When WarHawk released for PlayStation Network a few years back, it introduced some important new fundamentals to the multiplayer battle experience, letting teams take out one another either on the ground or in the air, using a number of well-armed vehicles.  While it was fun for networked battles, it really didn’t offer much outside of that, since there was no sign of a single player campaign.  That said, some team members behind that game have since shacked up with Lightbox Interactive to produce a sequel of sorts, and StarHawk is the result.  And as fun as the original Hawk was, this experience surpasses it.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to visit Santa Monica Studios to demo two new upcoming games. The first was a Celtic magic adventure called Sorcery exclusively designed for the Playstation Move. You play a young wizard apprentice armed with an arsenal of spells and abilities fighting through a variety of fantasy locations to free the world of evil. Using the motion controls as the on screen character’s wand via the Sony Move was actually quite fun.

Award-winning composers Jason Graves (Dead Space) and Kevin Riepl (Gears of War) have created an original score for Resistance: Burning Skies, Sony’s new PlayStation Vita first-person shooter. Developed by Nihilistic Software, Resistance: Burning Skies is the PS Vita debut of Insomniac Games’ Resistance PS3 franchise. Graves and Riepl each wrote forty minutes of orchestral music for the shooter. Resistance: Burning Skies ships on May 29.

If you've been reading our stories as of late, then you already know about Sony's recent push for independent game hits on the PlayStation Network, including games like Papo & Yo and The Unfinished Swan.  However, one additional game that will deserve some attention once it arrives over the summer is Dyad, a game that channels the energy of such old-school shooters as Tempest 2000 and N20, and puts them into a contemporary experience that will addict PSN players for hours on end.  We recently caught up with the game's progress during a recent trip to PAX East 2012.

It’s inevitable with all “cute” franchises.  Eventually, someone’s going to get the idea of making a “kart” game, where familiar characters can get behind the wheel of a race car and (playfully) compete against others through a similar universe, one that’s been in previous games.  Mario’s done it countless of times, Crash Bandicoot did it a couple, and several other clones have emerged over the years as well.  Joining the fray is LittleBigPlanet Karting, collaboration between Media Molecule and the game’s main developer, United Front Games – the same team behind ModNation Racers.  But don’t go dismissing this as just another knock-off.  This one has a lot of kick behind it.

Nissan North America is partnering once again with Sony Computer Entertainment America and Polyphony Digital for a second season of the popular non-scripted TV series GT Academy in the U.S. The series will highlight the latest blending of virtual racing and reality. GT Academy challenges gamers and racing fans to compete in a series of online time trials in pre-selected Nissan vehicles for a shot at becoming a real racing driver. Last year’s competition drew over 53,000 competitors nationwide, with 30-year old Californian Bryan Heitkotter emerging as the winner. Heitkotter has gone on to compete in races for Nissan in the United States, Middle East and Europe. Heikotter talks about the experience in the exclusive video interview below.

What does the current number one box office hit Think Like A Man and Sony’s upcoming shooter Starhawk have in common? Award-winning film, television, and video game composer Christopher Lennertz has scored both projects. Lennertz worked with Sony Santa Monica Studios and Lightbox Interactive’s on the PlayStation 3 exclusive. The score album will be released June 19, 2012 through La-La Land Records.

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) is taking a page out of Nintendo’s popular Super Smash Bros. blockbuster with an exclusive PlayStation 3 game. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, developed by SuperBot Entertainment for the PS3, gathers some of the biggest names from first-party franchises together for four-player fighting action. Check out the exclusive video interview below.

With Nintendo announcing that development has just begun on the next iteration of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting the game this year, as the team makes time to really have everything balanced.  So what’s a hardcore player to do while they wait for that brawlathon?  Well, how about engage in another?  Today, Sony announced that it is bringing its much-rumored PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale out for the holiday season, with a slew of fighters from the 15-plus year Sony gaming legacy and a smorgasbord of levels.  The company recently invited us to an event to go hands-on.

Retro/Grade has quite the story behind it.  This downloadable game for PlayStation Network has been in the works for some time, introducing a new style of music/rhythm gameplay that ties in with a space shooter -- in a way.  We've seen it at a number of events, including last year's PAX Prime in Seattle, but upon seeing it at this year's PAX East 2012 event, we were treated with some good news.  The game is finally coming out later this year, as part of Sony's push to bring innovative new downloadable experiences to the PlayStation 3.

There are some genres where the Xbox 360 doesn’t quite match the PlayStation 3.  In this particular case, it’s brutal action.  Sure, it’s got Gears of War 3, but the console is sorely lacking a competitor that can keep up with Sony’s own God of War franchise.  Sure, Dante’s Inferno came pretty damn close, but the religious overtones stopped hardcore gamers from fully enjoying that one.  Now Climax Studios gives the genre a try with a digital downloadable title called Bloodforge, and while there’s plenty to hack and slash, there’s very little purpose to keep you from doing it for hours on end.

Kratos has pretty much done everything he can now, hasn’t he?  Spoilers ahead, by the way.  He’s taken down Zeus, he’s pretty much wiped out any god that’s opposed him, and he’s even managed to accidentally off Athena, all for the sake of quelling his rage.  So what’s left to do?  Put him in New York City?  Pit him against a new god?  Nah.  For Sony and its team at Sony Santa Monica, the answer is very clear – prequel.