Those who still play in the PS2 and PSP online gaming servers for titles such as Syphon Filter Omega Strain and Lemmings may want to play more than usual, now that Sony is planning to close the online servers after a couple of months. So what will happen to avid fans of PS2 and PSP online modes? More details in the full article.

For those pioneering souls that have already made the switch to the newest firmware, Sony has released a demo for their upcoming World Tour Soccer release. The first version of this line of soccer titles left something to be desired by some. However, by all accounts (warts and all) the original World Tour Soccer was a playable title and the follow up title should be another step in the right direction.

The challenge of bringing a game like soccer to such a small screen has been met many ways in the past. The main idea is to give the player a wide enough field of view so that he can see where his passes are going without overwhelming him with too much information.
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At least this time you'll get to try before you buy! Most football fans cannot live without a version of their favorite game on their home console and since the PSP offers the opportunity to play on the go, this game should be even more of a must-have for football (soccer) fans.

Download: [World Tour Soccer Demo]

SCEA's newest soccer treat, World Tour Soccer 2006, features a different style of play for soccer videogames. Some of these new features are quick gaming sessions which will alow users to advance and unlock the next challenge, there is also a Medal mode and a World Tour Mode which will be the ultimate test of a player's skills.

If you're into the traditional gameplay of soccer videogames, then you'll probably get a kick out of the games' Exhibition Match Mode which features over 70 International Teams with more than 1,500 world-class players and eight international stadiums. The game will be hitting stores on June 27th, but Mystic 8277 sent us some photos of the demo version of the game which he got from Sony (thank you very much for that)! He also adds that the game requires firmware 2.60 and he haven't got it to work with DevHook 0.41c yet. So for now, here are some pics. 

World Tour Soccer '06 is the newest soccer Sim by SCEA for the PSP. The game introduces a new style of play for soccer videogames featuring quick, bite-sized gaming sessions, while allowing users to advance and unlock the next challenge in a ladder type system, World Tour Soccer '06 lets players test their skills in two new central modes of play, Medal Mode and World Tour Mode. Additionally, for hardcore soccer fans, Exhibition Match Mode offers the traditional soccer simulation gameplay, featuring over 70 International Teams with more than 1,500 world-class players and eight international stadiums. The game will be hitting stores on June 27th, but until then go ahead and check out some of the screenshots by clicking on the thumbnails below.

     
     
    

Next month, Sony will release World Tour Soccer for the PlayStation Portable console. With Medal Mode and World Tour Mode, this release allows anywhere from 1 - 4 players to take on top soccer teams from all over the world. Additionally, there's an Exhibition Match Mode where one can play against any one of 70 teams with 1,500 players in any of eight stadiums. In Play Now mode, the AI selects teams at random, whereas in the other modes, the choice is up to the gamer. Other options include Classic Challenge, Challenge Plus (in which extra points are awarded for following special rules and exploiting them at key moments), and - if you're really hardcore - the Totally Outnumbered Challenge, in which the gamer starts out with fewer players than the opponent's team.

WTS06 offers single or online play, game sharing and different levels of difficulty ranging from Amateur to Master Class. Players can win trophies and achievement awards as well. Best of all, one can play in any of five different languages, including Spanish and French.

This game has not yet been rated.

Because Sega want to make sure the games meet "quality standards", they have pushed back the release of both Chromehounds for Xbox 360 and Myst for the Sony PSP.

Previously set for May 25, Chromehounds is now due June 29, while Myst's going from April 20 to June 15.

Developed by From Software (Armored Core), Chromehounds is the first next-generation Mech combat game with a strong focus on online play, cooperative or competetive. Battles incorporate tactics, communication and hands-on combat skills to same parts, with players either taking up the role of a Squad member or a Tactics commander.

Myst, on the other hand, will not just be a straight PSP port of the PC best-seller, but feature new contents and scenarios to meet today's visual standards.

If this decision results in more polished, bug-free games, it's certainly a wise one, as especially the PSP has been marred by buggy, rushed out titles in the past.

Sony has given us two screenshots of World Tour Soccer 2 for the PSP, which is currently set to be released in Europe sometime in June. The original World Tour Soccer was a fast paced game that went beyond the basic gameplay by incorporating a challenge mode that rewarded players for performing skillful moves. Over 240 teams were included in the original, and it would be nice to see even more the second time around. With the FIFA World Cup being held in Germany this year, you can certainly expect this title to get a lot of attention from the Euros.