Welcome to our weekly recap pertaining to all things Inside PlayStation Network. Every MON-FRI, PSU shines the spotlight on a piece of content plucked from the digital delights of Sony’s online service, be it a chunk of DLC, PSOne Classic or regular PSN release. In case you missed out on any of this week’s entries, here’s your chance to catch up and see what titles we dissected under the microscope.
Monday – Medal of Honor: Heroes
Originally released back in 2006, Medal of Honor: Heroes – the pint-sized ninth instalment in EA’s illustrious FPS franchise – is essentially an all-stars squaddie fest of sorts, reuniting players with the series’ most iconic protagonists. Specifically, we’ve got Jimmy Patterson (MoH and MoD: Frontline), John Baker (MoH: Allied Assault), and William Holt (MoH: European Assault). Three meaty campaigns are up for grabs, taking place on a globetrotting push through Italy, Holland and Belgium, with each hero given centre stage in a specific campaign. (Click here for full article)
Tuesday – Sonic Rivals
Given Sonic’s penchant for legging it all over the place at blindingly fast speeds, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the cocky anthropomorphic hedgehog has got himself yet another racing-centric affair. Conspicuously, Sonic Rivals would be one of only a handful of Sonic outings not to be released in the Land of the Rising Sun, having been developed by western-based studio Backbone Entertainment. Here, beating-a-dead-horse-style baddie Dr. Eggman rocks up once again, this time having cobbled together a gadget that turns people into trading cards. Pint-sized sidekick Tails and tag-along-chick Amy have fallen foul to Eggman’s latest plot, and so it’s up to Sonic to save the day once again for the umpteenth time. (Click here for full article)
Wednesday – DeathSpank
Hothead’s humour-heavy actioner DeathSpank doesn’t take itself too seriously, that much is abundantly clear. From our eponymous hero’s penchant for wearing a purple thong the vast array of comical distractions up for grabs, DeathSpank will give you more than a few hearty chuckles throughout, reminding you what it’s like to just unwind and have a laugh once in a while. This light-hearted feel has obviously resonated with punters, with the PS3 release notching up a not-too-shabby 107,000 units sold by the end of 2010. (Click here for full article)
Thursday – Crash Bandicoot
Long before adventurer Nathan Drake made a wise-cracking, running-jump for mainstream supremacy with Uncharted, developer Naughty Dog cut its teeth by whipping up one of the most memorable platform IPs of recent years – Crash Bandicoot. The Genesis of the lovable marsupial can be traced back to 1996, with Crash standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other PS heavyweights of that era, including Tomb Raider and Resident Evil. Still, while never attaining official mascot status – Sony obstinately refused to bestow such a title on the big-grinning chap – Crash cemented himself in the public’s eye as the unofficial flag flier for Camp Sony. With SEGA speedster Sonic tripping up and falling flat on his face during the mid-90s, plucky plumber Mario at last had a worthy contender. Well, almost. (Click here for full article)
Friday – PixelJunk Shooter 2
PixelJunk Shooter 2 literally has you working from inside the Belly of the Beast, as the old saying goes. Having been gobbled up by a hulking alien monstrosity, Q Games’ follow-up to the original digital delight has you piloting a pint-sized vessel and blasting your way through the intricacies of the creature’s insides. Along the way, you’ll extricate hapless scientists, accumulate precious gems, and mop up legions of bad guys. There’s even a few cerebral distractions thrown in for good measure, rounding out PixelJunk’s decidedly polished paradigm. (Click here for full article)