Hands On With The PSP-E1000

This is Sony's latest and final attempt to promote the Playstation Portable console before they move on to their next generation handheld, Playstation Vita. The PSP-E1000 is the cheapest PSP console to be released at an RRP of around £89 and is marketed as a base/beginner model for customers who are new to PSP. The main differences between this model and the top of the range PSP-3000 is the E1000 only has a mono speaker and does not support Wi-Fi. This means that using the console alone, it can not be used to play multiplayer matches against other PSP consoles. It is possible, however, to connect the PSP to a PS3 console and (using a free application from the Playstation store) use the PS3's Wifi connection to connect to the multiplayer servers.
I recommend if you are interested in buying any console then you should try to buy one as part of a bundle. The best bundle I found was the console, one game, and one movie. PSP discs are UMDs (Universal Media Discs) which are small discs held in a plastic casing. Games can also be downloaded through either a PC (via the Media Go software) or a PS3 (through the Playstation Store). Media Go is a little slow and takes a while to load, but once its up and running the program itself is not too bad.
The game that came with the bundle was a racing game called Gran Turismo. Released in 2009, Gran Turismo is the first edition of the driving simulator to feature on the PSP, and its good fun. Compared to Nintendo's DS Lite the graphics and gameplay are a much nicer experience. The detail of the cars and the driving physics are impressive for a portable console. The best comparison is the PSP is like having the power of a Playstation 2 in your pocket (which can be seen easily in the graphics of this game). This continues when the PSP is faced with downloaded games as well. The main problem with playing a game from a UMD is the noise coming from the console when the level is loading. I didn't notice it at first, but when I took it into my college a friend instantly picked up on it.  Once the level is loaded the console is very quiet, but it does make a little bit of noise when accessing the UMD. The console is quiet when playing downloaded games from the memory card. The movie is DVD quality. It’s on a small screen of course but is fine for traveling.

One of the big selling points Sony has tried to push for PSP is the ability to read digital comics on the device. This opens a whole world of pain. As mentioned above, the E1000 does not support Wifi so you have to download the application on your PC then transfer it onto the PSP... except the file cannot be found on the Playstation. I am currently up to two customer support emails and three long phone calls to Playstation Support and even they cannot find the file. I eventually found the application file on a forum site (i.e. not the Playstation website). So if anyone else is having this problem then leave a message in the comments below and I'll post the link.
To sum up, the PSP-E1000 is a good, solid console which will help you pass the time when you are travelling and are away from your main console. This is what a portable console is for and the PSP is a much better gaming console than Nintendo's DS Lite if you want to play slightly more serious games. There is a wide selection of games available from many of the big gaming brands. However, bear in mind that the console will soon be out of date as Playstation Vita is just around the corner. If the Vita is as good as the specs make out, this will be a powerhouse of a console; touch screens, full HD games, Wifi, 3G, two analog sticks... the only drawback to the Vita is the price (estimated to be roughly £289 – more than the cost of a PS3 slim with a 320GB hard drive!). So, if you ignore the massive price tag then I would say wait for the Playstation Vita. But if you want a good, cheap console with a wide variety of good quality games to use on your travels, I would definitely say you should consider this console.

"Let's go to work Deuce."

Game: Medal of Honor
Available Platforms: PS3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows

I am generally uninterested by FPS (first-person shooter) games about or based on ‘real’ wars because they often have a campaign which is over in the blink of an eye. I have played a few games on different platforms and I struggle to get into them. However, something about this latest instalment of the Medal of Honor series that caught my eye and decided to pick it up… and I’m so glad I did!
From the moment the game starts the atmosphere feels very different to most of the other FPS games I’ve played. This time the battlefield is Afghanistan and follows American Special Operation Soldiers fighting through claustrophobic streets after their jeep was ambushed by the Taliban.
The game play is very impressive. The HUD (heads up display) hardly intrudes into the screen, allowing you to see more of the battle because an enemy is not hidden behind your weapon and ammo information. The textures on the building also feel very realistic and the levels are well designed.
There are a few levels that feel like a COD (Call of Duty) copycat. “Belly of the Beast” involves a major battle between some American Rangers and opposing forces. It felt like it didn’t really fit into the game that well because most of the rest of the game is sneaking around in the dark with a sniper rifle and, at one point, a quad bike (love that level). Or if sneaking isn’t your cup of tea, you could always blow everything to pieces with a military helicopter.
The main difference between this and its rivals (like COD) is the feeling of respect for the real troops. The developers, Danger Close, have created a game which tells the story of the troops but also giving it the respect it deserves. And it does show it. The campaign feels realistic, not exaggerated. The game does boast that some actual Spec Ops soldiers had input into how the game feels, and it shows in-game.
There are a number of different game-play options: Campaign, Tier 1, and Multiplayer. Tier 1 is the same set of levels from the campaign but in a ‘hardcore’ challenge mode where each level is timed and recorded so you can compare your results with other players. The multiplayer is pretty much the same format as other FPS games. Maps from, or based on, the campaign and a series of different game modes. Also, the more and better you play then the more experience you gain and the more bonuses you can unlock (better weapons, laser sights, etc).
Understandably, some people have raised the issue that in the multiplayer some people have to play as the “opposing force” and shoot American troops. To be honest, it’s an inevitable part of the multiplayer experience and the game puts you onto one of the sides, you can’t choose either side to play. After all, in COD: Modern Warfare 2 there is a level when you shoot down hundreds of civilians in an airport in “No Russian” (skip this level, it’s really not worth playing if you don’t want to play it and it does give you the option to skip it before the level starts) so this type of ethical issue is not uncommon.

All in all, Medal of Honor is a great game. There were one or two little glitches which meant I had to restart a couple of levels, but it only happened a couple of times. The campaign is very good, but could still have been a little longer than it was. Despite this, this game is well worth playing, even if you are not a big FPS fan (but clearly you need to be comfortable with the setting for the game). Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a virtual military helicopter with my name on it. Have a good one!

The Final Frontier! World Tour

Iron Maiden returns home to the UK in order to finish off their latest world tour. The band have been touring since June 2010 in their much loved custom Boeing 757-200 (Ed Force One), piloted by the lead singer, Bruce Dickinson. This tour has been to promote their newest album, The Final Frontier, in which the classic Maiden sound embraces science fiction influences. These influences even extend to the latest look of their famous mascot, Eddie, who’s makeover now looks a cross between Alien and Predator. On the 31^st July 2011, Maiden travelled to the NIA in Birmingham UK to perform their two and half hour show, supported by Airbourne. This was my first Iron Maiden concert and my very first exposure to the full force of Maiden went as follows:

The lights in the arena went down and the crowd erupted into applause. There was a hint of bass guitar then the drum kit signalling the beginning of the Satellite 15... intro tape. For those who haven’t heard the first part of the first track from the new album, it sounds very panicky, perfect for building up the tension in the arena. As it gets close to finishing, there is a cheer from the front third of the standing area (in front of the stage). The intro tape and lighting effects finish in unison, everyone seems to hold their breath, Nicko hits the snare drum and Iron Maiden are there on stage powering into The Final Frontier (the second half of the first track off the new album). Suddenly the crowd comes alive and the cheer can be heard easily over the PA, which is set at 11 (obviously). As the song finishes they dive head-first into El Dorado, followed by 2 Minutes to Midnight.

I was very happy with their set because they played a fair few from the new album, including When The Wild Wind Blows (love it!), and many of their major hits such as The Trooper.

Originally, my only disappointment with the concert was that they got the crowd to sing the ending of The Number Of The Beast rather than finishing it as a band. However, one of my friends sent me a video he had found which included a comment about a technical issue. On the video it shows the confusion on Bruce’s face when the guitars cut out (so the comment seems to be true). With that in mind, I would like to say a big well done to the band for their professionalism and how well they coped with it. Finally, when the show had finished (the band had gone off stage and the house lights had come back on) they played Iron Maiden’s outro tape over the PA, which is Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life by Monty Python! The result was a large group of people dancing and singing in a circle the standing area. There ends my first Iron Maiden Concert. Truly Epic!

Up The Irons!!!