No, you're not seeing things. It's a new demo for SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2. However, it's nowhere as good or as thorough as the first demo we provided. This new demo lacks the awesome interface, tips, and voice acting as the original. At least it's free?

1. Download the demo zip file.
2. Extract the contents of the zip file.
3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.
4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.
5. Copy UCED90042 folder into the GAME directory.

Check out our new demos site:
demos.pspfanboy.com

Another year, another SOCOM title. Sure, this one has new maps and got prettier. But does this sequel make any real advances, or is the franchise showing its age?

• Yahoo! Games (90/100) thinks SOCOM goes above and beyond what a handheld game should do: "In terms of pacing, community, and great gunplay, this is the closest you'll get to a handheld Counter-Strike. And as far as handheld shooters go, this is as good as it gets."
  
• GameDaily (80/100) is shocked by the remarkable AI: "Sony once again proves that a handheld version of the long-running action game series can work just as well as the console editions. The multiplayer is as strong as expected, with up to sixteen players being able to jump in and enjoy three different games. But the real shocker is how stacked the single player experience is... The presentation and AI on enemy soldiers is also worth noting as they are both much improved and quite impressive."
  
• Game Informer (75/100) still doesn't like the controls, but thinks the PSP game is superior to its PS2 counterpart: "Oddly enough, the single-player campaign is still more enjoyable than its PS2 brother. At the very least this does a better job of walking you through the first level and teaching you the ropes... But FTB's saving grace is its multiplayer, the only real reason to play this game. A lot of the single player problems evaporate when you go online and sample any of the eight multiplayer modes FTB 2 has to offer."

It doesn't appear as if Fireteam Bravo 2 offers any significant advances to the franchise. However, the critics generally agree that it'll give you an experience that's unparalleled in handheld gaming. You can dig that right? The game's now available in stores.

See also:
Life of a SOCOM player: females FTW!

A month ago, we showed you the graphical improvements of the upcoming Fireteam Bravo 2 over the original. The two games share many maps, but Fireteam Bravo 2 expectedly adds a slew of new multiplayer maps to the mix. The game features twelve maps in total, and IGN has secured screenshots and details about every single one of them. Getaway and Siege (pictured above) are my favorites, as they appear to provide the most dramatic backdrop for killing.

It appears that Sony's been making a lot of demo UMDs lately. The Killzone: Liberation UMD seems to be sent to random PlayStation Underground members and will also be available on newsstands in the next Official US PlayStation Magazine. But there are two more UMD demos to be clamoring for now: Gangs of London, which we assumed would no longer arrive after the game's website stopped taking orders for demos. SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2's demo UMD can be secured by pre-ordering the game at GameStop. That seems a little dumb (aren't demos supposed to help uninterested people in purchasing the game?) but maybe you can hassle your local GameStop employee to give you a disc for free, sans pre-order.

[Via IGN Boards]

One of the ten upcoming PSP games of 2006, SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2 looks to do a lot of things right: better graphics, better maps, and a really epic trailer. This trailer has finally made its way on to YouTube after living on Sony's official site. Enjoy.

This video is described simply as such: "This is the life of a Socom: FTB Player."

That's all you really need. It captures the life of one girl (yes, gaming girls do exist!) and her obsession with SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo. Watch as this pretty professionally made video makes fun of suburban female life, full servers, and lag. Any more details would spoil the fun, so start watching!