More Delays For EyePet PSP and Buzz: Ultimate Music Quiz

EyePet PSP and Buzz: Ultimate Music Quiz are to suffer from futher delays it was revealed today. The news follows the SCEE's decision to stop producing PSP Development Kits on the 15th November this year.

Eyepet PSP was first announced at E3 earlier this year, and was originally given an late October release date. This was subsequently changed to the 5th of November 2010.

However, the game has once again been delayed without a clear reason. The new release date for Eyepet PSP is the 19th of November 2010, but there is no way of telling whether this date will be changed again between now and then, and to make matters worse, Eyepet PSP isn't the only PSP game to delay its release by a number of weeks.

Buzz: The Ultimate Music Quiz was also supposed to be released on the 15th of October this year. That date was then changed to the 19th November 2010. Now the game is set to be delayed until the 26th of November 2010.

These two games are sadly a further example of the PSP's overall decline in the gaming market. With the launch of the PSP Go console, which allows game media to be downloaded directly  onto its built-in hard drive, more and more video game retailers have chosen to only stock a limited amount of PSP games and peripherals. This is a trend which is set to worsen after the Development Kits have been discontinued.

                    

Several  popular PSP games have been delayed until next year, including Star Wars III: The Clone Wars and Patapon 3. Whilst an even greater number of  sequels to successful PSP games have failed to even been produced for PSP at all, including The Force Unleashed II, whose predecessor (The Force Unleashed) was a huge smash on PSP, and The Sims 3.

Speaking at E3 in June this year, Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO, Jack Tretton, promised PSP fans that an amazing 70 new titles for the handheld console by the end of 2010, but as the amount of delays increases, this promise is unlikely to be fulfilled.

In recent months, several rumours concerning new types of PSP console have emerged, including rumours of a new gaming device nicknamed the PSP 2, which Sony refuses to acknowledge, and a new mobile phone with PSP gaming capabilities, which is said to already be in development. Is this the end of the Sony PSP as we know it?

Game of the Week: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Predator (PSP)

Deep in the jungles of Sri Lanka, the Ghosts have 72 hours to prepare the way for a U.S. invasion force. As open conflict with Pakistan looms, the Ghosts uncover proof that they've been targeting the wrong enemy.

Now they must act before falsified intelligence lures America into an unpredictable and devastating war...

It might sound like the plot of some Hollywood blockbuster, but this is actually the main story of Tom Clancy's newest PSP game, Ghost Recon: Predator.

This is the second PSP title in Tom Clancy's shooter series Ghost Recon. The first game, which was called Advanced Warfighter 2, has been criticised by some for being too difficult in its missions and for having very short gameplay overall, so will the new game be any different?

Ghost Recon: Predator is certainly a challenge! The new tactical experience means that how you lead your squad to victory is entirely up to you.

Players can either opt to use their massive firepower to take down enemies, which works well when facing stronger and more powerful opponents, or they can choose a more strategic approach like sneaking up behind enemies at close range. 

Players can also use the environment to their advantage, along with intel and information from command, media and the locals.

Furthermore, Ghosts now have high-tech equipment such as drones, air support and prototype weapons to help them to locate and stalk their enemies.

Experience, which is earned in the game by defeating various opponents, now means greater customisation for your squad and thus a more powerful, elite force.

For those of you who prefer to game with friends, Ghost Recon: Predator also features an ad-hoc co-op mode for up to three PSPs. Team up and outsmart the opposition.

 Ghost Recon: Predator is a pretty good Shooter game and it does contain many of the core elements that one would associate with the series. The graphics are not as smooth as those found on the major consoles and some Wi-fi enabled multiplayer wouldn't go amiss, but the main game is very interesting and challenging regardless. If you like Shooter games, then this is likely to fit nicely into your collection. Overall rating: 8/10

EyePet (PSP) Delayed Until 29th October 2010

It was a big talking point during the Sony conference at E3 this year, but now it looks like plans to bring the cute little virtual EyePet onto handheld console may be delayed until the end of October 2010.

The game was supposed to be released in the UK on the 1st October this year, but as anyone who has preordered this game will already know, this date has subsequently been changed to the 29th October 2010.

 EyePet for the PSP has already come under heavy fire by critics because of the problem of getting Sony's portable camera, the PSP Go! Cam to fit to the new PSP Go consoles.

 This problem was first identified by the website Joystiq.Com, whose article on the subject claimed that the new console did not have an appropriate camera attachment to support the Go! Cam  function.

 Although, the article was quick to point out that a converter cable could be used to allow PSP Go owners to still use the Go!Cam - although as it will require the PSP GO to remain plugged in whilst the device is in use, which some people claim makes nonsense of the PSP Go as a portable device... 

Now the twenty-eight day delay for the game will only serve to fuel speculation even more. There has been no official explanation for the delay at present, but it has to be said that this situation also bears frightening similarity to the Lego Harry Potter PSP delay, which saw PSP owners wait several long months to own the game.

Mini Gamers only hopes that this delay is resolved and that Eyepet will be on the shop shelves very soon. Watch this space!