Weekend Essentials – Issue 14

Brand new role-playing games arrive on PS3 and PSP, and PlayStation Store celebrates Valentine's Day.

RPG paradise

In Star Ocean The Last Hope: International on PlayStation 3, humanity takes to space in search of a new home after World War III cripples the Earth. Embark on a quest for stars, oceans and hope, and experience the dynamic battle system that sets the Star Ocean series apart from other role-playing games. You can even pilot the Calnus spaceship for the first time and explore the universe as you please.

In the 30 seconds you've spent reading this, you could have been playing Half Minute Hero, the retro RPG on PSP. It features five radically different game modes so you could be playing a traditional RPG one second and a shoot 'em up or a real time strategy 30 seconds later. And with stylish 8-bit graphics, it takes you back to a time when a handful of pixels could rescue a princess.

What's in Store?

While those of you that have cracked the case in the Heavy Rain Artificial Reality Game are already sampling the Heavy Rain demo, now more can try the interactive drama on PlayStation 3 by downloading it from PlayStation Store.

echoshift and SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 are two upcoming PSP games also getting the demo treatment in PlayStation Store. The former is a perplexing puzzler based on time manipulation, while the latter is the latest instalment in the hit tactical shooter on PSP.

Love is in the air as EyePet and LittleBigPlanet get their own Valentine's Day downloads, and what better way to express your love than with Flower? The serene downloadable hit is now available at a special price, along with a Dynamic Theme to bring some calm to your XMBTM (XrossMediaBar).

This week's films

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to join your loved ones and friends on the couch for a good film, and the PlayStation Store Video Store has just what you're looking for, whether that's a romantic comedy or an explosive thriller.

Couple's Retreat is this week's featured release and it sees Vince Vaughn head an all-star cast in a light-hearted comedy. Eight couples embark on a group holiday, only to discover that they've signed up for an unconventional form of couples' therapy - and the activities are not optional.

This week also sees the arrivals of The Taking of Pelham 123, a New York thriller starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, and District 9, the sci-fi hit set in South Africa. Both are available to rent from PlayStation Store.

Get involved

Here at eu.playstation.com, minis month continues with the latest instalment of Obsession Confessions focusing on which games you like to squeeze in when you have precious seconds to spare. Join the discussion over at the official PlayStation Forums.

And there's still time to enter the Dark Void and minis competitions; head to eu.playstation.com/competitions to find out more.

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