Best Playstation 3 Games For Showing Off Your New HDTV

Just got your hands on a brand new HDTV and Playstation 3, and can’t wait to be swept away into a world of HD goodness? Well, not so fast buddy, as not all that glitters is gold, and not all HD games really showcase how amazing playing games in HD can be. Fear not, however, as we’ve compiled a brief list of some of the most beautiful Playstation 3 games out there, that really show off not only what the system can do technically, but also showcase your new HDTV. Please note that these games are in no particular order, and all five are truly recommended, not just for their visual prowess, but for their excellent gameplay as well. We also included a few runner-ups that represent HD fantastically, and some PSN titles for HDTV owners on a budget as well.

Rockstar Announces “The Ballad of Gay Tony” GTAIV DLC For Xbox 360

Rockstar revealed today that the second piece of their Xbox 360 exclusive DLC package will be hitting the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, and retailers later this year.

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony will center around Luis Lopez, a part time hoodlum, and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince (aka “Gay Tony”).

Not much else is known about the DLC, other than there will be a stand alone release on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, and a disc release, titled “Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City,” which features the first downloadable content, “The Lost and the Damned,” as well as “The Ballad of Gay Tony.” Pricing is listed as being $39.99 for the disc, and $19.99 for the downloadable version.

The disc version of the game will not require a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV to play.

Afrika To Hit North America Later This Year

Sony announced today that their wildlife photography sim, Afrika, will be hitting North American Playstation 3 consoles later this year, courtesy of publisher Natsume.

For those that don’t know, Afrika has players traveling across the wilds of Africa, snapping photographs of the various animals that inhabit it. Think Pokemon Snap for adults.

As a gamer who is always fascinated by new and different experiences (and a huge fan of National Geographic and Discovery Channel wildlife programs), I’ve been really hoping for a North American release. The game has been available in Japan for a while now, however, and has received a surprisingly positive reaction for such a niche game.

No word on pricing or a specific release date as of this writing.

inFAMOUS Review

inFAMOUS is a lot of things, but before I get into that, I’d like to tell you what inFAMOUS is not. InFAMOUS is not Prototype, Crackdown, Grand Theft Auto, Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, or Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. The only thing this game has in common with those is that they are all set in “open world, sandbox” environments. At the end of my 30+ hour gaming session, I’ve come to the conclusion that inFAMOUS is unlike any open world sandbox superhero game I’ve ever played, and as of this writing, it is the best open world sandbox superhero game I’ve ever played.

New Heavy Rain Gameplay Footage

Sony and Quantic Dreams have finally lifted the veil over their Playstation 3 exclusive suspense/thriller title, Heavy Rain, with a slew of screenshots and a new trailer showcasing it’s unique gameplay.

Not much is known about the story of Heavy Rain, and it was last seen in 2008 at the GDC in Liepzig.

Visually, the game is looking stunning, with an insane amount of detail on the character models and the environments, with amazing animation. Follow the links below for the video, as well as the second link for screenshots.

Video – Source – Kotaku

Screenshots – Source – Kotaku

Killzone 2 “Flash and Thunder” Map Pack Announced and Dated for June 11

Sony has just announced a new map pack for their epic first person shooter, Killzone 2. Dubbed, “Flash and Thunder,” the map pack will contain remakes of two Killzone 1 maps: Beachhead, and The Southern Hills.
No word on pricing, but at least it has a release date: June 11th.

Fallout 3 DLC Finally Hitting Playstation 3, Plus new DLC Announced

Bethesda has announced that the long wait is over for Playstation 3 fans of Fallout 3, as downloadable content that was formerly exclusive to just the PC and 360 versions of the game are now on their way to Sony’s black box.

Operation: Anchorage will hit the PS3 in June, with The Pitt, and Broken Steel following 4 to 6 weeks apart. A new patch will be released for the PS3, to allow it to play the DLC.

Sacred 2: Screwing Co-Op Over FTW!

A funny thing happened when I stared playing Sacred 2 with my husband. He was rocking the seraphim class and I was cruising as a dryad, when all of a sudden, it hit me. His inventory was chock full of goodies I could equip on my character, and I had a hat.

“Lovely,” I said to myself, and then I asked him if there was a way to swap items.

We searched the instruction book, checked online, and what do you know? There is no way to swap items with your co-op partner. Irritating? Hell yes.

9 Minutes of Bioshock 2 Footage

IGN was kind enough to post 9 minutes of Bioshock 2 footage for our enjoyment, so I’m just passing along the information (and the link!) to you all here!

The footage looks good, if not very familiar (I’m a bit disappointed that the game, graphically, looks very much like the original Bioshock), but the duel plasmid/weapon mechanic is looking like a blast, and the new baddy, the Big Sister, looks cool and scary to fight. Enjoy the video at the link below.

Bioshock 2 is hitting the PC, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 later this year.

Source – IGN

Fable 2: See the Future DLC Now Available

Fans of Fable 2 eager for more downloadable content can sate their desires with the now released “See the Future” expansion for the popular open world RPG.

The pack will run you 560 MS Points (or $7 US). See the Future includes additional quests for your chose Avatar, which has been whisked away to an other realm, as well as new items, and a Colosseum to do battle in and win more prizes.