The PlayStation Network Store had rather slow and somewhat patchy beginnings. Over the past couple of years though, it has really picked up in terms of pace, consistency and quality. Now the problem when browsing the Store isn’t finding something worth spending your money on, it’s limiting what you spend and ensuring you get your hands on the best games available.
This is where the PlayStation Network Gamer’s Choice Awards step in. Essentially it’s a scheme for users to rate and vote on their favourite products from the PSN Store. Voting starts with 20 nominees on the 22nd of February and will be concluded on the 1st March. Users will vote by downloading a free XMB theme which corresponds to the game they want to vote for.
[boxout]The nominated games will be selected from the top rated games across the four categories: Best PS3 Downloadable Game, Best PSP Downloadable Game, Best PS3/PSP Mini and Best PSN Exclusive Game. The winners of each category will all be put on sale as part of their victory celebrations in the upcoming PSN Spring Fever Sale.Here is the full list of nominees, selected according to their user ratings:
- Best PS3 Downloadable Game: Castle Crashers, Costume Quest™, Death Spank, PAC-MAN® Championship Edition DX, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World™: The Game
- Best PSP Downloadable Game: God of War®: Ghost of Sparta, Lunar Silver Star Harmony, Phantasy Star™ Portable 2, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable, Valkyria Chronicles II
- Best PS3/PSP MINI: A Space Shooter for Two Bucks, Age of Zombies™, Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess, Vector TD, Young Thor
- Best PlayStation Network Exclusive Game: Dead Nation, Hustle Kings, Joe Danger, Sam & Max Ep. 1, Soldner-X2
So what will you be casting your vote for?
heywoodstock
Really intriguing concept, a clever idea from the store team. I’ll cast my vote, get a bit of a discount. A real win-win situation for all users here. As aerobes commented, really sweet use of info boxes :)
Bodachi
I’d just vote for what I want to be on sale.
kivi95
same here :P
Castle Crashers
God of War®: Ghost of Sparta
Young Thor
Dead Nation
Carl
Really awesome idea
elpablo79
Pacman, God of War, Monsters (Probably) Stole my Princess and Dead Nation. These are all great examples of the capabilities of downloadable games, in terms of graphics, style of game, even atmosphere. Excellent variety and excellent quality
Tuffcub
Sam & Max was PSN exclusive? Did they forget about the PC and Ipad versions?
AllTheApesEscaped
The various console manufacturers like to think *only* those consoles exists. Hence why MS/Xbox 360 team like to list lots of titles as “exclusive” whilst in reality they are also available on PC/other platforms. I think listing Sam & Max (The Devil’s Playhouse) Episode 1 is another case of said practice!
Symposium Cacophony
Some call its marketing
TSBonyman
There’s a lot of my own personal favourites missing .. Peggle, Trine, Lara Croft, Flower, flow,PJ Shooter..
I’m also wondering if these are all new XMB themes that haven’t been available for free before. And what happens if you want to download several of the themes in each category?
I don’t have any interest in the games listed in the first category – i’ve never even heard of costume quest.
Oh well, at least Dead Nation is in there, i’ll certainly vote for that!
Btw i would like to thank TSA, and particularly teflon who ran the comp, my DN T-Shirt has arrived – at my UK shipping address that is so i still haven’t seen it ! Another week and i should actually have it in my hands, can’t wait! :)
bunimomike
Same here, fella. I’m utterly gobsmacked that PJ Shooter didn’t get a mention. Not even sure there’s anything else for me to vote for in that category.
Symposium Cacophony
Monster Hunter? wheres Monster Hunter?! NOOOOO!! Phantasy Star is good though guess this is just for newish titles than essentials?
Jumping Monks
No Flower? I am disappoint!
gazzagb
Great idea by Sony!
Castle Crashers, Vector TD and Joe Danger get my votes.
hazelam
does it count the first one in each category as your vote, because i can see people wanting to download more than one theme.