It's a question that's always been our minds: why is 300 a PSP exclusive? Certainly, the bigger, badder consoles could do the franchise a bit more justice, no? Well, according to Yahoo!, it simply had to do with time:

"We wanted to do Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but everyone has in mind what they want to do with marketing and everything. By the time they get around to pulling the trigger and they want a day and date with the movie, we ended up with the PSP. I'm completely happy with the game we made. I think it's cool."

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters just came out on PSP and a lot of gamers have high hopes for the title given the history of the series. We here at PSP Fanboy love Ratchet & Clank, but what about everyone else? It seems like most critics agreed with us, but let's see why:

• IGN (90/100) "It's packed with fantastic single-player content, has a strong multiplayer element, boasts a great visual and thematic presentation, and excels with razor-sharp gameplay mechanics."
• Yahoo! (100/100) "For the last two titles, the developers of Ratchet & Clank have done a wonderful job building full-featured multiplayer support into their games. Size Matters is arguably the best attemt to date. Although it only supports four players at a time, the maps and modes are meticulously build to wring the most out of multiplayer matches."
• 1UP (70/100) "If you're looking for a game that matches the quality of the previous games in the Ratchet franchise...well, keep looking."

Not sure what game 1UP was playing, but they're the only one to even give the game anything close to that score, so if you're a fan I think you need to check out Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters.

Qaz from DCEmu (registration required) has released a pretty nice AIM/MSN/Yahoo client for the PSP. It's pretty easy to install and use ... so long as you're willing to struggle with the PSP's pathetic phone-like virtual keyboard. Too bad ZX81's newly released Virtual Keyboard isn't compatible: certainly, conversations would be far more manageable. Regardless, these are two appreciated apps that will certainly help a great number of people, especially because it doesn't involve homebrew. Simply download, extract, and access from the PSP's internet browser.

One of our Dream Games was God of War: a mythological beat-em-up that took was rooted in psuedo Greek mythology. Looks like 300 is going to attempt to fill that role for PSP gamers. The game is based on the trials of 300 Spartans that must go against a million Persians. Considering how you'll have to fight to the death, I think it's safe to say that we can expect a lot of killing. As Yahoo! Games explains, "There are showers of red blood and flying body parts."

Besides the gore, the game promises to deliver an action experience tailor-made for the PSP. The camera will be automatic, akin to God of War. By using "horde technology," the game will continue to shower you with enemies, although only about six will be on screen at all times. The developers intend to have their battle system have depth as well: "Enemies have conditions to beat and we give you the tools to do it. Then, the player needs to make choices on whom to attack first, what they want to do to the enemy, and then, pile on some other choices regarding health management and your rage. So, very quickly, you find that all your choices are meaningful."

300: March to Glory will release February 27th, exclusively for the PSP. Until then, feel free to check out some interesting cinematics from the game.

[Update 1: Corrected linkage. Hopefully, the armies of Sparta will spare my life for this error.]

After reporting some pretty disappointing losses, Sony is desperately trying to restructure its games division to at least break even. After stating boldly that they will not give up on the PSP, Sony will now seriously push the multimedia capabilities of the system. They've already started developing partnerships with media providers, such as amazon, but it looks like Sony is looking for even larger partnerships.

According to MarketWatch, analysts are predicting Sony will partner up with "at least one big ISP, such as Yahoo." Such tie-ins will promote the PSP's ability to download movies, television shows and PlayStation games. The PSP is technically capable of doing a lot, but the goal is to get the word out to the mainstream.

"It was pretty much a competition issue with the Nintendo so we have to fight back by introducing more attractive applications [for the PSP] by using the network," Nobuyuki Oneda, Sony's CFO, told the Financial Times.

[Thanks, nav! Via paidContent]

Are you happy to see me? Or is that just a Snake in your pants? Solid Snake goes portable in a big way. Get ready for the biggest non-shock of the year: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is good. Very good. In fact, it's THE killer app that Sony fans have been waiting for:

• 1UP (95/100) - "All this translates into a game that essentially pushes the PSP in all of its features: graphics, portability, Internet, extra hardware doohickeys, and multiplayer. Sure, it might have hiccups (occasional ghosting, quirky A.I., the one analog nub), but Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is not only a fine MGS title -- it's also a damn good showcase for the PSP."
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• IGN (90/100) - "It's been a long time coming, but this is what Metal Gear Solid fans, and indeed PSP fans have been waiting for: a title that demonstrates what the technology of the PSP can actually do, with a solid action title to boot. The GPS and WiFi scanning feature is excellently implemented, the online and single player modes are deep, and there are plenty of things to do by tracking down and recruiting new soldiers from various places. This is one of the games to add to your collection if you have the PSP."
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• Yahoo (80/100) - "This is one of the PSP's best multiplayer titles, giving you essentially a two-for-one experience. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops isn't a must-have for everyone, but most gamers recruited into its ranks will be satisfied."

The game has shipped to retailers, so expect them in stores today or tomorrow. Rush in to your game store, and tell us what you think about the game!

Being at DigitalLife in NYC has been cool: I've been talking to publishers about their latest games (expect impressions and interviews soon!). But, the show floor is too busy: there's always somewhere to be, somewhere to go. That's why a good breakfast is so important when I get up. If you're a hardcore PSP fan like me, you know that breakfast doesn't feel right if it doesn't have a chunk of PSP in it. Thankfully, this Japanese auction at Yahoo for a PSP omelette should hit the spot. At around $100 including shipping, it seems like a pretty good deal!

Yum!

[Via Kotaku]

The gripping story of ophidiophobia in the sky has propelled Snakes on a Plane star Kenan Thompson into the spotlight. Throughout most of the film, he's seen playing the PSP. But what game has him so engrossed? An interview at Yahoo reveals all:

• "I was playing NBA Street Showdown on the PSP during filming. I was playing it a whole lot and I was getting really good at it."
  
• The PSP was not included in Kenan's contract: "I had to give it back after we finished filming, but I had my own, so I wasn't tripping."
• Kenan thinks the PSP's one of the best handhelds around, due to its multiple capabilities: "You put it in your car and it turns into an MP3 player. It's crazy."

Of course, more amazing than the PSP being in Snakes on a Plane is knowing that Samuel L. Jackson plays the system as well: "Sam Jackson loves video games. I think I might have caught him playing my PSP a couple of times on set. He's a cool dude like that." Awesome!

Read the rest of the interview to find out more on a potential sequel to the movie (Lizards on the Backs of Llamas on a Boat) and what he thinks about the DS and the Brain Age games ("I felt stupid the first time I played it").

David Carony, executive editor at CNET, has a lot to say about Sony, the PSP, and their newly announced mylo. Sony's attempting to market the device at a whopping $350, which is ridiculous when many, if not all of its features can be implemented in the PSP, or a PSP redesign. With the right accessories and firmware upgrades, the PSP can do every thing the mylo can... plus it can play games. And at $199, it would be a bargain for the consumer. Here's a list of what Carony believes will make the PSP better:

1. Skype support to make Internet (VoIP) calls (using the SOCOM headset).
2. Support for Slingbox (a competitor of Location-Free TV). Sony could make some bling by not selling hardware, but selling a Slingbox application.
3. Built-in IM applications, similar to mylo's support for Yahoo! and Google.
4. Better e-mail integration.
5. Keyboard accessory.
6. Video output for TV.
7. Stop making Connect so crappy. Where's the revamp?
   

These are all great, plausible and reasonable upgrades that Sony can provide. If Sony actually took these suggestions to heart, I know a ton more college students and business people would pick up a PSP. Let's hope Sony has the brains to follow through on some of this.

[Via PSP World]