This may be one of the questions that PlayStation 3 fans have been asking since Sony announced the delay for the launch of the said console for PAL countries. We already ran an article on this to check if PS3 fans are amenable about the delay. With the comments we got, seems like most of them are not happy about it. But months after the bad news came out, Sony tried to woo back consumers by showcasing playable PS3s at different places like retailer branches. Well, looks like it's paying off as many people are starting to comment that their PS3 gaming experience is unbelievable. Let's try to figure out why.

Looking back, the initial PS3 controller used to be shaped like a boomerang but Sony later on announced that the final PS3 controller will resemble the PS2 controller, minus the wires. SIXAXIS, as it was named, may not have the Rumble that most PS3 fans have been expecting but the tilt functionality allows more control on games like Tony Hawk's Project 8. It may not hold up against the tilt of Nintendo's Wiimote but then we think it's still a good one. Also, nothing beats the familiar feel of the controller, which to us, has been a great trademark of Sony.

Next is the graphics. At the Tokyo Games Show this year, PS3 has received so much attention - and praise - for its breathtaking graphical quality. Of course, you must use a high-definition TV to be able to enjoy PS3's prowess in visuals. In addition to that, the Blu-ray feature of PS3 renders more detailed images and clear crisp sounds.

As for the games, PS3's line up includes Genji: Days of the Blade which, basing from our latest news, will take advantage of the next-gen console's 20/60GB HDD, drastically cutting the loading times. Another is Resistance: Fall of Man which Insomniac Games was able to cut down the software size to 16GB while maintaining a GD of 720p.

Though there are many negative write-ups about Sony after the delay, we are still optimistic that they would be able to deliver a memorable next-gen digital gaming experience to its consumers upon PS3's release. Sony is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world and they have been known to produce world-class technologies. Though they may have some shortcomings concerning the PS3, this doesn't mean that they are not capable to rock the gaming world with a powerful console. Still not convinced enough? Well, the preorder for PS3 consoles even managed to flood big pre-order sites like Amazon Japan. Late as it may be, PS3 is still packed with so many enticing features that is still irresistible to many.

Ollie, one of the most basic trick that every skateboarder must master if he wants to gain more respect from the prowlers of skateboarding flatlands and parks. Ollie requires a skater to pop his skateboard into the air, making him look like he's jumping with his feet glued to the skateboard. And who is better to show us how to make such dare-devil tricks than pro-skaters like Tony Hawk, or at least a character rendition of him.

This video shows not only an accomplished ollie, but also other insane tricks like nose manual, 50-50, and double heelflip being executed in the game's wide skateboarding environments. From skateparks to the suburban streets, you are free do any daredevil move that you like. Of course, count in the bruises (if you're lucky) and bone-crushes (need we say more?). But don't fret over those nasty bruises and fractures as there are some goals in the game that really calls for breaking a certain number of bones; well be thankful that at least it's not in real life.

Tony Hawk's Project 8 features playable characters of some of the world-renowned skateboarding icons. The game offers a real adrenaline rush in one of the most extreme games ever, with detailed visuals of skateboarding environments and bone-breaking challenges that unleashes the "skateboarder" in every player. The game also offers cool music backgrounds such as "I wanna Live" by The Ramones and "Zoo York City" by Funk Face that heightens your skateboarding experience.

Tony Hawk's Project 8 is also set to be released on the Xbox 360 and PSP on November 7 this year. For more updates on the game, be sure to stay tuned here at QJ.

Buy: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 for Xbox 360]
Buy: [Tony Hawk's Project 8 for PSP]

Re-enacting historical battles in the feudal stages of Japan, Genji: Days of the Blade continues the epic saga of our heroes from Genji: Dawn of the Samurai. Completely taking advantage of the PS3's powerful capabilities, the game boasts of brilliant visuals and breathtaking combos and sword plays. Players get to choose from the four playable characters to solve difficult puzzles and complicated action scenarios. The three characters have already been announced which includes Genji: Dawn of the Samurai's Minamoto Yoshitune, Musashibo Benkei, and a fighter named Lady Shizuka.

Maybe you guys are still wondering who will be the fourth playable character in Genji: Days of the Blade? Well look no further as we unveil this mysterious character for you. Remember Buson, the endgame boss who is armed with a double-bladed staff in Genji: Dawn of the Samurai? You might be surprised to know that he is the fourth playable character in the second sequel!

Yes we know, Buson died in the first game title but then he showed up in Genji: Days of the Blade, still bearing the scars from the previous battle in his chest. Talk about rising from the dead... But heck, with unlockable weapons for each character, Buson should be a great addition to the game. Buson, including the other three characters, has an array of different moves depending on the weapon he is using. This is because each weapon has different attack speeds and strength.

Genji: Days of the Blade will be released along with PlayStation 3 on November 17 this year. Check out more screenshots from the game:

   
 

A lucky guy that goes by the forum name msuman2k4, from Michigan was able to get his hands on a working PlayStation 3 console at a Best Buy store. He related his experiences after being able to meet upfront Sony's much-awaited next-gen console. And playing on a Bravia with 7.1 surround on a 60GB version, he surely is one lucky guy.

According to him, four persons are allowed to check out and play the console for 30 minutes. As described by msuman2k4, the unit they used was hooked through HDMI and everything in the new cross media bar is fully accessible. Being able to see how the XMB works, he claimed that the XMB layout is the same as shown in recent pictures in the net. It was pre-loaded with some contents on the HDD and a demo on how the camera will work with the XMB was also shown to them.

On the Blu-ray aspect of things, he was quite impressed with the image and sound quality. As for the controller, msuman2k4 said its lighter in weight and very responsive, thanks to its motion sensing features. He also confirmed that the vibration feature of the controller has not been included. Games demos like Resistance: Fall of Man and Lair has been shown on a 1080p set.

All these could be allegedly found behind a black curtain in a roped-off section leading to the Magnolia area of Best Buy. Well, it seems pretty convincing that this event in Best Buy is true, but then again, we ain't sure, so we are letting you guys know for you to see if they have playable PS3 consoles at the their branches. Let us know if this is true, ok? Anyway, check out these images captured by msuman2k4:

  

A game that immerses the player into the world of hip-hop culture and lifestyle - that's exactly what the Def Jam series offer. After the successful release of Def Jam Fight For New York: The Takeover for the PSP, Electronic Arts recently announced yet another installation for the hip-hop fighting genre, this time for the Sony's next-gen console.

The Def Jam: Icon gameplay is a bit familiar - winning fights to gain respect and rising through the ranks of your crew. Featuring an impressive roster of hip-hop icons like Big Boi and Ludacris, the game reflects the real world of hip-hop and how these people find their way to rise as a hip-hop mogul.

As mentioned before, fighting plays a big part in this particular take on hip-hop landia. In fact, you will be spending most of your time fighting rivals in any way you can. You can use your fists if you feel like punching 'em or you can opt to use weapons in any conceivable way in order to win. This brand new gameplay video shows you just that. Street brawl has never been this great especially if both players can execute sweet moves that looks as if they are breakdancing.Def Jam: Icon is slated to be released Match next year so stay tuned for new updates of the game.

After Microsoft and RockStar Games announced that an exclusive episodic content for Grand Theft Auto IV is heading to Xbox Live, it seems that it wasn't "exclusive" at all. The rumor buzzin' around, according to a Rockstar North insider, is that the developers are also working on a downloadable content for Sony's PlayStation 3 platform. The rumor also says that the downloadable content for Xbox Live is pretty much the same for the PlayStation 3. The new content is expected to feature a bunch of additional areas which players are free to explore.

To date, the Grand Theft Auto series has regained popularity in the gaming world after it gave players the opportunity to play the role of a criminal and accomplish various missions in order to rise through the ranks of organized crime. With the GTA IV in sight, we expect to see more developments in the game that kept GTA fans hitched to the game. GTA IV marks the 10th anniversary of the Grand Theft Auto franchise and it will be released on U.S. soil on October 16 next year. As for the rumors, RockStar Games has not confirmed this yet but we will keep our eyes peeled for that.

With news that Playstation 3's launch date was pushed back to March next year for PAL territories, it seems that everyone who hoped to get their hands on Sony's much awaited console is now scrambling to make sure, or at least try, to reserve a unit for themselves. One of the popular methods is to preorder.

CheapyD of Cheap Ass Gamer pre-ordered his PS3 from Amazon Japan. His "edge" is knowing Amazon Japan's "1 Click" shopping system that is similar to Amazon USA site. Confident in his familiarity with the site even though it's in Japanese, CheapyD pushed through in preordering his own 60GB PlayStation 3 for 62,980 Yen (US$529, including tax and free shipping) along with a couple of PS3 games like Resistance: Fall of Man and Genji.

He may have successfully preordered the elusive PS3 unit, but it wasn't smooth sailing. When he checked his order history to review his account page, he was greeted with a Japanese message that roughly translates: "There is no excuse. There was error inside the system. Problem already with the record being completed, is the schedule which in the future advances investigation. We applying annoyance, there is no excuse."

Talk about BIG disappointment. It seems that online shopping has suddenly become popular to Japanese consumers because of the PS3. So many people tried to get in line to place their PS3 pre-orders at Amazon Japan that it literally flooded the site's order processing. Anyway, it good to know that everything was fixed in time. The next question is: Will Amazon deliver CheapyD's PS3 unit? The saga continues...

With the mass production of PlayStation 3 console to meet the number of demands upon its release, it seems that Sony is not the only company that will benefit from it; other companies that manufacture some of the PS3's components is also expecting a boost in their sales. Take for example Uni micron Technology Corp., manufacturer of PS3's printed circuit board (PCB).

For those of you who are not aware, PCBs are one of the more important parts in any electronics, PS3 in this case, as it provides a conductive pathway for electronic component through a wire-wrapped or point-to-point- constructed circuits from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate.

Ya Hsin, another PCB maker for Sony's PS3, expects a sale of over US $120 million for this month of October, with a monthly order that costs an average of US $60 million. This only shows that the gaming industry has already gained popularity in the mainstream culture and has, in turn, produced a series of positive effects for different business sectors - like electronic parts manufacturers. Considering how advanced Sony's next-gen console is hardware-wise, the manna gatherers from its wonders are bound to multiply.

It seems that Bandai Namco's Ridge Racer 7 is heading to Japan's Most Anticipated PS3 Launch Titles chart if GameFront's sources are to be believed. Belonging to the Ridge Racer series, one of the most beloved racing game, Ridge Racer 7 boasts of cool features like hot customizable cars that has a Fast and the Furious style to it, a Ridge State Grand Prix that provides 160 races on 44 courses, breathtaking details of the cars and the environment it'll tread, and lots of surprises like earning new cars and car parts in every race won.

Second in the rumored list of most anticipated Japanese PS3 launch title is Mobile Suit Gundam: Target in Sight. The game takes place in the latter stages of The One Year War where players can choose from a variety of Mobile Suits from Earth Federation or from Principality of Zeon in a multiplayer battle.

Other titles in the list includes From Software's Armored Core 4, Sony's Resistance: Fall of Man and Genji: Kamui Souran. PlayStation 3 is expected in Japan on November 11 this year so if we want to verify this rumored list then we should wait for the launch of Sony's much awaited next-gen console.

Buy: [Ridge Racer 7]

Following the announcement of Entertainment Software Association (ESA) that the 2007 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo) will be downsized to a smaller scale as compared to E3Expo 2006, they now reveal what it's new format will be.

The new setup was envisioned to provide the gaming industry with a more intimate program. In contrast to this year's E3Expo, which featured large trade shows, E3Expo 2007 will be more focused on targeted, personalized meetings and activities, according to ESA.

And as promised, ESA recently released details on what to expect on next year's E3 event. The next show will be renamed as the E3 Media and Business Summit featuring a low-key series of event for game developers, retailers and other key figures in the gaming industry. It will be held in Santa Monica, California from July 11 to 13 and it will only be accessible thru invitations. A central meeting will be held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica airport, complete with gaming displays and traditional "show and tell" trade show setups.

"The new E3 is first and foremost about getting business done. When we asked key audiences what they wanted in the new event, we heard that they wanted opportunities for high-level meetings in a business-like setting, to play games, network, and socialize, to see major company offerings while also preserving the sense of discovery that is so much a part of E3, and to hear substantive presentations on the most important issues and trends facing the industry," said Douglas Lowenstein, President of ESA.

Gaming showcases, daily luncheon with industry leaders, and the "Into The Pixel" videogame art competition and exhibition will also be expected in E3Expo 2007. With the event being an invitation-only, the general public would not be able to stop by and check out the activities. With this, Lowenstein said that gaming has already entered the mainstream culture and a big event in order to draw attention is not necessary anymore.