Publisher: SCEA
Platform: PlayStation 2

Fans of the SingStar franchise have no doubt been waiting for the next follow-up in Sony’s karaoke series. Singstar 90’s brings another 30 songs to the table and some (not entirely welcome) new features that make little changes to the game.

The heart of a music game is always the music. At first glance, Singstar 90’s song list holds true to the name – 90’s music. With songs ranging from rock to rap, everything seems to fit well. After closer examination, the song list reveals how a good karaoke series can make a really sharp wrong-turn. With songs from highly credited artists such as Boyz II Men, Paula Abdul, Wilson Phillips and En Vogue, the choice of songs is incredibly lackluster. Nothing quite seems to work out for this version of Singstar and if you aren’t fond of rap music, seeing entries from Vanilla Ice, Sir Mix A Lot and MC Hammer will make you cringe.

A new feature to Singstar 90’s is the Rap Meter which judges your performance on the areas where rapping is actually involved. It can be cool yet it can also be an annoyance as accuracy takes on a whole new meaning when tossing out fast lyrics that many people still can’t seem to get right nearly a decade after these songs were hits. Not to completely bash the song list, there are quite a few hits such as En Vogue’s ‘Free Your Mind,’ ‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia and ‘I Touch Myself’ from the Divinyls. Ultimately, for a party game, your party will soon be ready to pop in another version of Singstar as the night draws on.

Visuals from Singstar 90’s are top-notch. The music videos provide for the nostalgia while the interface keeps it all on track. Unfortunately, there are no new modes of gameplay to be found here and that leads you to fall back on the (wait for drum roll…) song list for anything new.

Unless you’re really hardcore about the Singstar series, skip this one and wait for the upcoming PS3 Singstar game coming soon.

Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced the launch of Ratchet & Clank®: Size Matters on PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. This hugely successful title, which originated on the PSP®, has been in high demand by PlayStation 2 owners looking for a Ratchet & Clank game to play on their systems. Featuring a remapped control scheme, re-worked lighting and textures, and the addition of 2-player split-screen gaming, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters has been remastered to take advantage of the PlayStation 2 hardware.

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters find the pair on a much needed vacation, Ratchet and Clank’s rest and relaxation time is suddenly cut short as they find themselves lured into a mysterious quest. Following the trail of a kidnapped girl, Ratchet and Clank rediscover a forgotten race of genius inventors known as the Technomites. They soon uncover a plot more dangerous than they could have imagined. With hallmark Ratchet & Clank gameplay, upgradable weapons and customizable armor; players will shrink and enlarge to explore the inside of Clanks head or fly through space as Giant Clank.

A new feature to the franchise is head-to-head split-screen multiplayer games. Two players battle on one of four different maps in Capture the Flag or the team based Iron Lombax game mode, which finds players competing to accomplish unique tasks such as collecting Martian cows to create meat crates and fill delivery trucks, the first to fill their truck wins.

The multi-million unit selling franchise originated on PlayStation 2 in 2002 and has produced five sequels spread over PlayStation 2, PSP, and PLAYSTATION®3. With more than 47 million PlayStation 2 owners in North America, PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling gaming system on the market and continues to provide new and original content seven years into its lifecycle. Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is a shining example of SCEA’s continued support of the system and its loyal fans.

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 11 – Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the release of Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz and Buzz! Jr.: Robo Jam, the latest installments in the Buzz! franchise, available exclusively for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. As the follow-up to this holiday’s party hits, Buzz! The Mega Quiz and Buzz! Junior Jungle Party, Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz and Buzz! Jr.: Robo Jam provide accessible gameplay for people of all
ages by utilizing the easy to use pick-up and play Buzz! buzzer peripherals instead of DUALSHOCK2 analog controller.

For the celebrity-obsessed, movie buffs and trivia fans, Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz brings a sophisticated, red carpet event “live” in your living room as players are cast as contestants in the ultimate Hollywood trivia event. Featuring over 5,000 questions on a number of topics including
Hollywood’s biggest box office hits and the lifestyles of its most glamorous stars, Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz is the perfect party starter that lets eight of your family and friends relive moments of their favorite feature films. With a simple push of the Buzz! buzzer, gamers and non-gamers alike can test
their tinsel town knowledge on new and improved round types including Rollover, Fact or Fiction and Hollywood Stars, and also experience all the glitz and movie magic through hundreds of celebrity images, film clips and more.

Ideal for the younger gamer in the family, Buzz! Jr.: Robo Jam will bring kids, parents and grandparents together with its infectious and entertaining interactive gameplay. Featuring 24 brand new mini-games, Buzz! Jr.: Robo Jam places players in a futuristic world where mischievous robots are sent to Robot Boot camp. Up to four players can pick up the easy to use buzzers and
compete in hilarious far-out tasks to see who will become the top cadet. Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz and Buzz! Jr.: Robo Jam both require buzzers to play and are available bundled with the buzzers or as a standalone version offered at a lower price.

“The Buzz! franchise brings players of all ages together to test their skills as the fastest buzzer in the house,” said Jeff Reese, director, software marketing, SCEA. “Setting the stage for seemingly endless rounds of competitive fun, kids will be jumping off the furniture to be the best robot
in Robo Jam, while the entertainment hounds get their trivia on with Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz.”

2K Sports today announced that the highly anticipated baseball simulation title, Major League Baseball® 2K8, has gone gold and is now ready for production for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Wii™ home video game system. Available on March 4th in retail stores nationwide, Major League Baseball 2K8 offers dedicated fans the opportunity to enjoy exciting and expanded features to provide the most fun and realistic baseball simulation experience available.

Major League Baseball 2K8 will revolutionize player control this year with brand-new pitching, fielding and baserunning, as well as a completely overhauled batting interface. To bring fans closer to the action than ever before, Major League Baseball 2K8 features authentic Major League Baseball and Minor League™ stadiums that have been completely redesigned for accuracy, complete with the detail and specific architecture of each ballpark and city.

Jon Miller and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, the best announcing duo in baseball video games, are back in the booth to deliver the deepest commentary available, providing insightful analysis of each ball and strike. Other in-game features include a totally unique trading card system, robust Minor League system including 90 playable minor league teams, all-new Signature Style™ animations complete with home run celebrations, and much more.

Major League Baseball 2K8, rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, will be available in retail stores March 4, 2008, for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation 2, PSP (PlayStation Portable), and Wii.

Los Angeles – Feb. 5, 2008 – Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, has shipped The Spiderwick Chronicles™, a video game based on the upcoming 2008 theatrical release of the same name by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Films, to major retailers today. The Spiderwick Chronicles, which recreates the fantastical world of the Spiderwick film and popular book series, gives gamers the opportunity to explore the world of the unseen on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii™ home video game system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, Windows PC and mobile phones.

From the beloved best-selling series of books and upcoming film adaptation, comes The Spiderwick Chronicles, a fantasy adventure for children and adults alike. Like the movie, the game recreates the adventures of Jared, Simon, Mallory and the mysterious book that offers them entrance into the unseen universe of faeries, goblins, pixies, elves, ogres and other extraordinary and enchanted creatures who have lived among people for centuries but are invisible to the human eye.

Players can take the role of all three Grace siblings, each with unique abilities, along with Thimbletack the Brownie, whose small size allows players to discover the inner passages of the enchanted Spiderwick home. Featuring several areas from the film to explore, gamers must solve quests by engaging in kid-friendly combat, while capturing and cataloging all the creatures they find along the way.

“Sierra Entertainment is thrilled to bring The Spiderwick Chronicles to eager gamers in the days leading up to the highly-anticipated movie release,” said Pascal Brochier, president, global retail for Vivendi Games. “The video game allows fans to delve deeper into their favorite fantasy world and discover the mystery behind The Spiderwick Chronicles.”

“Fans of the Spiderwick franchise will get an opportunity to go beyond the film and popular book series as they uncover the secrets hidden within the Spiderwick video game,” said Sandi Isaacs, Senior Vice President, Interactive & Mobile, Paramount Pictures Digital Entertainment. “We’re excited to give gamers a family-friendly experience that mirrors all the fantasy and adventure they’ll see in the highly-anticipated film.”

The Spiderwick Chronicles video game was developed at Stormfront Studios and is available for Xbox 360®, Wii™, PlayStation 2 system, Nintendo DS™ and Windows PC. Vivendi Games Mobile is also making The Spiderwick Chronicles available for mobile phones throughout Europe and North America. For more information on The Spiderwick Chronicles, please visit the game’s official Web site at www.spiderwickgame.com.

Publisher: Capcom
Platform: Wii, PS2, PSP

If you know your way around games for handhelds, then you’ve definitely heard of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Capcom’s series on the Nintendo DS started a whole new gaming trend with an interactive style of gameplay that has spanned three games so far. Sony PSP and home console owners hadn’t had the chance to experience this revolution until now. Enter Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law.

Using a similar formula as that of Phoenix Wright, Birdman is a lawyer simulation game that allows you to take control of the superhero-turned-attorney from the popular animated series on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The same laugh-out-loud humor from the show has been placed into the game as you control Birdman and lead him through five court cases with the who’s-who of the old school cartoon universe. While the game plays like Phoenix Wright, Birdman’s gamers are really only getting about two-thirds the same experience that the Ace Attorney players get.

As you play through the comical (yet sometimes head-scratching) scenarios, you will find yourself collecting evidence, taking testimonies and even doing a little bit of impromptu crime fighting with your “Ace Attorney”. Using the capabilities of the more powerful hardware, every piece of dialogue is completely voiced over and animated giving the player the feeling of actually interacting with an episode of the series. All the characters from the regular series make an appearance throughout the game and Capcom gets kudos for using the original voice actors for all the dialogue.

The main gameplay revolves around the action in the courtroom. Through careful cross-examination of witnesses, it’s completely up to you to solve the case and make sure justice is upheld. Sometimes you will be the prosecutor and sometimes you will be the defense. While interviewing people on the stand, it’s your job to find holes in the testimony and either press for more information or present evidence that contradicts them. This single part of gameplay is where Harvey Birdman lacks from Ace Attorney. Instead of making objections during the cross-examination, you must wait for the right time to present material and nail the case. The loss of that key feature hurts the overall gameplay significantly because unlike Ace Attorney, it never feels as if you are actually engaged in the round-and-round debates that DS owners have experienced for three games.

Overall, the gameplay isn’t bad, just lacking and with only five cases, anyone with time on their hands can complete the game in one or two sittings. There are rewards for being thorough in Harvey Birdman. Do the right thing or make the right choice and you will be rewarded with more chances to represent the case or even unlock bonus videos with cameos from characters from the Street Fighter universe (a total of five in all). Ultimately, this game is just for laughs with little brainpower involved.

SCEA has announced that the latest title in the popular Twisted Metal series has shipped to retailers. Twisted Metal: Head On: Extra Twisted Edition marks the return of the franchise to the PlayStation 2. This is David Jaffe’s first title, at his new company Eat Sleep Play, since he left SCEA.

Twisted Metal: Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition lets players reminisce with classic characters and arenas of the past and offers up the “Lost” levels, built from the
never-released Twisted Metal: Black sequel.

“Twisted Metal: Head On: Extra Twisted Edition returns to its roots and combines the perfect blend of gameplay and bonus content to deliver what I believe is the best Twisted Metal ever,” said Jeff Reese, director, software marketing, SCEA. “A tremendous value at only $19.99, this title also demonstrates our continued commitment to providing new and compelling content to PlayStation 2.”

Talk about kicking it old school. Atlus today announced that they’ll be bringing Baroque to the PlayStation 2 and Wii in February 2008. Upon reading the first details of the title, we couldn’t help but contact Atlus PR to confirm whether or not this was the same title that graced Sega’s Saturn console as a Japan only dungeon RPG back in 1998. We were informed by a spokesperson for the company that it is “Not the exact same, but is indeed the same story and game world, redone for the PS2 and Wii.”

More information about the game with the cult Japanese following can be found below.

About Baroque

You awaken to find the world in ruin, your heart beset with unexplained guilt. A cataclysm has destroyed the cities and empires of men and disfigured the spirit of humanity. In this nightmare, it falls to you to descend a mysterious tower in search of absolution. Battle merciless foes through treacherous dungeons, scour for new items to aid you in your travels, and unlock the secrets of a devastated land. You will find death in the depths, yet learn that death is not the end of the story; in the twisted world of Baroque, it is only the beginning.

Key Features

• Hardcore dungeon-crawling RPG action! With its many ever-changing levels, each teeming with perverse monsters and tormented souls, the world of Baroque is a frightening and unforgiving realm.
• Death is not the end - Take part in a unique story progression system in which the end of your life only serves to drive the adventure forward. Each time your character dies, more secrets about the forsaken world are revealed!
• Deep customization options – The player has full control over how they shape their character and how they play the game. Find and equip a vast assortment of weapons and items, some with a variety of uses. Acquire powerful stat-boosting parasites and combine them to multiply their potency. Only the resourceful will survive!

STAR TREK: Conquest to be Available This Week for
Wii and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system

November 19, 2007 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks, a ZeniMax Media company, today announced that STAR TREK®: Conquest for the Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo and PlayStation®2 system is shipping to North American retail stores. Conquest features a blend of strategy and intense action set in the STAR TREK: The Next Generation® era and will be available on store shelves throughout North America as early as tomorrow.

Take control of Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Dominion, and Breen forces and lead them in a campaign to control the Galaxy, one planet at a time. You can build and manage your growing empire in turn-based strategy, fully utilizing the Wii Remote™ as you select and maneuver your Starships throughout the large, galactic map.

Strategically, you must effectively manage limited resources to expand your empire. You decide how to best achieve objectives by ordering your fleets and admirals, building support structures, researching technology, and engaging your enemies in combat.

Once battle is initiated, Conquest switches to a ship level tactical view allowing direct command of your ships as you engage in real-time combat. While maneuvering your Starship with the Nunchuk™, you can take direct aim and fire away with the Wii Remote™.

Conquest has been rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and will retail for an estimated MSRP of $29.99 on the Wii™ and $14.99 on the PlayStation®2 system.

Brash Entertainment has announced that they’re creating a videogame based off the upcoming Twentieth Century Fox Sci-Fi action film ‘Jumper.’ The action thriller is directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, and Jamie Bell.

According to the film storyline, Jumpers, people with a genetic anomaly that enables them to teleport themselves instantaneously to anywhere on the globe, have existed for centuries. An age-old battle rages between the Jumpers and the Paladins, a clandestine organization set on eliminating them from the planet. The ‘Jumper’ game extends the film’s storyline, following Griffin, a battle-hardened Jumper determined to avenge the death of his parents at the hands of the Paladins. Griffin’s quest to find the killer spans exotic locales around the world.

The videogame is set to release on February 12, 2008. The title is coming to the Xbox 360, Wii and PS2. Interestingly enough, the PS3 is being skipped over this time around in favor of his older brother. We’ll have more details on ‘Jumper’ as they break