Video game extras, the future of the PSP media?

UMD movies may not have panned out due to expensive pricing and incompatibility with conventional DVD players. While Sony is working a solution to this problem like packaging DVDs and UMDs together for one price, Konami decides to take the format in a different direction. Silent Hill Experience brings together a variety of media like videos from the games and interviews. There are also twenty tracks composed Akira Yamaoka packed into the disc. Unique to the PSP are interactive comics such as “The Hunger”. The Metal Gear franchise also jumped on the interactive media bandwagon with Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel. Created in part with Kojima Productions, this disc tells the story of Metal Gear Solid through comic book panels. Like the Silent Hill Experience these panels will be accompanied by music and animation. For fans of the series there is a collection of over 300 items to reference in the series.

Konami brings an interesting concept to the PSP that takes advantage of their existing fanbase. Maybe more designers will take advantage of this and bring original content to the PSP such as “making of the game” videos. Or string together story elements and create a portable way to experience a game’s story. If all this pans out for Konami there’s even the possibility that companies like Prima may release UMD strategy guides. Before we get too ahead of ourselves, check out screenshots of Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel below.