Ef This Quest!

Reports are going around stating that developers have received early access to the new Playstation 3 firmware. The new firmware lets users access the PSN once more. Does this mean that we are getting our beloved PSN back soon? Possibly. The PSN will be back to full compatibility by May 31st, although some features should be coming back sooner then that.

Rockstar Games has released the final trailer for L.A. Noire to get you pumped. The trailer clocks in at a minute but if you're excited about suspense, murder, and noir, then you should get a kick out of it. Click the link below to watch the trailer.

Namco is getting ready to finally release another great weapon-based fighter. Soulcalibur V picks up 17 years after the last game in a world where technology is developing rapidly. Does this mean that some characters will have iPods or are they going to use grenades? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Soulcalibur V will be available on PS3 and Xbox 360. Unfortunately for you Nintendo fans, it won't be coming to Wii. Soulcalibur V is set to release sometime in 2012.

Valve has finally updated its level editing tool, Hammer, for Portal 2. Now you can design your own maps and play them. You can also export your maps and upload them onto the internet for various users to download and play. The Portal 2 level creator is available under the tools tab on your Steam client.

The official podcast of EfThisQuest.com: dedicated to video games, movies, and comic books. Another week and no PSN. Oh well, we have our ways of coping. We talk about older PS2 games, why RARE won't make games anymore, and how the Chimera and David Bowie are similar.

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CAST:   Joshua Mobley, Matt Mobley, Kyle Cambra, Elaine Nicholson

A couple of weeks ago, we posted about the teaser images going around the net that suggested a new Hitman game was finally coming. Looks like it's official. Hitman: Absolution is well, real. Square Enix finally released a small teaser trailer for the game as well as a press release.

The press release states that this new Hitman game will not be using the older engine but instead is being built from the ground-up. More details are to be announced when Hitman: Absolution is showcased at E3. Unfortunately, the event will be invitation only, so who knows if we will learn anything about it by then. Click the link below to view the teaser trailer.

If you were hoping and/or praying you would be able to access PSN sometime this week, you better keep doing so. Sony announced today via the Playstation Blog that PSN won't be back online for at least a few more days. Below is an official quote from the post:

The earliest we can expect the PSN to be back online is sometime this weekend but that's being hopeful. We'll keep you updated on this matter.

A couple of days ago, Joystiq posted an article about the possibility of another Alan Wake game being announced. Today it was officially confirmed by Remedy Games indeed there will be another Alan Wake game coming soon. If you aren't already jumping for joy, start right now.

Remedy also clarified that this won't be Alan Wake 2, nor will it be DLC for the original. So what is it, then? Is it a spin off? God knows, or maybe He doesn't and He wants answers just like us. Maybe He's on a bus right now with normal people on his 3G iPad looking at this story asking the same questions we are. Too far?

After Alan Wake decided to come out the same day as Red Dead Redemption, its sales suffered. Even though the game was critically acclaimed, it wasn't enough to get it off the ground. This new game announcement comes as a shock. At this point I'm not going to question it, I'm just going to accept it.  YES! MORE ALAN WAKE!

Microsoft has reportedly bought the telecommunications company Skype. For those of you that don't know, Skype is a computer program that lets you text, voice, and video chat over the internet. Microsoft will be moving the program onto Xbox Live and it will be compatible with Kinect and all other Windows devices. This is kind of cool if you think about it. I can voice chat with my friends that have Kinect via my computer. Oh wait. None of my friends have Kinect.... Well, nevermind. Wait, does this mean I can't use my PSP for Skype anymore?

Blizzard is possibly keeping us from playing our new retail titles this holiday by announcing that its long awaited game, Diablo 3, will have a beta during Q3. They also announced that the team hopes to have the game out before 2012. If you're like me and you're planning on playing other games this holiday, let's hope this doesn't happen, or else we'll only be playing Diablo.