Yakuza heads to PSP, brings nunchuks, new characters, and gorgeous graphics with it

If there was any reason for me to learn Japanese, the Yakuza series is it. It’s taken a year since the Japanese relase of Yakuza 3 for it to reach the West, and now we’re all waiting for an announcement on Yakuza 4 doing the same.

Sega aren’t stopping there though; they’re bringing yet another entry to the series to Japan. No, not Yakuza 5 just yet, instead it’s time for a PSP spin-off. This is the teased “Project K” title that was hinted at during a Yakuza 4 launch party. It’s hard to gather much solid info on this title just yet, seeing as everything about it is written in a very different, and very confusing language, but we can piece together a few things from first screens and a teaser site.

It seems like Kazuma is missing this one out, passing the torch down to a younger, much more angry looking lead character. The game also ditches in-game cutscenes for the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker approach with animated movies.

We’ll probably have to wait a very long time for more revealing info. If we have a hard time convincing Sega to bring the franchise over here on PS3, it’s not going to be any easier to get them to release it for PSP. Still, fingers crossed that we’ll be able to take all of Kamurocho in our pocket in the not too distant future.

SEGA cuts back and reforms in the West

When you think about Sega, mostly Eastern games/development springs to mind; Sonic, Yakuza, Valkyria Chronicles etc. For that reason, when it comes to making job cuts it might not be surprising to hear it’s all happening in the West. The company’s London studio has suffered a cut of 37 jobs, and a further 36 have been lost in San Fransico. Sadly, this is around 12 per cent of Sega West’s work force gone.

But it’s not all in vein however, as the publisher is to reform with a clear focus on digital and traditional gaming. San Francisco is now primarily concerned with downloadable games, while London is to focus on packaged goods. Sega are hoping the more straightforward approach to these different products will bring them great success.

Sega West president, Mike Hayes helped to explain the situation, saying, “Traditionally, Sega of America and Sega Europe had been running a dual company where both would look at traditional goods and both would look at the digital side. What we decided to do is to make San Francisco the kind of hub for our digital efforts, and therefore make London the hub for the traditional packaged goods part.”

Quick to wipe out any sign of weakness, Hayes also added, “I would stress, however, that this is very much administrative reorganization, because clearly we want to be very successful with digital globally. Likewise, we want to continue to be successful with traditional goods. So the reorganization allows us to be much more efficient in terms of our costs, but probably more importantly in the way that we can look at the future business.”

iPad comes to Europe on May 28th with huge price points

It’s about time Europe literally got their hands on the iPad (see what I did there?), and the 28th of this very month is when it finally makes its way over. Yes, for all you tech-heads the wait is almost over, the only problem now is choice… oh and price.

Apple’s touchy block will come in 6, count ‘em 6 different models; 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions of both the normal and 3G range. The cheapest (and we use that term lightly) model, the normal 16GB comes in at a staggering £429, which is £5 more than what I payed for my PS3 when it launched 3 years ago. Don’t pick up your jaw just yet though; because if a rich uncle just died and you’re going for the 64GB 3G enabled edition, that’ll cost you just a pound shy of £700.

I’d carry on writing, but you’ve already had that heart attack, haven’t you? I’ll call the ambulance…

Interview: Sony Cambridge's Laura Dilloway on LittleBigPlanet PSP

LittleBigPlanet tore up the PS3 last year with it's huge advances in user-generated content. The little platformer that could is now set to storm the PSP. We caught up with Laura Dilloway, Art Director on the game to find out why you should be picking up Sackboy's latest

Studentainment (ST): What one aspect of LBP PSP are you the most proud of?

Laura Dilloway (LD): The PS3 game was awesome because it was so innovative. I think our biggest achievement is our fidelity to this concept. It was always going to be a massive task trying to make such a rich game as LBP fit onto the smaller PSP system, and yet we have done it.

ST: What are some of the most important features?

LD: The most important feature is Create mode, without which LBP simply would not be LBP. We have matched pretty much all of the functionality of the PS3 editor into the PSP version (with a few minor control changes) and even managed to include some new ideas that already players on our Beta trial have said are extremely useful.

ST: How does downloading and uploading levels work?

LD: With the PSP you can choose when you want to go online, rather than the “always-on” nature of the PS3. To reflect this, we have a new feature called the Community Moon, instead of having the online features attached to the Story Moon as in the PS3 version, so our interface is slightly different. You can upload or “publish” up to 20 levels, as you can on the PS3.

ST: Are you confident that the community can build up a library of portable levels that live up to the PS3 version?

LD: Absolutely. Players who are already familiar with the PS3 game won’t have to relearn anything because our functionality is essentially the same, so they’ll be able to dive straight in and get creating. Even if you’re new to LBP, it’s so intuitive that you’ll be up and creating in no time! I think we’ll get some really interesting levels.

ST: If a player has a great idea for a LBP level, but he has both PSP and PS3 versions, what would be the benefits of choosing to create the level on PSP?

LD: The PSP gives players the opportunity to be much more spontaneously creative. You will be able to create in the car, on the train, in your lunchbreak… and if you see something that inspires you then you’ll instantly be able to start making it.

ST: Can an experienced LBP player just jump right into the game and creation? Do they have to go through a creation tutorial again?

LD: We have included tutorials but they are very easy to skip if you don’t want to listen to them. They are implemented differently from the tutorials on the PS3, and appear as videos that play automatically rather than mini-levels that you have to complete in order to unlock certain tools. So if you quit the video once it starts playing, then you will still unlock the associated tool.

ST: What about new players? Is a certain level of understanding of LBP recommended?

LD: The first theme in the game (Down Under) is equivalent to The Gardens theme on PS3, so we guide you through the basic principles whilst introducing you to some of the many wonderful things in the LBP universe.

ST: What have you done to make the campaign worth playing through if LBP PS3 might have left you feeling like you’d seen it all?

LD: We have a new storyline, with new themes, and this in turn presents us with lots of fresh ideas to work with. Our designers have come up with some great mechanics that hopefully people will love.
ST: Do you believe this is the closest the PSP is going to get to a full on home console experience?

LD: Actually I think that the PSP can offer much more than a home console, you can play it wherever you are whether you are in or out of the house. The PSP also has such variety of games that you can have anything from a quick five minute blast at something, to an epic five hour epic session – creating an awesome LBP level for example!