has Trebek been briefed on this fiasco?

I actually looked forward to the new PSN downloadable title Jeopardy! The PS3 has been woefully neglected by the casual play, quiz-show and board-game type games that appeal to those of us who will never, ever, get more than 15 minutes in to any first person shooter story mode before being humiliated in defeat time & again (I'm talking to you, Resistance). I've been jonesing for Monopoly, The Game of Life, Trivial Pursuit, you name it. So when J! hit the PSN for a sweet-spot $15, I didn't hesitate. Pity. Sure, the package is slickly put together, and though it lacks Alex Trebek, the game is a real beauty on the big screen.

I was kind of curious how they'd handle inputting your questions...support for the PS3 wireless keyboard? As if. But. Can you believe they have you pick the answers (er, questions, rather. This is Jeopardy after all.) from a freaking LIST? WTF? They have got to be kidding. From a frigging list? So it turns every question (er, answer) into a race to hit your X button, so you may have the luxury of perusing a list of five answers. Ugh. Anyone with half a brain will be able to spot the correct answer from the losers without breaking a sweat. Jeopardy, reduced to a button masher. Sigh o sigh.

Other bits in miniature: the new sorta-sequel, PSN downloadable Ratchet & Clank looks to me like a side quest they didn't have time to complete before shoving the last game out the door. Not that that's a problem...that game still remains one of the most beautiful, jaw-dropping gorgeous titles in the whole PS3 library. This one is on par, but you can't help feel it's something they ought have included in the original release. Still, cheap! Let's hope more PSN goodies like this rain down upon us.

I'm kind of surprised to find that games I just knew I'd happily be shelling out $60 for (hello, Soul Caliber IV and Motorstorm: Pacific Rift) have become less likelies. And those are games I've been eagerly awaiting. Sixty dollars is just so high a price point. I remember the days of PS2 when I might gamble on a game if it was $30-40. Fat chance of that at sixty. So many Blu-Ray games have paled in fun & replay value when held up to the recent exhilirating, creative crop of PSN downloadables. If I can fork over a $20 (or considerably less!) instead of three times that much, AND have three times as much fun, well, that's a trend I can get behind. That said, sure, I'm getting the new Motorstorm. I mean, who am I kidding? The demo is so hot. But only one level for the 700 MB demo? Weak. And of course, Little Big Planet is practically required for any serious PS3 owner. Beyond those, though? I'm keeping my remaining dough for PSN goodies. It's been a bumper crop this season.

And yes, PSN downloadables Pixeljunk Eden and The Last Guy are really, really, really that wonderful. You should go buy them immediately. Good luck on the National Mall level though! Those damned bugs are wicked hard to get past with your thousand survivors.

Hell, I've even finally started playing Loco Roco Cocoreccho which I've had for ages. There's a lot of good stuff on that PSN, boys. Poke around.

p.s. Added reason to heart PSN: unlike my dwindling PS3 library (eBay, take these duds away!), once you buy a PSN game, you're stuck with it. Grow cozy in your walled garden, Sony purrs. Sleeeeep.