Sony sure knows how to entice fans into double dipping, as the company announced that it will include a voucher code good for downloading a playable demo of the E3 2009 build of God of War III. Coupled with the fact that both God of War and God of War II are included on a single Blu-ray disc in the compilation running at 720p resolution, this makes it a hard to resist item, even if you’ve already spent ample time with these titles back on PS2. If the allure of crisper visuals and a playable demo of GoW III wasn’t enough, need we remind you that PSN trophy support is also being worked in?

God of War Collection hits PS3 later this November.

God of War III E3 Demo Included In God of War Collection - [eXophase.com]

Having announced the UMD-less PSP go at E3, Sony is ramping up its efforts on the digital distribution front. Announced at the company’s Gamescom 2009 conference were Minis, small downloads that take advantage of the reduced development costs on PSN. A size limit of 100MB will be imposed on any titles released on the Minis section.

Minis are due out October 1 on PSN. While specific title names went unmentioned, Sony demoed a game with block matching elements, resembling Lumines. Another title shown on-screen was a top-down brawler. Relatively simple games with simple premises seem to be the focus here, not large-scale epics.

Minis Hitting PSP Store With 100MB Size Cap - [eXophase.com]

Even though Lost Planet 2 is not due out until sometime in 2010, a cooperative demo will be made available over Xbox LIVE next week. This is the same demo that has been getting press coverage and was playable at the past E3 and Comic-Con, and will allow four players to take down a giant salamander boss from the outside and inside.

The demo will have a staggered release and Gold members will get first dibs on August, 19th. Silver members will have to wait until the 26th to try the demo out.  There has been no word on when the demo will be made available on the PlayStation 3 or PC.

Come November 17 Valve is releasing a full-fledged sequel to Left 4 Dead, last year’s zombie-laden cooperative hit. Left 4 Dead 2 promises to significantly expand upon the original with all-new maps, survivors, weapons, and a revamped AI director. It’s an unexpected move for Valve in the eyes of many longtime fans, who have been accustomed to receiving content updates for free as DLC in the vein of Team Fortress 2.

At E3 I met up with Valve to give L4D 2 a spin and to find out if it was worthy of being called a sequel. One of the game’s five campaigns, dubbed “The Parish,” takes place in New Orleans, with the first chapter set on a sunny waterside dock. It’s an refreshing change of atmosphere, one that deviates far from the original locales which ranged from cities to heavily wooded areas shrouded in darkness and dim light. Additionally, with a change in the overseeing AI director to allow for procedural changes in weather effects, players can expect atmospheric conditions to subtly adjust while playing.

To freshen up gameplay, melee weapons have been thrown into the mix, along with incendiary ammo. While I personally did not have a go with the flying pan, chopping up zombies with the fire axe present in this demo was very satisfying to say the least. Fresh blood from downed enemies soaks on your axe after a kill. Incendiary ammo works just as you’d expect, adding the attribute of fire to your weapon, in turn lighting opposing foes in flames on impact. To balance this addition, Valve has introduced an infected type donned in fire-resilient hazmat suits.

It may be a bit cliché to say this, but overall I felt mowing down legions of zombies was more satisfying in Left 4 Dead 2. The AI is aggressive — seemingly moreso than before — and gore effects have been upped, increasing tension. When it comes down to it, the game felt incredibly polished, like a sequel should. Sure, the core premise in terms of gameplay is essentially the same as in the original, but Valve is ushering in enough tweaks and additions to make L4D 2 feel like a true follow-up rather than a simple extension of ideas.

Aside from the obvious change of setting and weaponry additions, also worth noting is that the UI has been slightly tweaked. On-screen status indicators, such as the health bars of fellow teammates and your selected active weapon are now bright neon green, making them easier to see.

One brand-new boss infected type Valve has added in L4D 2 is the Charger. Impossible to outrun without using dodging tactics, this monstrosity charges at survivors and begins pummeling them to the ground on impact. I like to call it a mini-version of the Tank. Should be interesting to see how this infected type influences versus mode. Given its speed and brute strength, the Charger will also make the cheap but often used tactic of huddling in a door in campaign mode during a infected wave less viable. Stay tuned, as there are still two infected creatures yet to be unveiled.

In short, L4D 2 is shaping up to be a surefire hit to one of last year’s must-play titles. It takes everything the original did right, dips it in a fresh coat of polish, and introduces all-new content on top of it all. Judging from my time with the game and considering there is still more yet to be unveiled; calling it a mere expansion is unfair at this point. We certainly look forward to hearing more on this one within the coming months.

Left 4 Dead 2 is scheduled to release on Xbox 360 and PC November 17.

While over at E3 I had a look at Sony’s latest iteration of PSP hardware, the PSP go. Without further ado, here are my thoughts:

Build Quality

Incredibly minuscule in size, the PSP go is built to last. Sporting a glossy finish, the top screen looks sleek and slides in and out smoothly, covering the directional and push-pad buttons underneath. That said, the top screen is rather prone to smudges and fingerprints along the edges, but it is to be expected.

When in hands the PSP go feels weightless — coming in at a paltry 158g. In direct comparison, the iPhone 3G weighs 133g. Despite being extremely lightweight for a gadget of its prowess, the accessible form factor feels sturdy and is easy to grip your hands around. Still, like any other piece of high-tech circuity, a steep drop to concrete would likely render it out of operation for good, so the device needs to be handled with care.

Controls

While I do not have huge hands, the PSP go certainly felt comfortable to hold and play around with for extended periods of time. All directional and push-pad buttons felt firm and responsive. Although the placement can give the thought of “what were they thinking” at first glace, using the analog stick felt very natural. While some may scoff that a second analog nub was not included, you have to remember that this is not a full-blown successor to the PSP, and as such Sony had to stay conservative on changes.

Screen

When first taking a glance at the PSP go, we immediately noticed the reduction in screen size real estate. Our eyes were not deceiving us, it really is smaller: 3.8 inches compared to 4.3. Despite this, the crisp 16:9 display still sports the same resolution of 480×272 pixels. Featuring a fast LCD refresh rate, the vibrant screen did not suffer from any of the odd scanline-like “artifacts” that although barely visible, plagued PSP-3000 units. If that issue was a deal breaker for you, rest assured it is rectified with the PSP go.

Internal Hardware

In terms of core specs, referring specifically to the CPU and RAM, the innards of PSP go are the same when compared to that of the two previous hardware revisions. A major addition is a built-in 16GB flash storage device for storing PSN titles and media on. Additionally, Bluetooth support is included, allowing for various peripherals such as headphones and even DualShock 3 controllers to be connected via wireless connection.

Changes on the hardware end include a shift in storage format, as the PSP go says goodbye to Memory Stick Pro Duo and internally supports only the M2, or Memory Stick Micro format. A Sony rep mentioned to me that creating an adapter for the Pro Duo format is technically feasible and may come about at a later date, meaning those old cards still could very well be compatible through other means on the go.

System Software

There were no visible changes in the firmware on board PSP go units at E3. The unit we personally tested was running 5.50 TestingTool Revision B. Since the core hardware is essentially the same with a 333 MHz CPU and 64MB RAM, it is unlikely that we will see any software-based features tailored towards go owners with firmware updates, apart from compatibility updates to Bluetooth functionality and the like.

The Future

While details have yet to be finalized, a Sony rep told me that the company is considering to allow PSP go owners to transfer their store bought UMDs to digital copy. How this will work exactly is unknown, however, a trade-up program is being considered.

Final Thoughts

Is a fourth edition of PSP hardware absolutely needed? Although the PSP go is a very fine piece of hardware, I would have to lean towards no. However, since Sony is not completely phasing out the 3000, it presents a choice to consumers, to either embrace digital distribution or stick with UMD. If this model was completely replacing the 3000, we’d be skeptical, but it’s not. And since choices are fantastic, there is nothing inherently wrong with the go. It’s a great way for Sony to gauge interest in the digital sector and also attract gadget aficionados out there that want a flashy, more portable PSP that will no doubt turn heads.

Set for an October 1 debut across North America and PAL regions, the PSP go — internally labeled PSP-N1000 — will retail for $249.99. An introduction in the Japanese market will follow on November 1.

At its E3 press conference last evening, Konami announced that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is being developed in collaboration with Kojima Productions, the famed studio behind Metal Gear Solid. While Mercury Stream is handling a majority of the workload, KP will oversee production, providing advice and support.

Alongside confirming Kojima’s involvement, Konami revealed that several Hollywood figures will voice characters in the game. The current cast list includes Gabriel voiced by Robert Carlyle, Patrick Stewart as the mysterious Zobek. Natasha McElhone and Jason Isaacs.

“Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will take the Castlevania series into brave, uncharted territories, and is a breath-taking adventure that boasts stunning aesthetics, deep and challenging game play, and a truly inspirational voice cast to deliver the games dramatic depth”, commented Dave Cox, Producer on the title and Head of Product Planning for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH.

In what seems to be a first for the Castlevania franchise, Konami is clearly putting a sizable budget behind this one. It’ll be interesting to see how it turns out, especially with Kojima backing the title. Lords of Shadow is slated for a 2010 release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. See the first screenshots after the break.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Screenshots

Square Enix’s sizable merchandise showcase at E3 was filled to the brim with collectible toys ranging from plush Chocobo figurines to distinct replicas of Final Fantasy characters. All very much objects of desire in the eyes of collectors and fans alike. If you feel even the slightest tinge of envy, that’s perfectly okay — we did too.

See the rest of the photos past the break.

Looking to make a splash in the largely untapped open-world genre on Nintendo DS, Ubisoft is releasing C.O.P. this coming fall.

Presented in a fully-realized, interactive 3D world, players assume the role of Dan Miles, a street detective under the guidance of his falsely accused mentor Brad Winter. Seeking to bring those behind the framing to justice, Miles quickly finds himself involved in an menacing conspiracy reaching far throughout the city.

From my time with a demo of the title at E3, I can say that no comprises are being made. Considering the limitations of the hardware, Ubisoft is doing an exceptional job at delivering a compelling open-world experience.

To kick off E3 activities, Sony is going update happy on the PlayStation Store, adding fresh new content on a daily basis — this week only. While there is a slew of trailers and related E3 media worth checking out, the addition that stands out among all is Final Fantasy VII.

That’s right 1997’s PSOne classic that is often heralded by fans as the crown jewel of the Final Fantasy series is now available on PSN, marking Square Enix’s first-ever digital offering on the service. For $9.99, it can be experienced on either PSP or PS3.

In a press release issued today, Konami confirmed that Metal Gear Solid: Rising is heading to the Xbox 360 and PS3, marking the first time any entry in the series has been released on multiple platforms at launch.

First revealed at Microsoft’s E3 presser, the title will star cyborg-ninja Raiden. No further details were revealed, although Hideo Kojima himself alluded to the fact that Solid Snake may not make an appearance. That presumably means this title will take place after the events of MGS4, but we’ll see.