So there’s been a lot of rumours around the PSP, SonyEricsson and the future of the Sony handheld. Looks like some of the previous product mockups turned out true with a leaked video of the June issue of Qore (the Playstation Network media show hosted by Veronica Belmont).

No UMD, 16Gb on board and to be sold at the same time as the PSP3000. Hmmm, why didn’t they put another thumb stick on there, I mean come on, FPS with two thumb sticks on the PSP would be awesome!

Hit the read link for the leaked video in all it’s glory and be sure to check out our upcoming E3 coverage!

Update: Press shots now included after the break courtesy of Eurogamer.

Update 2:

Here are some specs of the handheld beastie:

3.8-inch display
43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000
16GB of Flash storage
Bluetooth built-in; supports handset tethering and BT headsets
No UMD drive
Memory Stick Micro slot
New Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and new Metal Gear Solid on the way (Look out for them at E3)
Full PlayStation Network support (movie and TV rentals / purchases)
Integration with PlayStation 3 (works the same as the PSP-3000 does – read Remote Play)

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Let me start off by saying that I get it.  I get that Jonathan Blow and David Hellman created what can only be described as “art” with no backing, and probably alone in a basement somewhere.  Uphill both ways.

For those of you who haven’t played the game yet, Braid is a beautiful side-scroller for Xbox 360 and PC which seamlessly blends an incredible musical track with direct puzzles, strategy, and some throwing your controller at the TV.  If I were to finish the review here, you could all go home happy and I wouldn’t get any hate mail.

Be that as it may, let the rage comments roll because unfortunately there’s a story associated with this “game.”  That’s what I’m told anyway.  See, I had to read a fucking webpage about the real plot because apparently the plot that I experienced while playing the game is not the actual plot.  I was apparently under the misconception that I was going from castle to castle looking for a princess.  According to the GameFAQ plot summary — yes, this game requires Cliff Notes to tell a story — I was dead.  fucking.  wrong.

There are actually two levels of story in this game. One is for
the casual observer, the kind of guy who simply needs an excuse
to go from one level to the next. For this person, Braid is about
a guy chasing a princess from castle to castle, her always being
in another one. The books vaguely reinforce this idea, and for the
casual observer this explanation will suffice.

I'm going to assume you do not fit this description because you are
reading this FAQ.

Well, it turns out you’re wrong too:  I was only at the website because I needed to figure out what someone with a Ph.D. in Douchebagery thought this game was about.  And let’s not pretend like my plot — what I’ll playfully refer to as “the plot that actually happened” — is what an idiot takes away from the game.

No, I am not an idiot.  I was probably more thorough than 80% of the people who played this art.  See, much like Castlevania had people that you could interact with in the sense that they may as well have been house plants, Blow must have figured this secret out and saved money on graphics by making the people into books.  So I spoke with read these books.  I READ ALL OF THESE FUCKING BOOKS.  And do you know what they were about, you pretentious dick?  They were all about saving a mother fucking princess.  Check and mate.  Game over.  I’m right, you’re wrong.

[T]he fact is that there is not a linear, logical story to be
found in Braid, at least not to the degree that most people
expect. The books found in the "clouds" serve primarily to
convey the specific theme of that specific world rather than
form any sort of coherent, chronological series of events
detailing someone's life.

The fuck?  If that’s true, Blow must think he’s the next Faulkner, who I’d like to kill for making me read all his time-disorientation works of shit in high school.  Let’s agree to disagree here.  You got something out of this game that very clearly came out of your own warped perception of reality, and I’m right.  I accept your apology.

I’m going to continue this “review” under the assumption that the game is about traveling from castle to castle to rescue a princess, because it is.

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Movie: Road Warrior (1981)
Video Game: Fallout 3 (2008)
[Source]

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With everyone talking about UP, which released in theaters today, Disney/Pixar gave us even more things to smile about.  Toy Story 3 gets a release date and a very cute teaser trailer.  Most of the voice actors and their characters are back for the third film.  But, before Toy Story 3 comes out, Pixar will be released Toy story 1 and 2 in 3D. I can’t wait to watch them all.  Also, in my opinion, Pixar has always been better than Dreamworks. To find out why, go past the break.

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You know what’s a great way of saying Happy Friday? If you guessed E3 Mass Effect 2 Preview Trailer then you guessed correctly. Gametrailers posted a new Mass Effect 2 Trailer. The video is great and the game looks fantastic. Can’t wait to lay down some Krogan woop ass!!!

[Source]

Genres: Action, Drama, Mystery

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Saki Morimi is celebrating the end of her days in college; she decided to take a trip to New York with her friends. While in the USA she wanted to make sure she tossed a coin in the White House fountain. This alerts the nearby security, who begins to approach her suspiciously. Meanwhile, across the street, Akira Takizawa approaches. He is completely naked, carrying a cell phone and a revolver. Moments before reaching the side of the road, he raises the cell phone to his ear… his eyes widen, and his memory is wiped.

His slate cleaned, he takes in the scene around him. Akira notices the young girl in need and distracts the guards. Once they are taken care of, he and Saki get acquainted (of course, after she lends him a jacket and hat to cover himself). They head off, headed for a location marked on Akira’s cell phone as “home”. It’s only later, after leaving, that Saki remembers her passport was in the jacket she lent out! She heads back to the apartment block where she parted with Akira.

Inside the apartment, Akira is confronted with trappings of his previous life. Weapons, photos, piles of forged (yet authentic) documents will his apartment. Saki reappears at his door, pleading for her passport. After rigging his apartment to burn down, taking the evidence with it, they dodge one officer sent after them (with careful deployment of a penis). They leave the USA behind, en-route to Japan.

We begin to learn of the Selecao, of whom Akira was a part. Via a concierge, named Juiz, Akira learns of his task: to continue being “our savior” (and that he has an obligation to spend 10 million yen towards this task). He also crosses paths with another of the Selecao, Yusei Kondo, who is also a detective. The second episode concludes with a “show of power” that the Selecao wield… but I will leave that up to you to see.

This series has a LOT of interesting mysteries to unravel. There is a LOT more in the first two episodes than I have taken time to mention. Terrorism, strange games, hapless youth… all collides in the series, set at 11 episodes plus one upcoming movie. I am definitely hooked on this one.

Overall Hook Rating: A

Courtesy of Engadget

Palm has announced that the Pre will natively sync with iTunes appearing to the media management program like a regular iPod.

Palm demonstrated the feature at All Things Digital yesterday. The Pre will sync with iTunes on both PC and Mac as well as being about to sideload via USB mass storage. I’m pretty sure Apple isn’t going to be happy about this but I’m not sure what they can do to prevent it. This is what Palm had to say:

Palm media sync is a feature of webOS that synchronizes seamlessly with iTunes, giving you a simple and easy way to transfer DRM-free music, photos and videos to your Palm Pre. Simply connect Pre to your PC or Mac via the USB cable, select “media sync” on the phone, and iTunes will launch on your computer desktop. You can then choose which DRM-free media files to transfer.

Although it won’t allow you to transfer any DRMed music you still have on your machine anything bought or ripped into mp3 or unprotected aac will happily sync on over there.

The Pre is just days away from launch on 6th of June on Sprint. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple does anything or says anything about the use of it’s software for a competing phone.

[Via Engadget]

Peter has beautifully merged the old 2D Mega-Man with some 3D gameplay. How so? Watch the video below.

For screenshots on this upcoming game, check out his website.

The standard of cosplay was exceptionally high at this May’s London Expo. Here’s some of the best Sci-Fi cosplay on show from Aliens to Star Wars, we’ve got your covered. Thanks to everyone who posed for the photos, great sports the lot of you.

If you’re in these photos and want a hi-res copy send me an email.