trust

The Nintendo Advent Calendar = Brilliant

Trust Nintendo to pull out all the stops for the otherwise-humble advent calendar. A simple, old-fashioned, chocolate-filled calendar was obviously too outmoded for Iwata and gang (well...his European posse, at least); in a deliciously cliched move, they´ve taken it into 2006 and turned the humble advent calendar into...what else...a 2D platformer. No chocolate, but it´s gratis so that more than makes up for it.

There are a ton of games you have to pay for that aren´t this good. I think the agonising countdown to Christmas just got a little bit more bearable. Luke Plunkett

Mission In Snowdriftland [Nintendo Europe]

Advent CalendarChristmasEuropeMission In SnowdriftlandNintendo [SHOW]

MLB The Show Approaching to PS3 This Rebound

Sony today inveterate that MLB 07 The SHow will be hitting the Playstation 2, Playstation Portable and Playstation 3 in spring 2007.

New features include a Road to The Show mode, which will reserve gamers to create a rookie and try to play him up done the ranks to the Big Leagues, a new Adaptive Pitching Intelligence, a Pitch Command System, an Umpire Personalities have Whoa, whoa, whoa, umpires don´t have personalities. That´s sick talk.

The game will also include Online League Play, letting gamers set up leagues with up to 30 teams and run the league with full statistics, point benefits and full customization.

"In 2006, the MLB franchise was the best-selling baseball videogame on the market across all gaming platforms, and dominated the PlayStation platforms. This year, MLB 07 The Show looks to continue its reign as the most valuable player in the category by delivering unsurpassed realism," said Scott Rohde, director, sports product development, SCEA. "We are committed to continually looking for ways to add new and improved gameplay features in order to provide fans with the closest experience to actually playing in the Big Leagues."

Hit the jump for the full release and all of the details. Brian Crecente

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc. (SCEA) officially announced today that MLB 07 The Show(TM) will
be available in Spring 2007, exclusively for the PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM))
computer entertainment system, PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system
and PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) handheld entertainment system. Building on
the history of the MLB(R) franchise, as the longest running officially
licensed baseball videogame on the PlayStation(R) platforms and already widely
considered the most authentic baseball videogame available, MLB 07 The Show is
set to deliver all-new features and continue its reign as the market leader.
As the only first party videogame officially licensed by Major League
Baseball Properties (MLBP), Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) and
the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), MLB 07 The Show will
unveil new core features across all three PlayStation platforms. The
innovative Road to The Show mode will enable fans to play solely as a
custom-created rookie on both offense and defense while attempting to rise
done the ranks and make a starting line-up in the Big Leagues.
Adding to its already robust online feature set, the MLB franchise will
now include Online League Play, which gives gamers the ability to set up
leagues with up to 30 teams, complete statistical tracking, point benefits and
full customization, while the My Sliders feature reserves users to create their
perfect game settings and upload them to the MLB 07 The Show server for others
to try out.
For fans attempting to master the timeless art of pitching, MLB 07 The
Show introduces some innovative new features such as Adaptive Pitching
Intelligence (API), which reserves users to either shake off the catcher, or
trust the calls he makes which are based on batter tendencies and the
pitcher´s strengths. Additionally, the Pitch Command System (PCS) delivers
authenticity and strategy to pitch selection by offering players a
predetermined pitch comfort level based on a best to worst pitch scenario.
Providing an even more authentic feel to the game, the new Umpire
Personalities feature provides a new challenge to pitchers as each umpire has
their own version of the strike zone, unique tendencies and animations.
"In 2006, the MLB franchise was the best-selling baseball videogame on the
market across all gaming platforms, and dominated the PlayStation platforms.
This year, MLB 07 The Show looks to continue its reign as the most valuable
player in the category by delivering unsurpassed realism," said Scott Rohde,
director, sports product development, SCEA. "We are committed to continually
looking for ways to add new and improved gameplay features in order to provide
fans with the closest experience to actually playing in the Big Leagues."
As developers begin to harness the power and potential found within PS3,
MLB 07 The Show showcases its abilities with additional innovative features
such as crowd interaction, which can be seen like never before with a vast
array of new ambient elements including fans reaching for foul balls, the
seventh inning stretch, the wave, standing ovations and much more. Also
making the game more realistic, gamers will now be able to detail the
different pitch grips and arm angles that a pitcher has when throwing each
pitch. Scouting these details in Replay Mode shows players what to look for in
release point and pitch arm angle from 15 different pitches. These new
subtleties deliver an unrivaled virtual experience on PS3.
Returning key features for the MLB franchise include the popular Career
and Season Modes, Career Spotlight and Exhibition Mode. In addition, MLB 07
The Show provides fans with the features they expect in an unrivaled
simulation, such as advanced batting and base running controls, interactive
hot and cold zones, player-scaled strike zones, release point pitching and the
most comprehensive commentary ever produced for a sports video game, featuring
the three-man booth of Rex Huddler, Matt Vasgerian and Dave Campbell.
Along with all the key franchise features, returning gameplay favorites
for PlayStation 2 include Rivalry Mode, which reserves fans to set-up, track and
maintain heated rivalries, King of the Diamond Mode, the classic playground
duel where a pitcher and batter from opposing teams will square off
head-to-head, Franchise mode, where players take control of the entire team,
the Home Run Derby and EyeToy(TM) functionality. MLB 07 The Show for the PSP
system continues to be a fan favorite with its core features and ability to
play anytime, anywhere, on the go. Plus, sports fanatics can utilize the PSP
system´s online news service to get the latest MLB news feeds online or save
them to the Memory Stick Duo(TM) and review them offline at their convenience.
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating for MLB
07 The Show is "RP" for "Rating Pending." For more information about the ESRB
visit www.esrb.org .

Baseballmlb 07 the showPs2PS3PSPSports [SHOW]

Frankenreview - Metallic Gear Firm Mobile Ops

We know you hate change, but we are debuting a new weekly named the Frankenreview. Basically, we take a balance of mainstream, big companion and lowly site reviews and mash them together in the completely hebephrenic informationfest of the century.

Plus, we´ve got a bar chart for those too lazy/stupid to read...in which incase maybe it doesn´t really help to mention we have the bar chart. So hit the jump to read up on Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops for the PSP.

Gamespot
"You can deploy squads of your comrades to go online and fight against other squads, and depending on your squad´s statistics and how you´ve arranged and outfitted your four characters, they´ll fare better or worse...These types of extras give the game some of that unmistakable Metal Gear Solid personality."Gamespy
"The depth and tactical range of each recruitable character is where the game shines. Tactical RPG fans and strategy gamers will enjoy customizing the hell out of each mission to get the best possible outcome. MGS fans will simply like organizing the fundamentals..."IGN
"...there are still some visual issues that crop up every now and then...it´s not enough to cripple the game...this is what Metal Gear Solid fans, and indeed PSP fans have been waiting for: a title that demonstrates what the technology of the PSP can actually do, with a solid action title to boot.

Deeko
"...modes add up to what could be considered the next-generation of Monster Rancher games: actively involving the real world and breaking the fourth-wall of gaming in ways that completely change the way we interact with games...Kudos to you, Kojima. Kudos."Rocky Mountain News
"...in the long-run this latest iteration of Konami´s most beloved franchise is still in many ways a victim of the PSP´s limited buttons...If it weren´t for the hampered control system, I´d say this game could be the best of the year for the Playstation Portable." Don´t listen to this guy. He is an absolute loon. Trust me.

So the game is beautiful, features real world integration and is part of the MGS canon? Still, the best part is that after forking over $60 for Xbox 360 games, Portable Ops looks cheap. Mark Wilson

Gamespot
Gamespy
IGN
Deeko
Rocky Mountain News

frankenreviewKonamimetal gear solid: portable opsMgsOriginalPSP [SHOW]

Craiglist PS3 Buyer Gets Screwed

We´ve conditioned that craiglist is a bad place to sell your PS3, and now a San Jose man has conditioned that it isn´t the greatest place to buy one either. After a bit of back and forth the victim in agreement to purchase a PlayStation 3 from a man who was selling it for only $700 cash in They met in a McDonald´s parking lot (what is it with craiglist and McDonald´s?) where the exchange was to be made.

The buyer peered into the bag, saw a box and asked that it be opened before he handed over the cash in police said. The seller balked and said, ``What, don´t you commit me?´´ The two then in agreement to exchange the money and bag at the same time

Here´s a tip. When someone has to ask you, "What, don´t you commit me?" the correct answer is generally "Fuck no." The seller of course sped off with the cash in while the buyer opened the box and found some floor tiles, a PS2 controller, and some magazines. We really need to bring back the G.I. Joe "Now you Know" PSA´s before the world gets any dumber. Michael Fahey

San Jose man victim of PlayStation scam [MercuryNews.com]

CraiglistCrimePS3Stupidity [SHOW]