Did you play the game Crush? We did -- and we loved it. Now the developers, Zoe Mode (previously Kuju Brighton), are expanding their offices into London and are seeking new faces to help their staff grow. They've got two projects lined up already for their new office opening in September. It's not like this new studio is full of empty faces -- the office already has their current Zoe Mode executive producer, Nick Rodriguez, as well as a core team from their Brighton office. If you're in the London area and are qualified for the positions of producer, art manager, or senior programmer, check out their website.

[Via Gamespot]

Unfortunately, the incredibly innovative 2D/3D PSP-exclusive puzzle game Crush never met the sales it quite deserved. That's a shame, because we really enjoyed the detailed graphics, the quirky story, the impeccable presentation ... and most importantly, the gameplay.

Check out our review, and some videos of the game in action. If you haven't checked out Crush yet, maybe this $15 deal on amazon.com will convince you to pick up one of the most original PSP exclusives ever.

[Via CAG]

There is perhaps no other PSP title as innovative and quirky as Zoe Mode's Crush, a puzzler that successfully implemented 2D and 3D gameplay like we've never seen before. And although the game never sold as well as it should have (Boo Sega's marketing department!), it has received the proper recognition from the critics that it deserves.

To add one more accolade to the list, Playboy has chosen Crush as one of its runners-up for 2007's most innovative game. Being included among such wonderful games as Rock Band, Portal, Super Mario Galaxy and Assassin's Creed is no joke ... well, maybe the joke is that Assassin's Creed actually made the list in the first place. Nevertheless, it's great to see one of our favorite PSP titles getting a little more love.

If you still have yet to play Crush, then shame on you. However, there's still time to rectify this gross oversight by picking it up today and experiencing one of the most original games ever to grace a handheld.

While playing Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations, we came across this hilarious scene in which the game pokes fun at the "frothing female masses" devoted to Miles Edgeworth (which, sadly, includes this blogger). We know that they're embarrassing to admit to, since -- as you well know -- video game characters aren't real people. Yet, many of us must concede to having a video game crush at some point in our lives, and it's time to 'fess up and come clean. So, what video game characters have you had (or do you have) a crush on?

We've talked about Kuju Brighton's Zoe Mode name change before, but a new interview with studio head Ed Daly sheds even more light on the decision. Ed knew that some gamers (and even some staff members) would find a girl's name as company moniker a bit silly, but he wanted to have a drastic re-branding. A name that would have gamers sit up and take notice. The decision to use the image of a real model as the company icon was done because Zoe Mode wanted to emphasize that they were real, and their games were for real people. How did the female embodiment influence their game creating decisions? "We make games for Zoe and her family. Zoe is our conscience that signs off on what we do. We ask 'What would Zoe do? and 'Would Zoe like that?' kind of questions. It does help have a reference point, even if she's imaginary" claims Ed.

We don't mean to judge, but maybe Ed and his team are as crazy as the world they created in Crush.

[Via Gamespot]

Congratulations to Zoe Mode and Crush -- the game just scored the best New Handheld IP award from the Develop Awards. The Develop Awards are focused on European companies and were judged by almost 100 "industry experts."

In addition to Crush, PSP fans will be glad to hear that Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe (SCEE) picked up the biggest award of the evening: the Grand Prix award for their efforts with PlayStation 3.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

PSP developers need to get more creative, said SCEE game director Tony Buckley. Speaking to CVG, Buckley said that it's up to the developers "to create something that attracts people to PSP."

"I think that rather than focusing on the gameplay side of it, we should be focusing on how to fully utilize what I think is quite a sophisticated piece of kit," he said. According to CVG, Buckley later cited MP3 playback, wireless and online functionality as ways developers could capitalize on the PSP's potential

Maybe it's a problem of perception. Games like Crush and Loco Roco show great creativity from a design perspective. The once-exclusive Lumines (now also a PS2 and Xbox Live Arcade title) was designed byTetsuya Mizuguchi with the portable specifically in mind. But we think Buckley is implying that the PSP lacks that killer app that could only be made on the PSP.

So maybe it's the developer's perception -- take Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki, for example. He said that the design philosophy behind the PSP is the same as that of a home console, so how could he make a game unique to the portable? Then again, maybe the perception problems lie within Sony itself, who needs to either create a first-party game to show exactly what the executives have in mind when they say "killer piece of software," or to promote the creative games they have now.

It's obvious from our review of Crush, that we think it'll be a worthwhile experience. Does the game press agree with us, or do they think Crush is a bomb? Let's find out!

• GameSpy (90/100) got certifiably addicted: "With levels that build on each other in terms of complexity (and, thusly, difficulty), the game inspires that kind of 'just one more level' feeling of addiction that may result in you freeing Dan from his insomnia but earning yourself a nasty case in return."
• 1UP (95/100) loves the originality: "Most games can be described as an amalgam of others, as borrowed game mechanics and thematic elements bounce from game to game within a genre. Crush might have a recognizable aesthetic (think Psychonauts in a dark alley), but it's gameplay is wholly -- and compellingly it's own."
• EuroGamer (80/100) appreciates the challenge: "There's a genuine sense of achievement and enjoyment when a seemingly impossible level suddenly clicks (or crushes into place, and the confident way the game uses its central conceit as more than just a gimmick is undeniably reassuring and appealing."

If only being correct on game quality was like unhatching an evil plan, we'd laugh maniacally right now. Heck, we'll do it anyway. We were right! MWA HA HA HA HA!

Crush, the PSP's 2D/3D puzzle platformer, may have waggling in its future, according to an interview with Paul Mottram, senior producer at Crush developer Zoë Mode. We're talking faint "may" and distant future, since this was all idle speculation on his part.

When asked the weirdly pointed question of why they made a PSP game instead of putting it on a Nintendo platform, Mottram responded, "There is no reason why it couldn't be transferred to multiple different platforms especially the Wii, DS and PS2 and this is something we are thinking about."

He went on to describe the level editor they wanted to include, but couldn't. That definitely sounds like something well-suited to the DS or Wii, right?

[Via Joystiq]

Sixty reasons not enough to convince you to buy a PSP? This interview with Crush senior producer Paul Mottram will only serve to justify your stubbornness. Speaking to Sega Nerds, Mottram expresses interest in taking the game to other platforms.

"There is no reason why it couldn't be transferred to multiple different platforms especially the Wii, DS and PS2," he said, "and this is something we are thinking about." Discussing a potential sequel, Mottram said "It's something we'd all love to do since there are so many features we didn't get the opportunity to put into this version."

Consideration is at least six degrees away from confirmation and execution, but it does seem the folks at development studio Zoë Mode aren't feeling compelled to keep the franchise PSP-exclusive. Should a sequel or new release come out, it will give Mottram and co. a chance to implement a level editor, one of the big ideas that they had but never made it to the final product.

"We have a terrific in-game level editor running on the PSP which our designers used to create all the levels in the game. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to get this running on a commercial PSP or implement all the necessary user friendly features we would have needed if it was to be shipped with the game. As you could imagine designing Crush levels can be tricky at times."

Crush designer Alex Butterfield gave a speech at this year's Game Developers Conference discussing the challenges of making levels in the game. Mottram summed it up best: "You could spend hours perfecting a level only to see someone instantly circumvent the entire level with a crush we had never considered."



[Via PSP Fanboy]

This awkwardly-worded headline does a horrible job at conveying the incredible excitement that surged through me when reading Sega Nerds' interview with Zoe Mode. Paul Mottram, producer of Crush, revealed that there was an in-game level editor used by the developers, but it couldn't be finished in time:

"We have a terrific in-game level editor running on the PSP which our designers used to create all the levels in the game. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to get this running on a commercial PSP or implement all the necessary user friendly features we would have needed if it was to be shipped with the game. As you could imagine designing Crush levels can be tricky at times."

Of course, the developers would have more time to work on such a mind-blowing feature in a potential sequel ... something Zoe Mode isn't denying. "It's something we'd all love to do since there are so many features we didn't get the opportunity to put into this version."

Crushed about one of Crush's more diabolical levels? Don't feel too bad -- you're not alone. Many gamers have found the innovative 2D/3D puzzle game to be maniacally difficult. For better or worse, longtime PSP Fanboy reader JIMMY has provided some incredible video walkthroughs for the game. Each video will reveal, step by step, how to get to the exit. But, beware! While we're incredibly grateful for these guides, they may defeat the incredible sense of accomplishment one can get for getting to the end successfully. Do you want to risk that?

Of course, finding the answer certainly beats being stuck on a single level for hours on end.

See also:
Complete Loco Roco guide for download

[Via Joystiq]

Crush is many things. It looks and sounds great, is very competent technically and is incredibly difficult. It comes packed with style, innovation and replay value. Not to mention it has a genuinely compelling story, told through the use of atmospheric and well-acted cutscenes. Puzzle games - even those that pretend not to be puzzle games, such as Crush - don't come much better than this. If this sounds like something you want in a game, then pick up Crush. Now.

EU Games

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Asian Games

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Release dates may always change, so you may want to call before heading to your local game shop. Do any of these games interest our readers?