Playstation Network Recommendation Thread

[nukehead]

Decided to start this bad boy up because I am jealous that there is an Xbox 360 one, but I don't have a 360. :( /sulk

This thread, should it not die, will hopefully be a place to come to and share any and all things PSN-related.

Another reason I decided to start this thread is I have been suckered in blown away by Playstation Plus. Call it my natural tendency of whoring trophies, but since I signed up (3 months ago) I have received at least one decent game every month. For its price its a no-brainer in my opinion.

Having said that here are some of my top games on the PSN so far:

Super Stardust HD
Twin-stick shooter filled with awesome. The hours I have put into this to try and get into the top tiers of the leaderboards; oh the hours! Did I mention it was pretty? :O
Its frenetic pace and panic inducing difficulty keep me coming back for more. Having said that its not that difficult once you figure out how to use your dash and bombs effectively. I have had immense amounts of fun with this title even though it was released ages ago. Co-op play too, and DLC which adds Split-screen and survival modes complete the package. Bomb-hoarder trophy is a little punk, though. -_-

PixelJunk Shooter
Call me a sucker for twin-stick shooters but I loved this game. Visually this game sold me on one a glimpse of a screenshot. The second I played it I was in love. What they have achieved with the fluid-based 'puzzles' is awesome both visually and as a game play mechanic. If the sequel is exactly the same - which I read somewhere is the case - I will more than likely day-one purchase it. Oh and please don't call me a sucker again.

Aero Racers
I don't know if it is because I got it for free, but this game is wicked fun. Its part of the "Mini's" section of the PSN and I think the download was about 7-14mb. Don't let its size fool you though it can be quite addictive. It's a top-down racer along the lines of Micro-machines with an added mechanic of 'grinding' - read boosting - off the walls. To me this is what sets this title apart from most top-down racers as there is a very cool risk versus reward for getting the grinds right. Too close to the wall and you crash into it; too far away and you are being past by the relentless AI. Also, its around R30 bucks, please.

I'll think more on some to add, as I know I am missing some key games here. Hopefully you guys can also recommend some which I haven't played properly, or at all, but have heard good things: Crash Commandos, Gravity Crash, Joe Danger and The Last Guy.

[KraMGarD]

I've seriously neglected my PS3 and this piqued my interest. What is this Playstation Plus exactly and how much is it? I've only downloaded 1 game so far from PSN - Vagrant Story. Very cool.

[josefvz]

I have a PS3, but have no internet at home. So i have no idea what it is. Some more info will be great!

[cyanfrost]

I used to buy stuff from the PSN store for my PSP and even downloaded some pretty good demos of games where you could play a couple of levels. Pricing is still a tad high for me though ... but this WAS last year. I should have a look again.

[nukehead]

Ok to clear up the whole Playstation Plus conundrum.

Price-wise it is about R500 for a 12-month subscription, although you can you can get 15 months for the price of 12 until Feb 2011

The skeptics have pointed out, though, that when your subscription ends the free games you get fall away, however I do not see myself not renewing my subscription next year. Why? Well in the last 3 months I have acquired, for free:

PSOne Classics
Oddworld: Abe's Odyssey - R45
Medievil - R 45
Kula World - R45

Mini's
Blast Off - R33
Alien Zombie Death - R22
Echoes - R13
VectorTD - R33
YetiSports - R33
Aero Racer - R55

PSN <--- (These alone would be enough to get plus)
Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse (All 5 episodes) - R249
Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - R140
Zen Pinball - R75

That is on games alone I have acquired R788 worth of 'free' games, which will expire next year August if I don't renew my subscription.

Where PS+ has worked for me is that it kind of forces you to try new games and genres because it's 'free' so you download it and half the time end up enjoying it. Most times completely forgetting that a couple months ago you couldn't get one new release because of the initial sign-up fee.

Also every month you get free DLC for random PS3 retail games - this months was four for Fallout 3 - which I think you get to keep forever. This is more like a lucky-packet though as if you don't have the game it becomes a non event.

Oh and don't forget the exclusive price-cuts on games every month...

\fanboi rant on Playstation Plus ;)

[KraMGarD]

Bit off topic: I've recently done a bit of exploring on my PS3 and am now using it as a media player. I know, I'm such a noob. I've barely scratched the surface with this console. It's a REALLY great HD media player and I almost forked out R1550+ for a Western Digital media player o_O I only have a small hard drive (60GB) and my movies are taking up that space VERY fast, so I'm going to have to upgrade to at least 500GB if I'm going to dive into the PSN game downloading thing again. Apparently you can just get a normal 2.5" laptop hard drive and stick it in there. So, R500 a year and you get to download all that - not bad. BTW how fast is the PSN for downloading larger games like Fallout 3? I've got a 4MB line with WebAfrica.

[nukehead]

@KraMGard

I have a wireless network so my PS3 connects to my PC upstairs and streams it directly to my TV. ;P
So if you can rather go for a router and wireless network, then download TVersity - free ;)- and install on your PC, which will get rid of any issues the PS3 might have of reading HDD's. Issues that I had for ages :/

With regards to connection and download speed, I'm on a Uncapped Shaped 512K Line from Afrihost... I can pull down a PSN title within a couple hours depending on the size. I had a massive update for one of my games - 2.2gigs at the end of the month - which took 3 days (being throttled though)... but because of the Automatic Download feature of Plus it did it in the background whilst I carried on playing other titles.

Just FYI, I have a 40gb PS3 so I have to delete games after I finish them, but you can always re-download them at a later stage. Also with my PC as my media server the whole 40gb is used for games and gaming.

[Nferno]

Just FYI, I have a 40gb PS3 so I have to delete games after I finish them

Heh, I also have the bulky first-gen 40gb model. Just use it as a music hub and exclusives \o/

My friend is a PSN junkie and I see he's been playing Worms (not sure which one) religiously for the past few weeks. He says it feels much better with a PS controller than on PC, so I'm going to have to give that a download one of these days when I scrounge up the cashmonies.

Nice thread, keep us updated on what you find on the PSN :)

[nukehead]

What got me all up in the PSN market was the so-far-for-a-year-permanent special on cards that Take 2 has. Although I can't seem to find the R200 ones anymore, hmmmm.

I should have a host of new games by the 'morrow (if the Store would update already) so I'll let you guys know if there are any gems.

[CraftyDick]

Now hold on 'y'all. You lose your "free" games after your subscription ends? Not for me thnx. I have this odd habit where, even if I never play the game again, I don't lend or or sell my old/completed games. So if I lose my games, I am not going to subscribe to PS+.

[nukehead]

Now hold on 'y'all. You lose your "free" games after your subscription ends? Not for me thnx. I have this odd habit where, even if I never play the game again, I don't lend or or sell my old/completed games. So if I lose my games, I am not going to subscribe to PS+.

Look, if that's the way you feel then fine, I don't want this thread to turn into whether or not you are going to subscribe. I would prefer it remained about the games etc.

Having said that I feel you are being very short-sighted in saying you lose the games. Yes they expire after 12 months, when your subscription expires, you then renew your subscription, to get more free games, and you have your old games! Logic wins here I'm afraid... maybe the only real 'problem' is the lack of choice when it comes to the games, however if every 12 months I get so many chances that I'll play a game I wouldn't normally, and end up loving it; which has happened every month so far, For R500 bucks? C'mon.

[CraftyDick]

Decided to start this bad boy up because I am jealous that there is an Xbox 360 one, but I don't have a 360. :( /sulk

This thread, should it not die, will hopefully be a place to come to and share any and all things PSN-related.

Another reason I decided to start this thread is I have been suckered in blown away by Playstation Plus. Call it my natural tendency of whoring trophies, but since I signed up (3 months ago) I have received at least one decent game every month. For its price its a no-brainer in my opinion.

.

Yip, all things psn related.

......and I gave my opinion.

Now **** on me some more pls.

[Die Jason]

Nobody shat on you. Just two parties each giving their opinion.

Would love to replay some of the old PS1 classics, KraMGarD mentioned Vagrant Story, awesome title.

[CraftyDick]

I would like to get FF7 and 8. I was Interested in WhipeOut HD a while ago and when ps+ launched, it was on of the limited time rental games (as in not really free) that was on offer . So the day I was going to start my subscription, my friend told me that the games are based on monthly releases and I wouldn't get WOHD because the month was up.

[Die Jason]

Just had a quick look through the full list of PSN Classics. I think it would be worth it to purchase a PS3 just for some of those old games, there are some outstanding titles.

[nukehead]

So this months batch:

Critter Crunch
Had a brief play around with this just now, and its 3:30am so my judgement is more than likely skewed... but had some fun. Just jammed some 2-player split-screen, didn't really know what was potting - there are tutorials. Intial gameplay though is puzzle-based bug feeding :O - what does that even mean? Well you are a critter and you eat and-what-can-only-be-called-puke it back- up into bigger bugs which eventually explode,dropping crystalswhich give you points. Aforementioned bugs crawl downscreen and if they get too close you die. There also seemed to be power-up bugs but I couldn't figure out how to activate them. Visually its well animated and pretty cheeky. I'll give it a proper go tomorrow and relay the findings.

Oh and Syphon Filter! I loved this game, can't wait to replay.

@CraftyDick
Yeah I wasn't ****ting on you, just was nipping an obvious segway-into-a-string-of-replies-about-who-is-or-isnt-getting-plus in the bud. I mean I still discussed your opinion on the matter ;P

[DarkPrince]

Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Marvel vs Capcom 2
Cuboid
Flower
Gundemonium Collection
Solner-X 1, 2 and Lost World
Final Fight
Earthwork Jim HD
Wipeout
Burn Zombie Burn

[KraMGarD]

Just had a quick look through the full list of PSN Classics. I think it would be worth it to purchase a PS3 just for some of those old games, there are some outstanding titles.

Resident Evil!!!!!!!! I'm so going to hurt my credit card. It's already bleeding, but I'll just kick it some more ;). I would love to see Tenchu there. Will there be a release of PS2 titles anytime soon? Glad to see Final Fantasy VIII there. I've got the 4 discs and I played up to the end of disc 3 and when I inserted disc 4...nothing. Very happy to see this one on the list.

@ nukehead - Thanks for the wireless-TV-connection "tip". I've moved my PS3 from my computer room to my TV room recently, so this setup will be very handy.

[josefvz]

So if i understand correctly:
PSN + Gives you "Free" down-loadable games,Random DLC's, and discount where normal PSN you have to pay retail for the same stuff?

[nukehead]

So if i understand correctly:
PSN + Gives you "Free" down-loadable games,Random DLC's, and discount where normal PSN you have to pay retail for the same stuff?

Pretty much, also the 'Automatic Download' feature is under-rated, I no longer put in a game - unless its new - and have to wait for the updates. You underestimate how cool it is booting up your ps3 and it telling you that whilst you were sleeping it downloaded and updated your games for you... I always seem to feel the need to thank it. :/