Ratchet Demo On PS3 Store

The American's always get stuff before us, and this time it is in the form of Ratchet & Clank 3 demo, a great reason to clean off the dust and boot up the console.

If you can't afford to move to the US and download this demo, then I suggest you create another account to sample the greatness of this franchise.

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Project Gotham Racing 4 Demo On Marketplace

If you can't wait until this Friday to get your PGR4 goodness, then head over to Live Marketplace and grab the download for the demo of the game

The demo is sized at 1.27GB and allows you to try out three cars and two bikes in a small selection of Arcade Mode as well as an exclusive Nurburgring Snow Challange.

Also, if you are in the US or Canada, you can download a demo for F.E.A.R. Files: Extraction Point, which comes in at just under 500MB.

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Simpsons and Conan Demo On Marketplace

360 owners will be happy to hear that they can now get the demo for The Simpsons Game from Marketplace.

The demo is identical to last weeks Playstation 3 demo and sees you take control of both Homer and Bart. The pair need to stop the giant Lard Lad statue, which has come to life and is destroying the town, along with his army of miniature Krusty's.

This section is a sort of parody towards the great Shadow of the Colossus, and from what we sampled, is looking to be a pretty good game filled with all the usual humour and slapstick you tend to expect from the comical show.

If that doesn't interest you, you may want to download the demo for Conan, where you can execute a portion of the game’s many fighting moves and combinations as Conan decimates his foes using a variety of deadly weapons, hand-to-hand combat and even his surrounding environment.

Both demos come in at just under 500MB each.

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Looney Tunes Invade Live Marketplace

To possibly get one in on Sony for their Simpsons Demo, the American Marketplace now features a demo for another cartoon, in the form of Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal. The game sees you play as a variety of different Looney toons as they fight for their lives.

Also up for grabs are demos for Bee Movie, Thrillville and Bladestorm.

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Call of Duty 4 Beta Ends Tonight

The Call of Duty 4 Beta is to be closed tonight at midnight, bringing to closure the testing phase of the multiplayer game, which has truly impressed everyone who have had the chance to play it, and makes the month or so wait until November 5th all the more agonising.

Read what we thought of the Beta here.

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PES 2008 Demo Hits Live

Another demo for all you 360 owners, this time of “the greatest football game of all time” according to Konami, and is none other than Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

The demo weighs in at 1.18GB and lets you kick around the ball with a handful of teams to see how the game handles.

The full game is out on the 26th of October on 360, PC, PS2 and PS3 and should be interesting to see how well it does seeing as it is released a whole month after arch-rival Fifa 08.

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Viva Piñata Party Animals Demo on Live

Microsoft released a Demo on Live Marketplace today for the upcoming spin-off of Viva Piñata, titled Party Animals.

The Demo is sized at just under 1GB and allows you and up to three other people to play a handful of mini-games featuring the cuddly creatures.

The game is out this Christmas and will feature over 40 mini-games.

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Sega Rally Demo on Marketplace

If you can't wait till Friday the 28th to get your Sega Rally goodness, then head over to Live Marketplace and download a demo of the game.

The demo weighs in at just under 700MB features two tracks, Canyon 2 and Tropical 2, as well as two cars, the Mitsubishi Evo IX FQ3 and the Subaru Impreza STi Spec C type RA.

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Tony Hawk's Proving Ground Demo Inbound

Expect to see a demo for upcoming skateboarding game Tony Hawk's Proving Ground on Live Marketplace tomorrow, 10th September.

So far we know that Proving Ground will include a Video Editor (at last!), seamless skating from single to multiplayer, and a fully customisable 'Skate Lounge' where you can skate with your friends. It will be interesting to see what other new features it will bring and if it can stand up to EA's Skate.

So once the Live maintenance gets done and access to Marketplace is available, go and download it.

Hit the jump to watch a trailer of Activisions upcoming game.

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Want To Play The Call of Duty 4 Beta? Here's How

Infinity Ward handed out codes for the Call of Duty 4 Beta earlier this week, but this was limited to just US players who signed up for it on CharlieOscarDelta. The registration has now closed and a few thousand gamers got their hands on the elusive codes.

However, if you aren't patient enough to wait for another round of prize draws, then there are a few ways to get onto the Beta.

Firstly, the simplest way is to preorder Call of Duty 4 from GAME. Placing a preorder will secure you with a Beta code, which you will receive within a week of preordering.

Secondly, you can purchase access to the code from eBay. This method doesn't give you the actual Beta code, but the seller will use a glitch in the 360's download system to allow you to download it yourself.

Thirdly, if a friend has the Beta, then they can do what the eBay sellers are doing, but for free. This and the previous method will require you to hand over your Gamertag details and password.

The game is definitely worth the £4.99 or so that the eBay sellers are charging, and is region free, so will work anywhere in the world. Read our impressions of the Beta, and hit the jump to read how to do the glitch.


Please Note, that we do not recommend you hand over your Xbox Live or Email details to anybody for obvious reasons, and we cannot be held responsible should anything go wrong. This guide is just informative.

1. Plug in 2 Controllers.
2. Sign Controller 1 into the shared account (the one with the Beta)
3. Leave Controller 2 signed out
4. With Controller 1, go to 'Account Management' under the Marketplace Blade then 'Download History'
5. With Controller 2, press the Guide Button then A to access profiles
6. With Controller 1, select YOUR account and sign in
7. Press B on Controller 2 (to exit the guide) then unplug Controller 2
8. Select the COD4 Beta onscreen, then press 'Confirm Download'
9. The Beta will now download with YOUR account and once done, will work with your account

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Timeshift Demo on Marketplace

Head over to Marketplace now to download a demo for Timeshift, a game that lets you slow, stop or reverse the flow time, so in effect you will be able to shift time.

The demo is just over 500MB and allows you to have a play around in the totally revamped world of Timeshift.

The full game hits the shops on September 28th. Hit the jump to watch a trailer for the game.

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MoH Airborne Demo on Marketplace

Well here's something you could play while taking a break from Bioshock, a demo for yet another WWII game, this time Medal of Honor.

The demo is just under 1GB in size, and lets you play the first four objectives of Operation Husky.

The main thing that makes this shooter different from the likes of Call of Duty, is that you don't start off the level in a stationary position, but you are airdropped onto the battlefield, giving you the option of where to land and how to attack the enemy.

Hit the jump to watch a trailer of the game, which is released September 7th on 360, PC and PS3.


Note: The trailer above is of the PC Demo

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Skate Demo Available on Marketplace

After first announcing that the Skate demo will be released last Wednesday, EA had to delay it due to technical problems with the skate.reel video upload, but now it has been sorted, the demo is finally available for download.

The demo features tutorials and gameplay challenges in San Vanelona’s community center skatepark to introduce gamers to Skate’s revolutionary Flickit controls. The demo also includes the innovative skate.reel feature where gamers can capture video footage of their skate session at any time during the demo and share the footage online at www.skate.ea.com for other players to view, rate and comment on.

Hit the jump to watch a new trailer of Skate.

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Two New Demos on Live Marketplace

Two new demos are now available on Marketplace for you to try.

The first is for cult hit Beautiful Katamari, due for release this autumn. The demo weighs in at 430MB, and is currently only available on North American Live, which is the perfect excuse to go and make a American Live account. For those that don't know, the game has you control the Prince, rolling around your katamari, and collecting objects scattered around the world, with the katamari getting bigger with more stuff you collect.

The second demo is of Fatal Inertia, a futuristic racing game combining the disciplines of rally racing, demolition derby and high-performance aeronautics. The demo is only 380MB and is somewhat like Wipeout, only not a good.

Hit the jump to watch a trailer for Beautiful Katamari.

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Bioshock Demo and Launch Trailer Released

For all of you crying out for some new games during the summer drought, you may be glad to hear that a surprise demo for upcoming hit Bioshock, was put up on Marketplace early this morning.

The demo is a hefty 1.35GB, but it will be worth it. Here's a description of the game from the dashboard for everyone who has no idea what this game is about:

Welcome to Rapture with the official demo to BioShock, the “genetically enhanced” first person shooter. BioShock is a shooter unlike any you’ve ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You’ll have an arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to rocket launchers and flame throwers, but you’ll also be forced to genetically alter your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon – you. Injectable Plasmids give you ungodly powers: blast electrical currents into water to electrocute multiple enemies, freeze them solid and obliterate them with the swing of a wrench, or create a swarm of attack hornets from your own mutated flesh. BioShock is that rare game in which Brainpower is as valuable as Firepower. You’ll need plenty of both to get out alive.

A launch trailer is also available for download, or you can hit the jump and watch it right now...

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Heavenly Sword Demo on PSN

One of the most anticipated and freshest Playstation 3 games, Heavenly Sword, has finally been given a playable demo to download over the Network.

It weighs in at just under 950MB and gives you a taster of what to expect from this hack and slash action game. You take control of Nariko, a Goddess of War if you will, who is the holder of the 'Heavenly Sword', which drains the life-force of the holder. She embarks on a journey to defeat King Botan and his army before the Sword kills her.

Hit the jump to see the extended E3 trailer.

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360 Demo Overload

For those of you who like to try before you buy, then this will be great news for you. This week saw the release of not one, but four Demos for Overlord, Shadowrun, Tenchu X and Vampire Rain.

Overlord
Price: Free
Availability: Not available in Asia or Mexico
Dash Details: Do you want fear, respect, gold and power? Take control of a horde of Minions and become the Overlord!
Size: 891.8 MB (approx.)

Shadowrun
Price: Free
Availability: Available in all Xbox Live regions
Dash Details: Download Shadowrun’s multiplayer demo, an intense FPS experience that rewards cleverness and split-second improvisation through a unique combination of modern weapons, ancient magic and advanced technology.
Size: 1.07 GB (approx.)

Tenchu Z
Price: Free
Availability: Not available in Asia
Dash Details: Tenchu Z Demo includes a single player mission and pre-selected ninja accessories from the full game. Master the Ancient art of Stealth in Tenchu Z using your keen senses and wide array of Ninja weaponry to become the Ultimate Ninja Assassin.
Size: 641.8 MB (approx.)

Vampire Rain
Price: Free
Availability: Xbox Live members in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore
Dash Details: Vampire Rain combines stealth, survival horror and shooter aspects of your favorite games as you lead a black ops unit to secretly eliminate the deadliest supernatural enemies you’ve ever faced. Nightwalkers are intensely fast with super agility and they are converting humans to their kind at an alarming rate. Traverse all areas of an eerie and rain soaked city by moving across rooftops and through back alleys to avoid detection and enable the best strategic use of your weapons. It’s up to you to protect the innocent and find the evil source of this invasion before it’s too late. Demo includes 2 full missions and 2 experience trials along with an Xbox Live multiplayer experience unlike any other where you can experience the power of a Nightwalker first hand.
Size: 844.7 MB (approx.)

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Preview: Colin McRae DiRT

The Demo for Colin McRae DiRT hit Marketplace last week, and if you were one of those eager to try out the game, you would have been as frustrated as everyone else, as for some reason the download speed was atrocious, to the extent that my download took just under 24 hours to download. After seeing the screenshots for this game, and not having played a proper rally game since Rallisport Challange 2 on the Xbox, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this.

The Demo lets you play on three different race modes, Crossover, Hill Climb, and C.O.R.R. (Championship Off-Road Racing). Each mode has its own specific rally car, Subaru Impreza WRX STI spec C, Mitsubishi Evo IX and a 650hpV8 buggy.

The presentation of the game is truly something else. The menus are definitely the best of any 360 game yet, and the loading screen before the start of a race shows your statistics, in a fly-through scope, such statistics include race miles, podium finishes, restarts, longest air, and loads more to stop you from getting bored the race. The only thing I could complain about is the voiceover, who tries to excite you, but instead annoys to such an extent that I had to turn the volume down.

After getting over how cool the menus are, the first thing to do is pick a car and then jump into a rally suit and get out on the track. If you've ever played a rally game before, then you know what to expect, one hell of a ride. For those of you used to the Gran Turismo's or Forza Motorsport's, this game will feel totally different. The cars are meant for thrashing around an off-road circuit, throwing your car around a tight corner and scraping the barriers and trees is all part and parcel of the rally experience, and flying off the edge of a cliff would be great, if only the game didn't respawn your car after going out of the boundary.

The graphics look very nice, cars look very real, and are extremely detailed. Dust, mud and grass fly all over the place under the speed of your car, and after a few seconds of off-roading, your car won't look dirtier than, well, something dirty. The damage to the cars is probably the best of any racer on the platform to date. Hitting a tree a bit too hard will cause you to carry on driving in a wrangled mess, hitting a tree with speed at an angle will most probably send your wheels flying in all directions and render you incapable of carrying on. Further detail includes smashed windows, wing mirrors and even falling doors. Also of note is the different views you can use, the standard behind the car, fullscreen and bonnet view are included, but with the addition of not one, but two in-car views, which give PGR3 a run for its money.

The sound department is pretty good, not on level with Forza 2's, but still good. Engine sounds can be a bit quiet if using the outer views, but using the in-car view you will hear flying gravel and stones falling behind you and the grass underneath your tires shred away. The lack of a co-driver is a bit disappointing, but it is a Demo, so some things might be better left for the full game. Can't wait to hear the navigation's and cautions of my counterpart, just hope he doesn't have the same voice as the menu voiceover!

Only complaints I have over this Demo is the framerate, which isn't stable at all, but not enough to rule out a purchase, as I'm told that this is an early build and the framerate has been sorted out a bit. And the annoying voiceover man (which I hope can be turned off). Anyhow, the game is out on June 15th, a week after the hardcore Forza 2, check back in a few weeks time to see who takes the podium.

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Colin McRae: DiRT demo on Thursday

Codemasters have confirmed that on Thursday 24th May, a demo for their upcoming racing game, Colin McRae DIRT, will hit Marketplace.

The demo will contain three different modes to play. It will have a Super Stage Crossover, racing against Colin McRae (not the real one obviously!), buggy racing against nine opponents, and a hill climb.

Seems to be a great summer for racing fans, with Forza 2 out on June 8th, Flatout Carnage out sometime in June and Colin McRae DIRT out on the 15th of June on 360 and PC, while the PS3 version is due 'shortly after'.

Keep an eye out here for impressions in a few days time.

Source: [Tekfront]

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Forza Motorsport 2 Demo released

Finally, we can now test-drive this game! After waiting all April for the supposed release of the demo, and also a delay in the actual release date for the full game, 360 owners can now rejoice.

The demo features 24 cars, spanning three classes (A, C and R2). Below are the Class A and C cars, you'll have to play the demo to find out the R2 cars!

BMW Motorsport M3 E36
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Dodge Viper SRT10
Dodge SRT4
Ferrari F430
Ford Ford GT
Ford Mustang GT
Honda Integra Type-R
Lamborghini Gallardo
Lexus IS350
Mazda RX-8 Mazdaspeed
Mercedes SLR
Nissan Fairlady Z
Porsche 911 Turbo (997)
Subaru Legacy B4 2.0 GT
TVR Sagaris

The game is only single player exhibition mode (against 7 other CPU players), so you'll have to wait for the full version to test out Live as well as the customisation options - but even if that was included, why waste your time customising if you can't transfer over to the full game?

Note: If you can't find the demo go to: Marketplace > Games > All Games > Forza 2

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