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Marvel’s Midnight Suns: Super-heroic turn-based combat and card tactics explained
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Reading Time: 6 minutes
When the team at Firaxis Games was first approached with the chance to create a new game with Marvel Entertainment, we were obviously super excited! We knew we wanted to create a game featuring tactical combat as we had a lot of experience creating those types of games with XCOM.

However, we quickly discovered that designing a Super Hero game is very different from creating a game about soldiers combating an alien invasion. Today, I’m excited to talk to PlayStation players about our journey to design a brand-new heroic combat experience, why we landed on using cards to represent hero abilities, and how that system works in Marvel’s Midnight Suns.

The theory behind cards

To understand why we use cards, it’s important to break down what makes a tactics game fun in the first place. All tactics games are essentially puzzles, and our job as designers is to find the right balance between that puzzle being too easy and obvious, or nearly impossible and insanely complex. Our goal is to find the sweet spot where the answer isn’t immediately obvious, but the player understands the mechanics and tools to manipulate the game and reach the solution. However, over time seasoned players will learn the optimal way to use those tools and quickly overcome any obstacle. That’s where randomness comes in.

Randomization is an important design element in tactics games, as it offers a way to make the game unpredictable even when a player has mastered the core mechanics. It requires players to constantly adapt to new situations and keeps the puzzle fresh and surprising. And it’s how you end up with those amazing moments in XCOM, like hitting a clutch 25% shot… but also how you end up missing those 95% point-blank rounds!

Another critical element of tactics games is fulfilling the player fantasy. In Marvel’s Midnight Suns we have an awesome roster of heroes from across the Marvel Universe, ranging from the cosmic-powered strength of Captain Marvel and brilliant mind of Tony Stark to the mystic arts of Doctor Strange and vampire-hunting prowess of Blade. Our early prototypes put these characters into XCOM-style combat with elements like percentage hit chance and cover – And while the mechanics worked fine, the game didn’t feel right. These are Super Heroes, after all! Iron Man doesn’t miss shots with his Repulsor Blasts, and Captain Marvel isn’t going to take cover for protection when things heat up.

As we removed more of those XCOM elements, particularly the percentage hit chance, the game began to feel more heroic…but the combat puzzle quickly became too simple. It was easy to repeat the same powerful attack with a hero each turn until the mission was over. We needed to reintroduce randomness to keep the combat puzzle engaging while still making you feel like a Super Hero. That’s when we had the idea to represent our hero abilities as cards.

Cards are great because they are commonly used in games and players are familiar with key “mechanics” like a deck, draw, and discard. Drawing a hand of cards each turn gave us the perfect amount of randomness for our combat experience. Our heroes feel super-powered in combat because their abilities never miss and always do exactly what they say, but there is still strategy required to solve the combat puzzle based on which cards are in your hand.

Fight and think like a Super Hero

In Marvel’s Midnight Suns, every hero has a unique set of abilities which you use to form a deck of 8 cards. When heroes are brought into combat, their decks are shuffled together and at the beginning of each turn you draw up to a hand of 6 cards. During your turn, you have three Card Plays that represent how many times you can use your abilities, along with two Redraws to swap out abilities you don’t want to use. You can also Move a hero of your choice anywhere you want once per turn.

Regarding the abilities themselves, we separate them into three categories: Attacks, Skills, and Heroics. Attack cards are used primarily to deal damage. Some Attacks have Knockback which forcefully repositions an enemy by throwing them back in a targeted direction – You can deal additional damage by throwing them back into objects, other enemies, or even your allied heroes!

Skill cards are used for support, often providing a variety of benefits to the player or debuffing the enemy. While these cards don’t deal damage, they can be used to draw cards, heal characters, grant positive status effects, and much more.

Heroic cards are incredibly powerful abilities which deal significantly more damage or provide stronger effects on the battlefield. Marvel fans will be delighted to see many iconic hero abilities represented with these cards. Heroic cards require a resource called Heroism, which is generated by playing Attack or Skill cards. Heroism is also required to use objects on the battlefield in Environment Attacks which don’t require a Card Play to use. If you’ve got the Heroism, you can knock down light poles, explode barrels…even pick up a stack of newspapers and smack your foes in the face, all without spending a single Card Play.

Combat in Marvel’s Midnight Suns is uniquely accessible and easy to pick up and play. There is no movement grid or cover system, and heroes will automatically reposition to reach their targets. Playing abilities is as simple as selecting an ability card from your hand, selecting the target enemy or area, and that’s it – There goes Captain America sprinting across the battlefield to knock out a Hydra goon!

After mastering the basic rules, combat can also be surprisingly deep and complex. There are so many factors which adjust the tactical puzzle on every mission, turn, and action.
- What abilities do I have in my hand?
- What heroes are on this mission, and how do their abilities interact?
- Which enemies are the biggest threats? Are there dangerous villains to handle?
- Should I spend my Heroism on a Heroic ability, or utilize the environment?
- Can I use Knockback abilities and the terrain to maximize damage output?
And if that isn’t enough, we also have eight difficulty options for you to pit your tactical brilliance against. Are you just looking to get a great supernatural Marvel story? Pick the Story difficulty. But if you’re looking to agonize over every single decision? Ultimate III will be the way to go.

I can’t wait to see how you solve the tactical combat puzzle once Marvel’s Midnight Suns is out on PlayStation 5 on December 2, 2022!

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26/10/2022
Hands-on with The Callisto Protocol reveals combat strategy, upgrades, ruthless enemies, and more

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Reading Time: 7 minutes

Well, based on my recent hands-on session with the PS5 version of The Callisto Protocol, developer Striking Distance Studio is brimming with the right kind of crazy. My trek through a level titled Habitat picks up a few hours into the game, packing intense combat, chilling atmosphere, and white-knuckle moments.

Keep reading for a rundown of gameplay highlights from the preview, including details about visceral melee combat, life-saving ranged weapons, enticing customization, the terrifying biophage mutating threat, and much more.

Immersive Visuals

Setting the mood – Black Iron Prison is a visually compelling yet appropriately unnerving setting. Steam bursts from pipes and blankets of fog float above the ground. The sounds of clinking chains and muted moans fill the air. Dingy floor lights flicker sporadically, vaguely suggesting a path forward. Every inch of the prison feels considered and hums to life with impressive visual fidelity.

Devilish details – The camera is pulled in tight behind Jacob during gameplay, resulting in an appropriately claustrophobic feeling and sets up big jump scares. One benefit of the intimate camera is a good, close look at Jacob’s character detail. Beads of sweat form on his face and catch the light, which he then wipes away. The creases of his coveralls are authentically dirty and wrinkled. Jacob also moves with the labored, weighty movements of a person surviving a horrible ordeal. All this coalesces into a film-like level of detail that heightens immersion and tension.

High-stakes melee

Your enemy, the biophage – Black Iron Prison is crawling with grotesque, infected humanoid monsters called biophage. These enemies range from freshly turned creatures still wearing guard uniforms to skittering, wall-climbing freaks with optical camouflage capabilities. Their movements are erratic, unnerving, and pack surprising lethality. Never let your guard down and prepare to learn some hard lessons.

Melee matters – Unlike the last-resort melee weapons of some horror games, Jacob’s electrified baton is a cornerstone for survival. Delivering light blows with R1 and heavy attacks with R2 feels meaty, and is key when setting up…

Skill shots – Successful melee combos trigger “skill shots” – a circular reticle that appears on part of an enemy’s body. Quickly tapping the L2 button causes Jacob to auto-aim at the weak spot for a critical hit dealing heavy damage. This is key for surviving encounters and saving ammo.

DualSense controller haptics – When Jacob equips his baton, the PS5 controller haptics emulate a weighty “thunk” as it unfolds, along with a crackle of electrical power across your fingertips. The weightiness of this melee weapon extends into satisfying feedback during close-quarters fights.

Defend and dodge – Enemies are fast and aggressive, but Jacob doesn’t need to take hits like a chump. Moving the left stick down lets Jacob block attacks, while pressing left or right lets him dodge in either direction. These defensive options are critical for saving your skin and setting up a new melee combo.

Stomp ‘em all – No fight feels complete without a cathartic stomp to the fallen biophage. Not only does this help finish off fallen foes, but is necessary to make loot drop including ammo, health, and credits.

Fun with gravity – The GRP gravity weapon allows Jacob to pickup enemies and objects. The GRP is great for crowd control, flinging enemies to create space, and even finding loot stashed out of reach. Each use of the GRP expends a battery, so choose carefully.

Environmental kills – The most gruesome and handy use of the GRP involves flinging your enemies into nasty hazards like spinning meat grinders and razor-sharp fan blades. Even when those types of dangers were unavailable, I found success chucking enemies off ledges and walkways into the darkness below.

Counting your bullets

Ranged weapons – Melee is great for conserving ammo, but you’ll inevitably be outnumbered and low on health with your back against the wall. That’s when it’s time to unholster one of Jacob’s powerful firearms.

BI-55 Pistol “Hand Cannon” – Jacob’s trusty handgun packs a wallop. I found the slow, powerful pistol best for blasting enemies’ legs out at a distance, slowing their pursuit and giving me time to strategize. It bears repeating that ammo is at a premium, so marksmanship matters.

Skunkgun shotgun – Later in Habitat I discovered schematics for a new weapon. The next time I visited a shop kiosk, the 3D printer manifested a stout shotgun with incredible power. Starting with a capacity of only two shells, the Skunkgun appears best for sweeping crowds and dropping tough enemies fast.

Gear upgrades – Callisto credits scattered around the prison can be exchanged at shop kiosks for ammo, health, and invaluable gear upgrades. During my hands-on I invested in a baton upgrade that allowed me to sweep enemies’ legs after blocking. Enhancements for the hand cannon included stability, damage, ammo capacity, and enticing explosive projectiles. GRP upgrades include increased recharge rate, maximum energy capacity, and launch strength.

Mutating menace – Tentacles sometimes erupt from biophage, an evolution of the virus that causes them to mutate into bigger, badder enemies. Watching biophage flesh ripple, grow, and change shape in real-time is an impressive visual effect, but you’ll want to nip it in the bud ASAP. Mind your ammo or brace for a sinking feeling when you take aim at sprouting tentacles only for your hand cannon to click dry…

Deliberate healing – Injectors are scattered around Black Iron Prison, but don’t expect to pop med kits and heal up in the heat of combat. Jacob must stop, take a knee, and slowly inject himself until the meter on the back of his neck fills with green. To survive one particularly intense encounter, I launched an enemy away using the GRP, buying me precious seconds to heal up. The added tension feels right at home in The Callisto Protocol.

Rewarding exploration –Scavenging for resources like ammo is important, and Striking Distance rewards player curiosity. In one sequence I needed to move a large box to gain access to a vent. Instead of forging ahead, I used the box to climb up to a platform containing extra ammo. In another example Jacob mutters to himself about following a red pipe to his objective. Instead, I immediately ventured down a separate path and found a supply room with credits and health, then unlocked a door looping back to the main path.

Unforgettable horror stories

Hallway of doom – At one point, I entered a dark hallway with a brightly lit door on the other end. Foolishly, I began running towards the light thinking it was a beacon of refuge. My optimism was violently dashed by a biophage ambush. While the encounter only required me to work through about three foes, it felt like a true litmus test of the game’s systems. Eventually, I learned the importance of moving slowly, relying on melee and dodging, and executing skill shots to save ammo

In the walls – During another tricky encounter I attempted to evade a pursuing enemy by hiding behind a nearby door. I waited, hand cannon trained on the door expecting it to open and provide an easy shot at the biophage. Instead, I heard a fast-scuttling sound above and suddenly the enemy had ensnared me from behind. It was a humbling reminder to stay paranoid.

Water slide – Striking Distance flexes its water effects muscle in a thrilling sequence where Jacob is flushed into a massive drainage tube. Water sloshes convincingly against the twisty turns of the tube and splashes the camera when Jacob plummets off a steep drop. When I wasn’t worrying about dodging metallic obstacles on the slide, I couldn’t help but think “weeee!”

Mind games – One of the most startling encounters involved a dark narrow hallway, flashing lights, and a spider-like biophage crawling quickly along the walls and ceiling. The strobing effect of the lights offered flashbulb glimpses of the horrifying creature as it grew closer and closer. I had encountered this foe several times before, but this intimidating ambush made me stop in my tracks.

Rise and grind – Towards the end of the level, Jacob enters a room with a pillar of spinning, spiked cylinders. Like a giant meat grinder. I delighted at the opportunity to wield the GRP and fling monster after monster into the big blender. My batteries ran dry before I could toss the final enemy, who I instead blasted in the leg with the hand cannon. To my surprise and delight the monster attempted to stumble away from my attack and unwittingly plunged itself headfirst into the grinder, disintegrating instantly. The effect was surprising, hilarious, and empowering.

These are just a taste of the memorable, enticing moments from my few hours with The Callisto Protocol. I went into the hands-on session with neutral curiosity around Striking Distance Studios’ visually impressive sci-fi horror project and emerged with sweaty palms and a new most-wanted game of 2022. I’ll be prioritizing my trip back to Black Iron Prison when it hits PS5 on December 2.

Website: LINK

26/10/2022
PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for November: Nioh 2, Lego Harry Potter Collection, Heavenly Bodies

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Reading Time: 3 minutes
Today we’re happy to reveal November’s Monthly Games for PlayStation Plus. Take on savage foes with traditional weapons and supernatural abilities in Nioh 2, cast spells and solve puzzles in Lego Harry Potter Collection and take to the stars for physics sim Heavenly Bodies.

These titles can be enjoyed by PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra and Premium members from Tuesday November 1. The PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Game Catalog lineup for October will be announced later this month.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the Monthly Games.

Nioh 2 / Nioh 2 Remastered | PS4, PS5

Master the lethal arts of the samurai as a mysterious half-human, half-supernatural Yokai warrior, in this challenging single player action RPG sequel. Take down a host of deadly new Yokai, seasoned samurai warriors and gargantuan boss monsters in Team Ninja’s stylized vision of Japan’s early Sengoku period. Unsheathe your deadly weapons and cut down all enemies in your path using a revamped combat system and the ability to transform into a full Yokai to unleash devastating paranormal powers.

PlayStation Plus members can add both Nioh 2 on PS4 and Nioh 2 Remastered to their game library.

Lego Harry Potter Collection | PS4

The Lego Harry Potter Collection brings together Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 remastered! This compilation unites the creative prowess of Lego and the expansive world of Harry Potter, with an exciting journey full of spell-casting, potion-making, puzzle-solving, lessons, dueling and much more. Enjoy two player fun either local or online.

Heavenly Bodies | PS4, PS5

Discover the ever-changing nuances of weightless motion in this challenging physics game, featuring a collection of stellar scenarios inspired by the feats of space explorers and researchers throughout history. Wrangle control of your cosmonaut’s arms with the left and right thumbsticks to push, pull, and clamber through fully physically simulated scenarios aboard a scientific research station, alone or with a friend via local co-op.

Last chance to download October’s Monthly Games

PlayStation Plus members have until Monday October 31 to add Hot Wheels Unleashed, Injustice 2 and Superhot to their game library.

PlayStation Plus Spotify Playlist

Also, check out our PlayStation Plus monthly games-inspired playlist on Spotify, which will be refreshed with new songs every month.

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26/10/2022
River City Girls 2: New Marian gameplay and character design details revealed

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Reading Time: 5 minutes
Hi, I’m Bannon Rudis. I’m one of the directors over at WayForward. WayForward does those Shantae and River City Girls games, among many other things. I have personally been making River City games for almost a decade now alongside Arc System Works. I started by reverse-engineering River City sprites and animations and trying my hardest to figure out how to animate. This pushed me towards my path of game development. But I know you are not here for me. Marian, one of the new playable characters in River City Girls 2, is the main attraction of this article, so let’s jump right into it.

Marian has a long and storied career as a damsel in distress. For many decades she was either publicly assaulted on the streets, kidnapped by a shadowy gang of criminals, held hostage in exchange for magical stones, or straight up gunned down (though she was later resurrected). Needless to say, she’s had it pretty rough. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that her friends, Billy and Jimmy, fought to the death over who got to date her. It’s a bit much.

Marian’s final production art, along with concept art showing her heavy-hitting moves in action.

Times have changed and so has Marian. No longer is she the helpless victim to these street thugs, villains, and maniacal skeleton wizards. Over the years, Marian has trained her body to reject the kind of physical and mental abuse she has unwillingly received over the past several decades. Unsolicited punches to her gut were merely a faint memory of the old Marian.

Two of Marian’s many expressions. Something mysterious seems to be afoot!

Marian learned the ways of boxing and wrestling. She didn’t want to be pigeonholed as the “slow but powerful wrestler” type. Her quick barrage of punches and grappling moves makes her a very unique fighter, but at the same time very familiar.

This is Marian as she appeared in the first River City Girls. By popular demand, she’s grown from humble shopkeeper into playable character in RCG2!

Marian’s current River City Girls design showed up in the first River City Girls game in 2019. Players and fans of the series instantly gravitated towards this new interpretation of Marian. She was a fan favorite and the obvious choice for one of the new playable characters in the sequel. Marian also bridges the narrowing gap between the Double Dragon and River City series. We ran this by Arc System Works, who are the license holders, and they were very much on board with the decision.

A frame-by-frame exploration of one of Marian’s mighty moves, the KO Cutter!

Even though she is a grappler, she is not necessarily slower than other characters and she has various moves that makes her incredibly versatile. She is the only playable character that has command grabs. These moves are great for doing damage to a single enemy, plus they also have plenty of splash damage to take out a crowd near her.

Marian unleashes a combo that launches her enemy into the air, then drives him back to Earth with the Air Pancake.

She also has some high-flying moves that can help launch her into a crowd of enemies from above using her Party Crasher Move. This move can quickly launch her forward to get the drop on enemies that are far away, or be used as an anti-air spinning attack, or if you wait until the last second as she stops spinning, you can drop her Elbow Piston special air attack on unsuspecting foes below her.

Another special is a command grab that only works if she is in between two enemies in range. The Mind Meld is done by Marian grabbing an enemy on each side of her and smashing them face first into each other. If she uses the move on a single enemy, she will instead Irish Whip them (that silly move in pro-wrestling where an opponent can’t stop running after being pushed into the ropes). This will allow Marian to attack them while they are vulnerable.

Marian proves that two heads are better than one with the skull-splitting Mind Meld, followed by the KO Cutter!

And finally, there’s her KO Cutter. This move is a dashing straight punch that can take out several enemies in front of her. Or, if you time it right, the move can be charged by holding down the Special button until it’s automatically unleashed. This will do more damage and have the added benefit of bouncing enemies off walls back to you.

Another useful move in Marian’s arsenal is the Carousel Toss, which not only damages the thrown enemy, but also any foes unlucky enough to get in the way!

Marian is very different from the other playable characters in the game, but she should be easy enough for anyone to pick up and feel comfortable with right away. Both our new characters, Marian and Provie, were such fun characters to play as that it made me personally feel the original characters needed an overhaul to their playstyle so they could keep up with how cool the newcomers are. I hope you enjoy playing as Marian, Provie, and our returning characters (who all got a glow up in the sequel) as much as we do when it arrives on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

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24/10/2022
Genshin Impact Version 3.2: Akasha pulses and the Kalpa Flame rises in new update

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Reading Time: 6 minutes
Hello, Travelers! Your Genshin Impact dev team is here to meet you again. After two months in the Nation of Wisdom, the next update is now confirmed to arrive on November 2. With Version 3.2 “Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises,” we will finally come to the very moment where Sumeru’s fate will be decided. Team up with Nahida, Layla, and more reliable allies to find out more!

Beyond the Archon Quest, a series of fun events will take place, including “Fabulous Fungus Frenzy” where Travelers can catch and train Fungi. Besides, we’d like also like to announce that Genshin Impact will include Italian and Turkish subtitles starting from Version 3.3! We can’t wait to see more players from diverse backgrounds joining us in the future!

The Dendro Archon and the Man-Made God

After experiencing the Sabzeruz Festival samsara and surviving the journey through the desert, we will finally reach the end of the Sumeru Archon Quest arc. Picking up right where we left off, Nahida has been confined in the Sanctuary of Surasthana by The Doctor. As the Dendro Archon, the Akademiya and the Grand Sage, two Fatui Harbingers, desert-dwellers, and all other important players enter the scene, the final chapter will push the story to the climax.

Although the Traveler will receive support from many allies, including insiders like Cyno, the General Mahamatra, and Alhaitham, the path to save Nahida and Sumeru will be fraught with difficulties, as will the epic fight against The Balladeer. Different from The Balladeer we’ve encountered before, the third Fatui Harbinger boss that we are destined to fight comes in the form of a massive mechanical-looking puppet crafted by the Akademiya and The Doctor. To defeat this boss, you will have to survive two combat phases. In the first phase, The Balladeer’s upper body will take the stage with gigantic mechanical arms, along with several types of elemental powers and abilities, including attacks that create huge Hydro tornadoes, Electro beams, and burning or freezing fields.

But you will not fight alone. A floating device will accompany you throughout the combat and help turn the tide in the second phase. After The Balladeer transformed into this massive form, your regular attacks will no longer do any damage. The floating little helper will be the only one capable of breaking through his defenses and attacking the boss’ weak points.

The end of the Archon Quest does not mean the end of our journey in Sumeru. Whether it’s the mysteries from the past or changes in the future, there are still lots to be uncovered.

More Allies From Sumeru

After accompanying the Traveler on their long journey, Nahida is finally ready to join the cast as a playable five-star Dendro catalyst user. Meanwhile, Layla, an Akademiya student with an unusual ability, will be joining as a four-star Cryo sword user.

Since her birth, Lesser Lord Kusanali, also known as Nahida, has yet to set foot in the outside world. All the knowledge she possesses is like pieces of scenery she has never seen with her own eyes. But now, we get the chance to show her around, and even spend more time with the young Archon in her Story Quest upon finishing the Sumeru Archon Quest.

In combat, Nahida can cast a unique viewfinder-ish skill by holding her Elemental Skill, dealing AoE Dendro Damage as she marks and links opponents with the Seed of Skandha. When marked opponents take damage from Dendro Cores or have Elemental Reactions triggered on themselves, Nahida will unleash a powerful Tri-Karma Purification dealing Dendro Damage. Another amazing use for her Elemental Skill is to collect harvestable items directly from a distance. With her Elemental Burst, Nahida will manifest the marvelous Court of Dreams and expands the Shrine of Maya. Within the Shrine of Maya, a Pyro member will increase the DMG of Tri-Karma Purification, an Electro member will shorten the interval between each Tri-Karma Purification, and a Hydro member will increase the duration of the field.

The second new playable character is Layla, an astrology student with the ability to sleepwalk. Looking tired and anxious most of the time, Layla suffers from severe sleep deprivation as a result of her relentless struggle with her studies and lack of confidence. However, her unique talent to sleepwalk allows her to reveal her true personality, regain her self-confidence, and complete all unfinished papers.

Layla’s sleepwalking ability also defines her combat style. When she casts her Elemental Skill, Layla appears to be asleep in a lunar shield. The shielded character can not only gain protection, but also accumulate a Night Star whenever they cast their Elemental Skill. Once four Night Stars are accumulated, they will transform into homing Shooting Stars. With her Elemental Burst, Layla will unleash a Celestial Dreamsphere that constantly fires Starlight Slugs at opponents within its AoE while also generating Night Stars for Layla’s shield. In addition, Layla has a chance to receive double the product when crafting Character Talent Materials.

Nahida and Yoimiya’s rerun will be featured in the early part of Version 3.2’s Event Wishes, and we will see Layla’s debut in both Yae Miko and Tartaglia’s reruns in the latter half. The new 5-star weapon, “A Thousand Floating Dreams” will be available in the new Weapon Event Wish.

A Fun and Frenetic Frenzy of Challenges

A series of fun events will also take place in Teyvat, though some may sound a bit strange. Have you ever thought of catching and training some Fungi? “Fabulous Fungus Frenzy” is a Fungus competition organized by certain researchers. You can catch various Fungi with a special gadget called “Wisdom Orb,” feed and train them with different abilities, and battle local competitors’ Fungi teams. The competition has even attracted Layla and a special guest from another nation. Once you reach a certain phase of the event, you can even summon the great and almighty merchant, Dori to join your team!

The Adventurers’ Guild in Mondstadt is also preparing some challenges in the upcoming “Adventurer’s Trials” event, and you can only pass those tests with provided characters. For example, you need to knock Slimes into the Vine Goal by triggering an Overloaded reaction with Yanfei’s and Klee’s attacks, or dodge Giant Pinballs with Yelan’s Elemental Skill. You can also team up with friends in Co-Op Mode to have fun together.

With Version 3.2, the last member of the Hypostasis family, Dendro Hypostasis will finally land in Sumeru. Not only does it serve as a new open-world boss, it is also a part of the challenge in the “Hypostatic Symphony” event. If you want something casual, don’t forget to visit Liben in “Marvelous Merchandise” and check out the “Outside the Canvas, Inside the Lens” events.

Last but not least, we’d like to introduce the long-awaited “Replication System” to the Serenitea Pot system! With the new function, you will be able to share the layout of your realm, and implement others’ design in your teapot! And that’s all for today’s sharing. Next time, we will bring you more information on Genshin Impact’s first-ever card game – Genius Invokation!

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24/10/2022
Share of the Week – Ghostwire: Tokyo

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Reading Time: 3 minutes
Last week, we asked you to share the terrifying yokai of Ghostwire: Tokyo using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s spooky shares:

Gurararala shares a headless schoolgirl dashing through the street.

VrPhotoGamess shares faceless suited men with broken umbrellas skulking around a green-lit hospital.

snkn_shito shares Akito sending a round red blast of energy from his hands.

SSoulpants shares a stories-tall translucent monkey-like yokai walks through the streets.

holy_mashirina shares a female yokai in a red trench coat standing menacingly at the end of a street.

sparkling_Port9 shares Akiro stands in the rain

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: A Plague Tale: Requiem

SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on October 26, 2022

Next week, we journey to medieval France to watch Amicia and Hugo survive among the rats and dangers of A Plague Tale: Requiem. Share your best moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

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21/10/2022
God of War Ragnarök – Hands-on gameplay report

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Reading Time: 9 minutes
Our return to Midgard and the rest of the nine realms is nearly here. God of War Ragnarök launches on PS5 and PS4 on November 9, and I’ve had the lucky opportunity to scout ahead and go hands on with the PS5 version of Kratos and Atreus’ continuing journey.

No big story spoilers lie ahead in this article – and that’s just fine because there’s tons to talk about in terms of pure gameplay, visuals, inventive new enemies, locations, and more. Without mentioning specific characters or moments, I will say this sequel doesn’t wait long to deliver memorable, unexpected moments with a diverse cast of mythical characters.

Read on to learn about God of War Ragnarök’s familiar-yet-fresh combat, deadly new enemies, exotic locales, and more.

Mythical immersion on PS5

Winter wonder – The world of Midgard sparkles on PS5 thanks to crisp 4K visuals and fluid framerates (I played in Performance mode). Fimbulwinter is creeping across the lands, including Kratos and Atreus’ homestead. Snow crumbles and parts as characters trudge through it, with light catching tiny ice crystals on its surface. Frozen waterfalls stand like intricate, towering art pieces. The atmosphere of this snow-covered Midgard captures the serene vibe of a winter walk in the woods perfectly.

Haptic immersion – Santa Monica Studio has taken full advantage of the DualSense wireless controller’s haptics. One sequence involves dogsledding away from a violent avalanche. The DualSense controller’s haptics thrummed in my hands, conveying both a deep rumble of rushing land and lighter clumps of snow tumbling about. In combat, the Leviathan Axe packs an extra visceral punch, and when the boomeranging weapon is recalled the haptics gradually swell until the axe lands in hand with a meaty thud The range of haptics also brings texture to subtle moments, like Kratos laying his weary body down in his cot to sleep.

Versatile combat options

Settling back in – I’ll admit it took me until the back half of God of War (2018) until I felt proficient with the new combat mechanics. The intimate camera position, ranged and melee Leviathan Axe, and abundant combat options overwhelmed me a bit. In contrast, picking back up Kratos’ axe and Blades of Chaos at the beginning of God of War Ragnarök filled me with confidence and a lust for battle. Wielding both weapons at the outset encouraged me to make more complete use of Kratos’ arsenal, and it’s a blast.

Death From Above – Kratos can now take a sprinting leap off a cliff and slam into enemies below – a furious intro to any group fight that stuns enemies. The new combat option is a potent example of God of War Ragnarök’s increased focus on verticality in the environment.

Stay frosty – The triangle button, used for equipping and recalling the Leviathan Axe, can be pressed when held to apply a Frost Awaken effect to your next melee or ranged attack. Pressing R1 during Frost Awaken executes Frozen Breach – a wide swing and applies Frost to nearby enemies. Aiming while pressing R1 during Frost Awaken executes Frozen Spike – a quick throw of the Leviathan Axe that creates a Frost explosion on impact. Kratos’ expanded range of elemental attacks injects refreshing new options into each encounter.

Flaming Blades of Chaos – Similar to the Leviathan Axe’s Frost Awaken, you can mash the triangle button with the Blades of Chaos equipped to perform a Flame Whiplash. This charges Kratos’ chained implements with fire, great for melting enemies’ icy defenses. More importantly, Kratos looks undeniably cool spinning the blade’s chain to stoke the flames.

Huldra homestead – Kratos and Atreus visit Brok and Sindi’s shop and home to gear up. While there, I upgraded my Leviathan Axe to level 2, boosting damage significantly and unlocking a new tier of skill tree abilities. Atreus was also outfitted with new armor. My favorite detail is the inclusion of a chest containing lost loot, where the Huldra brothers store any resources that players may have accidentally left lying on the battlefield.

Customizing gear – Once again, you can customize your weapons and armor, including slottable gems for Kratos’ Leviathan Axe. After a battle with a ferocious stalker named The Huntress, I acquired Winter’s Bite, a light runic attack that forms a mass of ice around Kratos’ axe for extra damage. Another applies a flaming uppercut-style attack to the Blades of Chaos. I found both moves handy as quick get-out-of-jail-free cards when surrounded by enemies. Just mind that cooldown timer.

Shield of choice – Kratos’ Guardian Shield is damaged during battle, and Brok offers to craft an additional defense while he works on repairs. Players can pick from two new shields to start with: the Stone Wall Shield, specializing in soaking up attacks and striking back, and the Dauntless Shield, which is all about high-risk, high-reward parries. Eventually players can scrounge up enough resources to craft all shields.

Dauntless Shield test drive – I opted for the Dauntless Shield, hoping that my experience mastering narrow parry windows in action games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice may come in handy. It did! A carefully timed tap of L1 against an incoming strike parries attacks and produces a flash of light, stunning foes for a generous length of time. I found this immensely helpful for crowd management and relish the incentive to better study enemy attack patterns.

Threats of the realms

Thor throwdown – If you loved the bombastic Baldur encounter at the start of God of War (2018), look forward to clashing axe and hammer with Thor in a similarly spectacular battle. Thor unleashes a combo of grabs, lightning-infused Mjölnir blasts, area-of-effect volleys, and more. The two gods grapple and fly through the air as the battle rages across multiple frozen landscapes. Thor’s assault is nonstop, peppering in cutting insults against Kratos’ parenting skills when he’s not outright attacking. It’s a memorable encounter that left me eager for a rematch against the God of Thunder.

Raider rumble – Hardy, violent Raiders wander the Wildwoods, attacking Kratos because they know he’s responsible for bringing on fimbulwinter. These melee and ranged foes are easy fodder for sharpening your melee skills and satisfying test dummies to boot.

Björn battle – A mighty bear attacks in one of the first boss battles. The burly animal begins with predictable swipes for Kratos to parry, but also introduces additional cues, like yellow circles that indicate Kratos can block but will still receive damage, and red circles indicating unblockable attacks. The bear’s attack pattern is a ferocious yet forgiving onramp, hinting at tougher battles to come.

Dreki brawl – One of my favorite fights from this slice of the game pits our duo against the Dreki, a crocodile-like dragon beast. The quadrupedal creature snaps with its massive maw, swipes with its scaley tale, and dishes out electrical attacks that force players to keep moving. Using the Dauntless Shield to parry a volley of attacks while dodging zaps feels natural and satisfying – a well-tuned fight that perfectly tests players’ growing skill with tough-but-fair intensity.

Bifröst damage – Near the very end of the preview session, a new bloodthirsty enemy type emerges to protect something deep in a dwarven mine. The pale, tattooed Einherjar unleash fierce attacks that deal Bifröst damage to Kratos – represented by a purple section of the HP bar. Bifröst damage is harmless at first but when these foes hit a second time it detonates the affliction and slices a significant chunk off your HP. Watch your back, dodge readily, and be ready to parry to survive weaponized Bifröst.

Exploring the realms

Realm lockdown – Odin has the realms cut off at the beginning of God of War Ragnarök, so Kratos is unable to use the Bifröst to travel. Thankfully, Brok and Sindri have reconfigured the mystic gateways as an alternate means of travel.

Wintering in Svartalfheim – While Fimbulwinter has enveloped Midgard in cold and snow, it’s had different effects on other realms. In Svartalfheim for example, subterranean pressure has increased, pocketing the land with powerful geysers. Mimir (the wise, talking head strapped to Kratos’ belt) also mentions a potent odor has spread across the land.

Puzzling platforming – Navigating the realms requires clever use of Kratos’ implements. In one instance I needed to move a pillar blocking the path. This required me to first toss the Leviathan Axe to shatter a log bracing the pillar down, then brandish the Blades of Chaos to wrangle the pillar from the path. Another example involves crafty use of the Leviathan Axe’s elemental properties to manipulate watery obstacles in the realm of Svartalfheim… but I’ll leave that to you to discover.

Sonic arrows – In the dwarven town of Niðavellir, Sindri equips Atreus’ bow with a new sonic-powered string. This enhancement is attuned to blast apart objects pulsing a light blue green around the environment, like passages leading to new areas and alcoves hiding chests filled with Hacksilver. Atreus’ ability to destroy this glowing material injects a deeper layer of joint environmental puzzle-solving and navigation for the pair.

Exploration and side quests – Fans who adore turning over every stone in the realm can rest assured that exploration is abundant and rewarded in this sequel. While venturing through a charming yet uninviting dwarven town, Kratos and Atreus cross paths with a dwarf who has history with Mimir. The dwarf mentions mining rigs that Mimir once championed have caused a mess in these lands. If players choose to pursue this Favor, they can correct Mimir’s past wrongs for a reward. Later, while navigating a canoe across a vast, brilliant blue lake I spot pillars of black smoke billowing from these mines. I chose to forge ahead on the main quest path but was reassured when Atreus organically mentioned we could return to complete the Favor later.

Dwarven Compass – Sindri bestows a “beautiful gift” upon Kratos – a compass that allows players to track objectives on the map, then follow a compass at the top of the screen towards their destination. Perfect for efficiently tracking objects like Favors and other side quests.

The opening hours of God of War Ragnarök are jam-packed with exciting story moments and top-notch combat encounters. These are just a few moments and details from the outset that have me so excited to dive deeper into combat, explore the realms, and learn what the fates have in store for our heroes.

Not long to wait now – God of War Ragnarök launches on PS5 and PS4 November 9.

Website: LINK

21/10/2022
God of War Ragnarök Animated Family Portraits highlight 5 key relationships

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Since the Family Portrait series began five weeks ago, we’ve had the great pleasure of showcasing works created by a fantastic group of artists. These portraits showcase key relationships that are foundational to God of War Ragnarök.

Now that the series has wrapped, we’ve put together a gallery featuring all five works on the God of War Ragnarök website and sized them for desktop wallpapers so you can bring the gallery to your home(screen). You can download them together here or get them individually below.

But that’s not all!

We wouldn’t conclude the series without adding an extra special touch. Not only have we animated each of the works, but we also borrowed Mimir to provide some of his keen insights into our portrait’s subjects!

Drew Merritt – The Bear and the Wolf

Drew Merritt’s portrait of Kratos and Atreus, the bear and the wolf, captures the familial relationship of our heroes. The father and son pair have endured many trials together on their quest to scatter the ashes of Faye (Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother) atop the highest peak in all realms. After the events of God of War (2018), Kratos and Atreus become the close family unit that Faye always hoped for

But Atreus is no longer a child in God of War Ragnarök. Training relentlessly under the watchful and protective eye of his father, he has grown to be a skilled fighter with the quickness and cleverness of the wolf. Atreus knows some questions have answers that can only be reached beyond their frozen home in Midgard.

The snows of Fimbulwinter herald the coming of Ragnarök and signify an ever-increasing danger to all inhabitants of the Nine Realms. Now more than ever, Kratos must prepare Atreus to fight and survive as he was once taught. Protective and cautious like the bear guarding its young, Kratos would do anything to keep his family safe.

Download a wallpaper version of Drew Merritt’s The Bear and the Wolf here.

Emma Ríos – The Dwarves

Emma Ríos’ portrait of the Dwarves gives you a glimpse at some new faces alongside the familiar Huldra brothers, Brok and Sindri.

While they have had their differences in past, Brok and Sindri mended not only their business relationship, but their brotherly bond as well. Both master smiths, they have provided Kratos and Atreus much needed gear improvements countless times along their journey. While not without their quirks, Brok and Sindri’s steadfast support earned them the trust and, dare we say friendship, of Kratos and his son.

Emma’s piece also provides a peek into Svartalfheim – home realm of the Dwarves. Known for their brilliant engineering and craftsmanship, the denizens of this realm are proud and skilled in equal measure.

The Dwarves have built vast structures of watermills, mines, and forges – expertly harnessing the environment around them to create the finest tools, weapons, and armor across the Nine Realms.

We’ve shown Durlin and his squiggly little companion Dínner before – but we’ll wait until a bit later on to introduce you to our mysterious new lady friend and her very cute, very wrinkly dog.

Download a wallpaper version of Emma Ríos’ The Dwarves here.

Romina Tempest – Heroes of Midgard

The coming of Ragnarök may have prophesized an apocalypse, but that doesn’t mean our heroes can’t enjoy the quiet(ish) moments between battle.

Romina Tempest’s work depicts an uncommonly common scene, that of dinner amongst friends and family. When danger lurks around every corner, it is moments like this filled with laughter and comfort that become the most precious and extraordinary of all.

The relationship between father and son is the heart of our story, but Kratos and Atreus no longer fight to keep only each other safe. As the classic saying goes, sometimes a family is the Blue One, Dwarf, Head, Son, and a God (or two) of War!

Download a wallpaper version of Romina Tempest’s Heroes of Midgard here.

Jae Lee – Mother and Son

Jae Lee’s portrait depicts the goddess Freya holding the body of her lost child, Baldur. The events of God of War (2018) saw Freya not only as an ally to Kratos and Atreus, but eventually a friend too. Offering her guidance and mastery over powerful Vanir magic, it was only because of her aid that father and son were able to complete their quest.

The end of the last game posed Kratos with a choice: kill Baldur and end the cycle of child killing parent or respect Freya’s wishes and allow Baldur to take the life of the woman who saved his son. Though Kratos is familiar with the pain of losing a child, he could not stand aside as Baldur tried to kill his mother.

While father and son saved Freya’s life, they did so at the cost of her friendship. Swearing vengeance upon Kratos in her grief, the goddess vowed that the price of her son’s death would be paid in blood.

Though stripped of her wings and title – Queen of the Valkyries – by her former husband Odin, Freya’s anguish and anger have made her a force to be reckoned with.

Download a wallpaper version of Jae Lee’s Mother and Son here.

Sui Ishida – The Aesir

From the realm of Asgard, Odin and his family rule the Nine Realms. Despite all his hoarding of knowledge and power, the death of his son Baldur and the arrival of Fimbulwinter mark the All-Father’s failure to prevent the start of a prophecy he long sought to circumvent. Such a failure he is not like to tolerate a second time.

Sui Ishida’s portrait depicts the Odin positioned in the background, shrouded and protected by the warriors of his family that stand between him and any who challenge their cause.

While some of these faces we have yet to meet, there are several Aesir that Kratos and Atreus have already fought as they made their way to Jötunheim. The father and son pair eventually killed Baldur as well as Thor’s sons Magni and Modi. These acts not only drew blood from the most powerful family in the Nine Realms, they also removed significant pieces from the board that served as extensions of the All-Father’s will.

Despite those losses, Odin’s most powerful piece remains in play: the fiercest warrior in all of Asgard, Thor. With the legendary weapon Mjölnir in hand, the God of Thunder’s infamy is rivaled only by the brutal power he wields against any who would stand against his family.

As Ragnarök looms on the horizon, the Aesir prepare for war and the lives Kratos and Atreus took years ago may yet have a greater price to pay.

Download a wallpaper version of Sui Ishida’s The Aesir here.

—–

We want to give a huge thank you to each of the artists who worked with us to bring the Family Portrait series to life! We hope you’ve enjoyed seeing new and familiar faces alike represented expertly in the unique style of each piece.

For the latest updates around God of War Ragnarök, make sure you follow Santa Monica Studio on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. To join the conversation with other fans, head to the official Santa Monica Studio Discord!
God of War Ragnarök launches November 9^th, 2022. Pre-order your copy here.

Website: LINK

21/10/2022
New Resident Evil 4 trailer, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition demo and more revealed in today’s Resident Evil Showcase

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Let’s start with Resident Evil Village Gold Edition.

The first thing we want to share about Resident Evil Village Gold Edition is the demo version that will be available today. This trial version allows you to try out 60 minutes of gameplay in the new Third Person Mode! (You can also play the demo in First Person Mode, as well.)

We hope that those of you who are new to Village as well as those who have already played the game will try this fresh new experience. The game can also be switched back and forth between third-person and first-person perspectives, so we recommend that you compare each viewpoint.

We also have a few new screenshots of Third Person Mode.

After you finish trying out the demo, we hope you will enjoy the rest of the game in the full version!

Next up is Shadows of Rose, a new scenario set 16 years after the main story of Resident Evil Village. Starring Rose, the daughter Ethan risked life and limb to save throughout the events of the main game, this epilogue to the Winters’ family saga depicts Rose’s survival in the Realm of Consciousness. It’s a world seemingly completely detached from reality.

Witness Rose’s personal growth and the final chapter in the story of the Winters’ family that began with the events of Resident Evil 7 biohazard.

For fans looking for an experience with a bit more depth, Resident Evil Village VR Mode allows you to enjoy the main campaign of Village in VR for the PlayStation VR2. For more information, please take a look at the message from Mr. Akiyama of Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia in the Resident Evil Showcase.

Next up is Resident Evil RE: Verse, which will officially begin service on October 28.

We also released the latest trailer as part of today’s Showcase.

This game, which is included as a free bonus with Resident Evil Village, will be available to play in Early Access from October 24 to 26 and will allow you to experience the full game before launch. To play online, you will need to register a Capcom ID and link it to your PlayStation, so please register at here.

Post-launch updates for RE: Verse are also in the works. Members of Chris Redfield’s elite Hound Wolf unit and the terrifying Lycan will be added in a future update!

In total, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition and the Winters Expansion will include three major pieces of content: Shadows of Rose, Third Person Mode, and The Mercenaries Additional Orders. Both Gold Edition and the Winters Expansion will be released on October 28th, 2022.

Finally, Resident Evil 4 will be released on March 24, 2023!

Survival is just the beginning.　

Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the original game while introducing modernized gameplay and providing a deeper, expanded story. The Resident Evil Showcase featured 5 minutes of gameplay, additional commentary, and a brand-new trailer.

What did you think of the latest gameplay video? Cutting-edge graphics have been used to create a game that feels realistic and in line with a modern gaming experience while keeping the essence of the original game intact.

In terms of gameplay action, we’ve added a parry and a variety of other actions Leon can perform with a knife, creating a deeper combat experience.

Yes, everyone’s favorite Merchant is in the game as well!

And today, we’re pleased to announce that pre-orders for Resident Evil 4 are now available!

The lineup includes a Standard Edition, a Deluxe Edition, and a Collector’s Edition.

The Deluxe Edition includes additional “Casual” and “Romantic” costume sets for Leon and Ashley, as well as ”Hero” and “Villain” costumes for Leon, complete with additional visual filters. You’ll also get the “Original Ver.” Soundtrack Swap, “Sentinel Nine” and “Skull Shaker” Deluxe Weapons, “Sunglasses (Sporty)” accessory for Leon, and “Treasure Map: Expansion” in-game map.

The Collector’s Edition is a luxury package that includes the main game, the Deluxe Edition contents, a figure of Leon, an art book, a special physical map, and a digital soundtrack in a decorative box that resembles the attaché case.

Pre-orders of the standard edition will receive the exclusive “Attaché Case: Gold” and “Charm: Handgun Ammo” as a bonus. You can customize your attaché case and attach charms wherever typewriters are located in-game.

Those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition or Collector’s Edition will also receive the “Attaché Case: Classic” and the “Charm: Green Herb” bonuses.

Those who pre-order the digital version from PlayStation Store will also receive a mini soundtrack.

If you haven’t had a chance to watch the Resident Evil Showcase, please check it out!

We look forward to seeing you next week with the release of Resident Evil Village Gold Edition on October 28 and Resident Evil 4 on March 24, 2023.

Website: LINK

21/10/2022
From Concept Art to Cosplay: Creating Kratos and Atreus’ new looks for God of War Ragnarök

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Reading Time: 10 minutes
At Santa Monica Studio, one our guiding phrases is “we’re fans of our fans.” Whether it’s a reaction to a trailer, a deep-dive lore video, or cosplay – knowing that there is an audience that appreciates all the details in our work motivates us to create something worthy of God of War fans.

Cosplayers are a huge part of our community and have been since the very first game released in 2005. Over many years we’ve seen how much time, love, and dedication it takes to create a single character. God of War characters especially have many different materials, layers, and details to account for. One thing we’ve learned is that the best starting block for any cosplayer is a good reference of the character they’re portraying!

Once you’ve taken a peek at the new guides, make sure you check out the interview below with Santa Monica Studio Art Director Raf Grassetti on how the team updated the designs of Kratos and Atreus in God of War Ragnarök!

Official Kratos and Atreus cosplay guides

To show our appreciation for all the God of War cosplayers who have taken on Kratos and Atreus over the years, we wanted to make their updated guides for God of War Ragnarök even more comprehensive than the ones we did for God of War (2018).

We’re worked with our fantastic character artists and writers at SMS, as well as B is for Boy artist Romina Tempest, to create guides that not only give the in-depth references necessary for cosplayers, but also let us play more in the world of God of War by looking at these designs through the lens of our characters.

Community cosplay partners

Photo Credit: Carlos Adama Photography

While we know visual references are key, we also wanted to bring in the expertise of two of our community cosplayers to provide how-to resources and tips they put together while making the cosplays themselves!

Photo Credit: Laughing Orc Photography

We’re thrilled to have partnered with Opal Ink Cosplay (Atreus) and Jonny Mathers – Baldsasquatch (Kratos), who both did fantastic versions of Kratos and Atreus back in 2018.

They have put together a wealth of resources for cosplayers to reference alongside the official cosplay guides, not to mention they’ll be releasing videos documenting key parts of their creation process on their own channels.

Interview with Art Director Raf Grassetti

The new designs for Kratos and Atreus you’ve seen for God of War Ragnarök are a culmination many months of iteration among the talented character and concept artists here at Santa Monica Studio. Atreus especially posed a unique challenge and opportunity for us with several years having passed since the last game.

To discuss the Fimbulwinter-ready looks of our heroes in God of War Ragnarök, Art Director Raf Grassetti walked us through some of the key choices that were made along the way.

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Grace Orlady: Let’s start at the beginning with the early development phase of God of War Ragnarök. When you found out there was going to be a time-skip for the characters between the games – what first went through your head in terms of what that meant for Kratos and Atreus’ visual looks?

Raf Grassetti: It was amazing to revisit our heroes and design their costumes thinking about what they have been going through since we last saw them. Since we knew they were training on their own and without the help of the Huldra Brothers, we went back to more simple and iconic costumes, from the way they would have made their own armor.

You can see that reflected in the way things are stitched, the choice of materials, and being more thoughtful on how they are surviving the extreme weather conditions.

Kratos Concept Art by Rafael Grassetti

We’ve established that God of War Ragnarök begins during the event of Fimbulwinter. Midgard, where Kratos and Atreus live, looks to be covered in snow and ice. How did that influence the design choices the team?

We incorporated a lot of elements to illustrate the characters journey from the end of God of War (2018) to the beginning of God of War Ragnarök. The cold weather was definitely a very important factor, you can see on Atreus’ costume, for example, the inverted pelt to protect him from the cold and Kratos using a bear pelt as well.

God of War Ragnarök Cosplay Guide – Pg. 5

In God of War (2018), the team significantly changed Kratos’ look to match the new setting while still maintaining the iconic elements of the character that make him instantly recognizable.

With the Norse era Kratos design now established in players’ minds, what considerations or challenges did you face with updating his look for God of War Ragnarök?

Since God of War Ragnarök is a sequel, we knew we didn’t want to completely change Kratos, a lot of the choices made were to update his look to reflect the new setting. We decided to preserve his right pauldron and keep his iconic tattoos visible.

Even though Kratos looks similar to the version of him in God of War (2018), his 3D model was completely re-done to improve quality for the PS5, all detail maps and costumes were made from scratch.

God of War Ragnarök Cosplay Guide – Pg. 4

When it comes to visual storytelling, what aspects of Kratos’ character are most important to convey through his design and how did you do so?

Kratos has been through a lot and his design always reflects that. He cares about function more than visuals, so a lot of the decisions made on his design serve a practical purpose. Several pieces are there based on their utility in battle, for example, the pauldron with metal pieces protects his dominant arm and the bracers can be used to shield him if necessary.

We also include touches of his past, such as the red Spartan skirt material, that are reminders of where he has come from. All the design elements together are deliberately chosen to make Kratos believable as a character.

Is there any aspect of Kratos’ design for God of War Ragnarök that you are especially proud of or want players to notice?

At the end of God of War (2018), Kratos removes his bandages and sets them free into the winds of Jötunheim, revealing his scars to Atreus. That was such a powerful moment for the character, so we decided to put a piece of the bandages that Kratos kept at his home on his new gear as a visual callback. On his right bracer, you can see him using them to keep the armor together.

God of War Ragnarök Cosplay Guide – Pg. 15

Enough of the dad, let’s get to the son! Atreus has hit a growth-spurt or five since God of War (2018), he’s obviously had a few birthdays and got some new digs since we last saw him. Can you take us through how that initial design brainstorm for older Atreus went?

Atreus is always so much fun to work on, being able to collaborate with the writers and see the character grow gives us much to play with as artists and reflect those choices in his look.

More than on Kratos, we knew that the training would have a big impact on him, so he needed to have better gear to protect himself. With Atreus, we can also play a bit more with design elements just for visual interest and make him look cool.

God of War Ragnarök Cosplay Guide – Pg. 31

Are there any unique challenges the team faced when iterating on Atreus’ new design?

Kratos is so iconic that we needed to make sure we found what made Atreus unique so that he could stand next to the big guy and be recognizable. That’s never an easy task. We ended up focusing on the elements that we felt made his design special from God of War (2018) and built upon those pieces.

What made you settle on going with the final direction we see in the Atreus cosplay guide?

We knew we needed to keep the pieces that symbolize his parents, specifically Atreus’ yellow scarf representing Faye and his red skirt piece from Kratos’ Greek outfit.

We also wanted to keep the “X” shape on his chest, as that was one of the most memorable visual elements from his outfit as a kid. From that base, we explored a lot of different variations.

Dela Longfish (Lead Character Concept Artist) had some amazing designs for Atreus and the one we see now is an evolution of many iterations to find the perfect version.

Atreus Concept Art by Dela Longfish

When it comes to visual storytelling, what aspects of Atreus’ character are most important to convey through his design?

Atreus is a teenager and we wanted to make his outfit an avenue in which he could express himself, especially since he makes a lot of his own clothing. It’s important to us that our character designs reflect the times they are living in, so the use of materials, stitching, and coloring of the costume need to be grounded, but not so much as to be overly limiting.

We always try to find the balance between realism and interesting designs that make the characters in God of War so iconic.

Atreus in the last game had some pops of color. In God of War Ragnarök he looks to have leaned in a lot more to bright colors. What made the team want to go this direction with his design?

At this point in his life, Atreus is trying to find out who he is and the color choices play with that theme. The yellow from the Giants is very strong and something we have used since God of War (2018) to hint at what was to come regarding his heritage.

The influence of his father is shown in the red waist cloth piece, the aggressive red arrows, and the red in his bow – you will be able to see how that influence impacts his future upgrades in God of War Ragnarök.

God of War Ragnarök Cosplay Guide – Pg. 36

Is there any aspect of Atreus’ design for God of War Ragnarök that you are especially proud of or want players to notice?

Atreus is a product of his environment and the people around him. A very interesting detail that most people won’t notice is the hint of Kratos’ tattoos coming through his armor design.

You can see on his left arm/shoulder the cuts of Kratos’ tattoo coming through the costume – like father, like son.

God of War Ragnarök Cosplay Guide – Pg. 34

Any message for our God of War cosplayer community?

One of the most rewarding things as an artist is to see cosplayers do such an amazing job recreating these characters. We do this with all our hearts to give fans characters that seem believable and it’s incredible to see people relate so much that they decide to cosplay them.

I know the amount of work that goes into making things this complex, so I thank you and appreciate every single one of you.

If you decide to cosplay a character from God of War, make sure you tag Santa Monica Studio on social or use the hashtag #GodofWarRagnarok! We always love to see your work.

—–

For the latest updates around God of War Ragnarök, make sure you follow Santa Monica Studio on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

To join the conversation with other fans, head to the official Santa Monica Studio Discord.

God of War Ragnarök launches November 9, 2022. Pre-order your copy here.

Website: LINK

20/10/2022
New Final Fantasy XVI “Ambition” trailer offers an in-depth look into the characters and world of Valisthea

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Greetings everyone! I’m happy to announce that our newest trailer—Ambition—is now live. Rather than focusing on action as we did in our last reveal, this time we wanted to give the world a more in-depth look at Final Fantasy XVI’s lore and its rich cast of characters—with the Dominants front and center.

The flames of war spread as Valisthea enters an age of twilight. Where will fate lead the Dominants and what future awaits the realm at the end of this bitter conflict? There are still many more questions to be answered, many more truths to be uncovered.

With regards to development, the team has turned the corner and entered the home stretch, and is currently concentrating its efforts on debugging, tweaking, polishing, and optimization.

We’ll be back soon with more information about the world of Final Fantasy XVI! For now, please enjoy the new trailer and new insight into two new characters. But first, some additional words from Director Hiroshi Takai.

Clive Rosefield, the main protagonist of Final Fantasy XVI

Hello!

Our third trailer is finally here and jam-packed with exciting new information that provides a better picture of how the game’s setting, lore, and characters tie in with our compelling narrative. Hopefully it was worth the wait!

As the game edges closer to completion, the team has turned its full attention to debugging and final adjustments. Now that things are starting to come together, the game is sizing up to be something truly special.

We know you are all hungry to see more, but for now we hope that this little peek into the world of FINAL FANTASY XVI is enough to keep you both satisfied and (of course) speculating until our next big reveal.

– Hiroshi Takai, FINAL FANTASY XVI Director

Dominant vs. Dominant

Introduction of the Dominants of Bahamut and Odin

We hope you enjoyed the latest Final Fantasy XVI trailer! Next, we’d like to introduce two new characters you might be curious about, the Dominants of Bahamut and Odin.

Crown prince of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and leader of its noblest and most feared order of knights—the dragoons. Dion Lesage is loved and respected by both his people and his troops, not least for the many times he has turned the tide of battle in their favor. Indeed, songs of the heroism of the warrior prince and his Eikon Bahamut, King of Dragons, are never far from the lips and lutes of Sanbrequois bards. But all is not well in the empire, and the gathering shadows may yet be enough to quell Bahamut’s light…

Arriving on the shores of Ash as a landless and titleless wanderer, it was Barnabas Tharmr‘s skill with a blade that won him a kingdom. And though the local beastmen were to rise in revolt against his rule, Barnabas called on the power of his Eikon, Odin, to quell their rebellions nigh single-handedly, bringing the entirety of the eastern continent under the Waloeder banner. Now he has an army and navy that rival any in Valisthea at his disposal, yet still the king is drawn to where the fighting is thickest—riding into battle atop his spectral steed and sundering foes with his fabled black blade, or merely observing the unfolding chaos from the sidelines, a grisly gleam of fascination ever in his eyes.

Screenshot Introduction

Here are a few scenes from the brand-new trailer featuring dynamic action battles, Clive facing the powerful eikons, and the great war of the Eikons!

Clive wielding Eikonic abilities in battle

Master of both Blade and Ice.

Clive vs. Garuda

Clive vs. Garuda

Odin’s Dominant vs. Ifrit

The development team is currently in the home stretch and devoting all their energy towards the completion of the game. Please continue to look forward to future updates!

Website: LINK

20/10/2022
Visit All Hallows’: The Land of Lost Dreams today

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What a beautiful day! A beautiful day to surrender to the void… or, as we at Media Molecule have come to know it, The Land Of Lost Dreams. That’s right: this year’s Halloween event, All Hallows’: The Land of Lost Dreams, is available to play in Dreams right now.

Is there a better way to get in the Halloween spirit than to explore this creepy creative purgatory, filled with strange quests, odd characters and coMmunity-created interactive delights? No. No, there is not. And if you don’t believe us, you should probably boot up Dreams on your PlayStation, then play The Land Of Lost Dreams to either confirm or deny. It’s only fair.

There’s so much to see in The Land of Lost Dreams. Challenge a king to a tabletop game of questionable quality! Get ripped off by odd little robots! Admire cursed trinkets and scream your way through a haunted forest! And maybe – just maybe – escape development hell once and for all…

Need more info about what awaits you there? Well, you’re in luck: we at Media Molecule have come into possession of a tourist brochure that lays out many of The Land of Lost Dreams’ main attractions in unnerving detail. Honestly, this place seems like a weird choice for a ‘holiday destination’, but travel agency D.Tours looks trustworthy enough – they’ve even got a logo. What evil entity ever had a logo? Exactly.

Website: LINK

20/10/2022
11 things you must know about Star Ocean: The Divine Force

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Star Ocean The Divine Force will soon touch down on PS5 and PS4! This action-packed science-fiction RPG presents a bold new vision for the beloved RPG series, with a powerful story, innovative traversal mechanics, and a combat system that’s just… *chef’s kiss.

That said, we suspect that some of you may still be wondering what this game is all about. Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know:

It’s the sixth mainline entry in the Star Ocean series…

You may have played a Star Ocean game before – or at least heard of it. The series has been around since 1996 and has won many fans thanks to distinct science-fiction trappings. While many RPGs lean into fantasy tropes, the Star Ocean series embraces space opera wholeheartedly – think spaceships, interplanetary travel, advanced technologies, and the like. Even now it feels very unique in the genre.

Star Ocean The Divine Force is the sixth mainline title in the series and brings with it excitingly fresh ideas, including unparalleled freedom of movement and a blisteringly fast combat system.

…but it’s completely standalone

Similar to other RPG series like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, each entry in the Star Ocean series works as a standalone adventure. There’s no need to have played through the previous games to work out what’s going on – the entire narrative from start to finish is contained within the game. Of course, if you are a fan of the previous games, you may spot a reference or two…

It’s an epic adventure that fuses science fiction and fantasy

The adventure begins when starship captain Raymond Lawrence crash lands on the planet of Aster IV. This dangerous world is like stepping into a long-forgotten past for the young spacefarer – people still live in castles, wear plate armor and kingdoms wage war against one other. Joining forces with a warrior princess named Laeticia, he sets off to find the rest of his crew and get off the planet… unaware that he will soon find himself embroiled in a conflict that threatens the entire universe.

The dual protagonist system returns from previous games

At the beginning of your adventure, you’ll be able to choose between two main characters: Raymond or Laeticia. This isn’t just a cosmetic decision – the events that transpire and the allies you can recruit will differ depending on who you play as.

You can play as Raymond …

Raymond is the captain of the merchant vessel Ydas, operating under Lawrence Logistics – a company run by his family. He’s a friendly guy with big hair and a bigger heart. He can be brash and reckless, which often gets himself into trouble – but he’ll throw himself into the heart of danger to protect his friends. He’s a protagonist who’s easy to love.

…or Laeticia

Laeticia is Princess of the Kingdom of Aucerius: a large territory located on the underdeveloped planet of Aster IV. She’s a knight and highly skilled with the dual blades, something that makes her greatly admired by her people. Laeticia is insatiably curious and her encounter with Raymond opens her eyes to a bigger world than she knows… but more than anything she loves her kingdom and will do whatever she can to protect it.

You have incredible freedom of movement

Early in the story, Raymond and Laeticia encounter a mysterious mechanical life form called D.U.M.A. It gives our heroes access to supernatural powers, including the ability to go… well, almost anywhere. With a press of a button, characters can soar into the sky to quickly scale cliffs or buzz over buildings – the vast environments of Star Ocean The Divine Force are now yours to explore from all angles!

Combat is blisteringly fast…

The Star Ocean series is known for its fast-paced combat, but The Divine Force takes things to another level entirely! You’ll have access to a party of up to four characters at a time, each equipped with an ever-expanding collection of skills and abilities. You can equip different commands to your controller’s face buttons, letting you access commands, layout combos, use items and more in an instant.

…and agile…

D.U.M.A. doesn’t just help you get around with style – it completely transforms combat by giving you the ability to run rings around opponents… or more accurately fly rings around them. Your ‘Vanguard Assault’ powers let you charge toward an enemy at spectacular speeds. Change your direction at the last moment to perform a Blindside attack – you’ll zip behind your bewildered foe and leave them utterly defenseless. Yes, it’s as wildly entertaining as it sounds!

But you can slow things down if you want

All the above makes for an intense combat system, but if you’re the type of RPG fan who likes to think through their actions, you can use ‘Wait Mode’ to freeze the action so you can give your allies instructions, change targets, or just take a breather while you plan your strategy.

You can recruit multiple allies – and get to know them

As you play through Star Ocean The Divine Force, you’ll recruit various allies, all with their own distinct personalities and combat styles. All are playable, and you can switch between them seamlessly, both in and out of combat. Private Actions let you spend time with these eccentric individuals, discover unique character storylines and even special endings – so it’s worth getting to know your team!

That’s just a very broad overview of Star Ocean The Divine Force – there’s so much to discover in the game, but frankly we don’t want to ruin any surprises (and oh boy, are there surprises).

The game’s launches for PS5 and PS4 on October 27. If you want to try it out for yourselves right now though, a free demo is also available to download (note that progress does not carry through to the full game).

We hope you enjoy the game – see you in the sea of stars!

Website: LINK

20/10/2022
Silent Hill 2 remake revealed, first gameplay details and design changes announced

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Hello, I am Konami producer Motoi Okamoto. When it came to reviving Silent Hill, what we saw as most important was to do so together with those who love the series. Silent Hill had been, if you will, ”silent” for many years. Yet, even during that silence, we had been receiving proposals for new entries and remakes. This is truly a franchise that is beloved by so many fans.

Bloober Team was one such team with the most passionate of proposals. They are a studio that truly loves and specializes in horror games. Together with creators who love Silent Hill, for fans who have a special place in their heart for Silent Hill, we have decided to remake Silent Hill 2. To explain more, I will hand it over to Mateusz Lenart, Creative Director & Lead Designer at Bloober Team.

The classic returns anew

Silent Hill 2 is a beloved and timeless classic – it’s almost a cliche to say it out loud, but it’s just so true for many of the Bloober Team members. This is also the reason why we approach working on the remake with such great care and respect for the original game.

With that in mind, one of our primary goals is to preserve the atmosphere that made Silent Hill 2 so exceptional, while also modernizing many aspects of the game’s overall gameplay. We are working closely with the original creators, including Akira Yamaoka and Masahiro Ito, to ensure we’re keeping that unique Silent Hill feel intact.

One of the new elements that you could spot in the reveal trailer is the adoption of an over-the-shoulder camera. With that change we want to immerse players even deeper into the game, make them feel like they are a part of this unreal world, and deliver them a more visceral experience across the board.

One change often brings another. With a new perspective, we’re rebuilding the combat system and certain set-pieces, among other things. Now that you see basically what James can see, we could find new ways to keep the player on edge.

Twenty-one years have passed since the release of Silent Hill 2 for PlayStation 2 and the big leap in technology allows us to be even closer – at least in some aspects – to how Team Silent would have desired their game to be back in 2001. Thanks to state-of-the-art motion capture sessions, we can deliver the best facial expressions in the series’ history and show a wide range of emotions even before a character speaks a single word.

Built with Unreal Engine 5

We are updating the Silent Hill 2 experience comprehensively. With the possibilities of the Unreal Engine 5, we’re bringing the foggy, sinister town to life in ways that were impossible up to this point. The game will delight PlayStation 5 players visually, auditorily, and sensorily.

Some of the Unreal Engine 5 features that really shine are Lumen and Nanite. With them we’re raising the graphics to new, highly-detailed and realistic levels, while turning the game’s signature nerve-racking atmosphere to eleven.

Lumen is a fully dynamic global illumination solution that immediately reacts to scene and light changes. It means that the light interacts with the environment realistically, just like in the real world. The whole game environment is lit more naturally this way. The Nanite technology, on the other hand, is an amazing tool for level designers. With it, they can create incredibly detailed worlds and more realistic environments that look and feel almost lifelike.

New PS5 features

It’s not only graphics, though. A lot of Silent Hill’s disturbing atmosphere comes from music and sound design. Thanks to PS5’s 3D audio capabilities, players will be able to determine the exact direction where the sound is coming from. The WWise sound engine creates a realistic and believable soundscape that helps players feel like they are truly inside the game.

Of course, we are not forgetting about the DualSense controller. We’ve already shown with our previous title, The Medium, that we can get pretty creative when it comes to haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. We’re bringing even more new ideas for Silent Hill 2, but let’s keep a surprise for now.

One last great improvement I want to mention is the SSD storage technology. The superfast data streaming means players won’t see any loading screens as they seamlessly explore the entirety of the Silent Hill town.

Armed with these technologies, we hope to make Silent Hill 2 an even more harrowing and unforgettable experience for fans old and new. We’re confident that we can do justice to this cult classic, and breathe a new life into its gameplay. The end result will be a Silent Hill game that looks and sounds better than anything that has come before it. While the development is not over yet, we already can’t wait for fans to experience it.

A new chapter begins

The revival of the Silent Hill series does not end with Silent Hill 2. We have announced not just the remake of a past classic, but also multiple titles with all-new stories. The creation of new games is what truly brings the franchise back.

We will create new games for the series together with those who were a part of Silent Hill, but also with creators who love the franchise. We will expand our partnerships and broaden the world of Silent Hill together with teams that love the series from around the globe.

Above all, together with long-time Silent Hill fans and new fans-to-be, we will raise the Silent Hill series to new heights.

Website: LINK

20/10/2022
How Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection’s PC launch speaks to Naughty Dog’s present and future

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The release of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC is an important one for Naughty Dog, as it lets us celebrate our past and introduce a new, meaningful audience to the world of Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer. But it also represents a pivotal moment for us, a chance to look ahead and expand the way we develop games, all while ensuring the level of quality our audience expects.

To achieve that, we partnered with Iron Galaxy Studios to bring two of the most emotional and thrilling Uncharted adventures to a new platform with PC-centric quality-of-life features. We’re so thrilled new players can experience these two incredible stories, all in one great package. So with its launch, let’s reflect a bit on why this release is so meaningful to Naughty Dog, and how we hope it will continue to showcase our commitment to delivering unforgettable games, now to more players than ever.

Bringing Uncharted to PC

While PlayStation 5 remains our primary platform, we saw the possibility of bringing our games to PC as a great chance to reach a new massive, worldwide audience. When considering what to debut on PC with, we looked through our catalog and decided the beautiful, globetrotting stories of the Uncharted series felt like a natural fit to introduce to players all around the world. Now, you may be wondering why we didn’t start with the original Uncharted. We felt that, while Nathan Drake’s first three adventures from the PlayStation 3 console still stand the test of time narratively, they would require a major overhaul visually to stand-up to modern PC releases and the expectations players may have.

The Uncharted franchise comprises standalone adventures that players new and old can jump into, and so while there’s still incredible stories and character development in those first three games, we felt players could easily dive into Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and pick up Nathan, Elena, and Sully’s stories. Especially with the introduction of new characters like Sam Drake, Rafe Adler, and Nadine Ross, A Thief’s End offers so much to players regardless of their history getting into and out of trouble as Nathan Drake. And Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which is also included in the collection, offers a new playable protagonist in Chloe Frazer. Fans who know the original trilogy will be delighted to see her return, but newcomers will have no trouble understanding her wonderful story by starting with the collection.

And so, these two games, both developed on more modern hardware, and also receiving a remaster for the PlayStation 5 console, felt like perfect candidates to introduce the franchise, and Naughty Dog, to modern PC players. We also wanted to ensure we were providing players with a worthy value, and so we bundled both experiences together, offering an overall suite of PC features and customization options to suit as many players as possible.

We also knew this PC release wasn’t going to be a one-off. As you may already know, The Last of Us Part I is in development for PC following its successful launch on PlayStation 5, and with this being, ahem, Uncharted territory for us, we knew we have a lot to learn about bringing our games to PC. But we were also determined to bring our careful consideration for every aspect of our games to this new version. So for the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, we deliberately partnered with Iron Galaxy because we saw in the studio not only a tremendous understanding of PC development we could learn from, but also a team that shared a love for our series as if it were their own. Iron Galaxy offered a partner we could trust would deliver a high-quality version of these two Uncharted games, and with whom we could work closely to better understand PC development while internally staying focused on current and future projects and bringing them to PC as well.

Lessons learned

The Uncharted series’ PC debut is both thrilling and reflective, a chance for us to take the lessons learned about offering our games on a new platform, and the expectations and opportunities that go along with it. In learning so much through our partners at Iron Galaxy, we’re able to look ahead to the future of Naughty Dog games on PC more excitedly than ever.

First and foremost, we learned, particularly through our partnership, what it takes to bring our own engine to parity to deliver on PC hardware. Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy are already beautiful games in their own right, and we wanted to maintain that quality in the PC release. But we still wanted to provide flexibility in fine-tuning an experience PC players expect, and so it was important for us to support more cinematic resolutions as well as specific PC graphical features. One of the biggest visual changes for Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is Ultra-Wide Monitor Support*, which allows you to experience the Uncharted series’ breathtaking environments like Madagascar, the Western Ghats, and more like never before. But, with our cinematic cutscenes, we tested a host of graphical variations to see what worked best. Ultimately, we decided to actually add black bars to our cinematic scenes because, through all our iteration and testing, we determined that maintaining the original artistic intent and design of those bespoke scenes was paramount to the emotional experience.

The PC space is also one that offers users a ton of flexibility in hardware specs, controls, and more. As we’ve primarily only ever had to focus on considering one or two system specs in the past, this was simply eye-opening for us. Having primarily developed for console controllers, we had to learn about the preferences and flexibility keyboard and mouse controls offer, and we found that we had to re-evaluate certain game mechanics to fit the new input methods. For example, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy features a tense lock-picking minigame that utilizes a controller’s analog stick and haptic feedback to help players unlock them. But without those features inherently on keyboard and mouse, we had to rethink the application of that mechanic.

We also needed to account for the variability of PC hardware as it pertains to data loading, and so we reworked our engine to add a “safety valve” of sorts to ensure a smooth gameplay experience across various PC specs. This isn’t something we’ve had to worry about since the Jak and Daxter days, when we added an animation of Jak stumbling if data was loading in too slowly.

Learning all of this through our partnership with Iron Galaxy Studios only helps to bolster Naughty Dog’s understanding of PC development, and allow us to deliver the quality you expect in our future releases. We’re excited to be offering The Last of Us Part I on PC in the future, and know that, moving forward, adding PC development to the way we develop games, which in no way undermines the importance of PlayStation 5 as our primary platform, will continue to benefit our team in the long run. As Naughty Dog has come to better understand hybrid and work-from-home development over the last few years, PC development offers our team flexibility in how, when, and where our games are created. Much like players can enjoy Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC from a variety of PC builds, our developers can work on PC iterations on various pieces of hardware from home or in the office.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection’s PC release is a transformative pivot point for Naughty Dog. We not only have another chance to celebrate our beloved franchise but also introduce it to so many new players. In doing so, we set the stage for Naughty Dog to deliver high-quality games on PlayStation 5, with the option of a PC release as well, with an understanding of how to cater to the different needs of both audiences now and in the future.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection has created a tremendous foundation of technology and learnings that will only benefit our future development. We’re grateful to our partners at Iron Galaxy Studios, and to our fans new and old, as we reach this important milestone for Naughty Dog.

*Compatible PC and display device required.

Website: LINK

19/10/2022
Get an early preview of the cars racing into Gran Turismo 7 later today

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Gran Turismo players! The 1.25 update for Gran Turismo 7 arrives today October 19 at 11:00pm PDT* (October 20 at 7am BST / 3pm JST). We’ll take a closer look at what’s included, but first, check out the launch trailer.

Four new cars join Gran Turismo 7:

Maserati Merak SS ’80

This high-output model of the Merak has been tuned for even sharper performance.

The Maserati Merak was a mid-engine sports car introduced in 1972. It was developed to be a sister model to the Bora which had debuted a year earlier. The exterior stylings were very similar to the Bora, both having been designed by Giugiaro. However, while the Bora had been a fastback, the Merak was a notchback with a fastback style pillar. This allowed it to retain the same silhouette while making the car feel lighter and improving engine cooling. Similarly, while the Bora housed a V8, the Merak was equipped with a 187 BHP 3L V6 taken from the Citroen SM. With this more compact engine, the seating arrangement changed to a 2+2 layout which allowed for some luggage space. A high-performance model was later released in 1975 as the Merak SS. The compression ratio was increased and other adjustments were made to tune the engine to 216 BHP, increasing the top speed from 139.8 mph to 155.3 mph.

Mazda Roadster NR-A (ND) ’22

This motorsports base model epitomizes the core concepts of the Roadster.

Released in 2015, the 4th generation ‘ND’ Roadster received worldwide praise for its return to the Roadster’s original concept of ‘Jinba Ittai’ (“horse and rider moving as one”). The essence of the ND was most purely expressed in the NR-A grade, a motorsports oriented base model. The NR-A first joined the line-up on the 2nd generation ‘NB’ model, where it was introduced with the idea of providing an easy way for anyone to experience the joy of circuit racing.

These ideas are carried on in the ND version which has been modified with a particular focus on sports driving. The power plant frame that connects the transmission to the rear differential has been upgraded, along with accompanying parts such as the driveshaft, LSD and differential case.

The radiator and brake rotors have also been upsized, and the suspension uses height adjustable dampers made by Bilstein. Another useful feature is the driver is now about to pull up statistics like fuel consumption on the Multi-Information Display from the steering wheel mounted audio control switches.

This 2022 model has further improvements, with the introduction of the new Kinematic Posture Control system greatly increasing rear-end stability. The options list also features racing equipment such as roll bars and bucket seats making it easy to turn this car into a thoroughbred racing machine. The NR-A may be the answer to the prayers of many a driver, offering as much fun on the city streets as on the track.

Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R (KPGC110) ’73

Only 197 examples of this GT-R were made before it was unfortunately discontinued in the wake of stricter emissions standards.

The C10 Skyline, nicknamed the ‘Hakosuka’ (meaning box skyline), handed the baton to a new model in September 1972. The new model C110 was given the nickname ‘Kenmeri’ from its commercials, and was an explosive hit after its debut. The body had a fluid form, omitting all unnecessary lines. However it still had the surface lines and the 4 round headlights that were identifying marks of the Skyline.

The GT-R emblem returned to this Kenmeri in the following year, in January 1973. The model code of this GT-R was KPGC110, and it was equipped with the same legendary engine, the S20 inline-6-cylinder. There was no change in the 157 BHP maximum power and 18 kgfm maximum torque. The front strut and rear semi-trailing arm suspension was also the same as the previous GT-R, but the new four-wheel disc brakes were an advancement at the time. With a size of 4,460 mm in length, 1,695 mm width, and 1,380 mm height, it looked one size larger than the ‘Hakosuka’. If all went well, this Kenmeri GT-R should have won many race series as well, but what this car had to fight was the rising emissions regulations. The S20 was almost a pure racing engine, and could not overcome this unremitting requirement. So Nissan made a difficult decision. After only 3 months and 197 cars built, this Kenmeri GT-R disappeared, without ever having raced. Thereafter, Nissan would mothball the GT-R emblem for 16 years, until its comeback with the R32.

Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 ’18

A racing spec version of the GT-R for GT3 category competition.

The Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 is an FIA GT3 regulation production race car developed by Nismo based on Nissan’s R35 model GT-R. A GT3 version of the GT-R had been available to customers since 2012, but from 2015 the base model changed to the GT-R Nismo which featured improved body rigidity. The 2018 model changed to a dry sump allowing the engine to be placed approx. 150 mm lower in the engine bay to lower the center of gravity and 150 mm further back to optimize weight distribution. Front body rigidity was also improved and the suspension and members for both the front and rear were redesigned to provide accurate body feedback. The layout of the engine bay also received improvements with the radiators and intercoolers repositioned to provide better airflow and better cooling as a result. By refining airflow, they also succeeded in improving body stability on high-speed sections.

New Scapes

‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Whitby’ have been added to the featured section. Check them out below:

Website: LINK

19/10/2022
How Infinity Ward created Oni, a new Operator in Modern Warfare II

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Sharpen your senses, warriors – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is just around the corner.

Let’s dive into more details on a special new Operator while we wait for launch on October 28 (MWII Campaign Early Access* also available starting October 20 to those who pre-order digitally).

Announced at last month’s Call of Duty: Next showcase event, PlayStation players who pre-order any digital edition of the game at PlayStation store will receive the Oni Operator Pack** at Modern Warfare II’s launch, which includes the Hiro “Oni” Watanabe operator as well as a high-end weapon blueprint both playable in Multiplayer, Special Ops, as well as the soon to launch Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0.

It wasn’t only creativity that led to the development of this special operator, it was a great sense of collaboration between Infinity Ward and PlayStation to develop an operator that PlayStation players will want to make their main on day one. Below are some details of how Oni came to be.

Hiro “Oni” Watanabe

One concept that stood out early on was the idea of creating a samurai-inspired operator. A name that came to the fore amongst the Infinity Ward team was “Oni”, meaning “Demon”, and that helped kick start a unique narrative around the operator.

When developing the narrative background for Oni, it was important for the narrative team at Infinity Ward to develop a unique character story that they could continue into the future.

Oni descends from an ancient samurai clan, one that was well respected and lived by a code of honor. As the decades passed and the samurai disbanded, Oni’s family fell on hard times. These hardships eventually forced them to live by less than honorable means. By the time Oni was born, his father had already become well established in the criminal underworld.

Yet Oni’s grandfather worked to remind him that his family wasn’t always about this criminal enterprise. Oni learned his family used to have a very high standing within the community and had a noble name.

To escape his father’s path, Oni left home and joined the military. He was very proficient, quickly rising through the ranks and even earning a spot in an elite multi-national special forces unit with missions across the globe. He learned how to protect himself and how to efficiently wield weapons.

In time, he returned home, eager to come back to Japan and do what his ancestors had done all those years ago – – protect and fight the threats on the home front – – all the while trying to reestablish his family’s good name.

At this point, Oni’s father had become a respected fixture in the criminal underworld. He harnessed his corrupt influence to have Oni discharged from the military.

Now, Oni acts as a gun for hire, vowing to continue the fight against his father and anyone who should cross the samurai code.

Behind the mask

With a robust narrative background in place, the work of designing Oni began. When designing Oni the teams at Infinity Ward worked towards a plausible aesthetic that felt contemporary but with the aura of a dignified warrior tied to tradition.

To make Oni feel true to form, the team dove into what the name Oni meant, its etymology, culture, mythology, and anything else they could find. The goal was to make Oni stand out from the other operators in Modern Warfare II.

Oni’s armor was an important design element to get right, so Infinity Ward started there. The Operator wears polished, reflective armor, almost iridescent in areas, but with the noticeable wear and tear you’d expect from a gunslinging warrior.

The Operator’s helmet and ballistic mask was also carefully considered, being modified to resemble the silhouette of a samurai’s helmet. Oni’s headpiece takes inspiration from feudal warriors that would wear similar-looking traditional armor. That said the night vision goggles atop his helmet make it clear Oni is a modern warrior despite his traditional ethos.

Oni’s unique mask features a striking demonic design that ties to the cultural lineage of the name “Oni”. It also strikes fear into his enemies in a visceral and immediate way.

Finally are the blades strapped to Oni’s back, reminiscent of the daisho blades of ancient Samurai warriors. The Operator wields these swords with violent force in a finishing move PlayStation players should look forward to seeing at launch.

The future of Oni

Part of the excitement around an operator like this is the opportunity to leverage the robust backstory and design elements to iterate further on him. This launch version of Oni is available to PlayStation digital pre-order players, but players will be seeing different iterations of Oni in the Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 Combat Packs available free for PlayStation Plus members starting in Season 01 of Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0.

Get ready for launch

There is other exciting news beyond the debut of Oni. The new era for Call of Duty begins on October 20, with PlayStation players who digitally preordered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II gaining early access to the game’s Campaign mode before its official launch on October 28.

Take the full Campaign Early Access period to learn about Task Force 141, its ties to the Mexican Special Forces, and the overall foundational narrative to the next chapter of the Modern Warfare story.

Get a jump start on launch with the new Campaign completion unlocks. Finish the Campaign to earn a Weapon Blueprint, four base Operators, and cosmetic items for Multiplayer and Special Ops.

Modern Warfare II Multiplayer defines emergent gameplay with a focus on variety. On day one, there will be 12 unique Multiplayer modes: 10 traditional modes on Core Maps and two Ground War modes on Battle Maps. Multiplayer will also come with new features such as a new gunsmith, new firing range, plus new maps and modes ready to welcome newcomers and fierce competitors alike. Along with signature Multiplayer combat, Modern Warfare II will feature an evolution of the Special Ops mode from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019).

For additional benefits, get the Vault Edition to receive the Red Team 141 Operator Pack, the FJX Cinder Weapon Vault*** and one season of the Battle Pass as well as 55 tier skips.****

See you on October 28.

*One week based on estimated access; Actual play time subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences.

**PS Players receive select bonus content not available on other platforms until OCT. 27, 2023. PS Plus required for online multiplayer. Content also available through retail pre-order in Japan only.

***FJX Cinder Weapon Vault and Red Team 141 Operator Pack content requires purchase of Modern Warfare II Vault Edition.

****Battle Pass and Tier skips, or equivalent versions, will be accessible in Modern Warfare II once the season 1 Battle Pass, or equivalent system, is made available in game. Battle Pass redemption applies to one season of Modern Warfare II Battle Pass, or equivalent system only. For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.

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18/10/2022
Introducing the God of War Ragnarök Behind the Scenes series

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Since the very first moment of development on God of War Ragnarök, our team at Santa Monica Studio has made hundreds of decisions each day that have shaped this game into the experience and story that we are about to share with you on November 9.

Over the course of this journey, every single team member who has touched God of War Ragnarök in one way or another has left their mark, each with their own perspective that has given life to everything you will see, hear, and interact with at launch.

The story of God of War Ragnarök is not only that of a father and son who must confront the coming tides of war, it is also the story of the individuals who chose to devote their time, skill, and passion to build this game together in the face of unprecedented uncertainty during a global pandemic.

In the God of War Ragnarök Behind the Scenes series, we will be taking you to all Nine Realms – from Midgard to Asgard (and perhaps a pitstop along the way). With each episode, we hope to provide you not only a unique perspective on the years long endeavor of creating this title, but also bring you insights from many of the team members who have made this possible.

Starting today, on every Tuesday for the next nine weeks we will be diving into one aspect of the game – from shaping the story and elevating combat, to creating the score and crafting cinematics.

Our first episode begins much like our story does, in Midgard, where we’ll be discussing the key narrative beats from the last game that will come back into play in God of War Ragnarök, as well as how our team approached taking on a sequel that will conclude the Norse saga.

We’ll keep these spoilers free until launch, so don’t worry about us spilling every secret! Unless you’re the All-Father himself, you’ll have to wait for November 9 to figure out everything we’ve got hidden up our sleeves.

Without further ado, we hope you enjoy God of War Ragnarök Behind the Scenes Episode 1: Shaping the Story!

Next week on October 25, we’ll depart the from the icy cold of Midgard and head to the land of the Elves, Alfheim, as our team gives a glimpse into the refined, brutal combat of God of War Ragnarök, alongside some of the fearsome enemies who will test your skills in battle.

We hope you’ll tune in each week as we lead up to launch and beyond to learn more about the making of God of War Ragnarök.

—–

For the latest updates around God of War Ragnarök, make sure you follow Santa Monica Studio on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. To join the conversation with other fans, head to the official Santa Monica Studio Discord!God of War Ragnarök launches November 9, 2022. Pre-order your copy at PS Store.

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18/10/2022
DualSense Edge wireless controller for PS5 launches globally on January 26
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Today, we’re pleased to share that the DualSense Edge wireless controller – the first-ever ultra-customizable controller developed by PlayStation – will launch globally on January 26. Built with high performance and personalization in mind, the DualSense Edge wireless controller for PS5 invites you to craft your own unique gaming experiences through custom controls tailored to your playstyle.

Here’s a closer look at the DualSense Edge wireless controller features:

The DualSense Edge wireless controller will be available for a recommended retail price (RRP) of $199.99 USD/¥29,980 (including tax)/€239.99/£209.99. In addition, the replaceable stick modules will be available globally on January 26 for a recommended retail price (RRP) of $19.99 USD/¥2,680 (including tax)/€24.99/£19.99.

Pre-orders for the controller and replaceable stick modules will be available starting as early as next Tuesday, October 25 at select retailers, so be sure to check your local retailer.

The DualSense Edge wireless controller features a host of hardware and software-based personalization options, including button remapping, the ability to fine-tune stick sensitivity and triggers, options to swap between multiple control profiles, and a unique on-controller user interface. It also sports the signature comfort and immersive features of the DualSense wireless controller, like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.*

You can make the DualSense Edge wireless controller uniquely yours with the included three changeable sets of stick caps and two changeable sets of back buttons. Everything will come bundled in the included carrying case, and you can even charge the controller via USB connection while it’s stored in the case to make sure you’re always ready for your next play session.

Here’s a breakdown of everything included as well as a closer look at the carrying case:
- DualSense Edge wireless controller
- USB braided cable
- 2 Standard caps
- 2 High dome caps
- 2 Low dome caps
- 2 Half dome back buttons
- 2 Lever back buttons
- Connector housing
- Carrying case
Stay tuned for pre-order details starting next week at your local retailer, and find out more about the DualSense Edge wireless controller here on PlayStation.com.

Get it directly from PlayStation

Starting Tuesday, October 25, 2022 (while supplies last), in the US, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, the DualSense Edge wireless controller and replaceable stick modules will be available for pre-order only through direct.playstation.com.

The DualSense Edge wireless controller and replaceable stick modules will be available for direct.playstation.com customers in these countries starting January 26, 2023, and will be offered at other participating retailers starting February 23, 2023.

Stay tuned to direct.playstation.com for more information.

*Haptic feedback and adaptive trigger features available when supported by game.

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18/10/2022
Naughty Dog breaks down Uncharted 4’s climbing evolution as Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection launches on PC this week

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Prepare for adventure–we’re thrilled to celebrate this week’s launch of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC!

We’ve previously equipped aspiring treasure hunters with the PC features and specs so you can enjoy Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy optimized for PC by Iron Galaxy Studios.

Whether the series is, well, Uncharted territory for you, or if you’re a seasoned spelunker who’s survived crushing encounters, we thought the Uncharted series’ PC debut offered a chance to look back on how these two adventures pushed the franchise forward. We unearthed some details about how Naughty Dog took a core pillar of Uncharted gameplay to brand new heights.

Climb time

With Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End marking the franchise’s first original PlayStation 4 outing, the team saw a chance to push the franchise forward. Climbing is a prime example of that next-gen evolution; Uncharted 4 introduced a level of control players never had before while grounding Nathan Drake’s movements with stunning animations.

“With Uncharted 4, we wanted to add more depth to the climbing and look at it more realistically,” Animation Director Jeremy Yates explained.

A trip to an indoor climbing gym and lessons from an instructor early in production helped ground that endeavor. That trip resulted in some pretty meaningful lessons for Uncharted 4’s new climbing system. The team was equipped with firsthand experience and visual references to understand balance and weight placement, as well as the thoughtfulness that has to go into each movement.

“When we climbed on the wall ourselves, one of the first things we noticed was how much your weight is on your feet. That really translated into how the animations work,” Lead Game Designer Emilia Schatz said.

The team tried out a host of potential routes to take the system, from including a stamina bar to free-climbing that would allow players to scale a mountain in a route of their own choosing. There was a lot of fun and tension to be had, but the team needed to consider how climbing fit into the overall game.

“It almost became too complex. The important thing about any of our systems is we layer them with other systems. So while climbing itself may have been really amazing, we had to remember Uncharted 4 is not only a climbing game,” Schatz said.

With some of those systems stripped away, the focus came more clearly into view: leveraging climbing in Uncharted 4 to connect the player to Nathan Drake and eventually Chloe Frazer in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. And that meant giving players more control over Uncharted’s climbing than ever before.

Reaching out

“We wanted to be able to give the player very fine control and complete analog control over where Drake places his hands. That’s where the reach system was formed,” Yates explained.

The reach system in Uncharted 4 lets you do much more than simply hop from one handhold to the next along a clearly defined route. Using the left analog stick on the controller, the player can precisely direct how far and what angle Drake reaches out his hand. In practice, it looks fluid and realistic, but behind-the-scenes, there’s a clever system of rings that accounts for Drake’s possible moves. Many animations are needed to pull off each movement.

“That was a huge challenge to animate and design all those poses, and then from each of those [points], the delta between your base and wherever the handhold will be, that position might have a number of very specific animations,” Yates explained.

To ensure what was depicted in-game mirrored real life climbing terrain, the team constructed an adjustable rock wall in the mocap stage and captured parkour athlete Jesse La Flair going through the motions of Nate’s various movements.

“We replicated those rings, and there are holes pre-drilled in all those different positions so we could move handholds around easily…We had Jesse climb every conceivable combination we could give him,” Yates explained, noting that this allowed him to really ground the physicality of Drake’s motions.

To help achieve the reach system’s fluidity of movement, Principal Programmer Ryan Broner was among those working on getting this in-depth climbing system to function properly.

“The big change from Uncharted 3 was being able to hold onto two edges at once, and they could just be any distance apart,” Broner said. This meant work had to be done to ensure the upper body would move in the right direction, but, as the team learned at the climbing gym, the feet were also just as essential to consider.

“[We worked to have] the feet actually look for an edge instead of having them just dangling and swinging.”

“Ryan was…really getting full-body [inverse kinematics] working with all four limbs and your root and how they move together. That helped us create a much more organic system to climb on than we’ve previously been able to,” Yates said.

Imbuing climbing with more natural and variable movement also benefited making the actual paths Drake takes more dynamic and rewarding for the player.

“It allowed us to make more organic rock faces. It used to be that the distance you could move handholds from where Nathan Drake was [felt] pretty short,” Schatz explained. “In Uncharted 4, we were able to space those out, because Nathan Drake could reach quite a bit. By being able to space those out, we could make it so that the handholds themselves, visually, did not always imply a precise route. They were spaced out enough that you had to try it yourself and get used to how far his reach is.”

Not only are climbing routes more naturally embedded within the environment, but thanks to a set of tools the team worked with, more complex routes could be carved out to allow players creativity in how they wanted to progress.

“The organic integration into the wall was automated. What you see in-game…that’s dynamically placed,” Yates said, noting that background artists didn’t have to go in and virtually sculpt out each handhold’s spot. “In real time we could move the handholds around…It was so easy to add those handholds, so it was easier for us to develop what we called ‘Swiss cheese’ for some of these walls. We tried to give the player the ability to find their own path.”

Players can experiment with how they scale each stretch of rock or dilapidated building. Another way players have more agency over climbing is the piton. Born from the experimenting done with a more free-climbing system (you can see the idea of using two pitons at once below), the piton presents a bit of puzzle solving for the player to work through.

The pitons come into play as players hurtle toward specific walls, requiring the right timing and angle to hook the piton into the wall where they want to continue progressing.

“We want you to have creativity in how you can move around and place your handholds. You got a sense of, as a player, I need to decide ‘Where do I want Nathan Drake’s piton to be so I can jump to this ledge over there,” Schatz said. “The piton is a really cool thing we wouldn’t have been able to do without the analog reach of Nathan Drake [introduced in Uncharted 4].”

With all the ideas the Naughty Dog team implemented – and the lessons learned from those they didn’t – Uncharted 4’s climbing offers more precise, analog control over Nathan Drake’s climbing than ever before. That implementation continued with Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which features Chloe Frazer as its protagonist while retaining all the work that went into Nathan Drake’s climbing mechanics. Lost Legacy allowed the team to integrate the piton, which features later in A Thief’s End, throughout more of Chloe’s adventure.

“We were really happy with how it turned out in Uncharted 4…and we were able to put it in a lot more in The Lost Legacy, and it was really able to come into its own there,” Schatz said.

Following the journey of this feature’s development, the team had some big takeaways.

“[Uncharted 4’s climbing showed] the importance of feedback in player systems,” Broner said. “In Uncharted 4, you push the stick, and even if you can’t reach anything, you see the body start to move in a certain direction. Getting that feedback allows you to adjust to your intended direction in a way that feels natural, and makes you feel more connected to the character.”

“We always really strive for the feeling of groundedness…because when that works really well, you identify more with the character, you’re invested more with the character,” Schatz said.

Everything evolved about the climbing system, from the reach system to the piton to the sheer fluidity and realism of movement, allows players to become invested in Uncharted’s characters like never before. We hope longtime fans can appreciate this essential part of the Uncharted experience on a deeper level, and we’re so excited for newcomers to experience Nathan and Chloe’s climbing, combat, and much more. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is available October 19, 2022 on Steam and Epic Games Store.

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18/10/2022
How A Plague Tale: Requiem devs are evolving the sequel’s story and gameplay, out October 18

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Asobo Studio once made its name from its knack for developing Disney Pixar game adaptations. Three years ago, this small French development team evolved and rose to greater heights with its hit release, A Plague Tale: Innocence.

After gaining a passionate community of fans with this cinematic action-adventure experience, Asobo Studio is venturing out to evolve its breakout series with a sequel. A Plague Tale: Requiem aims to overcome and surpass the limitations of the original. The key behind this evolution is the push toward being able to play Requiem the way you choose.

In anticipation of the sequel’s PS5 release on October 18, we spoke with its director, Kevin Choteau, about the direction of the title, its development, new gameplay philosophies, and a lot more.

PlayStation Blog: What did you and the rest of Asobo want to accomplish with this sequel to the original Plague Tale?

Kevin Choteau: Everything, honestly. The first thing that comes to mind is our work on the first game. We had no experience at all in this genre of game. We’re not known for these kinds of cinematic experiences. So we started with the action-adventure on Innocence and did so as noobs, not knowing what we were doing.

When we started Requiem, the idea was to take everything we failed with or did wrong in the first one and try to tackle them. We’ve read all the feedback from the players and critics and tried to do something about it. So the first and biggest thing is the gameplay. Innocence was quite narrow, with only one way to approach a situation, and we wanted to address that. We’ve created much wider open areas where you can play as you want. It was the key by the law of the level design. Now you can play Plague Tale any way you choose.

How do you ensure that the player still has a streamlined journey where they can recognize objectives, assets, and everything else while keeping their options open?

There are two things for me regarding that. The first one is the point of view. When you arrive in a situation, you often arrive above the situation or with a clear point of view so you can understand how they are shaped and where you can go. What tasks you can choose, if you want to go this way or this way, or go through a behind this cart, etc.

The second thing is the systemic approach of the gameplay. We set up some rules, and those rules are always true. So when you learn that, you can use it in any situation. For example, as in the first game, if you see a metallic object, you can use it to distract enemies. In Requiem, there’s also a greenish tar that you can use against enemies. Those things and opportunities attract the player and say, “You can use that, so if you go this direction, you have this at your disposition to play with.” It makes this wider approach functional.

What has working on current-gen technology done to enhance the gameplay experience of Plague Tale: Requiem?

We push everything further graphically, of course. But the rats have been pushed to extreme boundaries. We had around 5,000 rats on PS4, and now we have 300,000 on PS5. It’s incredible because it’s a new tool that allows us to do this huge rat tsunami that now destroys cities. We couldn’t do that with the previous tech. So we can push it even further now and have these super detailed graphics with a lot of NPC and rats swarming the cities.

The rats are also evolving, having become smarter and more agile than before. How have you upgraded their presence as an enemy?

The rats are more able to avoid obstacles to reach you and are more agile and aggressive. When you’re around the fire trying to stay away from them, they’re turning around, trying to find the best way to get to you and kill you. They’re also able to climb up and on fabrics, so you’re not safe in high places anymore. It’s both useful against enemies and dangerous for you as well. We focused on making them more present in the world and less blocked by the environment, so they’re super impressive threats and always have you on edge.

Amicia is a character that stirred many people’s hearts due to how real she and her trauma feel. How did you approach growing and deconstructing her character, especially with her growing love/hate relationship with killing and combat?

The game is all about that. In Innocence, Amicia has picked up being a warrior to survive. But you will discover in Requiem that it will impact her. [Killing to survive takes an emotional toll], and it will have a big effect on her mindset and evolution of what she may become and her relationship with others. The big question is, “Does the end justify the means?” Okay, so you want to become a warrior? You want to do anything to protect your family, but is it working? Is it fair? Is it something that you should do?

Amicia’s adolescent age largely affects how she reacts and handles the situations around her. How does this shape what players experience with her in Plague Tale versus other games with more mature protagonists?

She’s not a warrior, and she’s not a young lady anymore. She’s in between the two. So she’s not super efficient at combat. She’s vulnerable, can’t use a sword, and can die easily. Amicia is really in between those two worlds, and what we love about her is that her age can lead her in any direction. Depending on the situation, she can sometimes be very mature or childish. We play around with that and how it defines her as a character.

Hugo is also growing despite only a 6-month time difference between the two games. How did you go about changing how his powers are used to show a deeper understanding between him and his growing abilities?

For Hugo, the idea or inspiration is children who experience a difficult thing in their life and are forced to grow up very fast. Sometimes they are more mature and aware of the world than we are as adults because of what trauma they have lived. We wanted to emphasize that with Hugo.

He has a better understanding of what happened to him and can start to feel the rats inside of him. But again, power is not that free for him. He can kill easily, much more efficiently than his sister, and has a dangerous unlimited power. So for Hugo, it’s about keeping the balance. He has this power, but he and Amicia don’t want to use it. It’s an awful and ugly ability that can also hurt him. But sometimes it’s beneficial to them. They’re both learning to play with fire, which sometimes leads to dangerous outcomes.

Requiem feels like a culmination of shared trauma, not only between Amicia, Hugo, and their circumstances, but the world’s trauma of the plague, rats, and human-inflicted abuse. What made you want to go in this direction with the story? How does this theme reflect on the characters and emotions within the world of Plague Tale?

The story for the game is really about our characters. We don’t have a big villain like the first one. The world is itself, and as Amicia, you go try to live in this world that doesn’t fit her and Hugo’s past or future. They’re struggling to find their place in a place that always rejects them, so they’re always outcasts. It’s a considerable burden, constantly weighing on them.

The player sees more of the world in Requiem than ever before. How did you go about researching the 1300s architecture, clothing, and belief systems (Alchemy, etc.) to make it authentic on such a larger scale?

The game started in Southeast France, so it’s not that far from us. We have a part of the team that comes from this region, which made it easy for them to bring memories into the game and build upon that. But we also worked with a historian, who helped us shape the authenticity of the world and find settings, environments, architectural details, and even small anecdotes to build up a believable Middle-Age France.

What did you learn personally working on this sequel?

I haven’t thought about that because it’s not over for me yet. But this game is really personal. We’ve brought a lot of ourselves into the game. Good and bad things. Things that are stressful, some happy memories, and we put that together to build up this game. For me, it was like therapy because it’s good sometimes to share with people things that are hard for you, like past trauma. You can build upon that, and it’s something that I’ve learned that we see in our stories. You must always try to take the best away from any situation.

Without wanting to stray into spoilers, with Requiem’s release, do you consider this the book closed or just another chapter completed in A Plague Tale’s world?

I think, for now, it’s the end. But the door is never closed, and we’ll see the player reception. We want to see their reaction before deciding anything. They are driving our production, and if they don’t like what we’ve done, we need to do something else.

How do you and the studio plan to mark the game’s release?

I think we’ll throw a big party with the team. Monday night, when the embargo lifts, we’ll all be waiting in our big room at Asobo, just waiting for the reviews and feedback. We are super excited and exhausted, but if we have a good reception, I can’t wait to celebrate that with the team.

Any closing thoughts on your journey with Plague Tale: Requiem?

I’m proud of my small 70-person team because they push everything even further every time. I’m happy and proud of what they have achieved these past three years. And I wish the best for the player. I hope we won’t disappoint them and give them the sequel they wanted and deserve.

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17/10/2022
Level up your look with the Horizon Forbidden West collection on ASOS

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No weaves or crafting required! Horizon Raw Materials and ASOS are bringing fashion to the Forbidden West.

While Aloy’s in-game outfits are aimed at her protection and survival, our unique partnership with ASOS is focused on ready-to-wear comfort for our fans. This unisex collection of gaming and streetwear apparel features a variety of joggers, hoodies and shirts, which work as either co-ords or individual pieces.

Though heavily inspired by the game — you might recognize elements and details from Aloy’s look, our Horizon graphic novels, or our key art — we took great care to translate this inspiration into streetwear fashion that can be styled in a variety of new and exciting ways.

Super-soft tees and comfortable joggers will make for a perfect marathon gaming session outfit as you explore the Forbidden West (on New Game+ maybe?).

This collection will be released under our very own merchandise brand called Horizon Raw Materials, and ranges between £26 and £38*. It launches in EU, UK, Japan and Asia regions today, and in the US in early 2023.

Rather than dropping your shards at your nearest merchant, you can find the whole collection on ASOS here.

Check out Guerrilla’s Instagram and Tiktok pages over the next period to join in on styling challenges and other fun activities related to the collection’s launch!

*Recommended Retail Price. Actual Retailer Price may vary.

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17/10/2022