The PlayStation Recap — Dark Knight Edition

Like many of you, I suspect, I’m spending this weekend curled up with an old friend: The Dark Knight. So far, Arkham City is proving to be a delight. Gotham has never looked better (I’m told it dazzles in 3D!), and Batman himself has learned a host of powerful new techniques, from plunging off buildings to whiplashing over rooftops to some fancy new melee strikes and throws. Based on what I’ve played, Arkham City is the rare sequel that ups the ante in every conceivable way without compromising the series’ fundamental strengths. Nice job, Rocksteady! If you’re playing Arkham City, be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.

In other news, this week saw the release of the PlayStation Move-fortified party game Everybody Dance, the four-player frenemy feuding of Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, PSN exclusives Okabu and Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken (among many others; see the PlayStation Store update for the full list) and new SOCOM 4 DLC. This week also saw new challenges for the PlayStation Home UNCHARTED: Fortune Hunter game, the introduction of the first contestant for The Tester Season 3, the final title for the upcoming ModNation Racers game on PS Vita, the first look at Spike TV’s October 31st competition special UNCHARTED 3: Race for the Ring, and a fresh batch of World Series predictions from MLB 11 The Show.

Regular PlayStation.Blog readers also noticed a flurry of game announcements late in the week: The Starhawk Beta was announced for November (vouchers come with all copies of UNCHARTED 3!), inFAMOUS: Festival of Blood confirmed an October 25th PSN release date, Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest announced a November 15th release date, PixelJunk SideScroller showed off an eyeball-melting launch trailer (and a launch date of 10/25), and Touch My Katamari was confirmed as a PS Vita launch title.

Not a bad week, all in all! But now that we’re secure in the tender embrace of the weekend, what are you playing?

I’m playing: Batman: Arkham City (and little else, I’m afraid!)

I’m watching: The Walking Dead: Season 2, Trollhunter

I’m reading: The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan

The Most-Watched Video of the Week: PS Vita Developer Diaries: The Genesis

The 10 Most-Viewed Posts of the Week

Get Ready: PS Vita is Coming February 22nd — No surprises here! The biggest news of the week was the official launch date of PS Vita for the US, Latin America and Europe. Mark those calendars…

PlayStation Store Update — This PlayStation Store update is bursting at the seams. Check out PSN exclusives Okabu, PAYDAY: The Hesit, Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken, Dungeon Defenders, plus Sam & Max: Beyond Time And Space, Beat Hazard Ultra, Dead Space Digital, Ridge Racer 7: 3D License, Real Steel, and a demo for Everybody Dance. Phew!

3D Display Arrives in November, Read the FAQ — You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers for the 3D Display that hits on November 13th. Read on in the comments for even more information; we’ll update with fresh answers soon.

UNCHARTED 3 – Join the Fortune Hunters’ Club — What to get a steep 45% discount on UNCHARTED 3’s seven multiplayer DLC expansions? Have we got a deal for you.

Beta Feedback: How You Helped Shape Battlefield 3’s Multiplayer — Developer DICE stops by to share some beta findings before the final version of Battlefield 3 hits on Tuesday. Remember: PS3 owners get DLC expansions first!

PAYDAY: The Heist Available today on PlayStation Store — The four-player co-op shooter lands on PSN with a bevy of intense heist scenarios and dynamic enemy intelligence. Have you tried the trial?

Key Hardware and Software Developers Talk Genesis of PS Vita — Rey’s outdone himself again with this dazzling look at PS Vita’s development process. Get rare insights from the developers who made PS Vita happen and learn why it’s not “PSP 2.”

UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception Launch Trailer — If you watch only one UNCHARTED 3 video, let this be the one.

PS Store Now Available on Sony Corp “Sony Tablet S” — Read up on the launch lineup for PlayStation Suite’s debet on the Sony Tablet S: Jumping Flash!, Cool Boarders, and a host of other PSone classics. Any PlayStation Bloggers using Sony’s new tablet?

UNCHARTED 3 Multiplayer Experience: Advanced Tips, New Map Today The UNCHARTED 3 Multiplayer Experience expands with a new map. In the video, Game Designer Robert Cogburn gives us a full rundown of advanced techniques.