1w ago - Sony Social Media Manager Sid Shuman went hands on today with The Last of Us on the PlayStation 3 entertainment system.

Below are the details, to quote: I'm low on ammo, so I clumsily swing my two-by-four at the incoming Clicker - dumb move. The creature sinks its fetid teeth into my jugular, chirping with malevolent glee as it rips out a gobbet of flesh. Arterial blood spurts across my face, now contorted in shock and agony.

I'm dead. This time, I try a different approach. I combine one of my remaining rags and a precious bottle of alcohol to create a Molotov cocktail, then hurl it towards the abomination. Flames envelop the lumbering shape as it wails and collapses, dead at last. I'm alive - for a little while longer.

The Last of Us isn't afraid to kill you, over and over if need be. And that's a big part of its considerable charm. As you struggle to survive the game's inhospitable world, limping from one nail-biting combat scenario to the next, you'll feel strangely alive and alert.

In an era of game development that - at least to this old-timer - tends to babysit players with tutorials and handholding to dial down any chance of frustration, this game's unapologetically tough-as-nails approach feels both refreshing and quietly revolutionary. Remember when games used...

15w ago - Sony Social Media Manager Sid Shuman has gone hands-on today with The Last of Us for PlayStation 3.

To quote: I've finally played a chapter from Naughty Dog's eagerly awaited post-pandemic survival tale, and the first thing I want to say is this: The Last of Us is not a shooter. Well, not exactly.

Though Joel packs a pistol, you'll count yourself lucky to be holding more than 10 bullets at any one time. Most times you'll want to avoid fights by sneaking and hiding. In other, more desperate times you'll pull the trigger with a feeling of great reluctance - all the while praying that you don't miss.

The ultra-tight ammo supply imbues the game with a primal, high-stakes tension that brings uncertainty to every decision you make. One thing's for sure: this is one mess you won't be able to shoot your way out of.

"The Last of Us is not a shooter."

As I guided Joel's group around the dilapidated fringes of post-pandemic Boston, I saw constant reminders of Naughty Dog's legendary attention to detail.

Step under a trickle of water and Joel will raise his hand to keep his head dry; knock an enemy near a wall and Joel will pin him there to deliver a staggering punch. The environments also bristle with detail.

Peer through a derelict...

16w ago - Sony Blog Manager Lorenzo Grajales of Latin America has gone hands on today with Aliens: Colonial Marines which is due out on PS3 February 12, 2013.

Below are the details, to quote: Imagine that an all-knowing time traveller landed in 1986 in order to whisper the mysteries of 2013 to the startled mid-80s masses.

Flying cars, powerful cell phones... a videogame sequel to Aliens? Now, 27 years after the theatrical release of James Cameron's blockbuster, Gearbox Software is making the dream come true on PS3 February 12th.

Aliens: Colonial Marines is the sequel to Aliens that we always wanted but never got. You are a Colonial Marine sent to LV-426 to find out what happened to Ellen Ripley. If you've seen Aliens, you know that things with Ripley didn't turn out so well, and you, with no idea what to expect, will find yourself entering hell, somewhere far, far away from planet Earth.

"It was an itch that we had, ever since we saw the first and second movie. That itch has never been scratched; there's a different history that we always felt that needed to be told, that involves Colonial Marines.

Once Cameron introduced them to the Alien universe, there was no going...

32w ago - Sony Social Media Manager Sid Shuman has gone hands-on today with Street Fighter X Tekken for the PS Vita handheld console.

To quote: I recently spent some hands-on time with a near-complete version of Street Fighter X Tekken for PS Vita, ahead of its October 23rd PSN and retail launch.

And I've gotta say, it's the spitting image of its PS3 bigger brother with big, bold characters and detailed backgrounds running at PS Vita's native screen resolution. But peer underneath those pretty graphics and you'll find a wealth of new extras that make this the definitive version of Capcom's crossover fighter.

The game comes equipped with every DLC fighter from the PS3 version - including PlayStation exclusives Cole McGrath, Kuro, Toro, Mega Man and Pac-Man, of course - as well as alternate costumes for every character in the base roster.

Another nice touch is the ability to customize your character's costume color, then share it with friends via PS Vita's integrated geo-social app "near." It's also worth noting that any DLC costumes or Gems you purchased for the PS3 version will port over to the PS Vita version at no extra cost.

PS Vita's front touchscreen is leveraged in several ways, most notably to create virtual buttons on the screen that you can reposition, resize,...

35w ago - Sony Social Media Manager Sid Shuman has gone hands-on today with Assassin's Creed III: Liberation on the PS Vita console!

Below are the details, to quote: Last week, Ubisoft graciously offered members of the gaming media the first opportunity to go hands-on with Assassin's Creed III for PS3 and Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, the upcoming PS Vita-bound chapter set against the backdrop of Spanish occupation in 18th century Louisiana.

Both games, of course, demonstrated plenty of promise: ACIII for its Revolutionary War-era pomp and Skyrim-rivalling scale, ACIII: Liberation for its sultry new setting and uncanny attention to detail.

But in the five days since the hands-on session, I've unexpectedly found myself reflecting more on my experiences with Liberation. Seeing the series' sprawling, hyper-detailed environments and fluid gameplay so faithfully recreated on PS Vita's luminous 5'' screen bordered on startling.

Protagonist Aveline also struck me as an interesting character with unique motivations, and the game's untapped 18th-century Louisiana setting seems like it could pay off in a big way.

Refined by leaps and bounds compared to its early E3 showing, the updated build of Liberation I played...