Well spotted, this isn’t Echocrhome (it’s coming, I can see it… now I can’t… now I can… he-heh), but the house here has been on Buzz’s PSP incarnation all weekend, and we’re all fighting to get the 100% perfect score on the solo challenge. So there was no doubt it’s time to swap out the reviews for the newest release. It’s definitly one for trivia heads, and worth a look. Plus I have a look at the news, Sony’s Q1 2008/2009 financial figures, and chat about your comments from last week’s ‘Future of the PSP’ show.

Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes), and feel free to leave your comments.

Not a news and review show this week, but my thoughts on how Sony and the PSP are faring in 2008. From a strong start to the year with Wipeout Pulse, Patapon and God of War, they’ve kinda let the side down. There’s some good vibes coming from Sony on the second half of the year (there would be, naturally), but I remain to be convinced.

My thinking detailed in more depth in the show, is we need more regularity to the market, over a four week cycle, that goes something like this…

• Week 1: Release a big, flagship game.
• Week 2: Release something cute, around $5, on the Playstation online store
• Week 3: Release a second tier game, that’s quirky and fun, perhaps experimental.
• Week 4: Add a new service to the PSP, either via a firmware update, or a utility app via the store.

Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes), and feel free to leave your comments.

PS: Switched comments back on…

If all is well, you’ll be able to see this text - our server problems her at The Podcat Network continue, but it appears that while our website is having problems, The PSP Show is still making it down the podcast feed. Which means it’s finally time to turn my eye onto Sony’s Swords and Sandals epic, God of War: Chains of Olympus.

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Tags: PSP, podcast, God of War, Chains of Olympus, Sony.

– Ewan

Back after a bundle of database problems meant all of TPN had a halt on posting new shows, but that’s just given me more time to crack on with some reviews - up first is Electronic Arts Need for Speed Pro Street. It’s an arcade racer, and while I prefer my driving a touch more realistic, it’s got a lot of appeal, and a killer soundtrack. Find out more in the show!

Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes), and feel free to leave your comments.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Need for Speed, Sony, EA.

Back from a stupidly long trip around the US and Europe, but comfy in the stash of games and news to go through. No immediate news today, blame jetlag, but I did want to touch on the bittorrent numbers PSP Fanboy linked to last week. After that, it’s on to another ‘crazy’ japanese arcade simulation - this time I get to be an Air Traffic Controller!

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Tags: PSP, podcast, Air Traffic Control, Sony.

It’s been well advertised, it’s obviously something Sony strongly believe in, but is Patapon a good game? And if so, just how good is it and how should it fit into the marketing strategy and message of the Playstation Portable? Let’s find out what I think, in this week’s PSP Show (coming live-ish from Barcelona).

Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes), and feel free to leave your comments.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Patapon, Sony.

So I’m getting read to head out to a number of conferences - I’ll be on the road for the next four weeks, starting off in Barcelona by being on the keynote panel for the European Broadcasting Union’s Multimedia Meets Radio conference. And that means a fully loaded PSP, with a bundle of games to get me through the flights, delays, queues and aggravation. So what are my top 5 PSP games while travelpsping? And has it changed since the same show last year? Let’s find out

(And as a challenge, try and guess the top five before you listen…)

You’ll be able to follow my adventures at www.ewanspence.com/video and the more official reporting over on The Tech Conference Show. Don;t worry though, with some big PSP games on the way, and the occasional surprise, you’ll still get your weekly hit of PSP podcasting fun.

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Tags: PSP, podcast, Travel, Top 5.

It’s fast and it’s furious, and sequels are always bigger and better, aren’t they? Sony’s Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice promises a Hollywood A-List plot of explosions and intrigue, but can it deliver in a 21st century gaming environment?

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Tags: PSP, podcast, Pursuit Force, Sony.

Carrying on with the classic titles from last year (and beyond, by the looks of it) is another ‘Arcade Collection,’ this time focussed on a specific genre (the horizontal shooter) and a specific brand - Gradius. How does this make the transition from arcade cabinet to portable powerhouse? I’ll give you a hint, slightly better than Atari Classics… but only slightly.

Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes), and feel free to leave your comments.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Retro, Gradius, Konami.

More news and reviews around the SonyPSP world, as SCEE continues to push Patapon ahead of a late Feb release in Europe and the US, the new MTV UMD video (why use a physical medium when the Playstation Store is there) and a look at a bundle of over 50 games from the golden age of the arcade in Atari Classics Evolved.

Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes) to find out all my thoughts.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Retro, cube, Atari.

The regular slice of news for the week (and Patapon at $20 is a damn good idea, Sony). THe review is another title missed from last year, the interesting puzzle game, Cube. Definitely not mass-appeal, but as an arcade puzzler, it does reasonably well. Listen to the show (or subscribe in iTunes) to find out all my thoughts.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Puzzle, cube, D3 Publisher.

Update: Direct download URL now points to the correct show.

Released in Europe just in time for Christmas, and in the States back in September (so consider last week’s Wipeout Pulse dates our revenge…) is Gabe Logan’s second mission on the PSP, the incredibly tightly plotted Syphon Filter Dark Mirror. It’s the sort of game that can cure jet-lag (honestly)!. And a round of up other news… or at least what there is of it.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Syphon Filter, Logan’s Shadow, Sony.

And into the new year, with some lovely news from the Las Vegas CES Show (if you have a PSP Slim). I talk about GPS and Skype on the PSP and why the break from compatibility for Skype (Slim and Lite only) is something expected. And of course, the big game of the year is already flooding Europe. Is Wipeout Pulse really that good?

Tags: PSP, podcast, Wipeout, Pulse, Sony.

To follow up from my thoughts on 2007, it’s time to stick my neck out (just a little bit) as I discuss with you all what could happen over the next twelve months; the Sony Playstation Store, God of War, the PSP hardware, homebrew titles, official firmwares and breakout games are all discussed. Now, it’s over to you. What did I miss or get wrong?

Tags: PSP, podcast, Playstation Store, Crazy Taxi, Logan’s Shadow.

As the end of the year approaches, it’s time for me to look back at some of my highlights of the PSP year for 2007. Will they match up with yours, and will you even agree with me? I’m looking forward to the comments. Next show will be the highlights of 2008, and I’m sure that will be just as argumentative as well. Maybe you’ll want to pitch in with your thoughts here before the show.

And the winner of The Sims 2: Castaway competition is announced as well.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Playstation Store, Crazy Taxi, Logan’s Shadow.

Christmas is coming, and while I’ve been bouncing around Europe, the PSP scene continues. Time to play catchup in tonights show, with the latest news, firware 3.80 additions, and a review of the Lost/Gilligan’s Island-esque “Sims 2 Castaway” from EA. And for your chance to win a copy, listen to the question at the end of the show, and send your answers to ewanspence@gmail.com. Winners to be announced on the Christmas Eve show.

Tags: PSP, podcast, The Sims, Castaway, Electronic Arts.

Okay, so Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow is going to have to wait till the next show. Over the weekend I’ve been taking a long look at both the online Playstation Store (available in a UK and US web browser that looks at http://store.playstation.com/) and the new to PSP title; namely the rhythm based Beats game. Got to say I’m not only impressed, but the vision that Sony are showing here could stand them in good stead during 2008.

Tags: PSP, podcast, Sony, Store, Beats, iTunes.