Games and Gadgets: How I see them.

For the whole month of April 2008 (thats from 1st to 30th… in case you are wondering), Sony Computer Entertainment HK Limited (covering the Asian regions of HK, Singapore and Taiwan) will run a promotion on encourage members to spend more on credits.

During the entire month of April 2008, for any single wallet top-up of SGD30/ HK$150 or above with a credit card or prepaid code in PLAYSTATION®Store or PLAYSTATION®Store (PC version), members of PLAYSTATION®Network will get an extra SGD 3/ HK$15 top-up to their wallet.

That’s a 10% worth of credits value SCEH is giving you for the effort. The catch? These additional credits will be only given to your online wallet AFTER the promotional period.

Anyhow, it’s a good deal, especially now as GT5: Prologue and echochrome (full version) is available for purchase and download via PLAYSTATION Store.

Capcom had released a demo for their upcoming PS3 game, Lost Planet, last week’s Thursday to be exact. However, the demo was removed from PSN shortly therafter, as there were reported bugs in the demo with reference to its online features. The servers for the online play was also shut to prevent those who have gotten the demo from playing it online.

Capcom have since promised to release a clean, bug free version soonest possible back on PSN, but no mention of the bug or what it does. Or it could be a hidden / secret feature that was leaked in the demo version and Capcom just didn’t want us to find out? Guess we will never know while looking forward to the new improved demo.

Yes, Sony is releasing Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (Traditional Chinese version) for the Asian market. It is expected to retail in Singapore on January 17th 2008 at SGD66 (RM150).

As an added bonus for you to buy the “demo”, Sony will have a limited edition “PS3™ GT5P special bundle package” where they will throw in a nice black and red windbreaker. That’s a real nice incentive for you to pick up the “demo” game, which is expected to be the same “demo” as the Japanese version.

Hurry, pre-order your copy soon as the windbreakers are limited in quantities.

Christophe Balestra, Co-President at Naughty Dog, have apologised to PS3 users outside US that have spent time downloading Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune demo (me included). He posted this in Playstation blog:

“We’re really sorry about what happened and didn’t anticipate this at all. We just didn’t know people from other territories could connect to the US PLAYSTATION Network Store and download demos … now we do! We’ve been too busy working on the game to wrap our head’s around the infrastructure of the PSN.
We absolutely did not plan the demo to be region locked. As soon as we figured out the problem existed, Sam Thompson called me and I jumped into my car, drove to the office and fixed it right away. It’s an honest mistake and we didn’t try to prevent anybody from enjoying the Uncharted demo. I feel even more sorry because most of the people who experienced the problem are in Europe and I’m European myself.
So again, we’re really sorry about what happened and it wasn’t done on purpose. The good news is it’s now fixed and a new demo of Uncharted has been posted to the US PLAYSTATION Network Store so the entire world can enjoy it.”

There you go. It was not Sony’s decision to region lock the demo and Naughty Dog have corrected themselves by unlocking the demo. So its safe to go to US PSN and download the demo now.

I am doing so as I post this, and if the demo dont work on Asian PS3 again, read about it here soon.

For PS3 owners outside of US who wanted to try playing Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune demo and wish to spend some time downloading the demo, you can stop wasting your time.

The game’s demo available in US PSN since Nov 8th is region locked. Unless you are having an US PS3, you will not be able to play the demo. This is because Naughty Dog, the game’s developer, have locked the demo for US region players only. Reason given by Naughty Dog is that the in game video will not work for PAL PS3s. This is false, as my NTSC type SG registered PS3 will not play the demo either.

This is the first time any game demo have been region locked, and if this is the sign of future region locked demos, this will not bode well for Sony and PS3 for the long run. Gamers are now used to the idea of region free games and demos and any move to region lock games will further alienate PS3 loyalists.

US PSN:

Game: Go! Sports Ski (USD$2.99)
Demo: The Simpsons
Demo: Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War

EU PSN:
Demo: Skate
Demo: Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War
Demo: Stuntman: Ignition
Demo: Clive Barker’s Jericho

Asian PSN:
Nothing!

Here are the latest free demos to be found the PlayStation Stores all over:

North American PlayStation Store
Clive Barker’s Jericho demo (free)
NBA 2K8 demo (free)

European PlayStation Store
Folklore demo (free)
SEGA Rally demo (free)

Asian PlayStation Store (HK)
PixelJunk Racers (free)