Posts by Majed Athab at PSP Fanboy

Majed Athab
New York, NY - http://www.pspfanboy.com

Majed Athab is a long-time gamer and a seasoned games journalist working primarily for the Joystiq Network's PS Fanboy blog. He also contributes to the various other blogs on the network, including Joystiq itself.

He got his first break in the industry writing for the RPGamer website shortly after graduating from the University of Portsmouth in the UK. As of right now, he's joyously writing from his Manhattan home and virtual office.

Two new Dissidia vids teach us how to fight

Posted Oct 6th 2008 1:00PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Final Fantasy, Video

Two new vids teach us a thing or two on how Dissidia: Final Fantasy's dramatic progressive battle system works, so pay close attention children. In the first one, keep watch over the big numbers that hover over the character HUD. This is the "Brave" stat. These numbers determine your attack power. If you attack while this number is at zero, then you do no damage. Also, did you notice that some attacks didn't damage HP, but instead started screwing around with the Brave numbers? Yeah, you'll want to watch the second vid (after the break) to fully understand that.

What's going on there is that some attacks drain an opponent's Brave and adds onto yours. This adds a bit of strategy as you can take an enemy down to zero and he'll go into a "Break" status. It's some sort of temporarily vulnerable state. It's a new take on the usual beat em' genre. We can't wait to see more of this game at TGS.

Continue reading Two new Dissidia vids teach us how to fight

Worldwide PSP releases for the week of October 5

Posted Oct 5th 2008 8:00AM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Software

Four straight weeks with games all across the board -- it looks like that summer drought is officially over. The fall season is packed and it seems everyone wants to get in on the holiday shopping spree. Phew! We were a little worried there for a moment.

NA Games:

EU Games:

Asian Games:

Vitality has been pumped back into the PSP, we can officially say.

Tenchu 4 to hit PSP, not Wii exclusive after all?

Posted Oct 4th 2008 12:00PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: News

There isn't enough ninja on PSP. There aren't enough pirates either, but Tenchu 4 can't solve that. It can, however, save us from a current lack of stealth kills and rooftop trespasses. Speaking to a Tenchu 4 rep, Siliconera got word that the famed neck-snapper would be going to PSP.

Later, they found out that the game was also listed on the OFLC (Australia) as a multiplatform release. Is this all just coincidence or an early leak? We guess the one place to find out would be at TGS starting next week.

Star Ocean for Europe out October 24

Posted Oct 3rd 2008 2:10PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Star Ocean

Star Ocean: First Departure was first announced for Europe in late August, though a specific date was yet to be determined. However now, we now know that the tri-Ace space voyager will be releasing in Europe on October 24 -- three days behind the North American date.

That's good to know for all you RPG fanatics that live over yonder. In celebration of this news, we've got ten new screenshots in our gallery for you to enjoy.

[Via press release]

Gallery: Star Ocean: The First Departure

Enkaku Sousa and Diamond Gunshot websites open

Posted Oct 3rd 2008 10:35AM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Imports

Yup, those two modern day, Dick Tracy-like games now have official sites. Now that the print mags have let the cat out of the bag on Sony's first party PSP games to be shown at TGS, the internet is getting a treat. If you're interested in getting a better look at either of these titles, you can check out the Enkaku Sousa website here or the Diamond and the Sound of a Gunshot one right here.

This blogger recommends checking out the Enkaku Sousa website purely to listen to the background music. That, and the fact that there's some footage on the game you can watch. Diamond Gunshot's website on the other hand, has less to offer, but drop by if you're interested.

Two out of three SCEI TGS games revealed, Irem brings Disaster Report to PSP

Posted Oct 2nd 2008 2:30PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: News

Here's another three new titles set to be shown at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Let's start first with two out of the three unannounced SCEI games, shall we? Both games are adventure, investigation-type games according to PSPHyper. They're called Enkaku Sousa and Diamond and the Sound of a Gun Shot. The third mystery Sony title is apparently Resistance: Retribution, which is something we've known about since E3. Not really much mystery there.

The last title we'll mention in this article is Irem's Disaster Report game for PSP. The company is bringing the series of survival adventure games over to the PSP with Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 3. The series has come over Stateside before, so this one might turn out to be a title that could make its way over here.

Source 1 - PSP Hyper
Source 2 - PSP Hyper

Tecmo unveils new PSP title: Undead Knights

Posted Oct 1st 2008 10:00AM by Majed Athab
Filed under: News

Good morning fellow PSP gamers, there's a new game to read about this morning. It comes from Tecmo -- who haven't released a game on PSP since Tokobot in 2005. The company's new title is called Undead Knights, as revealed in this week's issue of Famitsu. Scheduled for release next year, this survival horror title will focus on fighting "hordes of zombies" and -- like most developers working on new PSP titles -- it will include 4-player ad hoc.

[Via GameKyo]

Job listing reveals more on LittleBigPlanet PSP rumor

Posted Oct 1st 2008 8:00AM by Majed Athab
Filed under: News

Back in April we've heard rumors that the huge PS3 title out in the latter half of this month, LittleBigPlanet, would be getting its very own PSP title. Today, reader libertine pointed us to a SCEE job listing which refers to a position for "PSP game engine lead" whose job is to oversee "LittleBigPlanet projects." Whatever could this mean? Can we expect a handheld version of the dream-creation sim or can we expect to see some sort of LBP PS3-to-PSP integration?

[Thanks libertine!]

Update: Eurogamer had a chat with Media Molecule's Mark Healy where-in the MM co-founder legitimizes the possibility of LBP on PSP: "There's definitely scope for a PSP version. We've had discussions and talks, [but] nothing concrete at the moment."

Rumor: Firmware 5.0 = PS Store, new RSS, screen capture

Posted Sep 30th 2008 6:30PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Downloads

It wasn't too long ago that firmware 4.0 (and higher) dropped on our laps, and we're already hearing about the next major revision to hit the handheld: the big five-o. The word on the street (and by street we mean French website PSPGen) is that firmware 5.0 is currently in the hands of an unknown French dev studio and it will include several key features such as that direct-to-PS Store functionality we've heard so much about.

Other features like a revamped RSS reader would (*gasp*) be able to read text files. The inclusion of a screen capture tool echoes another rumor which is also said to be available in the upcoming PS3 Firmware 2.5. Regarding this, parallel development for screen grabs does seem to make a whole lot of sense.

[Via PSPWorld]

Namco's TGS line-up includes six PSP titles

Posted Sep 30th 2008 4:30PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: News

If you regularly read this blog, then the following Namco line-up shouldn't be all that new. Namco is bringing six titles to show; these are namely: Idolmaster SP Perfect Sun, Idolmaster SP Wandering Star, Idolmaster SP Missing Moon, Macross Ace Frontier, Mobile Suit Gundam vs. Gundam and last but not least Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 2.

See what we mean? You've probably heard about all these before in the past few months. There doesn't seem to be any new announcements on the table -- which, we must say, is just fine. Though, it would've been way more exciting if there was some mysterious project being worked on ... something like this morning's unannounced Sony games.

PSP Fanboy hands-on: Prinny: Is It Okay If I am the Main Character?

Posted Sep 29th 2008 3:30PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Disgaea, Store, Previews

Disgaea fans probably jumped in excitement upon hearing the news that Prinnies would be getting their own game for PSP. Prinny: Is It Okay If I Am The Main Character? is the aptly cute pseudo-2D side-scroller which is also being released in North America. While fans may be squealing in delight over that, here's one more tidbit that's going to make your day: you can play the game now off a demo on the Japanese PS Store. If you can't download it or just plain old stuck at work and can't get to it until you're at home, then we're providing our very own impressions for your convenience.

Getting right into it, the demo was a short, one-level adventure taking us through scenery we've seen in screenshots previously (namely the one posted above). As you can see, the environmental objects are 3D models and there will be times when certain actions will cause the camera to shift into this 3D perspective; however, the game is mostly in the 2D perspective, side-scrolling from left to right. Before you start the level you'll be given two optional difficulties: either a "one-hit you're dead" game or a "three-hit chance." The number of hits you can take will be displayed by icons placed in the upper left corner of the screen. If you die, you'll use up a life point which are all displayed in the bottom left.

Gallery: Prinny: Is It Okay If I Am The Main Character?

Continue reading PSP Fanboy hands-on: Prinny: Is It Okay If I am the Main Character?

Dissidia: Relive the never final battle

Posted Sep 28th 2008 3:05PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Video

Download to PSP

Here's yet another video showing off the one-on-one duels of Dissidia: Final Fantasy. In the clip, you'll witness a spiritual reincarnation of a classic battle that gave birth to 20 years of Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy I's Warrior of Light goes head-to-head with Garland and the sparks are flying. Literally. Check out the vid or download it straight to your PSP.

Worldwide PSP releases for the week of September 28

Posted Sep 28th 2008 9:00AM by Majed Athab
Filed under: Software

So okay, Pipemania didn't come out a week early. It's coming out now. Blockus didn't come out in Europe last month either and while it's listed yet again for this week, we're shaking our heads -- it's probably not happening. Anyway, we like seeing a full week such as this; it's the third one in a row no less.

NA Games:

EU Games:

Asian Games:

As for Japan, they're getting high school girls + explosive clothing ... enough said.

Blow says XBLA's Braid is 'feasible' on PSP

Posted Sep 26th 2008 11:05AM by Majed Athab
Filed under: News

If you've got an Xbox 360, you've most likely have 1) heard of Braid and just how amazing it is or 2) already have it and enjoying it as we write this. Needless to say, those without the green-lit box have been sidelined and left curious like a child peering into a toystore window. However, Braid's main man Jonathan Blow gives the starry-eyed child in all of us a brief glint of hope as he says a portable version of the game would be most feasible on the PSP if ever there were to be a mobile version.

In a recent interview conducted by Joystiq, Blow was asked about making a handheld version of the game. He responded saying that a DS version would be out of the question and that there would be no way to control the game on an iPhone. While the answers were mostly negative for those devices, Blow had more positive things to say about a PSP version; he cited that a direct-to-download model would work smoothly as the "music streaming stuff in Braid would not work off a UMD." He did, however, say that the market for downloadable titles is still not there on the PSP -- though we'd like to differ as direct downloadable games are appearing every week. Perhaps Mr. Blow would change his mind if the downloadable services for PSP picked up steam.

Shaun White Snowboarding on PSP set for Nov. 13

Posted Sep 25th 2008 6:00PM by Majed Athab
Filed under: News

The Flying Tomato is getting a slew of new games across all platforms this fall, and the PSP is no exception. What does good old Shaun think of that? Well, judging by this pic, he seems to be all for it. The portable versions of Shaun White Snowboarding will be available for sale on November 13.

The PSP version boasts of co-op and competitive multiplayer modes and a skill development system to customize your board riders. Could this game turn out to be the next Tony Hawk's Pro Skater sort of success story and spin out to become a long line of sequels? Who knows. What do you think Shaun? Yup, he's still giving the thumbs up.

[Via press release]

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