring. In truth, I even found myself warming to Devlin by the end of the adventure, although perhaps this was merely the onset of Stockholm Syndrome.

The Saboteur, then: not half as bad as the limp first few hours suggest. It's perhaps not the greatest company epitaph in the world but, as Devlin might say, while throwing himself out of a speeding car, knocking back a slug o' the good stuff and mashing a Nazi's head in with one punch: "It coulda been a lot worse."

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And one special final note, we’d like to send out congratulations to Sucker Punch Productions as inFAMOUS has sold over 1.2 million copies as of October 2009 – congrats guys!

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Max Payne 3 delayed until late 2010]

In a new financial earnings and projection report, Take-Two has dished out news of Max Payne 3's release. The game's been pushed back -- we like to imagine in incredibly slow and dramatic fashion -- to the company's fiscal Q4 2010. In real time, that translates to a three-month period spanning August–October, 2010. The game was previously pegged for an unlikely Winter 2009 release.

Based on what we've seen of Max Payne 3 so far, we'd say that bumping back its release is a good move. Max is in serious need of some Jazzercise and a decent dry cleaner, so this extra time will hopefully get him into better shape to handle the countless waves of bad guys he'll be indiscriminately shooting in the face.

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Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge Announced

Beginning December 17, 2009, the Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge will be available for download on the PlayStation Network (PSN) store.

Powered by Gran Turismo 5's brand-new physics engine, the Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge features both a stock and a tuned version of the new Nissan 370Z, and includes two time trial events on a single track, one for each version of the car. Players are invited to put the game through its paces, pushing their driving skills to post their best lap times for both versions of the Nissan 370Z.

Both US and Canada will run their own contest, with separate winners chosen for each country. At the end of the competition period, the winner with the best combined time for both tuned and non-tuned Time Trials will drive away with round trip airfare and hotel accommodations for two (winner and guest) to attend the Indianapolis 500® Mile Race on May 30, 2010, as well as a VIP package which includes two (2) VIP suite tickets and all-access passes to the garage, pit area, and Victory Lane for pre- and post-race celebrations for the race. The VIP package also includes all-access passes for Carb Day®--which includes the final Indy 500® practice, pit stop competition and special concert festivities--as well as special event car rides in the 2010 Indy 500 event vehicle.

There will be one contest for US residents, and a separate contest for Canadian residents, with one winner in each country receiving his or her own Indy 500® prize package. The winner in each country will have to truly be the best by posting the best combined lap time for both Time Trial events. In the event of a tie, the player with the fastest stock non-tuned Time Trial lap time will be deemed the winner. Five runner-ups in the US and five in Canada will receive a voucher to download Gran Turismo for the PSP system.

The Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge contest will run from December 17, 2009 through 5PM PST on January 25, 2010, and the game itself will be removed from the PSN store on the same day. Rankings will viewable from within the game as well as on the official Gran Turismo website during and after the competition. Must be 18 years old or older to win. See here for official rules for the US, and here for Canadian rules in English or French.

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Also, the former GameStop-exclusive power-up Gigawatt Blades will be available for all as a free PSN download, starting December 10 -- a nice freebie for latecomers to the game.

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White Knight Chronicles International Edition Coming to PS3 February 2, 2010



Posted by Cristian Cardona // Associate Product Manager, Software Marketing

So we know there are a bunch of people out there who are going to be getting a PlayStation 3 this holiday (or already opened theirs). Many new owners are probably going to ask us what we have to offer, and as many of you know, there’s plenty!

Level-5 and SCEA would like to add to that list of fantastic titles by announcing the North American release of White Knight Chronicles International Edition February 2, 2010.

The International Edition not only includes the fully localized copy of White Knight Chronicles, but it also comes with the following additional features and content:

* Over 50 disc-based online quests. You can complete these quests solo, or cooperatively with up to three other players to gain extra gear and experience. (That’s just on the disc. Wait until you hear what else we’ll have at launch!)

* Voice Chat. Need we say more? =)

* The Georama. Build an online village for your character where you can invite friends to complete quests online and purchase unique items and gear.

* Live Talk. Leonard and his companions will have side conversations during gameplay, adding a little more character to your travels through the world of White Knight Chronicles.
We hope you’re as excited as we are about this upcoming release! Be sure to check out this month’s coverage in Qore and keep an eye out for even more information on this incredible RPG in the coming weeks!

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IGN AU's Top 10 Games of 2009

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Naughty Dog / PlayStation 3

If "few action games have ever done it better", then Uncharted 2 is one of those rare games. Let's take this one slowly because there's a lot of ground to cover and praise to be heaped.

While many games claim to let players live out their action movie fantasies, in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, this is absolutely the case. Nathan Drake is an infectiously likeable lead character, pulling traits from Harrison Ford and Nathan Fillion to create an unholy amalgam of charm and smarm. What follows the literal cliff-hanger opening is an instant-classic action adventure that does more to reinvigorate this genre than any other this year.

Knowing how to pace itself is one of Uncharted 2's greatest strengths. After every intense battle, hard-slough along the side of a train or through a collapsing apartment block, there's a much appreciated breather, allowing you to climb, explore and sometimes simply bask in this wonderful landscape that developer Naughty Dog has carefully crafted.

Key moments stand out for us, such as the sundrenched Nepalese village, high in the mountains. With no real objective per-se other than to meander through the town and see the sights and take in the ambience, Naughty Dog demonstrates that it's more than okay to take the pedal off the gas once in a while – it's critical, in fact.

Support characters are thoroughly entertaining, the voice-acting shames most other games and the animations that complement these are a mere hair strand's distance away from feature film quality. But above all other elements, Uncharted 2 is simply masterful to play. The refinements made to the cover system beyond the first game make for a far more reliable and enjoyable experience, while Drake's limber athleticism compels players to really ponder which surfaces might just be the right route to the goal.

Complemented with a stirring soundtrack and a meaty multiplayer experience that is every bit as fun as a third-person shooter can be in this mode, Uncharted 2 is a thoughtfully created experience that never forgets that its ultimate reason to exist is not to ape Hollywood in a futile 'me-too' exercise, but to let the players play the action; to entertain through gaming, not just watching.

All things considered, there was really no doubt in IGN AU's collective hivemind that Naughty Dog has done gamers a wondrous service with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. This is the game of the year for 2009 and a valid reason to buy a PS3; more than any of that though, it's the reason why we play games in the first place.