Hooray for demos! We’ve been Wanting some Watchmen Booty for a while and today we get to indulge ourselves threefold. Speaking of Booty, there are toys for you to play with if you are into that kind of thing. Toy cars that is, the Burnout Toy Car Collection is live for some fun shenanigans in our favorite concrete playground. And please don’t forget to watch the Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li trailer so we can discuss just how awful it’s going to be.

Get ‘em now before some else gets to them first (unless you like sloppy seconds) after the break.

Street Fighter Arena Category

• Everything Street Fighter is at your fingertips in this new PS Store category.

Downloadable Games

• Watchmen: The End is Nigh ($19.99)

Game Demos (free)

• Watchmen: The End is Nigh Demo
• Wanted: Weapons of Fate Demo
• Age of Booty Trial Version

Add-on Game Content

• NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM Pack 10 (free)
• Prince of Persia: Epilogue ($9.99)
• Skate 2 Throwback Pack (free)
• Street Fighter IV Shoryuken Pack ($3.99)
• High Velocity Bowling - Bruce ($0.99)
• High Velocity Bowling - Carmen ($0.99)

Burnout Paradise

• Burnout Paradise: Toy Car Collection ($12.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Car Pack 1 ($5.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Car Pack 2 ($5.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Cavalry ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Citizen ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Nakamura Firehawk ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Carson GT Concept ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Carson Inferno Van ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Takedown 4X4 ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Manhattan ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Jansen P12 ($1.99)
• Burnout Paradise: Toy Krieger WTR ($1.99)

Rock Band

• “New” - No Doubt ($1.99)
• “Dirty Pool” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “I’m Cryin’” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Lenny” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Love Struck Baby” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Mary Had a Little Lamb” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Pride and Joy” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Rude Mood” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Tell Me” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Testify” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• “Texas Flood” - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble ($1.99)
• Texas Flood (Album) - Stevie Ray Vaughn ($15.99)

Guitar Hero World Tour

• “Break It Out” by Vanilla Sky ($1.99)
• “C’est Comme Ca - Les Rita Mitsouko ($1.99)
• “In the Shadows” by The Rasmus ($1.99)
• European Track Pack 03 ($5.49)

Game Videos (free)

• Midnight Club Los Angeles: South Central Trailer
• Watchmen: The End is Nigh Rorschach
• Watchmen: The End is Nigh Nite Owl
• Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection Trailer
• Tom Clancy’s HAWX PS3/YouTube Upload Video
• Tom Clany’s HAWX Gameplay Video

TV, Movie, and Blu-ray Trailers (free)

• Watchmen: Sets & Sensibility
• Watchmen: Minutemen
• Watchmen: Dressed for Success
• Watchmen: Attention to Detail
• Breaking Bad Webisodes (x 5)
• Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li Trailer

PS3 Themes

• MLB 09 The Show MLB Theme (free)
• MLB 09 The Show Team Themes (x5) (Orioles, Pirates, Padres, Mariners and Nationals) (free)
• Bunnies Pinups ($0.99)

SCEE has some demo love of its own; Wanted: Weapons of Fate and WWE Legends of WrestleMania are yours for the taking. We have not spent time with a good wraslin’ title in quite some time so we are eager to take this one for a full nelson suplex tonight. You PoPers out there can grab thePrince of Persia Epilogue and continue enjoying the company of the charming donkey-less Prince.

Killzone 2 Now More Robust - 1.20 Patch Released

Though keeping with our tradition of staying rumour free, that’s not to say we can’t present a body of evidence and posit that something is going to happen.

We’re done it before in the past, and though we’re still waiting for that particular seed to blossom, we’re happy to talk about what’s happening behind other closed doors and opine our “learned” judgment on the matter.

The closed doors in question here are those of Sony Bend, and now that Resistance Retribution has been finished, we decided to review recent mounting evidence and postulate that a PS3 Syphon Filter game is on the way.

Read on for why we think you’ll be playing with Gabe again in HD come 2010.

For the uninitiated, Syphon Filter is a series of games that started life on the PS1. Back when Metal Gear Solid was wowing the West with stellar production values and an alternative to simply blasting through enemies, Gabe Logan appeared on the scene to prove that whatever Snake could do, he could do - differently.

Though the game-play focused more on the fire-fighting and less on the tactics, and Syphon Filter’s protagonist was slightly more brash and direct than Metal Gear’s Snake, the Agency’s operative still employed stealth techniques along with a healthy dose of gadgetry to overcome one international crisis after another. Released in 1999 (a full two years before 24 emerged on our screens) there is some resemblance between conflicted yet deadly everyman Jack Bauer and Logan; a man trained to do a job who gets mixed up with a conspiracy way over his pay grade.

Gabe went on to get into a series of global catastrophes surrounding the Syphon Filter (a deadly bio-weapon capable of wiping out entire demographics) with two direct sequels before Syphon Filter: Omega Strain appeared on the newer PS2 and allowed players to offer Gabe a much needed break and create their own character.

Of course, readers may be more familiar with the more recent PSP outtngs, Dark Mirror and Logan’s Shadow; both of which received favourable receptions. Between the aforementioned three PS1 games, the PS2 version and these two PSP offerings (plus the PSN download Combat Ops) Bend have produced seven Syphon Filter games. But why stop there?

Fans of the series have been waiting patiently for any indication that the high-action espionage game would be coming to the PS3. The first portent of such a possibility came from a job posting on Gamasutra’s web-site showing Sony Bend actively looking for a PS3/Xbox 360 Senior Tools Programmer. Though hardly irrefutable proof that any future PS3 games at Bend would be Syphon Filter related, it was a start.

This sliver of suggestion was compounded when our friends at Gamezine ran a story about Robert W. Rose, a developer at the aforementioned studio, talking on his blog about how Cell programmers, those who work closely with the PS3’s complex array of SPUs etc., have the highest egos within the ecosystem of game software engineering.

Once again, still no mention of Syphon Filter and, considering Bend have yet to announce what their next game after Resistance Retribution is going to be, it’s no giant leap to think that they would be working on a new PS3 title. Still, such comments at least support the suggestion that the guys at Bend are cutting their teeth on new hardware and moving away from the PSP. Considering their pedigree with Syphon Filter games, it’s no great stretch to join the dots here.

The last piece of the puzzle, and probably the most testifying considering there is at least a tangible reference to the actual existence of a new Syphon Filter game, is PCBProductions’ recent listing where, amongst the many games they’ve worked on - plain as day - they state that they’ve been credited with “facial mo-cap” for “Syphon Filter 5″ on the PS3 for Sony Bend.

Now, we admit that the numbering is a tad baffling considering there have been more than five games in the series so far but, technically, you could argue that The Omega Strain doesn’t really count considering Logan’s back-seat in the story. And Combat Ops is hardly a Gabe Logan adventure at all, more a level builder. So, this could all fit together nicely.

The largest indicator however that a PS3 Syphon Filter will happen is, of course, economics. The series has been immensely popular on three Sony platforms up until now so it’s almost common sense that Sony would want to continue with the series into the next generation of gaming. Gabe is a likable character, SOE’s The Agency is about to whet people’s appetite for spy-based action and, with the PS3 really coming into its own with games such as Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2 and God of War III, maybe the powers that be were simply waiting for Bend to finish up another big franchise and then return to familiar ground with all barrels blazing.

What say you? Are you looking forward to a new Syphon Filter escapade? Do you think it will be on the PS3 or will Bend stick to the PSP? Let us know in the comments.

It looks like Black Rock Studio didn’t lose any time after the release of Pure, since they are already working on a new title. It all began when a supposedly leaked video hit YouTube. From what we’ve seen, the creators of Pure decided to focus on cars this time around.

The presence of high speed races in urban environments and phantasmagoric crushes led many to resemble it to the Burnout series. Why don’t you watch the video - located in the upper section of the article - and tell us what you think?

Last but not least, the trailer informs us that we shall know more on March 11th. Until then, patience…

A very quick reminder that the Prince of Persia Charity Auction will close tomorrow, 17th January at 17:25 UK time.

This is your last ever opportunity to own the incredible prize pack - including that 1 in 200 art print of the Prince - and help us raise more funds for our supported cause.

Even if you’re not bidding, please take a few moments to tell all your friends about it - thanks for anything you can do to help spread the word…

While millions of Resi fans are counting days for the release of Resident Evil 5, Capcom was kind enough to let the world know about the Collector’s Editions that are going to be available with the game.

There are going to be two editions; one for us fellow Europeans and one for our buddies over at the US.

Oddly enough, the lads at Capcom decided to differentiate the two editions in content and in price.

As far as the US version is concerned, it seems that Americans are getting the full treatment. In the impressive steelbook, you’re going to find - except from the game disc, obviously - a bonus disc containing The Making of Resident Evil 5, an art gallery and a Resident Evil Degeneration trailer.

Collectors are going to be really happy when they find out about the rest of the goodies included. The box will include a Tricell messenger bag, a Chris Redfield figurine, a BSAA patch and a Kijuju-inspired pendant.

As for us Europeans, we’re only getting the steelbook. Still, pretty darn good, if you ask me.

Both editions are scheduled to be available at launch day (13 March for both Europe and US). The US Collector’s Edition will cost $89.99, while no official news yet about the price of the EU one. It can be pre-ordered though from various places such as Play.com and Game.

Has the work week frustrated you beyond your normal limit? Wouldn’t you like to blast some Nazi zombies in Call of Duty: World at War? Well, Activision has given players two excellent gifts for the weekend.

The Nazi Zombies Co-Op playlist is unlocked, even if you have yet to complete the solo campaign. That means it’s a zombie gore-fest for everyone! If that wasn’t enough, players are eligible for Double-XP as well. It’s a good chance to start leveling up your character if you haven’t been doing so already.

The zombie killings and XP earnings are currently underway so what are you waiting for? Who knows, maybe you’ll be lucky and get the chance to take out one of the writers here at the PS3 Attitude towers.

So here we are again, after having celebrated and eaten until our bellies started to crack. Last week we had no UK charts post due to the fact we were too busy eating turkey and opening presents.

But let’s see if the new year has affected the sales, in Chart Track’s UK charts for week ending 3 January 2009…

1. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision Blizzard)

2. FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts)

3. Need For Speed: Undercover (Electronic Arts)

4. LittleBIGPlanet (Sony Computer Ent.)

5. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft)

6. Prince of Persia (Ubisoft)

7. Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks)

8. Resistance 2 (Sony Computer Ent.)

9. Guitar Hero: World Tour (Activision Blizzard)

10. Quantum of Solace (Activision Blizzard)

As you can see, CoD: WaW is back on top. No surprise - shall we say -, since the X-mas spirit is long gone; and with it, LittleBIGPlanet fell to the fourth place. In the second and third place we find two EA games. FIFA 09 is the best footie out there, so that’s ok. But NFS: Underground third? I mean, come on! When it first came out, we all thought that it would be just a matter of time before we wave it goodbye off the charts. But here we are seven weeks later, with it still selling like hot cakes. People, how many times must we say the phrase that is now considered a cliché in PS3 Attitude Towers? STOP FREAKING BUYING NFS UNDERCOVER, god dammit!

Yeah, that will teach them! Anyway, moving on. The year must have kicked in nicely for the lads at Ubisoft, since two of their games are located in this week’s Top 10. Far Cry 2 made a dynamic entry, climbing up to the fifth place. Prince of Persia (aka hidden gem) follows at sixth place. Great period for the Prince, since this is the 5th consecutive week of his stay in the Top 10.

Don’t know if you noticed, but Tomb Raider: Underworld is out of the Top 10. On behalf of PS3 Attitude (especially Danny_D), good ribbons! Since that is out of my system, lets continue, shall we?

Fallout 3 is still selling quite well, while Resistance 2 isn’t. Best Multiplayer Game for the year 2008, fell to the 8th place, making us worry. We are confident enough though, that it’ll make a comeback to the top of the charts soon.

In the 9th and 10th place, we meet Guitar Hero: World Tour and Quantum of Solace. Since X-mas is considered family/friends time, the presence of Guitar Hero in the charts comes as no surprise. It’s a great multiplayer game, especially when you have your buddies playing with you.

Ok, I think I might be getting a bit (read = A LOT) carried away with my Street Fighter 4 enthusiasm. Is it turning into an obsession? …Nah, course not.

[Though I'll dragon punch anyone who disagrees with me off the screen!]

Thankfully, the good people over at Mad Catz are kind enough to fuel my crazy sugar-induced SF4 fever with some swanky new peripherals. Four - yes, FOUR - new peripherals are going to be heading to your local games retailer come release day. Click through and see!

And guess what? We’ve got pictures of all four. So there.

Be sure to check back after we get our grubby mitts on one or two of these babies for a review. Personally, I’m looking at the one of Chun-Li as being hot favourite in the shops. She has some really nice… assets.

Also, note both the controller indicator and home buttons on the arcade sticks - a great touch, I think.

Creat Studios and Tiki Games are bringing Cuboid, a 3D puzzle game where you maneuver a block around switches, traps, and exits, to the PSN this week. If this game looks familiar to you, it might be because you played the flash version called Bloxorz.

So while there is no official demo for the game, you can try out Bloxorz and if you like it, why not shell out the $9.99 for Cuboid? With 66 distinct levels, it’s sure to puzzle your brain for some time. Full details after the jump!

The game features three lush environments; a temple, church, and chamber. Players must navigate a block around the map while triggering switches and watching out for weak tiles that may break. PlayStation.Blog has a nice video of the game as well as a look at what’s to come, hinting at a Level Editor in the coming months.

Watch the video, try out Bloxorz, and tell us what you think. Will you be purchasing this when the PSN update comes tomorrow?

The most awesome thing happened this week, and everyone will benefit because of one reader’s kindness.

You’ll remember we had three Prince of Persia prize packs available to win before Christmas. You may also remember we had a fourth pack available in our charity auction, which closed on January 2nd 2009.

Reader and winner of one of the original three packs, Simon White from the UK, was so inspired by our cause he instructed us to keep hold of his prize and put it up for another charity auction.

Which is exactly what we did. If you want to get your hands on this awesome prize package, you have yet another chance to do so right now.

Huge thanks to Simon for his amazing generosity - you’re a star, sir. (Karma points +2)

This week in Rock Band brings you all the tracks, packs or albums that you will be able to purchase for your favorite band simulator this Thursday (groupies not included but highly recommended).

If it weren’t for the inclusion (and Rock Band debut) of Snow Patrol, this would have been an all 70’s classic rock track pack. James Gang, Jethro Tull and Deep Purple come back from the past with tracks released in 1970, 1971 and 1972 respectively. Neat huh?

Now the question on every PS3 Rock Bandit is when and or how the hell will we get that one week we lost when Sony was pretending to go to sleep so Santa could drop by and place some Bravia HDTVs under the Sony branded Christmas tree. Guess what, we have the answer. No one knows. That is the answer. Deal with it. That’s rock man, totally unpredictable.

So with that out of the way, we can move on to the music. We all know Deep Purple (pictured) from Rock Band 1’s “Highway Star” video intro. Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish and Scottish alternative rock band bringing you their first single from their new album A Hundred Million Suns. Jethro Tull should be familiar to some of you as they were in the original Rock Band 2 soundtrack while James Gang are a trio from the late 60’s. Choice band.

Without further ado, here are this week’s tracks:

Tracks

• Snow Patrol “Take Back the City”
• Deep Purple “Space Truckin’”
• James Gang “Funk #49”
• Jethro Tull “Hymn 43”

Each track will cost the now standard $1.99 and are original master recordings. Remember that all songs are compatible with Rock Band 1 & 2 software and are available through the Rock Band in-game music store and the PlayStation Store.

If you’re like us and are looking forward to Killzone 2 next month we may have some good news. However, if you’re still slightly on the fence and want to get your hands on a demo in order to give it a test-run before deciding on a purchase, we maybe have some bad, and admittedly, baffling information.

Sometimes things are just a little backward in the gaming world. Team Ico only release a game in what feels like once every ninety years while the “annual update” phenomenon of some lesser titles are churned out like undercooked hamburgers. Games that are developed in Europe, and are popular in Europe, sometimes don’t get released the same time in Europe as the other regions (re: LittleBigPlanet) and the less I say about JPRGs this generation the better.

Sony aren’t immune to this backward thinking (just look at how long it took to get in-game XMB and Trophies out) and it appears the genius marketers have struck again with the announcement that a pre-release Killzone 2 demo will be available but only to those who have already pinned their support to the game and went ahead and pre-ordered it. And only at GameStop.

Read on for the full madness.

Slapping down a crisp $5 note on any US GameStop counter (international GameStops don’t count) will get the early adopter the privilege of a sparkling new code which grants access to the elusive demo on the PSN. It’s important to note that you’re not paying for the code here. This price is obviously offset against the final price of the game when you waltz in to pick up the final product. (Waltzing is optional)

It is somewhat odd to proffer a demo to people who are already confirmed purchasers of the game. Usually demos serve the purpose of giving the undecided a chance to try for themselves and, hopefully, convince them that the game is good. This “reverse rewarding” practice has us totally stumped.

It’s not all mystery and oxymoron however. The very same demo will see a global release on the PSN after the game has been released. We don’t know exactly when but, considering Sony really need a big hit to start off 2009, we wouldn’t be surprised if it magically materialises on the PlayStation Store in March or, at the latest, April.

Nieuwe PlayStation Topper! Or “New PlayStation Exclusive” for us non-Dutch speakers.

The Official PlayStation Magazine in Holland have revealed in their latest edition that they’re all off to California to check out a new PS3 game that no one has ever heard of.

What could it be? Check after the break for some rampant speculation.

The Dutch translates (roughly) as “”We can’t talk about it much (actually nothing), but next month we fly to the USA to bring you exclusive news about a brand new Sony title for the PlayStation 3. Destination: Hollywood, Los Angeles…”

Now, what studios are in Hollywood? We’ll let you work it out for yourself but the Hollywood reference may just be a “showbiz” hat-tip and the guys are simply going to L.A.

If so, it could be a new Jak and Daxter game, or maybe L.A. Noire, or David Jaffe’s Twisted Metal, or a new Syphon Filter perhaps.The list is nearly endless. It also could be something from Sony Santa Monica.

It’s important to note that Sony have a number of 1st party studios and not all of them have announced their game line-ups for 2009. Our Games of 2009 feature (part III coming today by the way) lists 179 known PS3 games scheduled to make an appearance in this year but this list is definitely not the definitive guide. We’re pretty confident that more, and up until now unannounced, games will get added throughout the year.

What do you think (or hope) the game is? Let us know in the comments.

The guys from Q-Games have taken time out of their busy schedule over in Kyoto to post on the official PS blog with some news that may have those of you out there who find Pixel Junk Eden a tad “impossible” deliriously happy.

Responding to one commenter’s chagrin regarding the difficulty of Garden 7, Dylan Cuthbert, President and Executive Producer over at Q-Games, has revealed that there will be an update next week that should help out and make things a tad easier.

Check after the jump for the details plus some news on future Pixel Junk games.

Feeling your gaming pain, Dylan has announced the following:

Around the second week or so of January there will be a patch which makes (among other things) the large crystals replenish a whole half of your oscillator meter instead of a third.

We’ll take any help we can get.

In other Q-Games news, Dylan can also be found revealing the following on his blog:

“Here’s to an amazing 2009 for gaming as I am sure it is going to be, what with two or three more Pixel Junk titles coming out.”

Considering the insane amounts of time we’ve spent on Pixel Junk Monsters of late, such news can only be greeted with equal parts joy and trepidation.

We’re back with the second of our four articles where we attempt (and no doubt fail) to catalogue all of the PS3 releases for 2009.

As we’re going alphabetically, yesterday’s list saw the inclusion of such games as APB, Bionic Commando, BioShock 2 and EyePet.

However, if you were to pick a series of games based on where they might sit in your perfectly sorted games collection, it would be the new releases featuring in the middle of that virtual library that we predict will be receiving most of your gaming attention/money.

This is the big one folks.

Check after the jump for what can only be classified as the mother-load of PS3 big hitters next year.

[Note: All quotes below are taken from respective press releases regarding the game in question]

F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin

Publisher: Warner Bros.
Developer: Monolith Productions
Out: February 10th, 2009

Alma is back and she’s as pissed as ever. Not as pissed as the people who voted for the game’s name to be Project Origin back when publishing woes meant the “F.E.A.R.” moniker couldn’t be used. That’s all ancient history at this stage however and at least they kept the fans’ naming suggestions in the final product title. The sequel promises “strategic environmental combat opportunities available to both you and your enemies” along with a more open environment. A destroyed (open) city, the result of a powerful teen gone awry? Sounds like Fallout 3 meets Akira to us. Oh, and for the fans of the “series”, Monolith will only be recognising the first game as official canon as the sequel’s story takes place immediately after the end of the first game.

Fairytale Fights

Publisher: Playlogic International
Developer: Playlogic Game Factory
Out: Q3 2009

Billed as “the most violent children’s story ever told”, Fairytale Fights will be with us towards the latter half of 2009. Powered by the Unreal 3 engine but with a graphical style more akin to cartoon kitsch, “players choose one favorite fairytale character with whom they will try and save a fantasy world from certain doom. Cute fairytale characters will fight each other until nothing else remains than a big puddle of blood!” Walt Disney would not approve.

Faith and a .45

Publisher: TBA
Developer: Deadline Games
Out: 2009 (maybe)

Advance warning: this game has “cancelled” written all over it. We don’t know much about Faith and a .45 other than the fact that Danish developer Deadline Games are working on it. The press release from nearly a year ago states that the game will be “an intense and atmospheric shooter, [with] a heavy focus on characters, co-operative gameplay, road movie storytelling, and cinematic aesthetics.” It’s definitely a little quirky. Set in the Depression with a distinctive Bonnie and Clyde outlaw feel, th”e bandit lovers (Luke and Ruby - that’s her above) road trip gone bad” is an area not visited much (at all?) in gaming. We’ll keep our fingers crossed. If anything because we have a thing for red-heads.

Fat Princess

Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Titan
Out: 2009

We love controversy as much as the next site so it was with a gleeful giddiness that we sat back and watched the furore about the upcoming 2009 PSN title Fat Princess unfold. Shakesville’s Melissa McEwan wrote “Congrats on your awesome new game, Sony. I’m positively thrilled to see such unyielding dedication to creating a new generation of fat-hating, heteronormative assholes.” Apart from the ability to use long words no one really knows, Melissa was offended by the gameplay mechanic of stuffing the eponymous Princess with cake so as to make it more difficult for the player’s opponents to carry her off. Why not coins? she asked. Come on woman. Have you ever tried to cart coins anywhere over any great distance? Have you not played Mario?

Fifth Phantom Saga

Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Sonic Team
Out: 2009 (or 2010 - or never)

Mark this one down as “lost to the annals of time”. Ironically revealed back at E3 (in 2005!) this was one of the first ever PS3 games shown to the public. Then it disappeared. Are Sonic Team still working on it? Does the fact that the homepage has been taken down bode well for the possibility of this game ever seeing the light of day? We don’t think so but it makes the list as part of our “You Just Never Know” category.

Final Fantasy XII

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Out: 2009 (in Japan anyway)

OK, let’s just get the whole “it’s not an exclusive” out of the way. We know. We were bummed too but we’ve learned to live with it. SE’s next chapter in the immortal Final Fantasy series hits in 2009 - at least for our Japanese brethren. With the 360 version now on the cards it appears that that version will require completion before the localisation of the PS3 edition is even begun so don’t be surprised if the NA and EU release spills into 2010. Blame Bill Gates (we’re kidding). FFXIII is directed by Final Fantasy stalwart Motomu Toriyama and sees a futuristic world inhabited by a race “beyond humanity”. Expect crystals, summons, gorgeous cut scenes and a host of other FF recurring themes like loss, nature and spiky hair to feature.

Final Fantasy Versus XII

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Out: 2009

One year, two FF games. Square Enix is really spoiling us. We know surprisingly very little about the Versus flavour of the next Final Fantasy games other than the fact that it’s “dark”, the protagonists are called Noctis Lucis Caelum (Nokutisu Rushisu Cheramu) and Stella Nox Fleuret (Sutera Nokkusu Furūre) and the plot’s themes are isolation, war and yes, you guessed it, fantastic hairstyles. Developed using the same Crystal Tools Engine (a.k.a. The White Engine) as utilised by Final Fantasy XIII, the only other thing we know about FFVXII is that it should hit (at least in Japan) in 2009.

Flock!

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Proper Games
Out: 2009

Puzzle games plus comedy equals “sign us up” in our books. Elements of PixelJunk Monsters and Destroy All Humans appear to feature in Capcom’s upcoming Flock! Playing as a UFO, the main objective of the game is to coax sheep back to the mother-ship (”The Mother Flocker”. Genius!) over challenging terrains without losing any of the herd. So, a little like Lemmings too then.

Flower

Publisher: SCE
Developer: Thatgamecompany
Out: 2009

The makers of flOw return to the garden with the upcoming Flower. From the press release: “Playing as the wind, the player guides and grows a swarm of pedals by interacting with other flowers and the surrounding environment. The goals and journey in each level vary, but all involve flight, exploration and interaction with the level. Using simple SIXAXIS wireless controls, the player guides the lead petal and accumulates a swarm of flower petals as he moves at his own pace within the environment, causing the on-screen world to change.” We couldn’t have summed it up better ourselves. Expect the hippy inspired zen experience to hit some time early in 2009.

Formula 1 2009

Publisher: CodeMasters
Developer: CodeMasters
Out: March 23rd 2009

The fifteenth edition in the popular racing series and follow up to last year’s F1 Championship Edition, CodeMasters utilises their Ego engine (previously powering the likes of Dirt and GRID) for the 60th season of the popular motor sport. Based on the upcoming 2009 season (no Honda then) the game apparently has 350 people working on it.

Free Realms

Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
Developer: Sony Online Entertainment
Out: 2009

Targeting the younger crowd, Sony’s free MMO for both the PC and PS3 will open its doors to the public in 2009. The online title is very much all mini-games with an educational slant. Will us older and more cynical gamers get any use out of it? Maybe if we have kids and are looking for a safe way to introduce the wonders of gaming to them. For the rest of us we’ll probably be shooting spies in The Agency but Free Realms receives its due kudos here at PS3 Attitude for what Sony are trying to accomplish.

FUEL

Publisher: CodeMasters
Developer: Asobo Studio
Out: 2009

The makers of Dirt keep on racing with FUEL, scheduled to hit some time next year. French developer Asobo are at the helm and promise to “revolutionise multi-terrain racing with the largest environment ever created in race gaming.” This would be the 14,000+ km² open environment then. Will FUEL take MotorStorm’s crown of top PS3 off-roader? We’ll find out next year.

Ghostbusters: The Videogame

Publisher: Atari
Developer: Terminal Reality
Out: 2009

There was a time there when we truly didn’t know who to call. Now that Atari have answered the ectoplasmic phone we can expect to finally see Ghostbusters proton packing their way into 2009. Interestingly, the game is written by Dan Ackroyd and is set just two years after the events of the second hit film. With all of the voice actors returning to reprise their roles, it’s safe to say that this is the closest we’ll ever get to a third Ghostbusters adventure. At least with the original cast. No firm release date at the moment but expect to cross streams in June of next year.

God of War III

Publisher: SCE
Developer: SCE Santa Monica
Out: October 2009

If the recent SpikeTV footage didn’t get your heart racing then you are officially dead my friend. The portents are all there to suggest that the latest (and final?) edition in the God of War series is squaring up to be an absolute juggernaut of a game. Original creator David Jaffe has been quoted that the recent secret footage he saw over in Santa Monica was “the best thing he had ever seen graphically” and we know Kratos won’t go off without a stellar display of God-slaying and ultra-violence. Definitely one of the big hitters in 2009 for the PS3 - we officially can’t wait.

Gothic 4: Arcana

Publisher: JoWood
Developer: Spellbound Entertainment
Out: Q4 2009

Taking over from Piranha Bytes, Spellbound take a stab at the next instalment of the Gothic series. The game was announced over a year ago and then everything went silent. Is it still in development? Probably. Will it make the 2009 release window? Maybe. Note: The PS3 version has been hinted at but, as of this time, the game is not officially bound for the PS3. Don’t be surprised if this one doesn’t make the cut for next year.

Gran Turismo 5

Publisher: SCE
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Out: Q4 2009

With the popular prologue still selling well it’s no surprise to hear that the full version of the GT5 experience will be coming our way next year. We’ve heard rumour of multiple release dates but considering the guys over at Polyphony Digital have been under the hood of this game now for nigh on four years, we think it’s safe to assume that the game will hit our (or at least Japanese) shelves just in time for the holiday season next year.

Guillermo del Toro’s Sundown

Publisher: TBA
Developer: Terminal Reality
Out: Q4 2009

The director of HellBoy and the upcoming Hobbit movie moves into the videogame genre with the zombie apocalypse themed Sundown. You now know as much as we do.

Guitar Hero: Metallica

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Neversoft
Out: Q1 2009

When certain Metallica tracks didn’t re-appear on the Rock Band rosta it was almost sure-fire confirmation that a Guitar Hero Metallica game was in the works. The game will feature 48 tracks but don’t fret if you think that much metal could overpower your mind. 17 of the 48 songs will be by other bands that are “personal favourites” and who have “influenced the band” over the years.

Half-Life: Episode 3

Publisher: Valve Corporation
Developer: Valve Corporation
Out: Q4 2009

With the hullabaloo regarding The Orange Box out of the way expect to see the next Gordon Freeman episode towards the end of next year. Whether or not Valve will handle the PS3 development duties is currently unknown but we wouldn’t be surprised if they ferry it out to EA again. Not that we’d complain; we didn’t have any issues with their previous attempt in the popular franchise.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Publisher: EA
Developer: EA Bright Light Studio
Out: Q2 2009

Another Potter movie, another Potter game. According to sources the game will “include multiplayer games, online play, classes, different times of day, Quidditch, Wizard Duels and Potion making.” Sounds cool.

Heat

Publisher: TBA
Developer: Gearbox
Out: When Hell Freezes Over (Maybe 2009)

It’s been nearly fifteen years since deNiro and Pacino tore up the streets of downtown L.A. with pony-tail sporting Kilmer in cahoots. Gearbox, who’ve already featured on our 2009 list with such games as Aliens: Colonial Marines, are working on game version based around the Heat universe but little has been firm since its announcement over six months ago. Could the game still happen and surface in 2009? Ho-Ha! What have you got! ? ! Pacino impressions aside we will have to wait to see.

Heavy Rain

Publisher: SCEE
Developer: Quantic Dream
Out: 2009

Heavy Rain is going to completely polarise the gaming community. There will be those that will get its beautiful presentation, the abstract story-telling techniques and the adult themes seen in the footage already shown. Then there are those that will deride the dependence on QTEs and the fact that the focus is not on gameplay but story immersion. PS3 Attitude is all for new ideas and breaking boundaries so we’re looking forward to Heavy Rain and seeing if the guys at Quantic Dream can pull off something truly wonderful.

HEI$T

Publisher: CodeMasters
Developer: inXile Entertainment
Out: January 1st 2009

Hei$t has the accolade of being the first game of 2009 with an official release date in NA of Janaury 1st - which is tomorrow. It’s literally has just hit the shelves here in Europe. The premise is something familiar (rob banks, blow things up) with the added flavour of 1969 San Fran. The ultimate goal is to pull off the super-heist: the San Francisco Mint. Groovy.

Heroes Over Europe

Publisher: Atari
Developer: Transmission Games
Out: 2009

Those plucky heroes who featured “Over the Pacific” return in the sequel to dare and die in the skies over Europe. Tactical flight combat games are either your bag or they’re not but, either way, we like the footage shown so far. Interested in WWII aerial combat? This game is a must.

Highlander

Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Widescreen Games
Out: March 31 2009 (if it even exists)

We’re torn over the new Highlander game. We’re big fans of the films (ok, the second one not so much but at least the director’s cut cleared up all that alien nonsense) but we’ve seen next to nothing on the new game or anything else to suggest it will be anything spectacular. There can be only one. But is this it? It’s been a long time since we’ve received any word about Highlander. Don’t be surprised if it stays that way.

History Channel’s: Civil War - Secret Missions

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Activision
Out: 2009

The press release says it all: “The action in HISTORY Civil War: Secret Mission accurately reflects the guerrilla tactics of the time period. Weapons include the shotgun, the pepperbox revolver and the coffee mill gun, and there is heavy reliance on scouts and naval warfare.”

Hospital Hustle

Publisher: TBA
Developer: Big Fish Games
Out: 2009

Hospital Hustle is already out on the PC and it appears it will be making an appearance on the PS3 next year through the PSN. The site describes the game as the following: “Get in on the hospital hijinks, diagnosing and treating outlandish outpatients in this energetic Time Management game! Help Nurse Sarah save lives in increasingly hectic hospitals with an assortment of wacky treatment stations and patient-pleasing power-ups! Leave your mark on the field of medicine in Story mode or push your skills to their limits with Endless play! Scrub up and get into the first-aid frenzy of Hospital Hustle today!” We never knew being in hospital could be so chirpy.

Hydrophobia

Publisher: Blade Interactive
Developer: Blade Interactive
Out: Q2 2009

Ever since we ran our exclusive interview with the guys from Blade Interactive back in October we’ve been keeping a keen eye on Hydrophobia. With state of the art fluid dynamics and an intriguing futuristic story focusing on Malthaus theory and the last remnants of mankind floating around on a super-ship, consider our interest officially piqued.

I Am Alive

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Darkworks
Out: Q2 2009

How do you follow up a super success like Assassin’s Creed? Well, for Jade Raymond it’s “I Am Alive”, a survival thriller with elements of I Am Legend and various other apocalyptic scenarios depicting the world going to hell. The recent trailer shows Chicago ravaged by earthquakes and the social system breaking down as survivors resort to marauding and tribal attitudes. You play Adam, a fellow survivor with Ubisoft promising a “rich palette of emotions while challenging players to make life-changing decisions.”

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey

Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: Gaijin Entertainment
Out: 2009

Similar to Heroes Over Europe we get another war time aerial sim in the form of “Worst Named Game of 2009″ contender: IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey. The press release reveals: “28 different aircraft are available as they fly through some of history’s most famous aerial battlefields: The Battle of Britain, Stalingrad, Berlin, Sicily and Korsun. Each aircraft has been painstakingly researched by the dedicated team at Gaijin Entertainment, to make sure they are recreated with fantastic levels of detail and precision, ensuring a rich level of realism.”

Indiana Jones

Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: LucasArts
Out: 2009 (maybe)

The game has been in development before Harrison Ford went grey so it’s safe to assume that, eventually, it will see the light of day. Plot details are light on the ground with suggestions that old baddie Lao Che is the main villain. The tech behind the game includes Euphoria and DMS, both engines that featured heavily in The Force Unleashed, so we have high hopes that environment interaction (read: slapping things with a whip) will be both exciting and realistic.

inFamous

Publisher: SCE
Developer: Sucker Punch
Out: Q2 2009

Anti-hero morality tale, inFamous has been gaining some momentum of late with new footage depicting sub-plots and new powers. Players control “Cole”, the electricity wielding protagonist who is the sole survivor of an explosion that rips apart Empirical City. Similar in scope and style to Prototype, the sandbox game has a lot to live up to but if anyone can pull off superior gameplay it’s the guys who gave us Sly Cooper.

Islands of Wakfu

Publisher: TBA
Developer: Ankama Games
Out: 2009

Coming to the PSN is Ankama’s adventure beat’em up Islands of Wakfu. Little is known at the moment but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more information and keep you informed as it emerges.

James Bond Driving Project (Untitled)

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Out: Q4 2009

When Quantum of Solace shunned the inclusion of any driving missions we knew it was only a matter of time for someone to fill the void. Enter Bizarre Creations. It’s still eons away at this point but at least we know it exists. Expect to see multiple cars from Aston Martins to Jags and Bond dutifully smashing each and every one of them to pieces. Nice job - if you can get it.

John Carpenter’s Psychopath

Publisher: TBC
Developer: TBC
Out: 2009? (what the heck - TBC)

The master of suspense returns with a new movie and apparently there will be a complimentary game tie-in. That’s it. Nothing to see here.

Just Cause 2

Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Avalanche Studios
Out: Q1 2009

Swedish outfit Avalanche Studios unleash their proprietary Avalanche Software (nice name) once again in the the sequel to 2006’s Just Cause. Rico is back, and so are some smarter enemies. Expect more insane stunts, action and “an incredibly detailed and vast 1000 sq km game world of different climates and ultra-realistic weather effects.” The press release continues with such hyperbole like: “Leap from your plane and skydive from 10,000 feet down into a tropical jungle, tear across an arid desert in a dune buggy or climb your way up a snowy mountain in a 4×4!” That actually sounds like fun.

Kart Attack

Publisher: TBA
Developer: Blimey! Games
Out: 2009

PSN game. Karts. Attacking. That’s all we know. Other than the fact that Blimey! Games signed a deal with Ferrari to make games based on the popular auto franchise. Ferrari Kart anyone?

Killzone 2

Publisher: SCEE
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Out: February 2009

Ever since its infamous showing at E3 all those moons ago the gaming community has been abuzz about Killzone 2. Sure, it appears that Guerrilla were not able to reach the heady heights of the graphical fidelity presented in the E3 pre-render but, by God, they’ve come very close. Killzone was heralded as the PS2’s much needed Halo killer (which, technically, was a long shot considering the advances the Xbox had over the PS3’s predecessor) but it’s its sequel that people have started to truly believe will re-write the rules of the popular FPS franchise. Don’t believe us? Even staunch anti-Sony people who have played the game have all pretty much unanimously lauded its virtues. February is the month of love. Prepare to be intoxicated by Killzone 2.

L.A. Noire

Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Team Bondi
Out: Q4 2009

Boasting a “perfectly recreated Los Angeles of the late 1940’s” players enter the murky environs of post-WWII era L.A. Heavily influenced by James Elroy’s L.A. Quartet (The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, White Jazz and (the one you’ve probably heard of) L.A. Confidential), the game features a heavy dose of open ended exploration and noire tinted murder solving. This and Heavy Rain are why we believe the gaming genre has finally grown up and should be taken seriously as a medium for narrative based story telling.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest

Publisher: EA
Developer: Pandemic Studios
Out: January 2009

By now we hope you’ve already enjoyed the demo on the PSN so this should be old news. Considering Pandemic’s forte with such battlefield games like Star Wars: Battlefront there should be no real surprises about what type of game we’re getting here. With help from Weta Studios in terms of digital models etc. we can at least be assured that the game will look fairly close to the popular movies. The full game is out in a matter of weeks.

Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust

Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
Developer: Team 17
Out: Q1 2009

There’s a new Leisure Suit Larry Game. Apparently it’s coming to the next-next-gen of consoles. There’s a plot but it’s too painful to write. Let’s just say that it will be out in 2009 and we’ll leave it at that.

Check back in over the next few days for the concluding parts to our round up of PS3 games. The list is now at 176. Wow.