It's So Bad

You may remember Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This? from earlier this year on PSP, and how it was originally scheduled to be released on UMD in mid-July, but cancelled in favor of a digital-only release. It may have been better for NIS America, given how most retailers weren't planning on carrying it -- including Gamestop -- but the game was aimed at a niche audience, an audience that happens to care very much about physical products. And given the abundance of clever writing the game has, it would have made the instruction booklet a thrill to read. A pity it wasn't fated to happen.

However, NIS America tried to make amends a couple of months back by attempting to print the game if they received 1,000 preorders. Unfortunately, they didn't receive half that, and Badman seemed destined to remain only digital. Well, unless you imported, or plan to import, the European version.

Fortunately, all isn't lost, as Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! 2: Time To Tighten Up Security! will release on UMD and digitally when it releases in America in February 2010. But the best news about this release is that it will also include the first game on the same UMD as a bonus feature. The game will require you to input a secret code to access the original from its main menu, however. This should hopefully assuage the fears of anyone who wanted a physical copy, so now you can spend that time wondering how a secret code that's given out months in advance qualifies as a secret code.

While the retail version will go for $29.99, the digital version of Badman 2 will go for the reduced price of $19.99. It's always nice to see that someone has a grasp on reality when it comes to digital downloads. The first game is only going for $9.99 now in its digital form, so you'll basically be paying the same price* if you want to buy both games separately from the Playstation Store. Also, a demo for the second game is now available on Playstation Network.

*OK, you're actually saving $.01 with the digital version, but eh, details.