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#castlevania We heard back in July that Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, last year's cooperative multiplayer platformer on Xbox Live would be making its way to the PS3. Konami has now said to expect it in September. It will also feature a new, local four-player cooperative mode in addition to the six-player online cooperative mode, the "Beauty, Desire, Situation Dire" map pack and characters Julius Belmont and Yoko Belnades. More »

#neverdead In Never Dead, you can rip off your head and then throw it. In real life, you cannot do this. Well, at least I don't think you can. More »

#silenthill Book of Memories is a lot of things apparently. One thing it is not is a traditional Silent Hill game. More »

#silenthill This is not the Silent Hill you know. More »

#neverdead We here at Kotaku love the idea behind NeverDead—we're not the type of folks who let something as petty as a severed head get in our way, and we don't think you are either. If that's the case, this game may be just the thing you're looking for this year. Take a look at these new screens but please don't try any of this at home. More »

#metalgear Graphics aren't everything. They are important, but the gameplay, and sometimes the story, are more important. That still doesn't mean many gamers aren't graphics snobs. They are. More »

#silenthill Silent Hill loves dark corridors like I love French vanilla ice cream. So no wonder this latest batch of Silent Hill: HD Collection screens are cloaked in darkness. And no wonder I'm eating French vanilla ice cream. More »

#silenthill And more importantly, will they be good memories? Or bad ones. More »

#silenthill Silent Hill: Book of Memories isn't your typical SH game. For one thing, it's a multiplayer action games. For another, it uses a top-down isometric view. Top-down isometric isn't very scary. More »

The WayForward-developed Silent Hill game for PlayStation Vita is weirder than you think. Konami showed off Silent Hill: Book of Memories during its Gamescom press conference this morning, revealing it to be a multiplayer action game (we expected that part) with a top-down or isometric perspective.

If you look closely, you'll notice that series stars Harry, Maria and James now exist in the same game! Of course, Konami is wisely opting to spin Book of Memories off into its own, completely unrelated story. You'll also be able to create your own protagonist, further distancing yourself from the sanctity of Silent Hill canon.

Book of Memories features melee combat, guns and what appears to be a smattering of RPG elements. We'll try to get you more specific information as Gamescom continues.

Despite being announced as a PlayStation 3 exclusive (at least "for right now"), Silent Hill: Downpour producer Tomm Hulett explained in video form during this morning's Konami press conference at Gamescom that the upcoming Silent Hill HD Collection will also be coming to Xbox 360. According to Hulett, the HD Collection's Xbox 360 version is coming as a result of fan response to the originally announced exclusivity.

Without giving a solid release date -- though it's expected in the next two months -- Hulett noted that Konami is "aiming" to release Silent Hill HD Collection on both consoles simultaneously, which sounds to us like, "We're not going to release them both at the same time." Also, your glass is half empty.

Prolific Twitter user and occasional game designer Hideo Kojima posted the above picture last night on his Twitter account, saying only, "Found this at Omori-kun's desk. What's this?" Yes, the Jehuty figure is pretty breathtaking, but something even more interesting can be found behind it: a "Z.O.E. 3DS" logo, with the "3DS" a subtle alteration of the mirrored ZOE logo. Part of another logo can be seen to the left, revealing "...bis: 2" That is perhaps a reference to Anubis, the Japanese name for Zone of the Enders 2.

This ZOE logo could be anything: a ported Zone of the Enders game for 3DS (like Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater); a new sequel (as in "Zone of the Enders 3" in the west and "Anubis: 2" in Japan); or a canceled project that never made it past the "really cool logo" stage. Furthermore, Kojima could just be messing with his followers.

#zoneoftheenders When not making video games, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima teases gamers. It's not that he makes fun of them (he doesn't...I don't think), but he dangles carrots in front of his fans like no other game designer working today. More »

Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater has one advantage over its console counterparts: a fun new camouflage system that lets you dress Snake in camo based on pictures taken with the 3DS camera. Hideo Kojima grabbed some shopping bags to use as examples, posting two pictures on Twitter.

If the new 3DS port includes an added mission that takes place behind the counter of a Tower Records, Kojima's going to have no problem. Alternately, if you live in either a jungle or a decommissioned Soviet weapons facility, you'll basically be playing in easy mode.

Did you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Jukebeat! If you're done with Groove Coaster and wondering what's next in your iPhone musical repertoire, prepare to be kind of rewarded, and kind of punished for your interest. Konami's Jukebeat threatens to make me pass out from stress whenever I play it ... but I keep playing it. And so now I'm going to inflict it on you, and you're going to get totally stressed out trying to keep up with the Contra theme song.

Jukebeat is a mobile adaptation of Konami's touchscreen arcade game Jubeat, in which you tap one of sixteen squares on a giant touch screen in time with the music. The iPhone version works the same way, except with sixteen squares on your little screen instead of a giant space cube.

It's pretty rudimentary in theory; you just tap squares as they light up, to the tune of the music. Except you get very little warning before you're supposed to tap, and you're often asked to tap two or four squares simultaneously. The only way to avoid failure is to practice, recognizing the patterns and memorizing as much as you can. And even that's not a guaranteed method for avoiding failure, if my own history is any indication.

The free app comes pre-loaded with three Konami remixes -- one each from Contra, Frogger, and Lethal Enforcers (!) A few other song packs are available for $3.99 each, but ... I'm still working on these. I haven't even ventured into the harder difficulty settings.

Jukebeat is available from the iOS App Store for free as a universal App. We're always looking for new distractions. Want to submit your game for Portabliss consideration? You can reach us at portabliss aat joystiq dawt com.

#loveplus Figures often have extra hands or arms for collectors to switch out for new poses. Sometimes figures have extra hair, and alternate hairdos are exciting! More »

#gamingappoftheday It ain't easy being green, and it's harder being a green, mucus filled piggy. Your fellow pigs want nothing to do with you. But when monsters invade your homeland, it's up to you (and your nose) to save the day. More »

When the Nintendo 3DS launched, Pro Evolution Soccer, or World Soccer Winning Eleven as it's known in Japan, launched along with it. More »

Next week, Nintendo of Japan will release a 3DS "3D Classics" version of Twinbee -- which, if you're not familiar with the 3D Classics line, means a remake of the game, using the original graphics, with added 3D effects. And, uh, if you're not familiar with Twinbee, it's the first in a series of "cute-em-ups" from Konami in which a bulbous little ship shoots at enemies and collects power-ups in the form of bells.

The reason Nintendo would pick Konami's NES version of Twinbee for 3D Classics treatment is pretty easy to guess: like Xevious, it features both aerial shooting and bombs that can be shot at the ground, and having the action on these two planes is a good showpiece for 3D effects. What's a little harder to understand is that, while every other 3D Classics game has been updated for the 3DS's widescreen display, Twinbee is in the original NES aspect ratio, with a border of red curtains.

Maybe this is some kind of emulation with added 3D, instead of a full remake like the other games. Maybe the enemy patterns would have had to be moved around too much. Or maybe somebody got lazy.

#totalrecall Summer pre-season trips are underway, the transfer market is in full swing and Wayne Rooney is back once again on the cover of a FIFA game. Yes, it's time for another season of European football. More »

Konami has signed on to help spread the good word in Europe, assisting Ignition Entertainment's El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron in its holy pilgrimage to PAL territories. Konami will act as Ignition's distribution partner in Europe.

Along with the announcement of the distribution team's bolstering, the release date for the religiously-themed PS3/Xbox 360 game has shifted -- but not back like it was in North America. It'll now be released in Europe one day earlier, on September 8. Thank heaven!

If zombies don't devour our lumpy noggins, then surely the robot uprising will take care of "the human threat." . Based on this video from an undergrad at Purdue University, we know that robots are in the lead. First they learn how to play DDR, then they learn how to peel the skin from our bones.

Leedmees was a nice surprise in the Konami suite at Comic-Con this week -- we haven't posted about it yet at all, and while Fruit Ninja Kinect has gotten a lot of the press as the first downloadable Kinect title, this one looks like it might be the more original. The game describes, during a dreamy little introduction, the player wandering into a secret magical door somewhere, where little white creatures (called Leedmees, presumably) march in step from one little spinning portal to another. Like the old Lemmings games, Leadmees mindlessly walk forward, and it's up to the player to make sure they get home safely. But there's one important twist: In Lemmings, you controlled the little creatures, using their abilities to get through the environment. In Leedmees, you are the environment.

The first two screens of the PS3-exclusive ("for now") Silent Hill HD Collection have been released. Judging by these new screens of Silent Hill 2, the HD graphics do a much nicer job of rendering total darkness than the old PS2-era originals. Is it just our imagination, or is the game darker now?

The included fact sheet also specifies a release window of "September/October 2011" and identifies the developer of the ports as Hi Jinx Studios, the company responsible for Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment.

#comiccon2011 "Snake? SNAAAKE?! It's your roll." You too can make this ill-conceived attempt at a joke with the forthcoming Metal Gear Solid-themed edition of classic strategy board game Risk, a game not surprisingly titled Risk: Metal Gear Solid. More »

#watchthis Steel Chronicle is Konami's latest arcade game, and it has players suit up to shoot down huge insects. More »

#loveplus In Japan, it's summer. Time to put on a swimsuit and head to the beach. Easier said than done when you're a virtual schoolgirl. More »

Konami, along with the West Virginia University Extension Service and West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency, is hosting a Childhood Obesity Summit at the Embassy Suites in Charleston, West Virginia on July 27. Speakers will include The Biggest Loser's Dr. Michael Dansinger, as well as some very important-sounding people from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.

But why should you care? Because the summit will also play host to the state's second annual Dance Dance Revolution tournament for students, of course, where scholarships and other prizes will be awarded to the victors. DDR has been a part of West Virginia's physical education program since 2006, and Governor Earl Ray Tomblin believes the game is "is reshaping our youths' mindset regarding what constitutes physical activity." Konami agrees, telling Gamasutra that they intend to "help encourage today's youth to lead more active and healthier lifestyles in a way that works best for them." As always, we suggest a strict diet of Cooler Ranch Doritos and Throwback Mountain Dew for peak health performance.

These days, Hideo Kojima is a busy man. The Metal Gear mastermind recently revealed that the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is heading to the PS3 this November. The HD Collection includes revamped versions of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, complete with dual-analog-stick controls, 1080p graphics, smoother frame rates, a redesigned user interface, rumble support and much more.

We caught up with Kojima last week at an appearance in Mexico City and he was eager to speak with PlayStation.Blog readers. Enjoy the Q&A, and leave your favorite Metal Gear moments in the comments!

PlayStation.Blog: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was designed for PSP — a portable device. What changes did Kojima Productions make to the upcoming PS3 version so it could be enjoyed on a high-definition home console?

Hideo Kojima, Director, Kojima Productions: The PSP obviously has fewer buttons than the PS3 controller, and it had some limitations when it comes to control. Using the DualShock 3, movement of many things improved…as did, of course, [the addition of] rumble support.

On the PSP, it was also hard to tell some textures apart. Now, rendered in HD, they are are much easier to see. The in-game text is also easier to read.

PSB: Your process of “transfarring” will allow PSP players to take their Peace Walker save files from one console to another, and we will also see similar cross-play support with the PS Vita and Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. Is this the future of gaming, and would you like to explore beyond what already has been announced?

Kojima: Peace Walker is the first step. It is a PSP game in HD that lets one go back and forth between one PSP and a PSP. The next step is to take PS2-quality games, such as Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3, to HD and then to take them to Vita transfarring.

My next step is games that will come out for the PS3 from now on, so I can take advantage of this technology with the Vita with content that is exactly the same. I hope that cloud service is available now, and it would be ideal for me if transfarring were to serve as a bridge between the two services.

PSB: Just before E3, a glimpse of what will be its new graphic engine (FOX Engine) was shown. What would you say are their greatest visual benefits? Is there anything that stands out in this technology that you can tell us about?

Kojima: For now, FOX Engine has high performance in developing games on multiple platforms; I think that is the most prominent feature. At this point, it is not an engine that has anything particularly prominent when compared to what’s on the market. From now on, we hope to add features and functions that stand out from other engines.

PSB: Okay, PS Vita has already been revealed. Are you interested in the console? What are the features that draw your attention most to a portable device?

Kojima: As for the multitouch pad on the back of the console, I do not want to force users to use it. The PS Vita has cutting-edge technology and it’s the best there is – especially with integration with the PS3 – and I am very pleased I can offer it to users.

PSB: With the commercial success of L.A. Noire, and the return of cyberpunk with Deus Ex: Human Revolution, do you believe that there is a market for a new Snatcher game?

Kojima: L.A. Noire is a game that I really like, but unfortunately I have not played it. I think it is coming out in Japan today, so when I return, I intend to play it. This idea of ​​an open world in 3D is very good, and I would love to do something like Snatcher, but I do not have the time or the means to do so. But if anyone else would like to develop it, I would love it.

NOTE: A few hours after this interview, Hideo Kojima, in collaboration with Suda 51 and Akira Yamaoka, announced a radio drama called “Sdatcher” based on Snatcher.

PSB: What qualities do you think a game designer needs to be hired in today’s industry?

Kojima: Right now, it’s very similar to movies: You need a lot of money. So rather than doing what you want, doing what you like, you must have a clear idea of marketing and sales. That’s what’s happening to us with FOX Engine; you do not need be an expert in programming to develop a game, but if you have a question, you still need an expert on-hand to provide an answer.

As for expression, that has reached a high level. Video games are trying to reach the peak of entertainment, so game makers should be clear that things like emotion and sound are among the many things that have to be involved.

PSB: How has your perspective from your business point of view and as a game developer changed, now that you are Vice President of Konami Digital?

Kojima: I would like to not change. My priority continues to be to create and produce my own games. Now that I can do this well, I can generate more time to help in other company products, especially in creative ways.

#castlevania Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, released last year, ended up starring Gabriel Belmont, and was let's say...different from most other games in the franchise. More »