PlayZine: New Free magazine for Nintendo Wii, DS and PSP

PlayZine is dedicated to covering all the more fun, casual games that you love playing on your Wii, DS and PSP. It has a brand new design and new features that will make it easy for you decide if a game is for you, like how hard it is to play and how long we think it will keep you entertained for.

This first issue includes a three page exclusive on Lego Batman, plus the new Tomb Raider, Mushroom Men, Sonic Unleashed and more. DS and PSP gamers aren't left out with with Trackmania DS, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy IV and Tiger Woods 09. Get the new magazine now!

HGZine Issue 19

Issue 19 of HGZine is out now and includes a special feature looking at the games coming in the year ahead for the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. From FIFA 09 to the new Prince of Persia, there's some very fine looking games coming your way.
You'll see previews of PES 2009, Quantum of Solace and Hellboy II, plus hands on with LEGO Batman, Final Fantasy IV for DS, and many more.
In the review section, you'll see the verdicts on the games for your summer hols, including Track and Field, Race Driver: GIRD, Final Fantasy Tactics, Doodle Hex, and good old Space Invaders Extreme (it's a lot, lot better than you're expecting).
And there's not one, but two exclusive competitions for you this issue as well. You can win copies of Guitar Hero on Tour and Ninja Gaiden inside this issue.

Issue 18 of HGZine is out now

Issue 18 of HGZine is out now for handheld gamers everywhere. It has the full review of Guitar Hero on Tour, the completely re-imagined version of Guitar Hero for handhelds, complete with its own controller. It also features reviews of all the latest games for DS and PSP, including Lego Indiana Jones, Wall-E, Narnia: Prince Caspian, Wacky Races and more.

If it's preview you're after, look no further either. We have an extensive preview of Echochrome, the new Sony PSP game that offers a unique game experience. It's Portalesque (yes, we just invented a word) in its inventiveness and is bound to have as many fans as people who say "I don't get it". Well, we do and we love it.

Then there's an exclusive interview for Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon where we see the new game features and enemies, plus Ninjatown, The Sims 2 Apartment Pets, which proves that there's more to a game than a name, and Igor, Brave: Shamen's Challenge, plus many more.

Get Paid to Play Video Games

HGZine 17: Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, Sim City and more

Issue 17 of HGZine is out now. There's an exclusive preview and interview for the new Crash Bandicoot game. Crash Bandicoot: Mind over Mutant is coming out on DS and PSP and there's the scoop on both versions in this issue.

And that's not all, there's a new preview of Guitar Hero on Tour. Find out how the new game is shaping up and how the bespoke controller works with the DS. And on the subject of upcoming DS games, a new Sim City is coming our way, which couldn't have us all excited because the last Sim City DS outing was so compelling.

In fact, it's a packed issue with previews of Lost in Blue, Kung Fu Panda, Arkanoid, Dragon Quest and Spyro and reviews of Iron Man, Everbody's Golf 2, Soul Bubbles, Dragon Sword, Looney Tunes and the new Doctor Who game.

Reeves admits PSP needs more new games

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves has admitted that the PlayStation Portable is suffering from a lack of new games titles in the region.

Although the company has its Go! Explore sat-nav application, and cross-platform functions with the PlayStation 3, at its recent PlayStation Day the only new PSP games mentioned during the hour and a half presentation were Echocrome and Buzz! Quiz Master.

Full Interview with Matt Martin

HGZine Issue 16: Guitar Hero on Tour, SBK 2008, Gauntlet, Space Invaders

In this latest issue of HGZine, you'll find a fantastic combination of the old (revitalised) and the new. There's an interview and review for SBK 2008, and fantastic previews of WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2009, Soul Bubbles, Doctor Who, and masses of others. Then there're previews of the new version of Gauntlet and Space Invaders. Now, some old skoolers may well be shivering at the thought of these, but actually, hang on because both Gauntlet and Space Invaders are looking pretty good. Download the issue here.
And then there's Guitar Hero on Tour. How can GH fit on a DS, we hear you cry? With a brand new controller that fits onto the GBA slot. See how the new game and controller are looking inside.

Issue 15 of HGZine is out now!

The headline of this issue is Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. So, when you think Sonic, your mind probably doesn't immediately leap to the idea of an RPG game. And, when you've got your head around that idea, you're probably asking yourself who will be developing this little title. Bioware, that's who. Bioware, the genius behind the best RPG games of all time: Baldur's Gate, KOTOR, Mass Effect - you get the picture. And we've got an exclusive developer interview on how the game is shaping up.

It's interview-tastic in this issue, with a chin wag with the developer of Final Fantasy: Crisis Core and the developers of SEGA Superstars Tennis, including the huge 26 minutes original audio interview to listen to, inside the mag itself.

Download your HGZine here.

Warriors Orochi Reviews

Gamespot:
If the Dynasty Warriors franchise is to be commended for anything, it should be for its utter unwillingness to evolve -- it has absolutely perfected the art of remaining static in a landscape of constant flux. Warriors Orochi continues this long and dubious practice by melding the worlds of Dynasty Warriors with its Japanese offshoot Samurai Warriors, and the result is a game that the faithful it caters to time and time again will surely enjoy immensely. If, on the other hand, you do not enjoy brainless button mashing, laughably one-dimensional gameplay, and a severely aged combat system, you're better off running for the hills.

The Good
* The large battlefields of the console versions are mostly intact
* A total of 77 warriors from both franchises to recruit.

The Bad
* Boring, brainless button mashing
* Ugly and repetitive environments
* Poorly executed team system
* Enemy soldiers almost always pop up onscreen.

Full review

Gamespy:
How stressed out must the developers at Koei and Omega Force have been when attempting to bring their popular Warriors series to handheld systems? The series (both the Dynasty and Samurai varieties) is known for tossing dozens upon dozens of opponents on the screen at once to fulfill players' hacking and slashing needs. It would be extremely difficult to bring that experience to a portable.

Previous attempts at Warriors titles for the PSP have been fairly solid, but they haven't been able to fully recreate the console versions of the games. Instead of dropping the player on a large map full of enemies, these games broke the action up into a grid-style playing field with multiple smaller missions to complete.

Warriors Orochi, however, changes all that. This is a direct port of the PS2 and Xbox 360 game that was released last fall, and it does a surprisingly good job of living up to the game that inspired it. Just be sure to take advantage of the game's interim save feature or the PSP's sleep mode. Some of these battles can take half an hour or more to finish -- not exactly conducive to pick-up-and-play portable gaming."

Pros:
*Faithful recreation of the console game
*Tons of playable characters
*Weapon Fusion system allows for good customization

Cons:
*There's some noticeable pop-up
*Long load times
*It's the same Warriors gameplay

Full review

More reviews on God of War: Chains of Olympus

Digital Life:
The focus is on short, frequent and intense battles, but players can also enjoy solving the occasional puzzle by manipulating levers, statues, switches and refracting light.

Your path is linear and occasionally so obtuse you'll be scratching your head wondering where to venture next. But swimming, climbing and jumping interludes provide a change of pace between skirmishes.

Most impressively, the epic scale, colossal opponents and incredible presentation are on par with acclaimed PS2 games, and there are few loading delays.

The only compromise for the game's hand-held form is its shorter length compared to its predecessors. Players can complete the adventure in a day, with only a series of brief challenges or a higher difficulty mode to tackle next.

Full review


Videogamer:
Ever since the PSP burst into stores we've been waiting for true console-like gaming experiences to arrive. Sure, we've had a few classic games on the PSP, but only now, in the shape of God of War: Chains of Olympus, do we have a game that turns Sony's handheld into a portable PS2. Chains of Olympus is not only a stunning entry in the God of War series but the most impressive PSP game released to date - if you've been sitting on the fence over buying a PSP, now's the time.

For anyone following the plot and timeline of the God of War games, Chains of Olympus takes place ten years prior to the original PS2 game. The opening level sees Kratos defending the city of Attica from an invading army, slaying hundreds of soldiers in typical bloody fashion. The story eventually centres on Helios, whom Kratos must find in order to counter the deep sleep Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams, has cast on the other Greek gods. Suffice to say, it's a lot trickier to explain than it is to experience. The result is a quest through typical God of War environments, fights against mythical creatures and enough bloodshed to shame even the most prolific serial killer.

Full review

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reviews

Gamepro:
It's hard not to like Crisis Core because it does so many things right. From the over-the-top graphics to the addictive battling system, this is a solid entry in the series. Crisis Core does a fine job of incorporating the world of VII while giving hardcore vets a sense that they're doing something new. Aside from the main storyline, there are over 300 side missions to complete and a new difficulty mode exclusive to the US release means there's plenty of content to keep players busy until the next major Final Fantasy game is released.

Full Review


GameSpy:
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core is well worth playing for series fans and newcomers alike. It succeeds on its own merits while also serving as a powerful tribute to one of modern gaming's most beloved adventures.

Full Review


GameTap:
You can safely divide the world into two sorts of people: those who go through emotional upheaval whenever Aerith's death in Final Fantasy VII (if you're ticked about spoilers, sorry, but you literally had 10 years to experience it yourself) is brought up, and those who don't. Whichever side you fall on will also predict your feeling about this final installment of the compilation of FFVII. If you shudder in horror when hearing the phrase "Nibelheim incident," then Crisis Core is a fantastic and emotional companion piece to FFVII. If you shrugged at that phrase, well, you'll probably just see Crisis Core as a well-made PSP action role-playing game.

Pros: Well-constructed action-RPG mechanics; portable friendly; good companion story to FFVII.
Cons: Bad luck can be aggravating; story is a bit offputting to non-FFVII diehards; missions and environments can get repetitive.

Full Review

Reviews :: God of War: Chains of Olympus | FlatOut Head On

This month's HGZine, Issue 14, has the first 10/10 game, so get along there now and find out what it is!

You'll be hard pushed to know which game it is from the list that's in the issue though, because it is packed with great quality releases. From Flatout Head On (the cover game, complete with review, interview and tips from the developers themselves) to Professor Layton, and Apollo Justice to God of War, this issue has every type of game for both DS and PSP.

Enjoy the issue and share it with your friends!

HGZine Issue 13 is finally here!

Download the latest issue of HGZine here if you've not subscribed:

HGZine Issue 13 download

This issue includes a hands-on preview and interview with the new Assasin's Creed game (DS). Enjoy, and please do pass this on to your friends.

Today is Valentine's Day (Feb 14)

I wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

Awaker (finale version) - full homebrew game for PSP and PC

For those of you who were waiting for the final release of the xtreamlua team (Poinson_xtreamlua, genevois, and alexel), then I'm happy to announce that the development team responsible for the Awaker demo they released more than half a year ago is finally available for download.

If you can't remember what the game is about, it's essentially a 2D racing game set on a psychedelic backdrop of neon lines and lights. The funky background isn't just for show, though. If you happen to move while the "static fields" emitted by the towers go live, then you have to start all over again.

The previous version only featured the demo of Awaker, with six levels available between two difficulty modes. However, this final version has nine different levels to offer with a bonus level that has to be unlocked.

Awaker is available for both the PSP and the PC, with the appropriate installers found below. Don't forget to take a look at the documentation included in the game on how to install the game. In any case, I hope you enjoy the download.

Download: Awaker (finale version) for PSP
Download: Awaker (finale version) for PC
Visit: QJ.NET's PSP Development forum

Happy Chinese New Year

Here's wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year!

PSP Blender ranked #1 by Movies, Games & Music Site Reviews

PSP Blender is ranked #1 by Movies, Games & Music Site Reviews. It is also one of my favorite PSP related products and is very popular with many PSP users.

Editor's review:
" Our No. 1 choice in this category (PSP sites)! If you own a PSP then PSPBlender is a must-have!

PSP Blender gives you access to P2P file sharing software, tools, utilities, user manuals, and more, basically giving you everything you need to download, everything you could ever want for your PSP. Choose from literally millions of games, game cheats, game demos, MP3's, DVD-quality movies, TV shows, wallpapers, screen themes, and more, and all for less than the cost of a single PSP game! You can also convert your entire DVD collection to your PSP with ease - even encrypted DVD's. Make sure you have a PSP-USB cable and at least a 256 or 512Mb memory card and you're good to go!

The site comes with an excellent set of help files and user manuals and the tech support guys are pretty quick to respond should you need further help. Some movie files are available for download in MPEG-4 format ready to play on your PSP, others will require converting, but don't worry - all the tools and step-by-step instructions you need are supplied with PSP Blender.

If you have any problems with PSP Blender that can't be solved by the technical support team then they will offer you a full refund - good for 60-days after your purchase."

Refer to "Tips on looking for a PSP games download site"

What's the favourite color of your PSP hardware?

With the new series of SLIM & LITE PSP hardwares, PSP enthusiasts have a good choice of 7 colors:

Deep Red, Lavender Purple, Felicia Blue, Rose Pink, Ice Silver, Ceramic White and Piano Black

What's your favourite color? I prefer Ice Silver.

Chinese New Year CRAZY SALE

Don't miss the CNY CRAZY SALE running at PLAYSTATION Store.
Check out PLAYSTATION Store now!

Vertical theme for XMB browser

Good news! Tophead20 just updated his TopsXMBtheme, a homebrew app that switches the PSP's XMB browser to a vertical theme, reminiscent of the drop-down toolbars you see in Windows.

Here's the download link. Make sure you view the ReadME text file for the full details on how to upload the app.

Until next time, have fun with download.QJ.net !

Blog relocation

I relocated my blog from mypspgamesdownload.
~ Daniel

HGZine- the free HandHeld Games (PSP and DS) magazine

HGZine, the free PSP and DS games magazine This is a completely free magazine for HandHeld Gamers - download the latest issue now!

Latest issues of GamerZines Out Now !

If you just got a PSP or DS for Christmas, then you need to read the Top Ten Games every DS and PSP owner should buy feature in Issue 12 of HGZine (download it now).

If you're an old hand at handheld gaming, then just sit back and enjoy the 20+ games for DS and PSP in this issue. With its previews and exclusive interviews for Destroy all Humans - Big Willy Unleashed and The Fast and the Furious, and the collection of top reviews for Medal of Honor Heroes 2, Patapon, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, Geometry Wars: Galaxies, Beowolf and many more, this issue is packed with the promise of great gaming for 2008.

Click here to subscribe to Gamerzines' newsletter.

Am I seeing "double"?

CAUTION: All PSP gamers

Recently I happened to visit http://www.allofpsp.com. What strikes me first is that the appearance of this webpage looks rather familiar. Later I realised that it is actually a "fake" webpage created to resemble the original website http://www.allpspgames.com. When I clicked on JOIN NOW, I got redirected to http://www.gamermediadownload.com. I hope so far no one has been misled by its appearance. But please be aware!

Can you spot the difference between the two?

How To Put Movies On Your PSP

The first thing you need to know is the PSP can only play MP4 video files. So if you download or rip any other file formats such as AVI, MOV or DIVX etc, you need a software to convert these files to MP4.

I use Imtoo PSP video converter but you could use other psp video software converters as well.

Most psp video converters will allow conversion to MP4. You might also want to make the settings as follow:

Video size: either 368x206 or 320x240 due to screen resolution of PSP
Video Bit rate : 384, 512, 768 Kbps
Frame rate : at least 29 frames per second

Audio Sample Rate : 24 Khz
Audio bit rate : 64, 96, 128 160 Kbps

These settings will ensure the converted movie file can play smoothly on your PSP.

Once you have done that, the next step is to put the converted movie on your PSP.

You need to connect your PSP to your computer via the PSP data transfer cable.

If you are using the Imtool PSP video converter, click on tools and then psp video manager.

Then click on browse to select the MP4 fles you want to copy and click on move to transfer it to your PSP. That's it, it's that simple. As you can see, it's not that difficult to put movies on PSP.

GamerZines : Free magazine for gamers

Are you new to Gamerzines?

Well, Gamerzines are free magazines for gamers, written by professional games journalists from the UK. The magazines are published exclusively in digital format, so all you require is Adobe Reader 8 in order to read the magazines. Each issue includes previews, interviews, reviews and features and the pages are enhanced with video and interactive media, so you can actually see the games come to life on the pages.

Gamerzines currently publish four magazines: one for Xbox 360, one for PlayStation 3, one for PC games and one for Handheld games (DS, PSP & mobile phones). They also publish an Official magazine for Pro Evolution Soccer fans.

Click here to subscribe to Gamerzines' newsletter and they'll tell you as soon as they publish a magazine issue you're interested in.

Happy New Year 2008

Wishing All A Happy New Year 2008!

Cheers,
Daniel

Visit: Games of the Day