Weekend Essentials – Issue 17

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and God of War III blast the weekend off to an action heavy start.

The gods are with you

Looking forward to massive action adventure epic, God of War III? Then you can kill the time until its 19 March 2010 release like Kratos slays mythological Greek gods, in the God of War III demo. Available from PlayStation Store, this taste of high impact gameplay shows you why the adult themed PlayStation 3 title is on everyone's lips.

In some Bad Company

If modern-day gunplay in massive destructible environments is a bit more your style, then Electronic Arts' Battlefield: Bad Company 2 should scratch that particular itch. Blasting on to PS3, Bad Company 2 is full of shooting action, vehicular combat, and the return of everyone's favourite ragtag unit, the B Company squad. The stakes are even higher this time - are you bad enough to succeed?

Network gems

There are a great range of PlayStation Network titles ready to download from PlayStation Store to make sure there's no chance of your weekend being dull. Jump on board the PSP demo of the wonderfully wacky Patchwork Heroes, where you have to defend a city from massive flying warships. Your task is to dismantle the giant vehicles of destruction before they can strike, while rescuing trapped comrades along the way. Can you stop the rival workers from repairing the ships and save the city from doom?

The wealth of entertainment on PlayStation Store doesn't stop at great demos, as a variety of new levels are yours to download for PSP puzzler, echoshift. Now you can extend your brain-teasing fun by downloading the Cave, Desert and Pyramid Level Packs for free.

Taking you to PlayStation Home

Taking a trip into PlayStation Home can lead to many fantastic places, and there are two new areas which are worth checking out this weekend. The first is the already popular Loco Island personal space, which comes with a swing, slide and hammock, as well as a gaggle of LocoRoco characters and hidden features.

The second new area of PS Home transports you to a giant pool table for Hustle Kings Ball Dodge Challenge. There you're challenged to dodge oncoming cue balls to stay in the game - the closer you stand to the balls without being hit, the more points you receive. Do well and you'll be rewarded with a stylish Hustle Kings Cape for your character, while if you top the leaderboard you're in with a chance of winning a bejewelled Hustle Kings Crown decorated with a number 8 black ball.

Keep your eyes on the prize

There is even more to be won if you roll over to eu.playstation.com/psn/competitions.

If you're a football fan and a budding writer, then the UEFA Champions League: PlayStation Young Journalist competition is playing on your field of expertise. All you need to do is submit your PlayStation Network details to enter a prize draw, with the lucky winner getting two tickets for the Chelsea vs Inter Milan UEFA Champions League match on 16 March 2010. After the game you'll get to attend the press conference and write a match report to be published on PlayStation Blog.

The Award Nominated Movies Competition gives you the chance to win a brand new Bravia TV and a PlayStation 3 system by answering a few questions based on award nominated films. The red carpet is awaiting you at eu.playstation.com/psn/competitions, so make sure you don't disappoint.

Be sure to opt in to receive PlayStation emails when you sign up for a PlayStation Network account. If you already have an account, sign in to your PlayStation Network Account Settings at eu.playstation.com/registration or via the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) and opt in. That way, you can keep bang up to date and receive the latest PlayStation news direct to your inbox.