Streaming online radio service Deezer is like Pandora on steroids. Search for songs, create playlists, randomly stream songs or listen to the top 10 in the US and UK. Though Deezer will not have every song you search for, it does have a very large and diverse collection, so it's perfect for parties. Best of all, there is no need to register. I think I'm in love! If nothing can top your music collection, here's how you can stream your own music collection. Anyone know how to save Deezer streams locally? Share in the comments.
Personal Note: With all the legal battles going on over copyright this is a very refreshing change of pace.
Konami managed to pump out the first four Silent Hill games in five years, so what the hell is taking Silent Hill 5 so long? Discounting the critically mixed movie by Brotherhood of the Wolf director Christophe Gans (who isn't coming back for the proposed sequel), it's been a whopping four years since gamers have entered the town of Silent Hill, but that's about to change next fall with Silent Hill 5.
In the newest issue of EGM, on shelves September 4 and rolling out to subscribers now, Shane Bettenhausen goes behind-the-scenes to get the scoop on Silent Hill 5, currently in development at American studio The Collective (best known for beat 'em up Buffy the Vampire Slayer, last seen adapting the not-so-hot The Da Vinci Code), with series composer Akira Yamaoka providing the soundtrack and consulting on the game's look and feel.
Yamaoka finds the switch ironic, as Silent Hill was their attempt "at making classic American horror through a Japanese filter," where... More »
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Or at least that appears to be the thinking (not to mention the timing) behind Sony's white PS2 as Nintendo's Wii continues to outsell the competition.
Sony announced on Wednesday plans for a limited edition Ceramic White PlayStation 2 bundled with SingStar Pop, two USB microphones, and a single white Dual-Shock controller. The bundle launches this November for $150.
Granted, Wii doesn't own the patent on the color white; that one belongs to Apple. And even though Wii similarities abound, the announcment shouldn't take anything away from the PS2. To date the system has sold an unprecedented 117 million worldwide, 44 million in North America alone. In fact, PS2 is still the second best selling console in the world some seven years after its initial release.
If you were to look at Heavenly Sword in a series of glimpses -- or, say, videos that appeared online prerelease -- you'd be forgiven for not knowing exactly what kind of game it is. Clearly, it's action and features a lot of fighting, but is it a God of War clone? Is it a Dynasty Warriors clone? A Sniper Elite clone? In short, yes. But the long answer is a little more complex....
A good half of Heavenly Sword is reminiscent of God of War -- you run through dramatic environments, hit enemies with flashy attacks, participate in button-pressing minigames, and even follow an oddly similar plot. Another quarter of the game ramps up the number of enemies, so the experience feels more like Dynasty Warriors. And then the remaining portion of Heavenly Sword involves long-range arrow and cannon attacks using the PS3's tilt controls. There's where your sniper skills come into play.
It's a pretty compelling package, especially when you consider that there aren't many g... More »
The new PSP is a slimmer, lighter version of the original, with a few new features. The system plays the exact same games, but now it has a video output port that lets you connect the PSP to an external display, such as an HDTV, for big-screen playback. The system also has a simplified UMD loading tray, 32MB more system memory, lower power consumption, a smaller battery, and can now charge via USB. The new PSP will replace the current system this September. Systems will be available in Piano Black, Ice Silver, and Ceramic White. They'll come in various retail packages with a variety of bundle options that include pack-in games, UMD movies, memory sticks, and, in the case of the white PSP, a Darth Vader silk-screened battery cover.
The Ice Silver PSP will ship with the Daxter PSP Entertainment Pack.
While it was nice to check out the new PSP's redesigned features at E3, what we really wanted to do was pull out a few games and test how the new portable handles ... More »
Sometimes the best way to get a fresh take on a product’s design is to take a step back and break it down into its component parts. This approach allows a thorough assessment of the potential for minimising the use of raw materials at every step.
On review, it is often found that components, such as fasteners, can be eliminated completely by adjusting the initial design - without affecting the product’s overall form or function.
Game retailers will not be receiving official TV cables for the new PSP when it launches in Britain on September 14. An official spokesman for national retail chain GAME told GamesRadar that the cable, which is needed to play PSP games on a home TV set, would not be available at launch and that it was unknown when official units would arrive. It was also revealed that there won't be any colour choices available at launch - it's black only for now, with Ceramic White (and presumably the promised Ice Silver version) to follow at an unspecified date.
It seems odd that Sony would release the new model of PSP in Blighty without letting gamers enjoy its best new feature from day one. It's worth noting that PS3 doesn't ship with an HDMI cable (unlike Xbox 360 Elite), but this isn't just a case of 'doesn't have one in the box'. Apparently they just won't be available from the get-go.
Britain is still home to some of the world's best scientists - but when it comes to giving them the money to turn their ideas into world-beating companies we are third-rate. True?
Harmonix and MTV Games announced today that they are partnering with Rhino Entertainment to bring 18 psychedelic tracks from legendary rockers the Grateful Dead to Rock Band in the form of downloadable content. No word yet on how the tracks will be distributed, whether in the form of albums or smaller packages, but confirmed songs include "Casey Jones," "Sugar Magnolia," "Touch of Grey," "Truckin'," and "Uncle John's Band."
"Grateful Dead's unique fusion of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, and jazz challenged traditional musical boundaries and pushed the limits of creativity to produce a signature sound that is undeniably their own," said Paul DeGooyer, senior VP of audio, home video and electronic games at MTV. "With an enormous legion of fans all over the world, Rock Band will give players a chance to interact with the music of these beloved rock pioneers and experience what Grateful Dead did best -- jam from the depths of their souls."
While we've seen EA's upcoming Simpsons game quite a bit recently, the game continues to pleasantly surprise us. The tongue in cheek adventure finds the animated family braving the perilous world of videogames in a platformer starring the whole clan. We had the chance to check out some new levels in the Xbox 360 and PS3 game at EA's press event today that showed off the game's smart wit and fun gameplay.
The version of the game on display at the event featured a broad sampling of levels that included many we've seen before and two new levels. The first new level, The Land of Chocolate, serves as the game's tutorial and, for those unfamiliar with the classic fantasy sequence, is set in a candy fueled dream had by Homer. The level opens with a cinematic that's right out of the cartoon and then segues to gameplay. Your goal in the level is to follow a white chocolate rabbit through a chocolate village and to the top of a cake. Along the way you're filled in on the basics of ... More »